Honolua Bay: In Scott's Words
Ok, so Devon asked me to do a guest post on my thoughts about Honolua Bay. At first, I was very resistant because blogging is her thing and I didn't really feel comfortable posting my thoughts all over the Internet. However, she somehow convinced me to do it (as usual), so here it goes...
It started by pulling off the highway at what turned out to be a scenic overlook off a windy two lane highway in Maui. I knew we were close. As we pulled up to the guard rail, I got my first glimpse of the dreamy, offshore lines rolling through this breathtaking bay. It seemed we couldn't get there fast enough, but there was a slight hesitation and lethargy in our pace as we grabbed our gear to have our first surreal experience with this wonderful wave. After locking the car and stashing the key, before traversing the steep, slippery cliff, I realized I forgot my swim fins, which are an obvious necessity when swimming with 6 pounds of camera gear in the crashing surf for two hours. After a quick jog back to the car and a tangle of camera gear to deal with, we were back in business. From the moment we hit the water I was stoked. I was so excited to get a view of waves like we see in surf movies and be able to take photos firsthand from behind the lens. I shot photos of Devon for a while and was so content that I didn't even surf that first day. I loved getting to know the way the waves broke and how they felt in different spots along the point.
The next time we went out, I was set on getting to ride some waves. After exploring an alternative pathway down the treacherous cliff and getting dragged across the shallow reef and slicing my heels and ripping my shorts and wetsuit top, I got some more great photos of Devon ripping it up. Then, as exhausted as I was, it was my turn. I ended up surfing the spot know as "The Cave" which is a literal name for the spot (like most surf breaks) due to the cave directly in front of where the waves explode over the reef. It was like a dream. Dropping into the first wave was so fun. The wind was howling up the face and made it almost hard to see. Once I knew I had the wave, it quickly became one of the most memorable rides of my life. It was so much faster and more powerful than many of the waves we surf at home and it was exhilarating to feel that kind of power.
I feel so lucky to be able to have these experiences in life. I know how much goes into trips like this- all the hard worked hours to pay for the stay, and how it is a hassle to bring surfboards on planes and travel with camera gear and snorkels and extra towels and swim fins and first aid kits and clothes and tripods and all that other stuff, but it's all worth it for the reward. Being able to experience these magnificent forces of nature from so many perspectives is what drives me to want to explore more of the world.
Well, thanks for reading this. I don't really see my career path taking me into the blogosphere but seeing as how my wife is in into it, I'll probably stop by here and there. Anyways, hope you enjoy the photos. Peace out.
