North shores – A new northwest swell will build to high surf advisory levels later Sunday into Monday, and then a much larger northwest swell (possible warning levels) will arrive Tuesday into Wednesday.

North shores – A new northwest swell will build to high surf advisory levels Sunday, lower some Monday, and then a much larger northwest swell (possible warning levels) will arrive Tuesday into Wednesday…lowering gradually Thursday into Friday. This first swell will reach 7-10 feet at favorably exposures by later in the day Sunday…then lose several feet on Monday.
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=igUy2DvlVtw#

2012 is starting out heavy!
North shores – A much larger northwest swell (high surf warning levels) will arrive Tuesday into Wednesday…lowering gradually Thursday into Friday. The best aligned beaches facing in this direction will find surf heights reaching near 7-12 feet…somewhat smaller elsewhere.

Note: Wave face readings are approximately twice the surf forecast numbers indicated in the tables above.

From National Weather Service 1/3/12 Submitted By: Olaf Mitchell on Jan 3, 2012

Yesterday turned out to be one of my best days this season.
I thought it was going to be too big but my early paddle in sesh was just the perfect size for Noriega's. I have had my ass handed to me there in the past. Nori's on a rising swell can catch you with your pants down so I played it cautiously and kept a very close eye on the horizon and stayed a little farther out than usual. I got some great waves and surfed with a delightful group of guys.(If I was a name dropper you would probably recognize at least one of the folks in the lineup)
After surfing I made lunch then rode my bike into Paia and then attended to some chores.
I noticed that the wind had picked up so I went over to the launch site. The conditions looked marginal but doable for an afternoon wave sailing session. The sets were getting much bigger but the periods were spaced out enough to allow access through the impact zone. My intention was to drop in and ride only long enough to kick out before the wave closed out and pushed me to the inside. That strategy was working well until this "maker" came along and I was in just the right place to drop in. The wave walled up real proud and it threatened to close out but for some reason it didn't. It just kept going and going and going. All I could do was ride it till the end. That was a great wave but it put me so far from the launch that it took a very long time to get back with the light wind and strong current. I got another great wave that put me in position to address the channel. All went well.

.A LARGE WEST SWELL GENERATED BY A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IN THE
CENTRAL PACIFIC WILL IMPACT THE COAST OF SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA
TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING AND PRODUCE BREAKERS OF 12 TO 15
FEET WITH MAX SETS TO 17 FEET NORTH OF POINT CONCEPTION AND 6 TO
10 FEET WITH MAX SETS TO 12 FEET SOUTH OF POINT CONCEPTION.


...and I've got the afternoon off...

I'm Stoked for you Mat! I am going to try to be on the water by early afternoon my self.
www.surfline.com/surf-news/npac-goes-xxl-take-two_64595/

My friend and fellow Kuau Yacht Club member Jake Miller hiked out to Peahi last Wednesday and shot this video of some of the best wind surf and paddle-in big wave surfers around. It gives new meaning to what climbers call TRAD. No towing was allowed for this dynamic/historic session. The bar has been raised at Jaws and it's about time IMO. I feel that Jake did a great job of capturing the essence of yet another BIG WEDNESDAY.
I think you will think so too. It should be watched on full screen for best effect.

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sqHYdwFmRZE

Yesterday was killer! I taught windsurfing in the AM at Kanaha and wave sailed at Kuau in the PM with a great crew till near dark. We got soo many substantial waves.

BTW: The race for the podium at the Kuau Cup is hot and heavy although it will be a race for second place in that 2 time past winner TK is so far out ahead that I doubt that any of us have a chance. But Never say Never. I am teaching a double today so no play time for me it seems.

The West Coast has been going off from what I hear and the gang on the Oregon Coast are ripping heavily!

Noah at the mouth of the Chetco River near Brooking Or. Photo: David Lovell Submitted By: Olaf Mitchell on Jan 10, 2012

2012 has really delivered great surf and wave sailing conditions in my neck of the woods. In addition to numerous dynamic sessions I have been blessed with great clients from France,Switzerland,Norway and Quebec for windsurfing lessons and surf guiding.
I have also moved to Kuau, my favorite little the beach neighborhood. I start my day with have a dynamic view of sunrise over Haleakala and I have a close up view of Tavares Bay from my lanai. It is so convenient to be able to walk with my gear to the launch and ride my bike to town and to work.

If you click this link you will experience sensory abundance video.mpora.com/watch/5Pgs2slxu/

"BIGGEST TEAUHUPOO EVER, SHOT ON THE PHANTOM CAMERA." Submitted By: Olaf Mitchell on Jan 13, 2012

Wow, that phanton camera is super cool

This is a bit dated but I invite you to experience the King in ACTION!

The king is right !

Strong, smooth, graceful and powerful at the same time.
Versitile ? You bet, ride a rail or flips on a slalom board.

Robby will always be a hero of mine no matter where the sport goes!

When was it he won the Windsurfer Worlds in Bermuda?
He was like 15 at the time!

Hot Wave sailor, amazing freestyler and one heck of a cool guy.

~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of freestyling:
In early competitions at Ho'okipa I remember many times on big days when he would ride a wave and instead of kicking out early to get back to the peak, he would come into within a 100 yrds of the beach, bang out a few freestyle tricks and be back at the peak before the guy on the wave behind him.

~~~~~~~~~

I get a kick outt'a how our sport and movie heros seem larger than life. I will never forget the first time I saw Robby in person. It was in 'La Vie en Rose' on Baldwin ave in Paia.
I was amazed at how amazed I was that he was a relatively small guy. In My mind he stands ten feet tall.

Trundlebum I feel the same about Robbie. He stands with all the great masters of sport and is a very humble and nice guy. I shot this image of him a while back.

Robbie Naish Photo: Olaf Mitchell Submitted By: Olaf Mitchell on Jan 13, 2012

I don't know what I enjoyed most about this great clip, the shark giving them STINK EYE or the classic pidgin cometary.
At any rate 'dat big bugga is ou dare' close to shore and hungry! Something not to think too much about IMO.

My dear friend Dede Bacon lives in southern Baja and she invites us
go to www.epicsessions.tv for live streaming video of her life in Los Barriles and the Lord of the Wind windsurf/kiteboard/and standup paddle competition that being held there at this very moment. The video is being shot by my fellow Kuau Yacht Club Member and professional wind surfer Jake Miller cofounder of Positive H2O an organization dedicated to a clean environment and especially clean water here on this planet.

www.epicsessions.tv

mauioceansports.blogspot.com/2011/03/positive-h2o.html

Greatest Wipeouts Of 2011 [4:53]

So here they are, Surfline very kindly compiled some of the best wipeouts from 2011 into 4 minutes and 53 seconds. Whether it be Bradley Norris’ death drop from an Oz slab, going over the falls at Pipe, facing a close out at macking Teahupoo or Garret Mcnamarra being swallowed whole at Cloudbreak there’s something here for everyone.
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NYww-y8j71s