February in Maui // Strapless Kitesurfing
Marc, Thierry, Cathy and Greg are back from a trip this winter in Maui, Hawaii. Greg Beneteau, french photographer and kiter, tells us some nicely illustrated words about the atmosphere the four mates found in Maui.
We spent the month of February in Hawaii. February is normally the least windy months of the year but the depressions of the Pacific Northwest provide an unrivaled quality of waves on the planet. And to give the lie to the legend, we sailed every day overpowered in 6m2 in 2m waves minimum.
The North Shore of Hawaii is truly legendary and his reputation is well deserved. The launch is tricky and once in the water, you need a real binding commitment. We all ride with a F-one Bandit V, perfect in these conditions: stable, fast and accurate. Marc and Thierry use JBK boards, shaped by a genius : Benoit Jouffret. Personally, I’m sticked to my Bamboo F-One-5’10, it is perfect for my riding style and incredibly comfortable. Side / side-off conditions require a good level, especially in 35 knots, and it is therefore not surprising that locals are killin’ it. But no misunderstanding about that, this is a paradise of windsurfing, the best spots are reserved for them! Oh, and small detail is important, do not launch a kite before 11 am, the whole island is reserved for surfers.
The boards on the pickups reflect the popularity of watersports : surfing, kite, sup, outriggers. Every day, dozens of riders make downwinds along the North shore for several miles in the middle of the whales.
Kiteboarding is essentially strapless and twin-tips riders are mainly tourists on Kanaha Beach. If the wind is too strong at Hookipa or Lanes, the fall back option is Waiehu, an on-shore spot close to Kahului where the locals come to train in Strapless freestyle . You’ll meet there big names such as Lou waiman, Nicollo Porcella, Kai Lenny… The spot is dangerous because the reef is awash in several places, but the waves can be very consistent and the view is purely magical.
Life focuses on Paia, old 70’s hippie hangout. The old houses in Western wood, warm colors, and many bars and restaurants make it a perfect session after! The atmosphere is very “aloha spirit”, people smile, it’s the very picture of the happiness to live near the ocean. Maui is a dream destination, but remains a place far from the “clichés” that can carry the Surf Marketing.
Greg Beneteau
Find more about the Hawaiian dream at : http://aqua-terra.info/category/blog
Here are some shots of Marc Blanc at Lanes by Greg Beneteau :
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