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Hawaii

Well there's no mucking around, it was straight into the deep end of the pool with my first surf - a 10ft Pipeline. No matter how many times I have surfed this spot, it still makes me nervous, and I'm thankful I have been training hard prior to my arrival.

I arrived on the North Shore of Oahu yesterday and the vibe is amazing as soon as you arrive. This place is so raw, it's like you can cut the atmosphere with a knife. In the 13 years I have been coming here, it hasn't changed at all. I think that's the way the locals like to keep it and they have done a good job. From the waves, to the locals, the air is filled with intensity. I think some people assume Hawaii is this mellow relaxing little place, when in fact it's quite the opposite, or at least it is on the North Shore. You are always living on edge for the next big swell and always on a mission to not miss a good session of waves. Relaxing is something rare.

I got up at dark today and rode down to Pipeline; all of last night I could hear the breaking waves picking up. The waves went from 3ft yesterday afternoon to 10ft today! No where picks up as fast like Hawaii, and it's a really scary feeling when you're in the line up and each set is jumping up by 3ft. Anyway, at first sight this morning it was huge... I try not to look at big pipe for too long or it sykes me out. You just have to say to yourself, "out there" and start putting your wetty on.  By the time you're out there, you will just deal with it. I didn't really get many good waves before the surfing contest started and we had to go in. I wasn't too worried, it was just good to be out there and get familiar with the line up zones and markers, plus my boards felt good as well (picture: loop on first wave). It's funny actually, you look in to see if you're sitting in the right spot, and see all these beautiful coconut trees and mountains, then turn around to have a 10ft wave land on your head. Don't be fooled by the beauty on the beach cause the water is deadly! It kind of reminds me of the happy clown faces in the horror movies, you know, the mixing of the opposites sides of the spectrum together eg. good and evil. Twisted Pipeline!!!

I have a really cool place I stay in Hawaii, which I'm stoked about. It's a nice two story house with a cool view of the water (seen in the below pictures). I have stayed here for the past five years and the lady who owns the house, Joanne, came and stayed with me a few weeks back, in Australia. Tomorrow it will be slightly smaller but cleaner as I'm going to hook in.

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