Starting to surf in the late 70's there was always some guy who went to Hawaii for the winter. Whomever he was,when he returned he would always be the guy with the biggest smile and most aloha!
I never did Hawaii for the winter gig. Never felt the need or desire. I preferred the trips to the Carib,Mexico,Guatemala,Nicaragua,Central America,Ireland and of course the mainland of the United States.The interesting parts of cultures in foreign lands always got my juices flowing. Becoming part of the local culture and live like the locals.
Hawaii always seemed like this place I had NO desire to see. That's the place where angry locals hate all hoales,or so I thought. My first trip to the Islands of Hawaii was a few years ago . My brother and Kristina went there to marry. I surfed in the warm waters and perfect waves of Maui for a few weeks. Not once did I get "stink eye" or "vibed out" by locals. Only Aloha!I knew I would return.
Last summer when I was SUP'ing around Aquidneck Island I met a crazy paddler from Kauai. He chased me down for an hour and asked if I had come from Hawaii or something. That's a quote. "No" I said. "I'm from Little Compton." 'Well" He said. You should come to Kauai and live at my house and get REALLY into the whole culture.
That's all I had to hear. Being immersed into a the Hawaiian surf culture is like a dream come true.
I'll be living on the North Shore of Kauai. Surf is commonly in the 20 foot range. Speaking to Kevin the other day he said it had been had been small. Nothing over 20 foot, mostly 10-15 foot. "But the kids are having a great time!" he said. GULP..double GULP....
Keep you all posted from the Emerald Island.Miss you guys already.
Mike
