Surfing North Shore, O'ahu
Surfing's Theatre of Dreams awaits you
As David Longman reports, the North Shore of Hawaii's O'ahu is cheaper than you might think for that surfing holiday you always promised yourself
You can forget the one-dimensional videos and DVDs of the North Shore surf you've seen. You might as well pass on your surf books and pictures to others on eBay. When you have actually been to O'ahu and sat mesmerised on the sand at Pipeline, watching the world's best surfers risk their lives and reputations on a big wave day in the finals of a professional surf series, you will have your own memories inside your head that you can conjure up in a split second.
These will be three dimensional, and you'll have your nasal responses to also add to the multi-sensory 'picture'. The feel of the sand is exquisite - real golden spherical grains.
As luck (and a bit of design) would have it, I landed at Honolulu International Airport on the evening of Thursday 15th December 2005 with my family in tow. It had been a long and often tedious flight from Heathrow via Los Angeles, and the final leg was dreaded by one and all. Thank goodness for in-flight movies!
Originally the plan had been to spend the first night at an airport hotel, and pick up the hire car the next morning. The surf gods must have been working at the sub-conscious, and a last minute change of plan had convinced me to head straight for the North Shore despite any lack of sleep the night we arrived. I banked on a mild revolution from the passengers, but guessed they would soon be asleep the moment I started the car's engine, so the protests might be avoided. I set the car radio to 92.3 - KSSK - the top-rated station on the island, and I was in heaven, while the others were asleep by th time we hit the H1 motorway.
For me, this was my second trip to the island. Eighteen months before I had persuaded my wife-to-be that O'ahu and the North Shore would be the perfect wedding and honeymoon location. We had an 'awesome' time - awesome being one of the words that was invented by Americans to truly do justice to the scale and enormity of something to magnificent.
Our desire to return was instant, having been totally blown away by the people and the place. The waves were something that we both appreciated, but we both knew our limitations when it came to entering the water ourselves. You, on the other hand, may relish the challenge. You are well insured, I hope?
After little more than three hours of sleep on the first night, my own body clock and the sound of pounding surf pricked my body into life. Our rental property was three back from the beach, and while you could see nothing from the windows, you could hear every detail.
Each boom was followed by a two-tone sound of sandpaper on wood as the water first rushed up, and then retreated down the steep bank.
After a liberal spraying of bug repellent (essential for me, and probably you) and pulling on my shorts and t-shirt, I set off to explore a suitable route from our temporary residence to the beach.
My first image would be impossible to ever capture on film as my eyes saw it. A full moon was illuminating the sea, and perfect 20-foot faces of waves were landing on the beach with precision regularity, as if computer programmed. The light glinted on the mirror surface of the water, broken every seven or eight seconds by a fresh swell that would rise up and crash down upon the beach, with the white water rushing up and down the incline.
I didn't sleep a wink more that night, and at 6.00 am I calculated that it would be OK to drag our kids and my ever-patient wife down the same pathway. Not only were these the biggest waves I had ever seen, but the family were equally jaw-dropped by the easily defined sets of waves that came rolling through.
The rental manager saw our white legs and pale faces as he came jogging by, tanned and looking incredibly fit. After a few pleasantries, he asked if we were heading up to Pipeline. "They're running the sem-i finals of the Rip Curl Pipeline Masters today," he explained in his relaxed American drawl.
I didn't mind if I did, while it would take me a little longer to adopt the accent and the seemingly un-natural way of breaking words like 'semi'. Within a week, however, we were consumed by the culture, and trying to use the local island phrases and calling 'Aloha' to all we met. Most of the locals probably despised my efforts to attempt to merge amongst the indigenous population, and I quickly reverted to being British.
Our home, set on Ke Iki Road just parallel to Kamy (Kamehameha) Highway that runs alongside the ocean, was less than a mile from Pipeline. After getting those immediately essential supplies from the local Foodland grocery store, we set off up Kamy and searched for a legal parking space close to the Ehukai Beach Park that had been taken over by vendors (stallholders) selling t-shirts, posters, prints and canned drinks.
Demand totally out-strips supply where parking is concerned, and a little private enterprise of allowing parking on your front lawn boosted the funds for some property owners. If you park where you shouldn't, expect to find it towed away.
Your average guidebook and surf video / TV programme doesn't provide illustrations of the road, but the film Blue Crush did feature plenty of shots of the small car park and the school opposite at the beach park. As we rushed and brushed through the crowds the archived image data in my brain was being instantly over-written among my overloaded brain cells. I had new and better mental mpegs to store. There is no time to catalogue them properly as my eyes and ears, plus nostrils, attempted to soak up every tiny detail of new sights and sounds.
The PA was announcing that Kelly Slater was in the next heat. We dropped anchor as quickly as we could on the only available area of sand not taken by folks who appear to know everyone else on the beach by name.
Despite not wanting to weigh down our luggage with anything other than the bare basics when we left the UK, I was soon to realise my last-minute decision to bring the tripod was the best move ever. Whether it was for the stills or the video camera, my three-legged chum had never been so appreciated.
Writing this now at home and looking at the imagery captured, I realise that nobody else would have believed me about the size of the waves. Even now it needs the reference of the surfers who suddenly flash into shot every few minutes, appearing as little more than a spec on the screen, scurrying across the face of the waves. My camera work improved in time.
My video picked up the commentary of the competition perfectly. 'Surfer in red, you need a six point four score to take you back into second position," came the voice of authority. You are suddenly aware that you are the only person on this small strip of sand who doesn't know the intimate last detail of who every surfer is, and how they have scored in every previous round of the Rip Curl for the past 15 years or so.
These events are one big - but very intimate - family party, and while the stars would be given hero status in the UK, you are likely to find them in the local stores and restaurants sharing a meal on the North Shore with the locals they have known for half a lifetime or more. Don't get me wrong, there is still huge respect for these men (and the women surfers) who can tame big Pipeline, Sunset and Waimea, but they do blend into the landscape and they seem able to do their own thing without dozens of small kids chasing them for autographs.
The names and reputations of all but two or three were wasted on me (sorry), and the fact that Andy Irons went on to win the event the following day was far from being the most important piece of information filed away for future use. For me and us, it was the size and quality of the waves. For me, it was just being there, drinking cans of the local soft drink brew and imagining that this was my permanent lifestyle.
While I am sure that the crowds at car racing events secretly wish to see a big crash at their corner, I guess most of us on Pipeline would rather see the perfect 10 wave score from one of the crowd favourites. It would also be fun to see a few reputations crumble beneath these super-size bombers, but nobody would want to see someone get injured or worse. The locals on the North Shore have a complete and total respect for the water, with fatalities all too common.
I have often heard of surfers describing themselves as uniquely special and that, while among the waves, they feel 'of the ocean'. In truth it would take a decade or more to feel that I could fit into the local scene, but in the search of something less conspicuous to wear than my British shirts and shorts I headed into the small town of Haleiwa later that day to the Surf-n-Sea store.
This place is an essential part of the local surfing community. I was to be amazed to find everything and more that a pro or amateur surfer would ever be likely to need in their lifetime. It puts all of our UK surfing stores in the shade.
The wooden floors sag as yet more people pile in, and my Barclaycard statement shows I made seven visits and while the prices were great, I still spent a fortune on gifts for myself and other.
The ding repairman is clearly working overtime at the shop to restore the damaged boards of young and old surfers alike. The winter seas are unforgiving.
On any single day watching at Waimea (just down the coast from Pipeline), you will see half a dozen boards end up on the rocks after leashes have snapped amid the heat of the action.
I may be wrong, but surfers who make it back to shore rarely seemed un-prepared to collect their boards from the rocks, while Waimea is still a beach surrounded by ancient taboos. I guess there is a belief that once a board has ended on the rocks it is a sign of bad luck and the 'stick' can't be used again. Surfers only seem to collect and remove boards physically snapped in half. There is the environment to consider, and young boys probably take home the discarded boards to begin their own surfing life.
For those of us more used to the tame admonishments of the British lifeguards insisting that you keep to the flagged areas, the Hawaiian style is much more direct. When they close the beaches (a rarity compared to the often over-eager approach in the UK), they ritually insult those deaf to their advice. Sarcasm and irony is applied liberally, while parental warnings litter their commentaries. The advice of the guards is generally accepted, while in Britain we seem to wish to challenge their authority. Those foolhardy enough to paddle out to the point at Waimea to challenge the 20, 30 or 40-foot express trains presumably only die once. If you survive a beating you probably get the message and don't venture out a second time. I guess that might be another explanation why dinged boards aren't collected from the rocks!
The difference between the inhabitants and visitors to the shores of the South West and O'ahu is perhaps obvious. In the summer our UK beaches tend to be frequented by the carefree and the ignorant who need their noses wiping and are totally un-aware of rips and the other dangers. They come from inland urban Britain and are determined to enjoy every second of their West Country fortnight. They come for the nights of partying and probably haven't a clue about the power and dangers of the sea. Despite this, the swells are relatively small and innocuous in the UK.
On the Hawaiian beaches, the rips are of proportions you will never have experienced when the sea is running, while the physical movement of the water on the shoreline is immense. The death rate on these beaches would be huge if it were not for the efforts of these life saving heroes. The surfers on the North Shore are, by and large, locals and experienced surfers. The urban tourist visitors from Japan and the States are presumably locked away in their 'plastic' hotels in Waikiki, totally oblivious about what they are missing.
The message is also brought home regularly as experienced, well known surfers, often seem to make the headlines through their deaths at Waimea and Pipeline. I don't wish to put off the enthusiastic and confident amongst you, but you are entering a very different world on the North Shore. This isn't a playground, but a sort of surfing university that you can only graduate to following the most intense training.
For a blend of reasons, the schools on the island are about to put surfing on the sporting curriculum.
You can find a choice of beaches around the island - rarely more than an hour's comfortable drive from any one point. Due to the lack of tidal rise and fall most beaches create steep banks on the shoreline in winter that send waves rebounding and causing the most monumental explosions in the bay as two walls of water meet. It's fun to watch from the shoreline, but inevitably jaw breaking for those in the water at the right (or wrong) split second. I guess it is a great sport being thrown feet in the air when two walls of water collide, but I had no desire to test my insurance cover and the A&E skills in the local hospital.
The chances of you finding something akin to the traditional UK sandy beach are zero. While sand might be on the shoreline, even a few feet into the surf and you will find yourself amid boulders and razor sharp coral or volcanic rock that will tear your skin to pieces. The drift along the shoreline will make your exit from the water a real challenge too for those used to the UK, and in the heart of their winter the shoreline can be stripped of its sand overnight, or banks re-appear equally quickly. I would go so far as stating that the beaches are treacherous for all but the most competent Brit.
In our summer months (and theirs), by comparison the North Shore is flat and perfect for a leisurely swim or snorkel adventure. The South Shore does pick up some swell from the Antarctic, but nothing of the size that Waimea and Pipe receive from November to March.
One of the advantages of O'ahu is not just the sheer number of beaches, but also that you can find something that is sheltered from any wind combination. The West Shore at the end of Farrington Highway will reward your drive with Yokohama Bay that picks up the wrap around swell from the North Shore. Year round you can get spectacular sunsets, while in the depth of winter the sun sets behind Kaena Point for the North Shore.
Yokohama gets a perfect wave with the right wind conditions, but there is a sting in the tale. When the wave hits the shore there is a rocky base that will smash your board or your head open. Yokohama is billed as one of the most dangerous beaches - ahead of Pipeline.
Driving around the island is easy, but you will be surprised by the sheer volume of traffic in the rush times. Many office workers get in before sun up to mimic the hours of colleagues on Pacific time in California and the West coast. H1 - the main motorway strip along the bottom of the island can be bumper-to-bumper five or six lanes wide at the intersection with H2 (to the North Shore) and H3 to the eastern side.
There is only one thing that really frustrated me about the island. I can understand (and appreciate) why completing the circular road round around the island at Kaena Point would be a disaster. But I was disappointed by the ugly shanty villages that are springing up along parts of Farrington Highway that transports you from the end of H1 to Kaena Point. But the one real disappointment is how the military have consumed vast areas of the island for bases. It is verging on the criminal, and generally hinders your access to places like the cliff top at Kaena Point, or drives through some of the spectacular volcanic landscape.
Finding your place to stay on the North Shore isn't difficult, as long as you are prepared to book well in advance and don't mind trawling the web. Your starting point is probably www.vrbo.com from which you can search by town and area having first clicked on the right section of the US map for the islands. Each property intro will tell you how many people the house will sleep, while the detailed individual pages will often include an availability calendar. Many rentals also have links to their own websites.
The facilities offered by these places will shock and surprise those of us used to UK beach rentals. You'll find the cupboards stocked with more than just the bare essentials for living. Ours even came with beer and spirits - the general rule is that you replace what you consume. Below the house were two bikes, several boogie boards, and beach chairs. Beach towels are also provided, while the free washing and drying facilities are a bonus so you can return home with all your washing done!
The houses all seem to have their own BBQ and deck, while the latest competitive point of difference seems to be whether your house has a hot tub. With these properties the owners often stay themselves, and they want a home-from-home as you do. It's just that the US standard of living seems to surpass our own suburban lifestyles back home!
All the shoreline houses are built on stilts. It is probably an insurance company demand, thought up well before the word tsunami re-entered our vocabulary recently with such force.
You are totally spoilt with the number and style of places to rent. The beachfront homes come at a premium, while I came to the conclusion that you might as well be a mile or so up in the hillside with your view of the ocean as three houses back from the beachline.
You'll still have to drive anywhere, and the prices can be much cheaper. You can get luxury one-bed apartments, or take the family and friends with some properties sleeping up to 20 in the larger mansions. In the competition season, many will be taken by pro surfers and their friends, so you might end up staying next door to Kelly Slater or another of your heroes.
Unlike Waikiki, this area isn't stacked with impersonal hotels. Along the beachfront in the popular resort those wanting a Burger King on every street corner will be in heaven, and you'll find all the commercial trappings and the chain stores to buy your gifts from Hawaii that were made anywhere but the island or even the US. If you want to browse before you go, log in to the ABC Stores website (www.abcstores.com) and let your friends select what they want you to lug home in the suitcase(s). They can give you the dollars before you set off, or you can buy online when you get home for those silly gifts that you didn't have space for.
Waikiki is, in my humble opinion, best visited at night. You can go to the 'Duke' statue and wave at the webcam so friends at home can have visual proof that you are still alive ( www.co.honolulu.hi.us/cameras/waikiki_beach/waikiki.htm ).
The local shops on the North Shore are more likely to sell local islands crafts, while the Foodland grocery store (part of an island-wide chain) has everything you will want, and not just groceries. You can get your board shorts and floral shirts, sunglasses, shoes, towels and my holiday essential - the Starbucks coffee drinks in a bottle!
There is personal service at Foodland (you are, after all, in America) where the staff will quickly remember your name and will pack your trolley and even take your purchases to your hire car for you. Remember to fill in your discount card to claim the rewards that are instant and really worth having.
Next to Foodland you'll find one of the many local art and craft stores that punctuate the roadside along the North Shore, selling most of the most obvious gifts and clothes that will make your trip to Waikiki redundant, while Haleiwa has the rest of the shops you could ever need. In the North Shore Market make sure you stop off at Silver Moon where the ladies will acquire the most exquisite dresses. Their range is out of this world, and the small numbers of each size mean you will stand no chance of returning to the UK and having something the same as anyone else.
Internet access seems to be available in most rentals as well, but you'll find plenty of other small places offering you time on their Dells and eMacs.
There are several bars and restaurants in Haleiwa, while a short journey up to the top of the North Shore will reward you with the Turtle Bay Resort. The breakfasts are a great value way to start the day, and this former Hilton has three wings - all rooms have a sea view in one direction or the other.
Ted's Bakery is one of the other (cheaper) places to stop for food, while you will enjoy the most sensational pineapples from any of the roadside stalls and other local delicacies. With shrimp farms at the top of the island, there are several roadside haunts where you can pick up dishes, and a Domino's.
But the sea is the reason why you come to the North Shore. Depending upon the season (ideally from late November to early-April - you should be lucky enough to catch sight of something spectacular that will blow you away. Whether you ever venture out, you will have been to one of the most sensational and famous surf breaks in the world, will have brought back your t-shirts (four for $20 from the guys at Pipeline) and will have your pictures to remind you of one of the most amazing places you could ever imagine.
If you don't fancy risking all and like your surf a little more gentle and predictable, you can always head down to the south-west of the island and the water park where you can spend an hour on Da Flow Rider surf machine where the surfing pace is somewhat less challenging, no rips and no boulders to contend with!
I must tell you one almost final story about the local people. They are superb, and many of them really friendly and welcoming to the Brits. One morning, having been up early and parked near Foodland, we had walked down to Waimea to take pictures of the waves and the surfers.
As we walked back to the, I stopped to take a picture of a Monarch butterfly. We don't get them over here. The owner of the house in question had signs up to deter people walking into his garden that overlooked the surfers at the point - if he didn't he would be pestered all day.
He came out and we got talking, and within 30 seconds he had invited us into his garden to look around. "You'll get better pictures from here," he said. "Stay as long as you want." He let us stay for the day, and brought us food and drinks. What a brilliant guy ... and he rents his house: www.vrbo.com/44333. At £25 per person (based on 6), and you have a bargain!
You will want to return, I guarantee. With flights at less than £600, and an average of £30 per night per person for your luxury home, and the North Shore isn't as expensive as you might at first think. Perhaps with a stop-over in LA and the chance to take a dip at Huntington Beach as well (an hour from the airport), and you will have ticked off four or more of the most famous surfing breaks in the world. Have a look at Venice beach too, and with two days to spare you must add in Big Sur.
Back home now, I have a choice of 1,800 pictures to put on the desktop and six hours of video to watch. And if I log in to www.ksskradio.com on the internet, turn up the central heating and shut my eyes . I am still in grey and cold London, but transported back to the North Shore. Kathy is on air doing the mid-day show and it's the Eagles next up. If I open a second window on my browser and I re-new my subscription to www.surfline.com I could be watching the live feed from Pipeline and dozen other beaches.
In reality, I'm closer to the North Shore than you might think. Time it right, and I could be sitting on the beach in Waimea in about 21 hours. Now, there's a thought. I wonder what's playing on the radio?
Tips:
1. Some airlines charge up to $100 to carry your board. If you put your board and bag in a box as a disguise, you may avoid the charges. It's worth a try. Why don't golfers get charged for their clubs?
2. Shop around for your car hire. The prices for the identical vehicle vary wildly - I found Alamo good.
3. If you get sand in your car (which you will), clean it out before you return it, or you could end up with a $50 or $100 cleaning bill.
4. Don't leave ANYTHING ever in your car that is valuable. Break-ins are all too common, particularly in the beach car parks such as Waimea. Don't leave your board on the roof of the car, and don't leave a boogie board in the sun on a seat!
5. Fill in your discount card for Foodland. The savings are really significant. Offers change daily, and try the hot food counter for a snack.
6. Your attempts to barter and bargain at the surf shops are worth a try. You might end up with a free poster or two, or even more. Forget it with the guys at Pipeline,however!
7. Buy your clothes for your holiday when you get to the island. Everything is really cheap compared to the UK. There is a shopping centre at Mililani (20-minutes from Haleiwa off H1) and a Wal-Mart where you can get anything you will want at stupid prices.
8. The surf (and light) is often best in the early morning before the trade winds have kicked in, and if you need to catch up with your sleep do so in the middle of the day when the sun can be very strong. But remember, even in the summer you still only have about 12 hours of daylight - no 10.00 pm summer evening surfs.
9. Be really careful behind the wheel. The traffic can be bumper on Kamy past the beaches, and if you take your eyes off the road for a second to look over at the surf, you could easily be in an accident. I speak from experience!
10. Tune your car radio for KSSK (92.3) for great music and surf reports. To get into the spirit of the island, listen via the internet before you go. www.ksskradio.com
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