Destinations / travel buzz
Hawaiian Waters Call
The goal of many adventure-seeking visitors to the hawaiian Islands is to stand up on that lālahalaha (rising swell), mug for the camera mid-pae (catch a wave) and then pae i ka nalu (ride a wave to shore) onto the white sandy beach. It was easy enough for Keanu reeves’ character Johnny utah in the movie Point Break, greg brady on a Brady Bunch vacation and even the animated dog character in
Scooby-Doo to hang ten within a week of learning to surf. If they can do it, you can too, right?
Wrong. the reality is most of us can’t just pick up wave-riding in a few lessons. the good
news is there’s a variety of water sports for every type of athlete as well as plenty of brightly
colored rafts for those who choose to simply float. While mastery of surfing, windsurfing or
even stand-up paddleboarding in one week might be out of the question, giggles, adventure
and pure joy are well within reach.
first of all, “one needs to set expectations and be safe,” recommends Dave Wells, co-owner of 101 Surf Sports in San rafael. Wells travels to the islands (usually Maui or Kauai)
twice a year and was joined by wife emily and daughter haile on the last few trips. an avid
windsurfer, Wells grew up sailing in San francisco and looks for ward to getting out onto
the warm island waves. “We’ve all heard about the physical benefits of being in these waters,
whether you’re just floating [to relieve stress] or working on balance [which can help stave off
alzheimer’s and dementia],” he says. “but for me it’s a return to simplicity — the warmth of
the hawaiian waters and gentle breezes can be compared to the womb. Not that I remember
being in one, but I’m guessing the relaxation factor is comparable.”
Such bliss, of course, can come to a screeching halt if you’re trying to bring the whole fam-
ily into the mix. Wells recommends hiring a professional instructor. While it was hard to pay
for something he could do himself, “professional instruction is well worth it,” he says. besides
the benefit of preventing tension between spouses, “your kids will usually buck up when a
teacher is telling them something as opposed to Dad — and they are less likely to complain.”
Whether your family is planning to master a skill or simply de-stress in the tropical
waters, you’re sure to return home from hawaii recalibrated and recharged. M
Words for Waves
Eskimos have names to describe almost
any type of snow. Not surprisingly, the
Hawaiian language contains many
different words to describe surf.
kakala, lala, lauloa, muku – various types of surf
kua nalu – surf just before breaking point
kai po’i – breaking surf
he’e, he’e nalu – to surf
he’e pu’ewai – to surf the mouth of a stream
pae – to mount or catch a wave
pae i ka nalu – surf rider
kaha nalu, he’e umauma – bodysurfing
nalu, nanu, ‘ale – ocean waves
kai pi’i, eaea, huia – high waves
kai emi, kai he’e, nalu miki – receding wave
nalu kua loloa, lauloa, ‘onaulu loa – long wave
huia – a surfing wave
nalu ha’i lala – a wave that breaks diagonally
nalu muku, muku – broken section of the wave
nalunalu – rough wave
honua nalu – base of a breaker
‘opi nalu – bend of a wave
hokua – tip of high waves
