Watch: Peahi On Christmas Eve

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
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It's been a consistent season on Hawaii's northern shores thus far. What it's lacked in true XXL surf, it's more than made up for with swells filling every tier below that.

Peahi first ticked over in late October, then had a few more undersized days - fine for board testing - before another spike in December with what was dubbed the first real swell of the season, followed up by this well-timed swell on Christmas Eve.

Once again, it wasn't huge, though there were some heart-starting moments.

You may recall the last Jaws video with Austin Kalama riding with Tupperware lids on his hands, and he's repeated the performance here - check the wave at 2:15.

Comments

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 10:35am

From the videomaker:

"The Jaws Christmas Eve session was an epic paddle day filled with carnage and a lot of close calls. A jet ski was lost but retrieved in time before it hit the shoreline by the Pe'ahi Safety Team. One surfer had a mild concussion after being dropped in on during a really good set wave that she was waiting for, then a massive clean up set caught the whole lineup which pushed one of the women surfers into the left which is most dangerous part of the shoreline that we call the key hole. Rescue attempts were made multiple times against the rocks with no success, luckily this surfer made it to the shore and walked away to live another day. Overall the conditions were epic 12ft sets with light winds and a lot of big wave chargers pushing the limits of paddle in surfing out at Jaws. A Christmas Eve session to always remember and one we will all learn from. "

skippywolfram's picture
skippywolfram's picture
skippywolfram Sunday, 1 Jan 2023 at 3:23am

Translation: Blow-in gets stuffed by a local.
You're welcome.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 10:45am

How are those paddle pad things on Austin Kalama?

And the way Kai Lenny gets his backfoot on the tail and does big grab rail turns on gun is insane.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 11:03am

I marvel at those turns but I dunno that his back foot is that far back? Seems to me still in front of, or perhaps over, the front fins.

Which makes those big turns even more marvellous - he's doing them from towards the middle of the board.

Watching this vid really drove home to me the peculiar style so many XXL wave surfers have. A very wide stance positioned further up the board. Kinda like Greg Noll but now with more movement in the hips.

Laird does it, Twiggy, Greg Long, Kai Lenny, the first waves in the above vid, ridden by Ty Simpson Kane shows it.

Guess it's largely for stability - watch Kai's small wave and foiling vids and his stance is narrower - but modern gun design favours turning from a forward position. Fins further forward, lotta tail kick.

As for the hand paddles, I'm trying to find out more.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 11:11am

Yeh, very wide stance.
Looks like the backfoot is pretty far back to me though, relative to everyone else in the clip, when he does those turns.

Dincher's picture
Dincher's picture
Dincher Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 9:34pm

Swimmers use hand paddles to build swimming strength and speed. Could be used here to increase paddle power and get into the wave earlier??

Ray Shirlaw's picture
Ray Shirlaw's picture
Ray Shirlaw Sunday, 1 Jan 2023 at 10:31am

Kudos from MacGyver the Diver but those things are just insane overkill

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 12:33pm
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 11:38am

What a circus

Rusty Forest's picture
Rusty Forest's picture
Rusty Forest Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 12:48pm

As for a flock of birds, would it be "a fume of jet skis"

billie's picture
billie's picture
billie Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 6:09pm

It's called a collective noun. And for Jetskis, yes "fume" suits. Or a "death" or "scurge".

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 6:32pm

A "Handley" of Jet Skis

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 7:18pm

Ha.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 28 Dec 2022 at 7:05pm

Hah!