I want to move to Hawaii and surf

[shera]

Can I spend my summers in Hawaii surfing? Will I be as happy as I am here at Alta? Part of the pleasure here is from the skiing and part is from the people, including plenty of older ski bums that are just like me. I fit in here.

So I wonder...so many questions and I don't really know where to start.

I don't know how to surf, but surely if I go every day I'll get to some level that I can enjoy? I tried several times when I was visiting in San Diego, but the wetsuits and the foam boards got tiresome for me.

Will an older grom be accepted at all? What will I do for work? Serve umbrella drinks? Which island would be best for me? When I surfed at Tourmaline there were a lot of older longboarders that were totally cool and supportive. Are there places like that in Hawaii?

What questions should I really be asking?

Thanks.

[b dubya]

I don't know how to surf, but surely if I go every day I'll get to some level that I can enjoy? I tried several times when I was visiting in San Diego, but the wetsuits and the foam boards got tiresome for me.

absolutely! assuming you aren't a total retard and have some core strength you should be past the pain barrier pretty fast - surfing like a pro, well, of course not - the learning curve is long, but getting to the point of enjoyment shouldn't take too long if you get at it. I'd suggest swimming some laps for a bit before you move out to get your shoulders/lung capacity cranking.

I can't really comment on the local scene in hawaii, but if you're not kooking it up at a popular break I'm sure you'll be just fine. Enjoy & don't take it too seriously - it's a great way to spend time, floating about.

[Tunco]

I don't know how to surf, but surely if I go every day I'll get to some level that I can enjoy?

I'm a hack and had a fucking blast today.

[moose pit]

just back from the islands... surfing is fun, shallow enchinoderm encrusted reef is not.

I'd be happy to just skip the shoulder seasons, but summers in HI would be fun...

[BS720]

Why HI? You could work for one month, spend June to August in Cabo off the one month's wages, and not have to deal with the vibe/attitude of HI.

[shera]

Thanks for starting the dialog with me, guys. I need a sounding board.

I'm physically active. I've paddled and stood up and ridden white foam a bunch of times on big foam boards. Looking for the next level. Thinking of a sand break, but a long one. Maybe I'll want a variety of breaks and not be on the same beach all the time?

So my perfect world would look like this maybe - I wake up and surf, then play 18 holes, then work, minimally. I'm thinking a job on a golf course, for those privileges. What might I do there? Which island?

Does golf course runoff kill the fish? Do surfers have hard feelings against the golfers?

[shera]

Why HI? You could work for one month, spend June to August in Cabo off the one month's wages, and not have to deal with the vibe/attitude of HI.

I spent a week on Kauai in 1997 and the vibe/attitude I felt there is what makes me want to go back. It was so completely chill and in the moment. For the first time in my life I met people that I thought were serene. I really learned something about people and life when I was there. What specifically are your talking about?

I'm German and I don't have a passport right now and all my documentation is in Summit County Colorado and I'm in Utah, so I doubt I could get it together for another country right now. But I like that idea in general. Need to learn more. And get my papers straight.

[supermodel159]

I heard the surfing in FL is great in the summer. Lots of golf courses too.

[shera]

I heard the surfing in FL is great in the summer. Lots of golf courses too.

But the oil slick's got everything mucked up.

[gunit130]

I know I do not know you at all in real life, so what I'm about to type may be considered hurtful.

Why don't you focus on your current situation a little more? Seems like you just moved to a new place, yet you are already seeking out another. This has to be some type of crazy mental illness. Sure, it's probably one of the good kind, but still.

Alta is gonna get fucking nuked on all winter. Think about that.

Summer is a long ways away. Enjoy where you are at now, and don't think about summer just yet, eh.

[Tye 1on]

That's one way to live gunit, but to score the sweet gigs it's a little smarter to plan ahead a little. For example, you show up in a ski town in december and start looking for work and housing, you're going to pay out the nose and end up with a shitty job the first year, might not even get to ski much.

And you've obviously never been a ski bum, one of the finest professions on earth. The freedom to ski Alta all winter and then surf Hawaii or somewhere all summer? If your life is better than that, good for you, but i can't think what it could be.

edit: SheRa for enviro friendly courses, check out Audubon International's 'Certified Sanctuary Golf Courses'. They have to pass six sections of standards, water conservation, pesticide management, etc to qualify.

[hop]

But the oil slick's got everything mucked up.

Really? Hmm.

[shera]

Really? Hmm.

Hey that was just a glib and uninformed response. I certainly haven't stopped eating shrimp. But I grew up with an oil spill on the gulf coast (from Mexico) and I'm ready to come with a rake and put some elbow grease into cleanup if it comes to it.

edit: SheRa for enviro friendly courses, check out Audubon International's 'Certified Sanctuary Golf Courses'. They have to pass six sections of standards, water conservation, pesticide management, etc to qualify.

Nice. I will read.

Certified Audubon Classic Sanctuary

Kapalua Land Company, Lahaina
Bay Course
Village Course
Plantation Course
Kauai Lagoons Golf Club, Lihue

[myles long]

So my perfect world would look like this maybe - I wake up and surf, then play 18 holes, then work, minimally. I'm thinking a job on a golf course, for those privileges. What might I do there? Which island?

Costa Rica might be a better place...check out Nosara/Playa Guiones..really chill town, good break and its cheaper than HI.

[Crampedon]

I have lived on Maui 25 years. Happy to give you opinion, fact and inside knowledge.
My neighbor is even going to italy again for the summer to teach yoga and want a renter and someone to feed her little terrier and chickens. Stay in touch. Great cycling too, road and mountain. I know a guy that is a marshall on the golf courses in Wailea.

Planning ahead is how to make good things happen.

Surfers would never guess you were a golfer when you were out surfing either...

[CascadeCrudSkier]

What questions should I really be asking?

Thanks.

You should probably be asking yourself if you feel comfortable moving from being the wave pool champion to tackling the breaks of the North Shore!



Seriously though, if you quickly grew tired of surfing SD then I'm not really sure that surfing would be worth pursuing as a passion. Is surfing in Hawaii much better than SD? Sure. However when you're first starting out it doesn't really matter where you are. You're either hooked on your first ride or you're not.

If you're still interested in exploring your surfing options, it really boils down to the cost of living that you're willing to put up with. As others pointed out, HI is very expensive. If you're planning this far in advance, getting your passport squared away seems like a fairly simple task. You'll find communities of great people in great locations all over the world and if the old surfers of Tourmaline are your target demographic you should have no problem finding that from HI to Costa Rica.

[Crampedon]

Don't be intimidated by the extremes of surfing, you are not going to paddle out to pipeline or Waimea the first winter. It's just like skiing, there is the learning curve, plateaus and practice.

On Maui there are thousands of girls hitting all the smaller breaks (think blue runs) and using mini-tankers (shaped skis) or better yet SUP. That is huge on Maui. There are entire fleets of girls doing coast runs on stand-up boards and car shuttling back up wind. If you are talking about coming for a season the cost of living is not going to kill you and there is a great core group of female surfers on every island. I have the Maui bias for many reasons but each island has it's character.

Sorry my pic made the browser go big, i'll fix it later, it's snowing and well, gotta go!

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdK0iIBfMRY"]YouTube - sup in the 808[/nomedia]

[scurry4]

go to washington state or norther cal, can still ski, amazing surf with empty lineups.

it will take more gear, and you'll have to want it more, but will be just as enjoyable. that said, I imagine hawaii would be awesome.

[WICS]

SheRa,

Do it. You'll get good at surfing quickly.

Summertime: south shore of Oahu, but really wave all over the island.

Instructors for you: Jetty Betty and Sunset Suzie (I am not joking). Ask around the North Shore (in the water at Puaena Point). Everybody knows 'em. Check out their web stuff. A little pricey, but good to get you starting, and then you'll surf a lot without instructors. But just get the in-water etiquette down, and you will do great.

Jobs: plenty to do. You'll find something.

Stay: lots of places to crash. Easy.

Romance: tough, but you're a single woman, right?

Do it.
Good luck.

[QuikR12]

Summer isn't the best surf in HI, at least to a surfer's standards, but a great time to learn, and also a great time to chill. I've spent a decent to a large amount of time in most of the Hawaiian Islands, and Kauai is the only one I could really stand for over two weeks. That said, I had a very hard time leaving KI after three months. Not as many jobs available in Kauai I'm sure, but with a little time (and planning) I'm sure you'll land something. At that point, bouncing between HI in the summer and Alta in the winter, you'll have the most enviable lifestyle on TGR, which surely seems like what you're gunning for.

[Ottime]

^^^ Summertime surf in Hawaii is still better than on the mainland, and it can get quite good. It sounds like the OP does not like wetsuits and foam boards. Why not the foamies? I can understand not having the addition to but on the rubber, but the foam board is good for learning, and there are few guys around here who rip on them. And you don't need to fuss over taking care of them.

South shore for sure during the summer. Swells are coming mostly from the SPac.

+1 on Kauai. Great place. Very chill; lots of old timers, both local and haole. Most of the south shore breaks tend to be a bit juicy, and not so much the learner's wave. I may be missing a break, though.

Oahu has the slow dribblers of Waikiki, which is a great learning location, with progression breaks nearby. And hollow bowls as well; but these are well guarded.

Go for it. Don't expect to get too skilled. You sound like a pretty strong athlete, but surfing can be frustrating if the expectations are too high. I have found skiing to be much easier to get to the intermediate level than surfing was. While I love the snow, I think my best days are still when the waves are perfect.

[shera]

Everybody, your commentary is wonderful. Much appreciated.

Crampedon, thank you so much for the support and understanding. You've been really cool during these changes I've been making in my life and I appreciate it.Obviously I need to think and learn more and I may be a bit partial to Kauai. But a Terrier and chickens sound awesome! (can you please resize the lovely pic?)

I saw Shirley McLean being interviewed once on the tonight show. She had this new age spiel going about how we become different people every seven years. The idea stuck with me and I even looked up cell longevity at one point (it varies greatly on type).

Romance is easy.

[shera]

It's just that the width of the foam board hinders my paddling - I can't reach into the water effectively and the wetsuit hinders me too and the cold water wears me down too fast and I can't stay in the water as long as I want. I have been trying in San Diego for several years and I realize this is the way for me to enjoy it the way I want to, in a bikini. I grew up on the gulf of Mexico and I miss the warm water so much. And to be able to go in the water every day just like I do with my skiing now!

But maybe I would start on rented foam with a lesson because at least they'll talk about the break we are on and I might be able to milk another spot or two. And I can bring an egg (I think?) that's in California, which is a nice beginning intermediate board I understand. I can get more details on it if anyone is interested.

^^^ Summertime surf in Hawaii is still better than on the mainland, and it can get quite good. It sounds like the OP does not like wetsuits and foam boards. Why not the foamies? I can understand not having the addition to but on the rubber, but the foam board is good for learning, and there are few guys around here who rip on them. And you don't need to fuss over taking care of them.

South shore for sure during the summer. Swells are coming mostly from the SPac.

+1 on Kauai. Great place. Very chill; lots of old timers, both local and haole. Most of the south shore breaks tend to be a bit juicy, and not so much the learner's wave. I may be missing a break, though.

Oahu has the slow dribblers of Waikiki, which is a great learning location, with progression breaks nearby. And hollow bowls as well; but these are well guarded.

Go for it. Don't expect to get too skilled. You sound like a pretty strong athlete, but surfing can be frustrating if the expectations are too high. I have found skiing to be much easier to get to the intermediate level than surfing was. While I love the snow, I think my best days are still when the waves are perfect.

[b dubya]

***in a bikini***

Ding!





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[splat]

Crampedon - is that shot Ke'anae peninsula?

What Crampedon just offered you is a ticket to heaven, Mir. I suggest you jump in with both feet and a commitment.