Surfing in Maui

Surfing in Maui, Hawaii

Maui has a rare community of talented surfers, none of whom seem to waiver in their flair and enthusiasm for the sport. Even though Molokai blocks a lot of the west swells that would otherwise reach this area, and Lanai blocks a lot of the south ones, it is said that the surf around here is just as good as it is in any of the best spots in the world. When the conditions are right, there is a fantastic variety of waves and conditions, and it seems that every surfer is almost guaranteed to find a swell that suits them perfectly.

This is really valuable knowledge for surfers. Those who are really serious about the sport can end up waiting somewhere for days while watching the weather and playing partypoker, until the conditions are just right, and sometimes they are never exactly what they are looking for. However, waiting in Maui is highly likely to be well worth it. Talented surfers come from all over the world to try out the water here, and this means that you can usually find a great variety of people. Maui features two of the most elusive, yet perfect, righthanders. The fastest waves in the world are said to be located in Honolua Bay and Maalaea.

There are also many other types of waves, and surfers look especially for cavernous slabs, backwashy beachbreaks, rampy teepees and spritely wedges. It is very windy in Maui, not like Oahu where the wind tends to stay offshore most of the time. Honolua Bay rose to fame in 1967, when Australians Bob McTavish and Nat Young drew amazingly creative fresh new lines while showcasing their immense talent. To further put this area on the map, Jimi Hendrix’s “Rainbow Bridge” concert movie glorified the lifestyle of the consolidated culture of the Maui’s.