If you're a regular viewer of Pacific Wave Rider and saw either the Wave Of The Day this past Monday, or the feature clips this past Tuesday, then you're familiar with the waves at Honolua Bay from Friday, February 20, 2004. This column features the still pix from that same session.

Thursday evening, February 19, 2004 on Maui: Convincing evidence that Friday's dawn sess would unfold at Da Bay. Weather radio (invaluable resource when in Hawaii), web indicators, feeble "local" knowledge and a strong hunch led to this conclusion. Further, had yet to surf Honolua this visit, and how uncool is that?

Very early Friday morning, awoke, packed, embarked. Immediately the plan unraveled. Had been skunked earlier in the holiday by the long arduous trek from Kihei up the north-west side of the island, decided to divert to the north shore. Figured it was a closer drive, and would serve as a useful barometer of the swell and wind conditions. Plus, this would leave time to race south to Maalea, then toward and beyond Lahaina for the promised land of Honolua Bay, the world's most beautiful right.

Got to the N shore soon enough and saw ..... nothing, nada, zilch, bupkiss, zippo. Not too windy, but just about zero swell. With the current NW high surf advisory this seemed impossible. But the eyes don't lie. I doubted anything would be breaking at Da Bay.

So I sped east past Paia to Ho'okipa. It was still dark, a bit overcast and drizzly. But substantial waves were breaking at the various lineups. Since it was still too early to paddle out, headed to No-Nos, a "secret" spot on the north shore. A few nondescript waves broke there, but the ocean was really sick.

Time to go totally insane. Drove back to the first spot and saw the same thing...flatness. Finally plunged into a very mediocre sess at No-Nos; at least I had the lineup to myself. Having blown the morning, it was time to drive back to Kihei for breakfast.

Later that afternoon, we drove north to Da Bay to see.....a very crowded parking lot, an even more crowded lineup, and absolutely beautiful peeling head high rights. Tubey and extremely surfable. Had no board (boo hoo!), so videod and snapped stills from the cliff, looking almost straight down to the action below. Also vowed to return the next day for Saturday's dawn sess. Even with swell abating there would still be waves, or so one would think.

Saturday dawn: straight shot up the coast past Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kahana, Napilli, Kapalua to Honolua. Arrived in total darkness at 530AM. On the bluff amidst the pineapple fields it was windy, and the ocean was flat. Worse yet, the parking lot was roped for a surf contest! Watched from the edge of the cliff over 30 minutes without seeing any decent waves. Don't know how the contest unfolded, DogMan drove to Kihei dry. And that was the last chance to surf Da Bay and the rest of Maui in February, 2004.

At least there are the pictures from Friday afternoon! Next year for sure! Gotta get some juice at the most beautiful right in the world.

You absolutely have to surf Honolua at least once in your life. It is unbelievably good. The waves are razor-ege sharp, peeling for long distances with precision. Getting tubed is as easy as waiting at a bus stop for the cross-town express. As you can see from the pictures it's a crowded spot, and getting a wave to yourself is a rare event. Visiting haoles especially have to grovel for leftovers, or suffer innumerable drop ins.

But it doesn't really matter. This is one of surfing's hallowed breaks. Catch a few waves here and you'll be glowing for months. Your home break will seem cruelly inferior; you'll dream of returning one day for more juice at Da Bay. Do yourself a big favor and paddle out one time at the most beautiful right in the world. Guaranteed it won't be your last time!

CU Out There,

DogMan