Kiting and Surfing Maui!

That vacation I had planned a few months ago arrived right on time: work had become unbelievably stressful and I had to take a break if I didn’t want to become totally insane. A friend of mine had suggested that I go to Maui: “This is the place you really want to go to… it’s kiting paradise. And you can stay with a friend of mine over there. I’ll call him.” I don’t know why, but without hesitating, I said yes!

But a few days before leaving, I started to worry: “Gosh, I’m going to kite one of the gnarliest places on Earth and I’m going to stay with a guy I have never met before. I’m out of my mind.” For sure I was stressed out and anxious, but at the same time I was really excited to go… Weird, I know.

Now that I’m back in Tahiti, I can say that going over there was definitely the best decision I had taken in months. There’s not one thing that I didn’t like: my host, the people, the lifestyle, the wind, the waves, the landscapes… and even the health food store next door.

Honolua Bay

The guy I got to stay with is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met; a traveling fool (as I like to call them) who happened to settle down in Maui 15 years ago. I’ll never thank him enough for opening his door to the total stranger that I was and for making sure I was having a great time. Thank you G

As for the wind, it was great for the first 4 days of my stay and I got to kite with the biggest sea turtles I had ever seen! First, I was like “ What is this thing? OMG, sea turtle!!! It’s humongous!!!” I went kiting in the waves and had a blast just watching the turtles popping their head out of the water right next to me. But kiting Maui also made me push my limits: I never thought I’d be able to control my 7m kite in 40 knot winds, but I did. OK, I’m not going to lie, it was uncomfortable and scary; and I really thought something was going to break (I could feel vibrations all the way from my lines to my harness). I’m glad I didn’t end up getting hurt (I’m even more thankful today because of a little accident that just happened a few hours ago which reminded me that my safety system, well… just doesn’t work!!!).

Honolua Bay

And yes, it’s true, when it comes to kiting, Maui can be gnarly, with winds gusting at 55 mph. Needless to say, I didn’t inflate my kite that day and decided to go surfing instead. I drove all the way from the North Shore to the West Side of Maui (Honolua Bay). This place is beautiful. Pure waters and great waves surrounded by lava rocks and impressive cliffs. There’s definitely something about it. I don’t know what it is, but you just feel it when you get there. I parked my rental car as soon as I could find a spot (which was a mission in itself), and walked down the trail along the cliff to reach the tiny white sand beach where you get into the water. Water so pure and clear I could see the reef underneath my board (Just like home). And even though I was freezing in my bikini and the locals got the best waves (I guess this is how it works wherever you go surfing)… I found it hard to leave. I always wanted to catch one more wave: “Ok, just one more. I can’t feel my feet anymore, I’m cold… just one last wave before going back home. Ok now, one more and I’m done.” It felt good to be there and I wish I had arrived sooner to surf a bit more.

West Side

For sure I had lots of fun, kiting and surfing new spots and meeting new people. But there’s something else about that trip in Maui. The island is beautiful: miles and miles of white sand beaches, beautiful landscapes, pure and refreshing waters, perfect teenie weenie waves for the kids… and its people: friendly, easy going, with that aloha spirit that blesses so few. This island has it all. Even though I had never been to Maui before, and as odd as it may seem, I felt right at home. I love it, I miss it already

-Vainui