Just got back from my 1 st time on the rock, and have to say for anyone thinking of doing the same GO!
Had a bloody ball, got heaps of waves, cruised the island and there was heaps to keep the better half entertained also . So it was a win win.
Got to see 2 swells even though it was late in the season, the 1 st was 8 - 10 foot and a week later got to see the tail end of a 12 - 15 foot (hawaiian) swell. Big stuff
Had a good time in the water and found the locals friendly and mellow in the water
Which was a surprise because of all the things you hear about the place.
But did find some ( not all ) of the American locals to be pretty aggro in the water. Acting as if they owned the place until a group of true locals would paddle out and bring some more aloha to the line up.
Surfed waves on both north and south shores ( nothing to crazy ) and had a blast.
Waikiki is fun but personally Hale'iwa is so layed back it rocks.
For anyone that has thought about going I would say do it, yer its going to cost more than a trip to indo and the waves can get TOO BIG for the average punter (myself included), but the vibe of the place is so worth it.
I'll go back in a few years for sure, anyway just wanted to share the stoke.

Thanks for sharing some photos Lockie,I see you visited the same places I did and I have that sign on my wall you and your girl are standing under,yep jealous.

Thanks for sharing Locky, don't be shy putting more up.

Good stuff Locky. Is that your Brewer ?

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SP said...

Thanks for sharing Locky, don't be shy putting more up.

I agree!!!!!!!!

I so want to go there. Please provide details re crowds - that is one thing that has always put me off but recently a few mates have been and said that its not as bad as you think as there are just so many great waves everywhere - waves that you would be frothing over back home!

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smh said...

Good stuff Locky. Is that your Brewer ?

No mate I wish it had a price tag of $2700 and would have cost about the same to send it home. ( I rang US Postal and UPS to sus it out ) as I found 2 boards I was thinking of sending back
I found this one in a shop up at the old sugar mill on the north shore.
I also got to watch another one being glassed.
But one of the high lights of the trip was getting to have a 1 on 1 chat with JC - John Carper, for about 1/2 an hour and him giving me some tips on shaping and showing me a couple of Shane Dorian's outer reef guns. For me that was pretty cool
I came across a bit of surf/surfing history that really good to take in and see it in person.

Plenty to see there . Keep the shots coming. That Tom Carroll board with the big snap sequence is a good one with the helmet included
Good to hear you never had in dramas in the surf. My nephew was there last December and had a great time in and out of the water. Another guy I know had a bad experience in the water with a local.

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Ted the Kiwi said...

SP said...

Thanks for sharing Locky, don't be shy putting more up.

I agree!!!!!!!!

I so want to go there. Please provide details re crowds - that is one thing that has always put me off but recently a few mates have been and said that its not as bad as you think as there are just so many great waves everywhere - waves that you would be frothing over back home!

I found it Pretty good during the weekdays with every having a pretty good vibe in the water.
The weekends got pretty crowded so I opted to go shopping and sample the local grub.
The 2 main breaks at waikiki can get crowded but I still got waves, there was also waves down near the zoo which is a bit of a paddle out but a good left and uncrowed. ( you just had to pull out before the end section) and also a fast left down the other end near the entrance to the harbour. ( this was a bit more localized, but I waited, chilled and got a few).
Also found it better to surf in the morning with less crowds then. Seems to get more crowded in the arvo's from around 2 pm onwards during the week.
There was also waves on the other side of Diamond head and the North Shore has a ton of spots ranging in size.
The east side has some waves but is Very windy and I didn't look to much, as the wind would blow a dog of a chain.
And the west side I didn't really get to explore to much as I was told by a few different guys it can get pretty heavy with crime and stuff. Drove to Makaha and back but didn't stop along the way.
There was also a heap of good shopping to keep the missus happy. IE: Make up and runners at less than half price than what you would pay here.
And I brought a crap load of t-shirts, Quicky, Rip Curl, ect also local stuff that you can't get anywhere but hawaii, HIC, Da Hui, T&C, ect and didn't pay over $20 for not One of them
All in all stocked

Going over there in mid August for two weeks and really looking forward to it. Some great shots and good to hear that you had no probs with the locals, a bit different from what you hear about. Staying down the end of Waikiki so any suggestions about board hire, surf spots, travelling around the island, tours and travel guides etc would be appreciated.... BIG KEV

See that Brewer Gun!

Notice the Super Super Pin Tail. Quite a bit different to the McTavish Guns. Those extreme pins are designed to go straight!

Thanks for all that info Locky - I shall get there one day soon I hope!

Sounds and looks like you had a great time mate

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surfnsirhiss said...

Going over there in mid August for two weeks and really looking forward to it. Some great shots and good to hear that you had no probs with the locals, a bit different from what you hear about. Staying down the end of Waikiki so any suggestions about board hire, surf spots, travelling around the island, tours and travel guides etc would be appreciated.... BIG KEV

Sent you a PM with some Info, hope it helps, Have Fun

is Hawaii a very windy place

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surfnsirhiss said...

Going over there in mid August for two weeks and really looking forward to it. Some great shots and good to hear that you had no probs with the locals, a bit different from what you hear about. Staying down the end of Waikiki so any suggestions about board hire, surf spots, travelling around the island, tours and travel guides etc would be appreciated.... BIG KEV

Hey Locky going late August, same info as Surfsirhiss would be great.

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weiry said...

is Hawaii a very windy place

Mate the east side was pretty windy some days Big mountain ranges.
But the good thing is you can drive from one side of the Island to the other in an hour

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fester said...

surfnsirhiss said...

Going over there in mid August for two weeks and really looking forward to it. Some great shots and good to hear that you had no probs with the locals, a bit different from what you hear about. Staying down the end of Waikiki so any suggestions about board hire, surf spots, travelling around the island, tours and travel guides etc would be appreciated.... BIG KEV

Hey Locky going late August, same info as Surfsirhiss would be great.

Done