The Miracle at Ala Moana!
I don’t know what your greatest fears are but one of mine is certainly losing control of a large sailboat in a pumping surf chock-a-block with Hawaiian surfers. Oh the absolute white-knuckle terror. The complete and enveloping horror.
Years ago I thought that only complete amateurs and/or drunks lost control of their boats near shore but then I started sailing, a bit, and realized how easily things can go pear-shaped and by “things” I mean everything and anything. Literally everything and anything.
And so when I saw a video of a large sailboat in pumping surf chock-a-block with Hawaiian surfers, recently, my heart jumped into my throat. The boat was trying to make its way into Ala Moana harbor there on Oahu’s south shore but, as you can see by the waves, it was a big day.
I imagined the worst, of course. That the boat would capsize, hit a few surfers, kill a few passengers, catch cracks on the beach afterward etc. but watch how the captain navigates and surfs right into the harbor mouth. It is the very first time in my life that I have wondered if there is some value in learning to SUP. If the knowledge of guiding an obese vessel through waves might have some proper value.
The best part of the video may be the narration of surf cinematographer Bruno Lemos. I think the World Surf League should call him up to the booth straight away. I think we’d all be very thankful.
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Not tourists, but a weekly party of Honolulu bar vermin, spent strippers, bartenders, and such. They go out every week, regardless of waves and weather. The skipper has a great deal of experience and many thousands of sea miles. That said, he fucked up. There were all kinds of 20 minute lulls. I’m glad they got lucky.
I like how the guy filiming cut over to the surfer to make sure he didnt miss a good wave shot, then cut back to the boat. Priorities! “hey brah you miss my set wave or what?”
Kook
At least these guys made it in.
I used to be a regular at the Ala Moana Hotel and usually had the same room overlooking the harbor and Magic Island.
One morning I go out on the lanai to have my coffee and notice a circling helicopter and something odd on the west side of harbor.
Go back into my room, turn on Hawaii New Now and realize that there is a sailboat on it’s side grounded on the reef.
Hold my daquiri while i…
I’d have flicked my board at it.
Maybe they got some inspiration from this bloke
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Yeah that one is better.
The cognitive dissonance to get from “that boats gonna capsize brah” to “great job captain” was certainly on a level with current crop of commentating.
Was that Kai Lenny? On his latest craft?
Now Kanoa , THAT IS A BIG MAN’s FLOATER ! Do we now have to add yachts to the list with VALs , Kite Boards ( sans foils or with foils ) SUPs , Longboards sans leash , goat boats , body boards , ironing boards and those nasty bodyboarders with those terrifying hand held planing devices , Sharks , Surfboats , paddle skis , paddle boards , pointy rocks , live coral , jellyfish,Huntington Pier and sailboards to the things to be avoided while enjoying a wave .. ?
You forgot surfmats
( joking ) They only run over ….. girls ?
Nice bar passage! Luck had something to do with it. Sailboats are usually very hard to flip with all the weight down low(COG)
Not hard in that size surf. Likely to come back up but a knock down is more likely than safe passage.
a combination of of luck, and a confident captain sure of his skill
Mainly luck
no, he did the corect thing. you dont want to ride a wave because you will bury bow and you will roll. he set himself to be infront of the next wave to push him in
Being very familiar with boats on waves and the potential for disaster I stick with “mainly luck”, as his poor timing of sets and subsequent angle of approach put him in that position in the first place . .
have you been through Ala Moana during a swell?
No
How’s the girl in the g-banger on the bow getting her Instagram pics on…..that’s the state of the world we live in. Wow.
The key is to aim for the harbor mouth. You miss dat and brah, heavy beat down, scar fo life brah. Maybe they be JRJ, Just Rent Jet-ski
https://youtu.be/s5L6xzIsESw
Inland douches with no business on a ski. “Hey lets ride right under this wave right into the jetty!”
Oh that one is a classic!