Maui Report-Kihei Bump n Jump

Here is Keith McCulloch checking in from Maui:

George,

hello. report#3

3 out of 7.... not too bad.. locals say this is the windest week in 2 months.. so i guess we should be lucky...

Martine and I sailed at Kihei today. Martine was blasting around on a 3.7 and I was sailing lit up a 4.7 , both North Ice sails.

Martine rode a 72 liter mistral and I was on a 78 liter mark nelson custom. bump and jump conditions.. warm and sunny. small mast pad high wave. we sailed sunny kihei since I owed martine a nice easy sail.. the other day...she hung out at ho'okipa for 4 hours watching me sail lanes, so i owed her one.

Today the north shore had big waves.. but was covered in clouds and mist.. making the wind flaky and light. we stopped at ho'okipa on the way home and watched a few guys slogging around catching some mast high waves every once and a while.  

Didn't get alot of photos today sorry. promise to take more tomorrow! over and out, Keith
 
Yes, more pics please.
 
PS. Janis wants you to go up to the Tedeschi Winery and pick her up a bottle of Maui Splash! Snap some shots while you're up there. Its one of her favorite places in the whole world
  
A few more shots from Keith. Looks like they went up the Iao Valley
 

The Battle of Kepaniwai ("Battle of the Dammed Waters of ʻĪao" or Kaʻuwaʻupali, "Battle of the Clawed Cliffs") was fought in 1790 between Hawaiʻi Island and Maui. The forces of Hawaiʻi were led by Kamehameha I, while the forces of Maui were led by Kalanikūpule. It is known as one of the most bitter battles fought in Hawaiian history.

If you've never been, its extraordinarily beautiful up there, and the trades funnel up and accerlate up thru the valley, constantly reminding you of the sailing you're missing down on the coast...hehehe

PSS-I'm going to be off the water for 6-8 weeks. I'm having my left shoulder scoped. I'll be back on it and ready for the spring windsurfing events in Hatteras, and perhaps even some action out on the left coast.

Maui Surf Report

From the North Shore of Maui, Keith McCulloch checks in with his second report:

George,
here is report #2..

out of 6 days i've sailed 2 so far.

I sailed today at lanes, wind was kona, 0 to 30 almost straight offshore at times, (kinda like the bath house in frisco..dirty wind and offshore).

i rigged a 5.0 north ICE and rode a Quatro 95L wave board. sailed for about 3 hours.. small crowd in the beginning.. then it got pretty crowded with about 25 sailors out.

mostly head high sets with a few coming in around logo high.
it was pretty fun and easy. alot like a day on the south side of hatteras with north wind and a swell.

martine snapped a few shots with the point and shoot.

Martine checking out some of the exotic fruit

doing lots of other things as well. snorkeling is good and hiking around checking things out.

I love how Keith nonchalantly says  "snorkeling is good and just hiking around and checking things out"...Like you just visit Heavan and just check things out!

Its funny, Janis and I can probably name the location of every photo in this post. Yup, we miss Maui.

Thanks for the report Keith/Martine. Keep them coming.

Live2sail

Midwinter Doldrums

We cruised down to Assateague Island sunday, hoping for soild conditions. But we couldn't get down there until  around 1pm, dead high tide. There was nothing happening on the sandbar, and the air was too warm anyway, so we decided to head home. Alas 3 weeks now w/o gettin in the straps, and the winter doldrums have taken hold here on the Delmarva.

Snapped this picture of the wild ponies on Azz Isl.

Then I took Janis by to give her her first look at the zamboni

I really need to get on the water soon.

Niko Iampieri

Good news is that January just about history, meaning March just 4 short weeks away.

Maui no ka Oi!

My friend Keith McCulloch and his wife Martine arrived on Maui a few days ago, and checked in with this report from the north shore:

first day here.. over mast high, blowing 4.7 i sailed at kanaha, upper and lowers.. big waves and gusty East wind.. i had one nice air off the lip.. big float.

it was a zoo at lowers.. probably 60 guys fighting over the sets.. so i went up to uppers.. not as nice of a wave.. but larger and only 1 other guy out.. so no problems..
one memorable set was easily 8 foot over mast.. the drop was insane.. i was wishing I had a banana rocker board on the way down.. it felt like I was dropping into a pit....it felt so good to set the rail and turn down the line to safety.. i mean this thing was fracking huge..certainly the biggest wave I've sailed. not what I needed on my first day.. after not sailing for so long and now on all new (to me) gear. but you take it as it comes.

I sailed a 4.7 North Ice and a Tabou Pocket 80.

sorry for not getting any decen't photos.. today was a real run around trying to get all the gear and food and junk together and organized. and it was late and gusty when I tried to get a few shots.. there are a few shots from the back of the wave as I was making my way out. to hard to take a shot while I was going down the line.

Pack it up jack it up...Looks like the Kanaha car park-front row no less. Man I miss that place!


hopefully more to come.. over and out.-keith


Well, sounds like they are in for an awesome trip. Good for him, he deserves it! Keep the reports coming Keith :)

me, I'm eyeing a cold water wavesailing sesh at Assateague sunday afternoon.

Live2sail

Bullard's Beach

Well, I missed some solid wind sunday, choosing instead to watch the Dallas Cowboys lose to the Vikings. Heck of a pass rush they sent at us. They're gonna be tough to beat next week. Oh well, lesson learned: never pass up wind for football.


This picture was sent to me by my friend Dana Miller. West coast venue-Bullard's Beach.  Its bigger than it looks.

Thawing Out On The Delmarva

Well it’s been almost two weeks since the epic New Years sesh at Lewes, and I’m anxious for some action. Fortunately the cold spell is weakening, and the weekend forecast is shaping up nicely.

AN EAST COAST STORM MAY THEN AFFECT THE WATERS LATE IN THE WEEKEND OR EARLY NEXT WEEK

SUN
E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...BECOMING NE 20 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING... SEAS 6 TO 8 FT.
MON
N WINDS 20 TO 25 KT


Here are some pics from last weekend.
Western side of the Chesapeake Bay on 1/8/10


Broadkill Beach sunset

Cya in straps!

Lewes, De. Fires 3.6 Conditions With Ice And Slurred Speach

All photography by Janis Markopoulos

"I don't need to talk to windsurf". Thats what i told my wife as I came in after my third sesh, and was surprised to hear myself slurring my words, cuz I didn't feel cold. Amazing really.

Air Temp: 28 degrees

Huge mule kick/table top attempt-click on the photo for the full screen view.

Wind Chill 11 degrees


Water temp: 37.6 degrees
Wind: NW 35 GUSTS TO 40+
lit 3.6 conditions on January 2nd - PRICELESS-EPIC

Sometimes the natural flow of a move takes you into a backloop. I didn't go up with the intention of going for one, but it was so windy, before I knew it, I was drifting back over my shoulder

I lost it half way thru the rotation and bailed. So much fun! Great shot-click on the photo to see the full screen view.

Full post coming tomorrow morning, cuz I'm sure not to sleep well tonight. Gonna take 48 hours to come back down after today's action.

More on tap for tomorrow, Gale warning are up thru Monday. It just doesn't stop!

Live2sail

*****************************UPDATE********************************
So yeah, I couldn't sleep. woke up this time at 3.47am. The wind is just relentless out there. Sounds like it might blow the windows in. Temperature outside right now is 19 degrees. I should probably run outside and bring my sail in the house to thaw out or else I wont beable to rig it later this afternoon. stand by, brb......




Iwindsurf graph for Lewes, De. 1/2/10

A shot of the parking lot when we pulled up. Sand blowing across the parking lot. hehehehe :)

Sand blowing across the highway near my house. I've sailed in alot of storms this season, but i can't remember seeing this before. Reminded Janis and I of the blowing dirt off of the cane fields in Maui on the road to Kihei


It was crankin. Lewes is hands down epic in a NW gale. the waves set up perfectly relative to the the wind direction

Biggest I've ever seen on the outside here. Easily overhead in the channel, bigger even at times. Man, I was busting out some the biggest jumps of my life



Ken and I once debated whether or not you could consider it an epic day when you bust up your gear. ...

I say any time your in a position to throw down moves that result in busted gear.... the day was pretty epic. What do you think dear reader?





I hit the eject button. Not bad, huh Andy

hahahaha so much fun




Had my fair share of wipe outs today-

Zooming in on this shot, you can see I had already blown out the panel of my 4.0. I had continued to sail on it, even after I knew I'd punched a hole thru. lol bring it on!


So I came in an rigged my 3.6

First run out on the 3.6.

one of the few controlled jumps all day



I'd like to say this my attempt at a shove it, but I'm not sure what I was doing here. What do you think Mike?


Just insane conditions

Perhaps the biggest mule kick I've tried. Man, you could of hit 30 foot jumps today, if you could keep the kit dialed

problem was I was mostly an out of control projectile out there...

...and I rarely hit the ramps with enough control to really get some altitude



just outta control

and exploding on impact



While on the water, the sail doesn't really freeze up cuz the water is constantaly flushing on the sail

But as soon as you come off the water, it freezes up. Pretty cool huh


So yeah, first session in 2010 in the books. Stoked for more. Extended forecast calling for, you guessed it, more wind.
Live2sail