All Contents of this Page Copyright(2014) of Randolph Kashino
Maui Christmas 2014
"Winter Escape to the Tropics"
December 14, 2014
Arrived on Maui last night with my friend Joe McBride. On the flight we found are other freinds Mark and Marcy and Mark and Toni. On landing we went to get some groceries for the morning breakfast. Most of the morning was getting the gear out of storage and vacuuming up the remains of mice that had decided to make my car a home while I was away. We made it to Kanaha Beach Park by 4pm. It was windy and very big waves on the outside. I rigged my 5.0 on my Quatro 95, while Joe rigged his 4.5 on his JP. We sailed for an hour or so on the inside lagoon just to remind ourselves how to sail, jibe and tack. I was a good start. After sailing we decided visit Hawaiian Isand Surf and Sport shop and say hello. Then on the way home we decided to stop in Paia and have dinner at Cafe Mambo.
Wild Waves at Kanaha Lowers
December 15 to 17, 2014
The next three days the wind had died down, so we headed to the west side and surfed at Launiupoko Beach Park. The first day was probably one our best days of Stand Up Paddle surfing with waves averaging 3 to 4 feet with the occassionaly head high set. The second day Mark Sudul joined us and I lent him my 9'6" Angulo board. The third day, Joe tested an 8'5" Starboard Pro. It was kind of windy which made for a challenge to Paddle surf.
Joe jibes in front of Weird Wave
Cafe Mambo Christmas menu
December 15 to 17, 2014
The next three days the wind had died down, so we headed to the west side and surfed at Launiupoko Beach Park. The first day was probably one our best days of Stand Up Paddle surfing with waves averaging 3 to 4 feet with the occassionaly head high set. The second day Mark Sudul joined us and I lent him my 9'6" Angulo board. The third day, Joe tested an 8'5" Starboard Pro. It was kind of windy which made for a challenge to Paddle surf.
Paddling onto a wave at Launiupoko
Mark and Joe paddle out through some waves
Mark surfs a wave
Sunset at Launiupoko Beach
December 18 and 19, 2014
The wind was up again so we headed to Kanaha for some windsurfing for the next 2 days. The first day was windy but with small waves. It was nice cruising up off of upper Kanaha reef. Saw a couple of turtles on my reaches. Near the end of the day it got very windy and I was pretty overpowered on my 5.0, but I hung on for some nice fast reaches. That night I pan fried some fresh Swordfish for dinner. I had forgotten how good this fish tastes. The next day we were at the beach early, but the wind was pretty light. Joe went out and slogged around until he had to come in due to lack of wind. I hesitated, but when the wind finally came up at 2 pm, I headed out and cruised up towards upper Kanaha. There were a lot bigger waves today. Cruising out at uppers I encountered some big house sized swell coming in. Joe ended up sailing at lowers and got stuck in the wave break a couple of times. All in all a pretty fun day. We repeated the sword fish dinner that evening.
Joe goes for a Duck Jibe
Sailing away from Weird Wave
December 20 to 22, 2014
The next day the trade winds became light. Joe was intent on trying out an 8'0" Starboard Pro that someone was selling up in Lahaina. We drove up to Lahaina and parked at 125 Front Street. The property was right on the beach so Joe took the board out and paddled out the break known as the Shark Pit. I stayed on the beach and took some photos. Joe didn't look all that comfortable on the board but stuck it out for about an hour. We then went down to Ukumehame for the afternoon and surfed until 5 pm. For dinner we stopped at Pinata's and had a Kitchen Sink Burrito for dinner. The next day, Joe had rented a 8'6" Jimmy Lewis Stun Gun SUP, so we headed back to Ukumehame Beach Park. Some nice waves, with up to 6 foot faces were coming in and we surfed the right break. I caught a couple of nice head high faces, but didn't get much of a ride because the face broke pretty face. Although it made for some exciting face drops and white water surfing. For dinner we cooked up steak, with rice, salad and a bottle of Malbec red wine. The next morning I spent packing up my 9'6" Angulo for shipping back home. The afternoon was another good, but although wind day of paddle surfing at Ukumehame. Another nice sunset reminded us that Soltice had passed and days were now getting longer. For dinner we went to Cafe Mambo. At Paia there were sandbags out on the street and on the radio and TV there were flash flood warnings issued for around Maui. It rained pretty hard that night.
Joe paddles out at the Shark Pit
Joe wasn't looking comfortable at first
But managed to get a couple of good waves
December 23 to 24, 2014
The next morning it was still raining pretty hard. I had to get some repairs done on my car so we dropped it off then went for a shopping spree at WalMart in Kahului. Later that afternoon I picked my car up and then we went up to Safeway for some food shopping then to the Queen Kahahumanu Shopping center and then a final stop at HiTech Surf shop. Joe was in a buying mood and and decided to buy a new Jimmy Lewis Stun Gun. The next morning was spent packing up Joe's new board and my 10'6" Hawaiian Board for shipping back home. Joe packed his bags and I drove him to the airport for his trip back home. Aloha to Joe. After this I went down to Kanaha Beach Park to check things out. The parking lot was half flooded and they waves were still looking rough, so I decided to go to Ukumehame. It was flat calm and there were some nice 2 to 3 foot waves and there was almost nobody out surfing. I think they were all Christmas shopping. Later, I strapped my Go Pro on my paddle and got some good photos, then relaxed with a beer and some sushi on the beach. Later I pan fried some Mahi Mahi served with Rice and Kim Chee for my Christmas Eve dinner.
Paddling off Ukumehame beneath the West Maui Mountains
Nice and Smooth Waves for surfing Ukumehame
Sunset at Ukumehame
Mele Kalikimaka! December 25, 2014
Sunny and very light winds this morning and it was clear enough the I could see the island of Molokai off to the west. Spent the morning getting my blog together with photos. In the afternoon I drove up to Ukumehame and met Mark, then we drove up to Puamana and went out paddle surfing. It was a bit windy which again made things challenging. We finished about sunset. Back at Pu'u Koa, I made rosemary pork chops, with rice and buttered asparagus for dinner.
Mele Kalikimaka!
Mark comes in after a Puamana surfing session
Moonset in Maui. Yes.., the moon is on its' side here
December 26, 2014
Up early this morning and again it is very clear and sunny. The temperature is a chilly 61 degrees Farenheit, that is 16 degrees Celsius! My usual bacon and eggs breakfast helped stoke me up for the day. After breakfast I headed down the road and over to the west side. Ukumehame was looking a bit small and windy so I drove further up to Launiupoko. No crowds and calm sea. The temperature had warmed to a more normal 81° F (27°C). The waves looked small but useable. I went out for a couple of hours and got some waves. It was getting a bit windy so I decided to drive up to Ka'Opala. It was very windy onshore and rough looking waves. Not quit enough to windsurf and too windy for surfing. I headed back to Launiupoko and met up with Mark. We then decided to drive down to Oluwalu to check things out there. Oluwalu is the site of the ruins of an old sugar mill. It has a nice pier that goes out into the ocean and there is a nice quiet lagoon. Although it was rough and windy on the outside of the reef the water in the lagoon was flat. Not having any luck with finding a good surfing spot and it was getting late we decided to head to Paia and get some dinner. Cafe Mambo was the choice and we had the Herb Garlic Shrimp with Jasmin Rice, which is always excellent. I had a Big Sweil IPA and Mark an Margerita. After dinner I headed back to Puu Koa, watched some TV and then crashed...
Ka'Opala Bay with Molokai off in the distance
Quiet Oluwalu Lagoon
December 27, 2014
Another warm and sunny morning. The winds were light but from due North. This is the result of a low pressure system that had formed north of the Hawaiian islands as result of that shear line that brought all that rain and flash flood warnings a few days ago. This was one of those days that one can't make any decisions on what to do. On the road I first checked out Sugar Cove in Sprecklesville. It was a bit messy and windy. I then went to check out Baldwin Beach because Mark said he might be there with his crew. I then headed into Kahului and went into Bounty Music and bought an inexpensive Ukulele. Something I could take to the beach without worries. I then headed up to Ukumehame and it was definitely too windy to paddle surf so I headed back to Kanaha. It was looking windy but was directly from the north onshore. I rigged my 5.0 and tried to get sailing. The wind was too wierd and I ended up mor swimming than sailing. Good to get wet anyway. Back at Puukoa I made some rosemary port chops served with rice and Kim Chee. Played my Ukulele for awhile and then watched a concert on TV which was of the group Kalapana from a few years ago. Still sounded pretty good to me...
Sprecklesvilles' Sugar Cove
December 28, 2014
Yet,a nother warm and sunny morning. Almost no wind this morning. I made some Kona coffee and then my regular bacon and eggs breakfast. The rest of the morning I spent wrapping up one of my paddle boards to ship home. By noon it was time to hit the road. I stopped to get some gas and then visit Hawaiian Island Surf and Sport. Next I decided to head over to Ukumehame, because the north shore was a bit too windy and messy. When I got to Ukumehame the wind was calm and it looked like there might be the occasional wave comming in. I spent the rest of the afternoon surfing the middle break alone. Pretty nice. No wind and I could see the schools of surgeonfish swimming over the reef below. Offshore, there were a couple of humback whales breaching when I came in for a break. Near sunset George and Krista showed up for a late afternoon paddle. The sunset was spectacular and a brilliant have moon at zenith above made for an additional effect. On the way home I picked up a fillet of fresh Mahi Mahi that I grilled to perfection back a Puukoa. Served with rice and brocolli and a Merlot wine.
Heading out for an evening paddle at Ukumehame
Malama was at its' zenith above
Ka La, the sun was setting in the west
Aloha, December 29, 2014
Last day on Maui for this trip. For breakfast I made a Pineapple/Onion Omelet served with fried rice. I then spent an hour packing and then loaded my shipment of boards onto the roof of my car and took them into Kahului for shipping. I then came back to Puu Koa then loaded up my Stand Up Board and then headed to Ukumehame for a last paddle. Mark drove down from Kihei and met me there. When we went the waves were still small and few, but an occassional good set came in which made it all worthwhile. After a first session for about an hour we came in and had a beer with some pinapple, then then headed back out for a final session. Paddled and surfed until about 4:30 and then headed back to Pu'u Koa. It took a couple of hours to pack up everything and then I headed to the airport for the overnight trip back to Canada. Aloha to Maui for this trip.
From Ukumehame looking back towards Papawai Point and Kihei town.
Surf Session break
December 30, 2014
My plane landed back in Calgary, Alberta where the air temperature was -19° C ! My connecting flight back to Victoria had spectacular views of the snow covered Rocky Mountains and then the coastal range as it flew near Mount Baker. Joe and Cathy were at the airport to pick me up. When I got home I was pretty tired then went to bed, dreaming of sandy beaches and warm water surfing.
Spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains on the flight back home.
Mount Baker and the coast range
Aloha,
Mele Kalikimaka!
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!
Ku Hoe Pa'a!
Randy
Aloha 'Oe
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**Translations
Mele Kalikimaka: Merry Christmas
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou: Happy New Year
Ku Holoholo Pa'a: Keep Sailing Hard
Ku Hoe Pa'a: Stand, Paddle Hard
Ku Hoe He'e Nalu: Stand Up Paddle Surfing
Hau'oli la hanau: Happy birthday
Anuenue hulali o kakahiaka: Brilliant Rainbow of the morning