When I arrive in the dark, you really can’t see the waves.  BUT, you can surely hear them.  This morning I knew it was going to be bigger than yesterday and by the sound of it, it wasn’t only bigger, it was stronger.  The loud “boom, boom, boom” will wake up those butterflies in your stomach.  The tide was very low again so bigger waves breaking over shallower reef equals very high risk surfing.  Yesterday I felt the feeling of being in the barrel, and today I wanted more.  It’s an addiction.

I teach my students that I want them taking off on the top of A-frame.  That means positioning yourself in the right place, paddling hard, and making sure you’re at the perfect take off spot to maximize the wave.  This is where you should be on every wave you ride.  This one felt like heaven!

When you think about it, pulling into a barrel like this over very shallow reef is terrifying.  But as I’m in the barrel, the last thing on my mind is fear.  This is where it feels like you’re in another world.  A world I want to live in forever!

Then the spit blows you out of the barrel over lots of foam and moving water.  It was a very wobbly exit, but completed.

This was supposed to be my last wave but I got greedy and went back out again for another one.  Next one I got, I was in the barrel but couldn’t come out of it.  I was so bummed!  Then the wave right after mine, I’m watching John John Florence take off, pull into the barrel, and didn’t make it too.  That actually made me happy so I went in.  Haha.

Pipeline/Backdoor:  Craziest and most dangerous lineup in the world!

Good morning 3:40am.
North shore 6-8′ and good.
Ala Moana knee high.
Diamond Head waist high.
South/East winds at 10mph.
Sunny and hazy.
Going to the sea.
Have a wonderful day!

Last night I had a hard time sleeping.  I was thinking about surfing Backdoor, I was thinking about the brand new board is was going to ride, and I was thinking about the risks involved.  I waxed up my new board last night, woke up at 3am, and headed out to the North Shore.  It was pitch dark and nobody was there yet.

I sat in the dark trying to figure out how big the waves were.  I thought it would be 4-6′ but it was bigger than that.  It was also very powerful and a very low tide.  Was my board big enough?  Was I ready?  No and Yes.  I paddled out in the dark anyway.  There was no turning back.

A big set came, I paddled into it my hardest, then right when I stood up, a bodyboarder right in front of me panicked and I ended up hitting his fins as he tried to get out of my way.  It changed the direction of my takeoff and I had the worst wipeout in 20 years.  The wave slammed me to the bottom and my leg got stuck in one of the caves.  Luckily I pried it off before it broke and got free.  I forgot how dangerous Backdoor was.  Especially being a very low tide this morning.  

After my long and dangerous session, I went to play with the kids at the natural tide pool at Ehukai Beach Park.  

This is where it all starts.  The next generation Moniz groms bodyboarding in front of Pipeline…

Guys out surfing Backdoor this morning:  John John and Nathan Florence, Isaiah and Joshua Moniz, and many other pros.  I was the oldest guy out again.  Haha.