Das lange warten auf Sommerwellen hat begonnen. Singen wir also nochmals ein Loblied auf den unglaublichen Winter von 2009/10 und schauen uns dieses Video mit den Highlights an.
The long wait for the summer surf has begun, lets remember one more time the great winter season of 2009/10 and watch this video of some of the greatest moments.
Als Sebastian Steudtner am Freitag 23.4.2010 den Billabong XXL Award für die grösste Welle von 2009 gewann freute sich das ganze MikeJuckerHawai’i Team mit ihm. Sebastian surfte seine Monsterwelle am legendären 7. Dezember 2009, dem Tag vor dem „Eddie“. Ich war an diesem Tag schon bei aller Herrgottsfrühe auf den Klippen bei Pe’ahi um mir einen der letzten Plätze zu sichern von wo aus ich filmen konnte.
Nach Sebastians Gewinn am Freitag durchsuchte ich alle meine Aufnahmen um zu sehen ob ich den Ritt auf der grössten Welle von 2009 auch irgendwo finden würde. Nach längerem Suchen und mit der Hilfe von Mr. Obarns fanden wir dann auch die Sequenz von Sebastians Ritt. Der Kicker an der Sache war als ich sah, dass Sebastian Steutdner eine der grössten Wellen des Tages mit keinem Geringeren als Laird Hamilton teilte. Wie man auf der Fotosequenz sieht, ist die Left aber um einiges grösser als die Right. Leider war ich für die Left in einem ungünstigen Winkel zur Welle und verfolgte dann Laird Hamiltons Ritt weiter.
Wenn Ihr genau hinschaut auf unserem Youtube Video vom 12.7.09 seht ihr die Sequenz selber. Ich werde die Sequenz aber nochmals nachbearbeiten und zu einem spätern Zeitpunkt nochmals hochladen.
Respect to Sebastian und Laird!
Gruss
Mike
P.S. Ich habe meine Sequenz genaustens mit denen von Billabong verglichen und kann mit 100% Sicherheit sagen, dass alles zutrifft.
When the German Sebastian Steudtner won the Billabong XXL Award for the biggest wave of 2009, the entire MikeJuckerHawaii Team was excited for him. Sebastian surfed the Monster Wave on the legendary December 7th 2009 the day before the “Eddie”. I went to the cliffs at Pe’ahi already at cracker dawn that day to secure myself one of the last spots to set up my camera.
After the Award was given to Sebastian Steudtner, I immediately went through my footage to see if I captured his ride on the Monster Wave myself. After a while of digging through my footage and the help of Mr.Obarns, we found the sequence. The kicker about our findings was that Sebastian Steudtner shared one of the biggest waves of the day with Laird Hamilton himself. As it appears the left was bigger on that set than the right. Due to my angle with the camera to the wave, my set up to film the left was not very good so I followed Laird with my camera to the end of his ride.
In fact if you check our Youtube video from December 7th 2009 you can see the sequence for your self. I will do another round of editing on the particular sequence and upload it at a later time.
Respect to Sebastian and Laird!
Regards
Mike
P.S. I have double-checked my sequence several times against the video and pictures from Billabong to be 100% sure everything is watertight.
Local time: hopefully tomorrow
The buoy this morning came in at a reading of 24 Seconds and 6.2feet. This is very unusual data normally the Swell Period and the height are much closer. Through the day the periodes became smaller and the height increased. Now I wonder what this is doing to the surf. Are breaking waves bigger on 24sec – 6feet or on 19sec – 13feet. One thing is for sure I don’t remember seeing a period like this since the legendary winter of 1998. I guess we just have to wait and see who that swell will translate into waves at Honolua Bay, tomorrow we will be going out there on my friends boat to surf and picknick. I am sure it will be interesting to anchor the boat when the 8footers will peel around the corner at the Cave.
Die Wetterboje Heute Morgen zeigte einen Swell mit 24sek und 6fuss an, das sind eher ungewöhnliche Daten, normalerweise liegen die Sekunden und Fuss näher beisammen. Während des Tages dann nahmen die Perioden etwas ab und die Swell Höhe etwas zu. Was mich eigentlich zu einer interessanten Frage bringt: Brechen die Wellen höher bei 24sek – 6fuss oder bei 19Sek – 13fuss. Na ja, eines ist auf jeden Fall sicher: Das letzte Mal als ich eine Periode von 24Sekunden sah war im legendären Winter von 1998. Wir werden es ja selber sehen Morgen wenn wir mit dem Boot meines Kollegen zur Honolua Bay fahren, das wird ein obercooler Surf- und Picknicktag. Das Boot zu ankern wird sicher noch interessant wenn die Sets mit 8fuss um die Ecke kommen bei der „Cave“
Meine wasserdichte Kamera ist auf garantiert mit dabei.
Also dann bis Morgen.
Sonnenaufgang bei Pe’ahi nicht Heute aber sicher Morgen.
Local time: All day
Right hander at Jaws
Another XXL-Size Swell hit the Hawaiian Islands this Morning. The Swell peaked at 17Sec 24feet and the conditions a Pe’ahi were as good as it gets: morning glass and 40-6-feet waves (depending who you talk to) that was the situation out there. On the cliff the situation was a little different, the parking situation was out of hand and the crowds came down to the bluff by the hundreds. There were Hotdog stands and soda vendors. More people went to Circus Jawas than to the county fair last year.
Gute Zuschauerzahlen
The show down in the ocean could not have been better, all the “Big Hitters” were out there including the 16 year old Kai Lenny who already is a regular at Jaws. The drama was unfolding when Laird Hamilton took a tumble on a wave and got hit by his own board that dislocated his shoulder. According to the gossip on the cliff, he then surfed two more waves. A bit later local Big Wave Legend, SUP pioneer and Maui County Lifeguard Chief, Archie Kelapa broke his leg while getting washed in the white water. He and Laird Hamilton shared a ride on the helicopter getting airlifted out of the break. Kai Lenny took his first serious wipe out on the left at Jaws and sits at home now with a serious headache. This winter already had some epic days at Jaws but this one was by far the most dramatic one.
Monster Left
Showing teeth
At the same time the locals at Honolua Bay, which turned into a big wave spot it self, were charging some hellish rides themselves. The sets at the cave were in the solid 6-8+ range. Due to the lack of trade winds the wave was not as clean as many hoped. The rides were still sick and as the next pictures prove there was tons of love to spread by the locals. I am sure the guy under the lip was not feeling much love getting burned like that.
We definitely had enough action for one day that is for sure, the action shall continue tomorrow.
Morgen bitte etws freundlicher.
Local time: 9.45 hours
Sorry to our english readers, yesterday was all about how a greenhorn from Switzerland and a Wannabe-Charger Swiss Ex-Pat conquered 8-10feet Lanes.
Long story short we had some good waves but paddled against the current more than anything.
Today was a whole different story: Our guest Bolger and Spreckelsville Visitor Marc M. Jäggi sent me his pictures from a completely different Ho’okipa from yesterday. No one was surfing and it was a big soup of whitewater and most waves closed out. At almost the same time I was at Honolua Bay watching how the North West Swell finally wrapped ist way into the Bay. The conditions at the bay were rather fair while at Ho’okipa no one was thinking about surfing. Marc told me that there was some Tow-In action at Jaws in the morning, but he missed it so he sent us a picture of empty Jaws in the afternoon. (Too bad we don’t have a Jet ski)
Morning Surfcheck
In the meanwhile the conditions cleaned up in the afternoon, we had a cold front passing though and behind it the regular north east winds filled in, which made H-Bay look world class again.
Immer dran und voll dabei mit MikeJuckerHawaii.
Local time 10.46 hours
We have some rare days at Honolua Bay, only a very few days in the year the wind is blowing the opposite directon form the trade winds. We call them Kona Winds and these winds make Honolua Bay look less perfect than usually, but hey, it is still a point so the waves peel still in one direction only. Do you see on the picture, there are only 4 guys out that is the best, you can still score long rides without the crowds but at a lesser quality. In the mean while the wind blows off shore at Ho’okipa.
Now to this picture below: I am sure all surfers are somewhat weather geeks such as I am, so I am sure you are impressed by this low preassure like I am. Almost the entire Northern and Central Pacific is consumed by this giant low pressure with there centers all below 980ppa. It reaches from the Canadian West Coast all the way to the Kamtschtka Penisula and down to Hawaii, that is also why we have the Kona winds. Very impressive stuff if you ask me. That off course means more big waves for Hawai’i.
So jetzt aber…!
There is so much action going on right now I don’t even know where to start. Jaws had some of the best days in years, at the same time The Eddie was going on, and the girls Billabong Pro Maui was going on in perfect conditions at Honolua Bay.
On thing is for sure: I have colleted more and better video material this November/December than in all winter combined last year.
Local time: all day
Early morning set
Jaws had one of its best days in a long time despite the swell was not as big as anticipated. According to the Media we were preparing fort he largest swell since 1969. The buoy readings are still running at plus minus 17 Seconds 18 Feet, which is still big, but now where near the swell I witnessed on new years day of 1999 with readings of 20 Seconds 30 Feet.
Never the less, Jaws was open for business today and the world elite of Big Wave Surfing was out there. By 9.00am I counted somewhat 25 Jet skis, 5 Boats and 3 Helicopters hovering over the break. There were some massive sets coming through and guys were scoring some good rides on the right as well as on the left. I also saw guys going over the falls and 2 Jet skies ending up on the rocks.
Off course I am also woring on a video to release soon, for now enjoy these pictures.
Bis Bald,
Mike
