Located on the south side of Maui, La Perouse is one of the best waves on the island to surf or sail. Back in the 90’s it was the hot spot to windsurf during the summer months, but with the rapid increase in surfing’s popularity, it has been effectively shutdown for windsurfers for the last 15 years. With a huge south swell forecast however, Jason Polakow couldn’t resist the lure of a session there. Read on as Pozza tells us more in his inimitable style!
THE SPOT
“The water at La Perouse is a beautiful turquoise colour making for an amazing contrast against the black lava rocks that consume this entire bay. Watching this wave break when it’s big is one of the most beautiful sights you will see anywhere in the surfing world. It can also be one of the most dangerous places if you wipeout in the wrong spot. Razor sharp lava rocks cover 90% of the beach with only one small cove where you can make it back in safely.
The wave has two parts to it. The ride on the outside is fun but the money part of the wave does not start till it hits the inside. It’s a perfect peeling barrel that starts breaking close to the lava rock point and then peels across the bay into a nice deep channel. It’s almost too good to be true but the wind plays cat and mouse with you all day and to make things more difficult, it is not that easy to find the right wave on the inside. You really need to be on the lookout for a wide set that extends out across the bay and these types of swells are very rare unless you have a perfect swell direction and size.
THE CALL
Erik Aeder, the local photographer, blew my phone up the morning of the swell saying “I’m here shooting surfing and it’s the biggest I’ve ever seen it and it’s WINDY, come now…” Within 5 minutes of getting that text I was on the road heading over, hoping I was not the last person to find out how sick it was.
This story is from the Issue 359 - September 2016 edition of Windsurf.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 359 - September 2016 edition of Windsurf.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
New School
Slingshot’s windsurfing brand manager, Wyatt Miller, has noticed that kids are drawn to playing with wings and puts forward an interesting case as to why he thinks this could help entice them and others into windsurfing.
Changes
Wave sailor Flo Jung reflects on our changed world during his lockdown in Germany.
THE LAST WAVE
Lockdown stirred the creative juices of reader Björn Alfthan, who peers into the future to present a fictional story set in the wild waves of Norway, five years from now.
STILL IN THE GAME
After a horrific fracture in his leg from a crashed aerial in 2018, Alessio Stillrich is back! John Carter talks to the highflyer from Gran Canaria about his move to the Simmer team, recovering from injury and how he learned to windsurf in Gran Canaria!
MOVE ON UP - GET ON THE FRONT FOOT
This month we look at how our front foot weighting can affect and improve different aspects of our main windsurfing moves.
SOUTH' KIPA
Nik tweaking it over home waters.
A NEW NORMAL
On a trip to La Tranche-sur-Mer in France last year, Tris Best estimated over 80% of the windsurfers were foiling. This summer in Portland Harbour, foiling activity has increased dramatically too he reports. With the market offering plenty of choice to recreational windfoilers, our test team check out some of the latest foil offerings.
TACKING – THE SEQUEL
Having given you time to practice, Harty concludes his tacking series by critiquing various tacking options, including the carve tack, as well as offering solutions to common slip-ups.
‘NO VAPOUR TRAILS TO SCAR THE SKY' *
Realising we may be about to enter an extraordinary period in our lives, Harty decided to keep a windsurf-centric lockdown diary. Here are some of his choice excerpts.
REDEMPTION DAY!
Renowned for its windsurfing and variety of spots to sail at, Kimmerdige Bay is a wave sailing jewel on the south coast of England. Timo Mullen gives a guide to its shores while reflecting on why a recent session there was a reminder that there is no place like home!
