Surfers and Surfing

Waikiki Beach, O'ahu


All Photos © Tim N. Touchton

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Richard and I had watched surfers at Diamond Head Beach and at Waikiki Beach and finally
decided on our last day to try to surf. The morning of our last day before our evening flight we
went to Waikiki Beach along the main drag and rented two longboards for an hour. It was one
of the greatest times we've had together. We both realized how much upper body strength surfers
must have. The paddle out wasn't bad, even though we had to go out about 200 yards. However,
the paddle back in was very tough because the undertow current kept taking us back out. We were
both totally exhausted by the time we got to shore.

Once we got WAY out where everyone was, the water was still very clear. It was about 6 feet deep where
the surf was breaking. (Of course you could go out even farther for the first breaks, but all of us newcomers
stayed in closer.) The bottom was mixed reef and sand and we both got the bottom of our feet and a few of
our toes cut up. Rich and I both didn't have a clue how to get started on catching a wave until I asked a Hawaiian
guy named Blane if he could help us. He did and the next thing you know we were both riding the waves and surfing!!
I caught the first wave and got up just fine and road it a long way. I was all excited after my ride and was yelling
to Rich, "did you see me, did you see me"? He said yes and then said, "I can't get one, I don't know how to catch
the wave". I asked Blane if he'd help my son and he did. (Since I told Blane that my son and I had never surfed
before and could he help us, he was very kind in doing so.) Rich said that when I caught my first wave and surfed
it out Blane was yelling, "Go Dad"! When I went back out Blane gave me a "hang loose" hand gesture. Anyway he
helped Rich too and I was standing in about 4 feet of water when Rich came surfing right in front of me. It was
AWESOME, because he had perfect form, probably because he also skateboards. He went right between me and
Diamond Head Crater. It would have made a beautiful photograph too. Then about 5 minutes later he came right by
me again, this time he didn't have his back to me but instead was facing me and just smiled at me as he went by. It was
so cool!! Go Rich!!!!! Both times he was within 20 feet of me.


Tuesday May 1, 2001
We both had our own boards, but I got in before Rich did. He had separated from me in the last
15 minutes of our "time" and it took me a while to get his attention (he was a good 50 yards away
to my side and more towards the Royal Hawaiian Hotel). I struggled to get back in and he had an
even harder time. He got in 20 minutes late and we had little time to get back to the hotel, take showers,
pack and check out. It was a lot of fun though and later in the day we were still to go to Pearl Harbor.
These longboards were great and Rich wanted to try a regular surf board but we never got around to that.
The specs in the water are other surfers.

Typical scenes along Waikiki Beach.


This is where Rich and I rented our boards on Waikiki Beach. The cost is $8 per hour.

Photos of surfers along Diamond Head below:


Surfers just off Diamond Head. I was taking photos of the Diamond Head Lighthouse and Rich was watching
the local surfers just off the Diamond Head Coast so I also took a few photos of them too.

I had to use my 300mm USM Canon lens to even get this close to the surfers
and they still didn't turn out very well, since they were a great distance out in the ocean.

 

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