Hawaii
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Personally, I‘d rather fight than go right. This does nothing for me… just kidding! Photo: Poullenot
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The Superbank. Photo: Joli
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Those who Can, Canary. Photo: Villalba/WE
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Every possible combination of every caption, ever, has been written about the North Shore, hasn‘t it? Doesn‘t mean you don‘t need to go there six times. Photo: Ryan Foley
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Clint Kimmings backdoors ‘Bali‘s heaviest wave‘, sun rise side. Photo: Timo
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Naum tucks into the deep Caribbean blue. Photos: Alex Laurel
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Photo: Testemale
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Gony swoops. Photos: Ricardo Bravo
Hawaii
The North Shore in winter is NOT ‘the Mecca of surfing’ … Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is actually the Haleiwa of Islam.
LATITUDE: 21 deg N
WATER TEMP: 24 deg C
FLIGHT TIME/COST: 16 hours from London £750
BUDGET: Kinda pricey, like $500/week minumum
WAVES: 9
WEATHER: 8
CROWDS: 2
WOW-FACTOR: 8
The North Shore in winter is NOT ‘the Mecca of surfing’ as previously, erroneously, reported by this and every other surf magazine. Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is actually the Haleiwa of Islam. It’s that way around. Whereas every able bodied muslim is expected to go to Mecca once in his or her life, every self- respecting surfer should do at least six North Shore pilgrimages, funds permitting, before they perish and rot silently back into the cool, dark humus.
Photo: Foley
Between November to Xmas particularly (but also right up until March) it’s fairly crowded. It’s much windier than Indo, the waves are considerably shorter and generally way less perfect, and it’s much more expensive. You are even more likely to get hassled for waves by a brazilian, Israeli, Aussie, Italian, Frenchie, or any other kind of blow-in than at Canggu. Nevertheless, every self-respecting surfer should do at least six North Shore pilgrimages, funds permitting, before they perish and rot silently back into the cool, dark humus.
I’m not going to go into the ins and outs of why here, because I don’t need to. That would sound desperate. I don’t need to plead a case for the North Shore, to twist arms, to brainwash via a barrage of boasts and claims. I don’t need to say ‘Kammies is really good on a north swell’ or extol the many virtues of backyards. I shall merely calmy repeat that at least six times, yes six, you should visit the North Shore and elevate your surfing, your quiver and your consciousness, to all new heights.
Photo: Foley
You do not “do” Hawaii, ever. The phrase “I’ve decided; I’m gonna do Hawaii this year,” should never pass your lips, your impertinent, uncouth, heretic lips. You will never ever “do” Hawaii. But if you’re lucky, sensible and wholesome, Hawaii will do you.
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