I know this isn’t a travel forum but it would be much appreciated if you could indulge me a little. I am looking for a little local advice/info on accommodation on the North Shore. My wife and I are planning a visit in late october for about a week on the North Shore and a few days “in town”. Finding decent and reasonably priced (Australian Pesos don’t go far) accommodation doesn’t seem to be easy on the North Shore-the hostel has already been ruled out. Anyone know of any places that would fit the description that you could recommend?. Waves within walking distance (2-3 km) would be a must as well. I am only going to bring one board but still tossing up which? I have an 8’3" gun and a 7" McCoy Nugget single fin. I would feel comfortable surfing waves up to what I would call 6’-8’ (this is more probably 4’-6’ Hawaiian I guess). This will be my first trip to Hawaii anywhere near the winter season so I am not sure what to expect. My McCoy works great in big Bells and Winkipop here in Victoria (have surfed good sized Ulus with it as well) but will it be inadequate for 4’-6’ Hawaiian (I just hate lugging that 8’3" around). Any advice that anyone could offer me on any of this would be very very welcome.
Try Owens Retreat, it’s on the beach at Mokuleia, across from Dillingham Airfield. Philo has 4 houses that rent from about $60-$140. it’s kind of rough around the edges, but you can’t beat the price. And if the surf is on, and the wind is right, you can get really lucky.
My wife and I go every year around Thanksgiving, we stay luckly at a friends house on the north shore, however I have heard of where Jay speaks of, catch it right and your stoked, if not short drive to all the other spots. About boards, if money is kind of a problem, what I have done the past 2 years is go to Surf n Sea shop and buy a used board and leave it there with my buddy. Next year it is there, and if he broke it I just get another one, (with his money). It is actually cheaper than paying to bring a board atleast from the mainland. I also like to support the economy there. They have tons and tons of boards for a decent price, if not there, there are shops all around that have used boards. I always go to them, really cool people. I heard that they buy boards also, you probably will not get all your money back but it is still cheaper. As far as town we stay at the Outrigger on the beach, the one where Dukes is, really cool place, really banky to but worth it. Good Luck.
It’s a long walk from Mokuleia (where its always blown out) to places like Sunset,Haleiwa,Pipe,laniakea…etc.Try to stay up in pupukea,just look on the internet,youll find something to fit your budget.
Thanks for the advice and ideas everyone. I will check them out in a little more detail on the internet. I have already done a bit of searching on the web for places but sometimes you just never can tell what places are really like - which is why I asked for anyones personal experiences/recommemdations on this. Thanks again for the suggestions.
…behind the Beschen s House there s a Local guy who hire the chipest accomodations (rooms, transformed van, one “kitchen” a bathroom)in North Shore…3 blocks from Sunset, etc…$8 per day!!!the surfers paradise!!
Argentinians, Uruguayans, Aussies, etc are the surfers…
the bizniss of measuring waves in feet is a whole lotta horse puckey. Different scale with everyone you talk to, (aren’t you guys down under doing it metric?) different from Town to Country, humbug says me.
Just go with ankle, knee, waist, head, overhead, double, big, and, once you make it understood, you’ll be fine.
Suggest your smaller board, but don’t know how big you’re gonna want to go, once you get here. Waves really are pretty damn strong, more even than Bali according to a pal who’s been there several times.
The idea of getting a board that will stay here sounds good to me, especially when you might get back some fraction of its cost, versus the two-way baggage charges.
Staying at the Owen’s place in Mokuleia (they used to have a house immediately above Waimea, too) sounds like fun, but in early winter it’s too frequently onshore trades. I shacked on Phil’s floor one Thanksgiving, then we went out to UNREAL Leftovers, overhead, uncrowded, the next morning. Each time I see Phil, we remember that day… twenty years ago. If you were coming in late winter, Mokuleia would be a better call. Remember too, that noplace on the island is more than an hour away… the whole island is only 20 miles by 30. Kilometers, you ask? Divide by 0.6. Traffic lightest in the early morning.
I think your Nugget should be handle anything up to 6 feet on the North Shore, having seen Cheyne Horan riding Haleiwa on one a few years ago. But if you’re planning on surfing some serious stuff, the 8’3" would definitely be the call. Living on Oahu, I’ve never needed to find lodging on the North Shore, but have driven by this place called http://backpackers-hawaii.com numerous times just around the corner from Waimea Bay. I don’t know how reputable this place is but it maybe worth checking out. There is another place called Ke Iki Bungalows too, but don’t know if they have a website. Unless you have a car, most of the breaks are still a mile or two away. You might want to ask a lifeguard or other surfers about conditions, especially if the waves are on the way up. Hope you enjoy your trip.
Thanks for all the good advice guys. We have just booked Ke Iki Bungalows and I think I will bring my 7’ Nugget. You’re right Oneula I do have a “waterskate” gun (also a 7’) but I think the Nugget is better suited to bigger hollower waves. Can’t wait!!! Thanks again to all.
be interested in your take on the waterskate versus the nugget…
I have some experience that validates the nugget concept and parmenter’s vector concept but does grant’s waterskate design live up to the hype or is it just another fun board?
Hau: Thanks for the extra tips mate. I plan to start slowly and not get out of my depth (that’s why I’m leaving the 8’3" behind). I will definitely drop in to Cafe Haleiwa and check out the Campbells bonzers (always interested in different designs as well as the history).
Oneula: The waterkate and nugget are different. The nugget carries a lot more thickness (especially in the tail). The waterskate does still carry a more volume than a normal shortboard but still surfs like a normal shortboard (just more speed and paddling power). The nugget is a bit slower in its reactions to input and feels a lot more stable and solid (but still fast). Think sports car versus grand tourer. One is for the winding roads and the other is for crossing continents safely at high speed. With my limited surfing ability and increasing years I find myself surfing the nugget more.
surfboards are free to take from OZ to Hawaii (neither Qantas or Hawaiian charge for them). As long as you only have two “pieces” of luggage that weigh less than 30kg (66lb) total then you can take whatever sort of “pieces” you want (as long as it’s not alive or explosive). I wonder why they rip you off from mainland US to Hawaii?
I’ve been wondering about Grant Miller’s Waterskate design for sometime now…
Very clean lines in comparison to the McCoy’s Nugget which almost doesn’t seem to make sense although there’s so much engineering in the design of the Nugget, like you said it actually works quite well.
I hope to give more of Cheyne’s designs a go this coming year to test out some of the other concepts, which although aren’t especially aesthetically as pleasing as the smooth lines of the Waterskate, seem to make more sense regarding water dynamics… You know short-no-nose-big butt-loaded dome-starfin stuff…
Thanks again and enjoy…
Chuns, Lanis, Puena Point, Jockos, and Kammieland are some of the less intense options…
No problems Oneula. Thanks for the extra tips on places to check out (I have been on wannasurf.com and have marked those breaks you mentioned as places I should look at - good to get confirmation from someone such as yourself). We will be in Waikiki for two nights before our week on the north shore and for two nights after as well.
If you are interested in checking out my McCoy (7’0" X 20 1/2" X 3 1/8" (16"T)) for reference in regards to your upcoming board experiments then just pm me.