to "Moues", then check in at your place".
Stoked to be greeted with enthusiasm, but with 2 hours of daylight left, Moues was a no go.
We heard from the bell-hop, kiting was on today. Palms still bent, feeling the 18ish to low 20s
out of the Northeast.
We pick up our "Island Style" rent a car. Highly recommend if you want to hide in plain site. The Jeep,
PT Cruiser, Hummer, any convertible SCREAM " I am tourist rip me off. We had a 2003ish
with split fold rear seats. The residents never noticed us. Once in a while a "shakah" from a random act of
kindness on the road would be thrown our way and returned with big smiles.
Albatross Mark, tells me the west side will be or is going now. We arrive to meet and greet. Mark is out
15 Syn and 6'8 surf board with David riding a 10m inflato on a twin tip. I catch them and we head up to
"Kingdoms" to do a 4 mile downwinder. On the way, I am getting the...Do This....but Don't do that..........
and if this happens your EFFED.....be sure to, well you'll be fine.........oh and see that black volcanic sea
wall there, voodoo wind and razor sharp- as I see waves, shore-pound exploding 12ft in the air off this hazard.
Mark rigs his 15M Syn and I rig my 16 Venom, he gives me a 6'8 directional thruster, with fire hose straps
bolted thru the board. He runs them loose to find many "sweet spots" also to stand on to go strapless.
It's actually "Backyard-Brilliance" strapped and unstrapped on the fly. I see the surf leash attached to the
board. After my tour of dry reef and board breaking hazards, I use it.
Upper teens and a few low 20 gusts side on from the Northeast. The surf is overhead and a half to double overhead
on the outer reef. A lot of head high surf in the middle. Being regular foot, I am able to drop in going right up-wind facing the wave, then straighten out and carve a bottom turn, ride a bit downwind until that reef looked hungry. I was able to head back out heel side, easy 10-15 waves, to jump, snap off a backside hit and ride the left down-wind or back out beyond the reef and set up another right to ride up-wind. "Pono-Kai" Hawaiian term for active sea.
Pono-Tom and Pono-Mark were busy. This was not mowing the lawn and pushing the shopping cart kiting.
Borrowed board, loose straps, opposite tack then accustomed to, 6-8 ft plus un-filterd Hawaiian Juice, lefts turning to rights, close-outs, a hungry reef, heckling, snickering, and taunting your every pass. (you could hear it) After this
down winder and well overhead shore pound on a brown sugar sand beach below "Pavilions". I shouted out. "I feel alive"! This was not a garden variety stroll down the coast.
Now remember, Mark is a self-taught, West side Kauai Boy. Most of you have read his posts, some of you have spoke to him on the phone. Forum/e-mail and phone impressions can be misleading. Albatross Mark is a very
proficient rider, big enthusiasm and Aloha spirit oozing. Put this locale on your world tour.
