The Other Ma'ili Point

So there's this string of 3 pretty large NW swells (12' and up) that are supposed to hit over the next week or so, today being the first. It was building yesterday while I was on the North Shore, maybe a little too fast. By the time I got out of the temple, it had already jumped way up from the early AM when I drove by and V-land was already way washed out. Pretty sure this was the first time I ever walked to, then walked away from V-land. Very sad. Watched the waves at Pipe for a while (pumping), drove out past Mokuleia (sketchy), then went home, hoping for good waves and nice conditions. All I got was non-existent swell and onshores. Checking the cams later, I think I should have hung around the NS for a while longer.

Today, I was still pretty bitter. Checked the point in the morning, where it looked pretty solid, but actually crowded for once. Checked pretty much everywhere else up to 3rd Dip...nothing really. Went home. Started getting restless and bored at home so I decided to give the point a try in the early afternoon. I figured, 'why not?' - maybe the low tide would offer up some barrels, the wind was off shore all day, and I've never sampled a NW out here yet. I figured it was a good day to give it a go.

Well, it was pretty decent. Heavy is the best way to describe it, and a whole lot different from summer south swells. It's a completely different wave, really. Breaks on a different section of the reef and in a different way to where you're almost facing 90 degrees away from where you do during the summer. The offshores were a bit too strong but I guess I shouldn't complain about that, given what the winds usually do by that time of the day. It was overcast and it's already kind of a deep-water break at that swell angle so not seeing the bottom was a bit creepy. That plus everyone seemed to paddle in as I was coming out or soon after. Had some real screamers, though. I sat pretty deep so I had to be in full speed position coming down the line. No real turns, definitely no spins, although the one 360 I did try I got water jammed up my sinuses from going so fast and then catching an edge. I did have one really good wave where the face was starting to jack a couple of times just behind me and the it connected far to the inside. You had to be doing the strongest duckdives possible on some of those bigger sets. I'd say it was 4-8 feet out there. Just so weird to see it break in such a different way. Glad I went out. Now to try and score it in better conditions.