Me Like-like O’ Waikiki

After surviving Maui (ok, ok – it’s not that bad – after all, it still is Hawaii, and to be fair, to a golfer, it probably would be considered paradise) we were thrilled to be back to Oahu, locally known as “The Gathering Place”. Despite being the most populated of the Hawaiian Islands (and only third in size), Oahu has managed to retain that Paradise feel, and it seems that the clocks are pretty much on Island Time.

After checking out the many surf breaks, we decided to rent out a little beachhouse in Kailua on the east coast. It’s a great little town that is situated between the North Shore and Waikiki but it’s somewhat off the tourist track so it’s not too busy. Next step: get ourselves some rhino chasers.

I’m extremely proud to announce that my new surfboard actually fits INTO our car!!!! Admittedly, our car is really a truck (and a big one at that), but still….It has been one of my goals to start riding a slightly smaller board, and I’ve “graduated” from a 9’1” to an 8’6”!!! Even better news: I tried it out today at Waikiki and I can catch waves with it ~ woo hoo, hand me the wax darl’in!!!

Which brings me to my next point: Waikiki. Over the years I’ve heard lots of people say they don’t like it very much; too busy, too commercial maybe? I’m not really sure what the issues are. But for a city beach, we totally love it! The water is crystal clear and warm, the sand is soft and the beach is clean. And most importantly, the waves break really nicely there! Sure, guys like Kelly Slater and Andy Irons may scoff at the idea of surfing at Waikiki, but hey, you know what Laird says, hang ten.

The waves can actually be a pretty decent size (3 or 4 feet), and they’ve got a bit of kick to them – so you can go and go when you catch one. And they break pretty cleanly, so you can ride the face rather than just getting ensconced in whitewash. On top of all that, Scott can surf his 6’6” there too – so we can actually surf the same break together. Good times :)

To top it off, there is a Cheeseburger in Paradise right across the street from the beach, which only plays Jimmy Buffet songs. What more can I ask for than having a great day out on the waves with Scott followed by a margarita and a bacon and blue cheese burger?