Tuesday, July 29, 2008

windswell

Another day of fun wavesailing at Hookipa. The windswell held, even though not quite as big as yesterday, but still... it's summer time in Maui, I'll take it!

First photo of the day is Michi that must have had a big sail, since he was going pretty high in his backloops.


Philippe didn't go as high, but he took a foot off... not easy.


Now I understand the whole concept behind the Crossfire... it's to help the photographers! This is Jace.


Notoriously, Jake spends summer time in the Gorge. Unless there's waves at Hookipa, I guess... mmm, how does that work?


Luke got this sail from his multi-sponsored brother Levi and tried to take all the stickers off. "They just wouldn't come off, so I decided to spray paint it"...


Andres got in the water a bit late, but still in time for a few rolls.


Anatol trying to destroy his rig.


Griffin had to do some extra work today because I forgot my cell phone home. I'll reward him with a photo.


Aerials were difficult today because the wind was a bit onshore. But Pascal is a master in that department.


I love this photo. A windsurfers does a radical jump while a couple of standuppers enjoy their downwinder. It's a big ocean and there's room and fun for everybody.


What did I just say? Let me take that back...
This is the result of an INTENTIONAL collision.
No matter what happened before, shit like that should not happen. We're out there to have fun, not to fight!
Oh, forgot... we're human beings...


Here's the Mokapu point buoy reading as of Tuesday afternoon.


The windswell is still up, but the wind is supposed to get lighter. Maybe one more day? We'll see...

6 comments:

uglyjiber said...

An intentional collision?! what's the story there?

Anonymous said...

No one likes to see this happen to people or boards! Ouch, that looks like a brand new Quatro!

~James

cammar said...

Hi Josh, you can imagine... conflict for a wave.
The priority rules are clear and 99% of the regular Hookipa sailors know them. So in theory there should never be a conflict for a wave.
In reality, often one the two following cases happen:

1) both sailors believe to have priority. This is possible because sometimes it's not easy to assess the priorities from the water.
When I judged the contests, from the hill it was a lot easier to judge who had the wave (specially when we had a spotter!). In the water it's not that easy and it CAN happen that there is doubt.

2) one of the sailors knows that he/she doesn't have priority and still drops in intentionally.
There's a few of those that regularly do that at Hoo. Somehow they get away with it. They may get more waves that they work for, but their reputation is horrible and I would not like to be any of them. I believe if you ask the Hoo regulars who are the top three dropper-ins, pretty much you'll hear the same names... sooner or later, I may do a poll.

Back to our case. No matter if the conflict was a case 1 or 2, it should NEVER get to that point. That is just the wrong attitude to go windsurfing. The attacked guy could have ended up at the hospital!
Really, really, really bad.

My philosophy here is like what Shaun Thomson wrote in his book "Surfer's code" (nice concepts, but not really well written... I wouldn't recommend it): "There will always be another wave". In other words, it's never worth to fight for a wave.

My sympathy goes to the attacked guy. As I told him:" well, you got the worse damage, but would you like to trade and be the other guy instead?".
To the attacker goes my compassion. He must have had a really shitty life to develop such a horrible aggressiveness...

James, yes that was indeed. Fixable.

Kanaha Kai Maui said...

Andres told me the story, this is ridiculous!

Where did this guy come from? We should force him to sit through wave etiquette 101 before he's allowed on a board again.

A poll might not be a bad idea. Maybe if we expose the two or three wave hogs publicly they might simmer down a little, and start respecting others. Since talking to them does not work (we've personally tried and they replied with aggression or indiference).

We are developing a set of rules to give to all customers at all the rental operations in Maui, would you like to help us. I think you could add to it.

-Juan

cammar said...

Juan, good idea with the set of rules to hand out.
I'll happily help.
In the meantime, here's the best SUP etiquette I found on the net.

Anonymous said...

I bet that tomorrow, I'm going to see that board in Maxi's room!! (Quatro)

Alex (from Quatro&Goya)