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"There is a feeling of pono (righteousness) you experience when you see the ancient break under Le'ahi's watch." -SW.
Waikiki Beach outside of Duke's backdoor, and the ensuing crowd in the lineup (below), 3/13/2018 |
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| Out there somewhere... |
A phenomenal Hawaiian trip. Oahu first couple of days. Maui the next few days after. Finished in Kaua'i. This is surfing's homeland. I mean boards were everywhere. Like bicycles. Locked up in racks along the beach entrance walkways. Inside bars and stores. Every hotel...both rented and stored 'em. Under porches. In yards.
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| Common sight, board lockers... |
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| ...beach rentals. |
You get the point. Everywhere. The place is a Mecca. And, a true paradise. Now that being said, would I want to live there forever? No. A year or so, maybe. But, then what. Stuck. Gotta fly just to get between islands. Forget the cost of livin.' Costly to go anywhere from the Archipelago. And the airports make Philly and O'Hare look like cakewalks. Crazy. But, I digress. A paradise. Badass. A blast. Like the Duke...stoked. Leaves you wanting.
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The Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End.
The Arizona signifying the U.S. entrance into WWII,
and the Missouri on which the peace treaty was signed. |
O'ahu. No car here so, we either took a shuttle or hoofed it. Two primary goals and we did them both. 1)The Arizona/Pearl Harbor Memorial...WWII Valor in the Pacific. Reverent. Could feel it as I scanned across the harbor to the labeled moorings of Battleship Row. Strength of the US in the Pacific. Place was full of placards outlining the events that led up to and defined America's entrance into WWII. A stunning gallery of pictures and historical testimony that guided you to the transports out to the Memorial.
The Wreck. Always encircled with a mix of plumeria and the shimmering pools of ever leaking fuel oil. Screaming whispers of the 1,177 of it's crew that are forever entombed, still float across the deck of the Memorial. Somber. Awe inspiring.
2) Surf Waikiki. We stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki. Home of Dukes. In honor of Kahanamoku himself. Guarded by Le'ahi. Diamond Head. Hawaiian sentinel. Did what ya see on the postcards. Surfed in the clouded shadows. Nothing big. Thigh to waist slow rollers. As I would learn throughout the trip...strictly longboardable.
And they rent longboards like boogie boards back East. Haolies lined up across the front of the impact zone. Jammin' up the line. Oblivious in many cases. Didn't care. This was Waikiki. We were just stoked to be here. Native land of Surfing. Plenty of sets rollin' in. Always another wave. Another pleasure ride of the archipelago was the food. Seafood especially. Poke even more so. Sushi style cooking would be featured on just about every menu. Follow it all up with superb local beer. Finished off the afternoon at Dukes. The evening at Maui Brewing. Good $hit!
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| LuLu's poke' bowl; Ahi at it's best! |
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Maui Brewing's Night Diver, a pitch black Imperial Stout
sporting a knockout 55 IBUS of hop punch. Aromas of dark
chocolate and coffee. All comes together with sweet
molasses in the taste. Thick, viscous winter brew. Paired
with BBQ Pork Belly Bao. At 9.6% ABV, a sweet surrender
to the day.
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| Peace out. |
And they rent longboards like boogie boards back East. Haolies lined up across the front of the impact zone. Jammin' up the line. Oblivious in many cases. Didn't care. This was Waikiki. We were just stoked to be here. Native land of Surfing. Plenty of sets rollin' in. Always another wave. Another pleasure ride of the archipelago was the food. Seafood especially. Poke even more so. Sushi style cooking would be featured on just about every menu. Follow it all up with superb local beer. Finished off the afternoon at Dukes. The evening at Maui Brewing. Good $hit!
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