SURF’S  UP - JOCKO’S

I knew there was a West swell hitting .  I had checked it at dawn. It wasn’t quite big enough yet, still inconsistent, but the lines were there and the direction showing with indication that it was just a matter of an hour or so.
 

I pulled back up to Jocko’s 45 minutes later with my 8’ 5” and could see the trade winds blowing into the tube, just enough to hold it up, with  the swell more consistent and the lines starting to show like corduroy. The tide was on the way up, making the waves double up and wedge. It looked really hollow, and open.  Judging from the last set I had just seen, it could get too big in a matter of an hour.

Jocko' s starts to close out after 8 feet. Sometimes it holds bigger. Once Jocko's closes out , the only places left for surfers who want  larger waves are Pipeline and Sunset beach, and then Waimea.

Mickey my German Shepherd)  was out of the back of the van, with a quick jump, and on to his beach at Chun’s, while SB pulled his board out with his wax and a big wave leash. You didn’t want to loose your board on the rocks here. Leashes were much cheaper than boards.

I tossed my slippers in the back and locked my van, sliding my keys into a secret spot.
It was “filthy” to use an Australian term, meaning really good. Here comes that feeling. Breathing deep as I hit the water to get his lungs working. I hyper-ventilated to fill my blood with a little more oxygen, as the adrenaline started to flow.

I slid into the water just over some rocks on the beach,  I felt the water, it was nearly warm and like velvet. I could see my arms and hands in the clear water like in a magnifying glass as I paddled out. Getting into the channel I avoided some waves that were already closing out on the inside and could tell it was a solid eight feet already. SB could see waves coming from Kaena Point clear on the other side of Laniakea, hitting “Himalayas.” When there was a West swell, that was the sign another set was on the way.
I got out quickly. Just in time to see a good wave coming right for me, and it was big. You had to know the spot, you had to be able to recognize what wave to chase, and what wave was makeable.  Cause if you miss it , you are definitely going to pay the price. Getting caught inside is no picnic.

I paddled deeper toward Jock’s  Mom’s house and then drove toward the channel.
"I might be too far back already",  he thought, why don’t you warm up before you go for the tube on the first wave? It’s not 3-4 feet you know!
The wave picked me up and up as I paddled down, and I almost took the drop sideways, sideslipping a bit, but holding and making it to the bottom. A beautiful Hawaiian eight foot wave. I saw it jump down the line on the reef and could feel the wave way over the top of me and knew it was already throwing over.

I turned early to get to the section that was building so quickly. I drew my turn as long as I could to make up the distance, so I wouldn’t be crushed. I got off a nice, long turn straight up to the top of this beautiful blue wave. He  banked, and adjusted, and the whole wave came completely over me. I was in a big, clear,  azure blue cylinder that was perfectly smooth inside. It was like my own fort.

I could see out my own window and Waimea Bay! I adjusted subtly with changes in my stance, hands and body and crouched to allow for the contour of the tube to position my board. I constantly adjusted my “rails.” He didn’t have to get lower,  except for balance,  ... to hold on. My feet were spread about three feet apart for stability.  It was definitly a stand up tube. It was loud in there. I could hear the wave crashing around me and feel the air being trapped, as the thick lip of the wave curled ahead of me, massive amounts of water being sucked up the face,  and unloading far below, exploding. I was in the tube for 2-3 seconds. A long time! I flew over the top of the wave “kicking out”, and began paddling back out. This was my element. The size he liked, not too small, not too big.

What a feeling! STOKED!