HUGE Swell...

in the morning I started getting bulletins on my phone about the HUGE surf that was

starting to show.  The news had started talking about this swell over the weekend, but

then they announced that it would be big, but wasn't right for "the Eddie" because of

the direction.

after school I went on the bypass road to see how bad the traffic was...

bad!

this is looking towards Waialua with the cars all the way to Weed Circle.

I decided to wait and went back right before sunset.  Th air was full of spray from the surf.

so many cars were loaded with boards

all of the beaches were closed with caution tape 

Waimea Beach Park was closed to the public

probably a few hundred people lined the cliff to watch

 at Rock Piles, the water/surge had actually come up and over Kam Hiway

***as I was sitting in traffic I actually saw some tourist with rental boards

go under the caution tape.  Crazy for sure!

So It Starts...

winter 2014 contest season on the North Shore

Right now up at Sunset is the HIC Pro

and next week will start the Triple Crown with the first contest

at Ali'i Beach in Haleiwa.

Traffic is already starting to get bad and there are a lot more people

it seems in Haleiwa.

Let the games begin...

Super Swell...

today brought some crazy stuff on the North Shore

50+ foot waves, rain, crazy wind, traffic, the air smells like salt and tons of water everywhere …

so many people were taking photos all over the North Shore.

I borrowed some to try and show a little bit of what was going on today.

It doesn't really give the feeling of what it's like.  I don't think even film would.

water coming onto Kam Hiway at Haleiwa Beach Park

a little spot called "Chocolates" by Surf & Sea thats normally flat was the only place surf able today

this mornings paper

on shore winds and tons of water

Rocky Point houses fighting a battle 

water washing over the wall at Haleiwa

crazy winds

my friends Lala and Jamie selling shave ice at Waimea

3 tables closed out

parking lot at Haleiwa Beach Park covered in sand and water

not sure if this is 50 feet but it's HUGE

so far the houses are still standing thank goodness

it really was a crazy, awe-inspiring day.

Surfing, A Sad Fact...

it can be very dangerous.

Yesterday we had the first really BIG swell come through.  

They didn't run the contest because this side was too blown out.

Farther east of Haleiwa the big wave surfers were out.

Right before noon, one of them didn't surface.

a full on search was going on in the water and

the air.

they were out again at day break searching again.

As of now, they still haven't found him.

He was someone that I didn't know personally, but had seen around.

It's a sad fact that something so awe-inspiring can also be so dangerous.

Even as I write this, I can still hear the helicopters.