On the North Shore you gotta make the most of everything. After all, you (or your sponsors) have forked out around $3000 to be here. I'm sure when people think of Hawaii, they think of palm trees, clear warm water and amazing waves - which sometimes is the case. Once you've made the voyage, however, you sometimes find it isn't the case. Today I woke up with high expectations of amazing waves only to find Pipe cross shore, overcast and raining, half the size I thought it would be and about 40 people (bodyboarders) out at dark. Morale was low. 

Doesn't take long before I start thinking of my first sentence though. As I hit the water I'm instantly reminded of the soothing water temperature - much better than home and much better than wearing a steamer. I paddle out into the waves and the sweep pulls me into the heavy section, called Gums. I duck-dive about a three-foot wave and feel the brute force of Hawaiian turbulence. My heart starts pumping a little harder and I start breathing a little faster. I see sets rolling in, my adrenal glands release the good stuff accordingly. My state of mind shifts into focus mode, searching for that elusive bomb where someone or something won’t get in my way. A wash through comes in to spread out the pack. People scramble to the shoulder or wherever they can. More of that good stuff pumps through my veins as I catch a couple of fun waves over the next few hours. 

There is no place on Earth I know of where you have to deal with so many different obstacles in the ocean and I think it's the allure of that challenge that keeps people coming back - even if you have an uneventful surf, you still have an eventful surf. And regardless of your surf you can always look forward to a messy house when you get home.

The groms blame it on Foodland being so close.