A Couple Quick Photos

 Our first time to Nyang Nyang

 The residents were friendly, if a little timid

 Small rights were breaking off to the left

 A bigger right up the coast a bit

Empty beaches as far as you can see

Uncle cleaning seaweed

Red Algae

Ryan - Back in the water on 4/17/11, low tide Bukit Peninsula

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High on Life

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I think things happen for a reason.  Do you ever look back on a life event and ponder about how each and every aspect unfolded to make that event possible?  I’ve been noticing more and more here in Bali, especially since Ry and I have been “slowing” down a bit from the craziness of the life that we both share at home…  It’s funny when you take a moment to analyze how an event happened.  I mentioned to Ry before and during the trip, “I hope that when we get to Aotearoa we can stay with a Maori family to experience the real New Zealand!”  It has been a dream of mine to travel to Aotearoa and to be able to experience the authentic Maori way, to learn of cultural similarities in language, dance, history.  I thought to myself, if this would be possible, it would truly make the trip unbelievable!  Could this be possible I wondered?  Only in my dreams right?  Well…just so happens…if all works out…Ry, Hil, Jason and I will have the ultimate Maori experience!  Here is how it “unfolded”

Event:  The meeting of Anaru Horua, the Maori man of mystery

1.  Ryan had his three boards made by famous Bruce Hansel, North Shore shaper.  When we went to pick up the last board and we noticed a very large surf board with the New Zealand flag painted on the back.  Bruce said that he made the board for a very large Maori man.  I wondered, “Would we possibly bump in to him?”  “Would be an amazing experience to meet a pure Maori.” Nah..yeah right?  In my dreams… 
2. Ryan and I in the “slowness” of our time here in Bali decided to go jump on the internet near Padang Inn.  We had to post a blog, research rib injuries and facebook (well, I facebook, Ry refuses to have facebook).  After about a half hour, I take a look outside and…there it is, the board! The beautiful New Zealand board, but where is he…the Maori man of mystery.  Pearing down the line of facebookers, one, two, three, FOUR!  There he is!  He definitely looks Polynesian.  Cultural tatoos all over his arms and leg.  Should we go up to him?  “Ry…” I whispered, “Look! There he is, the Maori guy, go talk to him, ask him about the board!”  We finished our internet session and Ryan with all out confidence (my sweet haole boy) went to introduce himself to this huge, muscular mass of a man.  Being from Hawaii I was expecting him to say in a gruff Hawaiian, pidgin accent, “Whoa, what you like brah!”  But instead, Anaru humbly and in a heavy New Zealand accent replied, “Oh, hallow, yeah, that’s my booard, eh, Bruce, yeah, he’s the man! Great guy, really great guy, so you two from Hauwai?  I’ve neva meet any Hawaiians befoor eh.  My fierst time really.  Everyone hea in Bali think I’m a Hawaiian and I’ve neva mat a Hawaiian befoor.”  Stunned, Ryan and I looked at each other. This man was a gentle giant with such a soft demeanor.  His body language was the epitome of Aloha.  (Later on in this event, Ry and I learned that the word “Aloha” or “Aroha” for Anaru was the most important word to him, one that he believed, believes should exist in everything that we do.) 
3.  It was a few more times that we happened upon Anaru at the internet café that led up to a night of Mexican food and Bintang beers.  Anaru stopped by our homestay asking to have dinner with Ry and I before he would leave to head back to Australia for his work.  It was a good four days or so and I questioned Ry about when this dinner would take place.  “He said he would come by, don’t worry okay.”  Nervous and a bit paranoid, I didn’t want to miss such an amazing opportunity, “It’s okay I thought, if it is meant to be, it will be meant to be.
4. Ry, Hil, Jason and I head to the Edge, a bar overlooking the surf break Uluwatu for the 2^nd “opening party.”  No free pizza or Bintang this time and the band turned out to be obnoxious, loud and out of tune.  Margaritas were completely sold out and Jason wanted to eat good Mexican food.  “Let’s go to the Surfer’s Wadang, they have good burritos there,” Ryan suggested.  So we headed to our mo-peds, geared up and rode swiftly down a huge hill to get to the restaurant.  “Dang it!” Ryan exclaimed, “They’re closed! This is usually the happening place!”  We decided instead to go to a place called Chacho’s Sunsent Grill.  Chacho, “the man,” from North Shore O’ahu opened up a pretty good restaurant near Padang.  It was expensive ($50,000 to $75,000 rupiah for a plate), but the food was delicious.  “I need gas,” Ry exclaimed and so we all stopped at a Homestay called “Tete’s Homestay,” one of the original on the peninsula and the one where I knew Anaru was staying at.  We pulled up to the petrol station and low and behold, who was drinking a large Bintang, cruising outside with a group of Balinese and Mogli the dog, Anaru!  I couldn’t believe it!  I ran to him, shook his hand, his grip was so strong and his gentle eyes looking at me was a deep greeting.  This type of greeting was an introduction into what Ry and I learned later from Anaru called the “Hongi,” a formal greeting for the Maori.   Greeting for the Maori means so much more than the western swift hand shake or the kissy cheeky thing that we all sometimes do.  Greeting for the Maori is an exchange of energy and Aloha. 
5.  After formal introductions of everyone, I invited Anaru and his other New Zealand friend to come to Chacho’s for dinner.  “We would lav to eh, what you say Isaac?”  Isaac, the South Island New Zealander nodded his head in agreement and we all piled onto our motor bikes.  “Wait Anaru, I need my motor bike,” Isaac exclaimed.  “Nah man, just ride with me eh!”  Off on three scooters we all headed to the restaurant.  Dinner was now finally set.
6. Super delicious food was ordered and the six of us settled in at Chacho’s.  “You are all gonna lav New Zealand eh, New Zealand is awesome.  Hea’s my advice, don’t look at it as a suerf trip, granted, thea is grate surf for sure, New Zealand is so much more than the surf, at every moment, each and avery wea you turn, look, it’s like a post card, it’s truly amazing really.”  “Really,” Isaac said, sipping his Bintang, “And we have a lot of connections for sure, so if you need…”  “Yeah, if you need,” Anaru continued, “I have so many sistahs and they will lav you to come stay with them, I live in the country, the real country where we all still speak Maori.  You know the movie Whale rider?”  “Of course!” I smiled wholeheartedly.  “Well, that is wea I am from, thea in the bush, you’ll lav my sistah’s place.  Once you go to her house they will greet you with the traditional Haka, all my cousins you know, nieces and nephews, than she’ll take you all on our horses to the marae weah the hangi will be prepared and you will eat traditional Maori food and they will perform the haka again and play music, we lav ukulele’s, we play them all the time, you know the band Catcha Fire?”  We all nodded, “Yeah, thea big in New Zealand,” “And Hawaii,” Ryan replied with a smile.
7. The conversation continued.  Hil and Jason spoke with Isaac, getting to know the in’s and out’s of South Island and Ryan and I spoke with Anaru, getting to know of the North Island and Maori culture, history, lifestyle and the “mana.”  “Mana, you have that in Hawaii?”  “Yes,” I said, “It means power.”  “Yes, power to for the Maori also, but it was obtained through the acts of warriorhood.  The Maori, we’re warriors, Hawaiians too yeah for sure, other Polynesians as well, but the Maori, we’re strong, we are a warrior people.  Hawaiians, you have the Aloha and it is Aroha for us.  Aloha is the most important word in this woerld.  It is the lav, the embrace that unifies us all, so important, without Aloha, we fail to truly live and experience, eh.  Life is like your earings,” Anaru exclaimed looking at the round, circular shape that my earings made from the inside out.  “It’s like the curl of a fern, it begins coiled, like your earrings, and then uncurls to become a large fern, that is the representation of life, the energy, like in the Ha, the breathe of life exchanged during the Hongi.”  He took Ryan’s hand, heavy grip in place and brought Ryan’s face near to his to where their noses touched.  He placed the firmly gripped hands near his heart and Ryan pressed his heart there as well, while their other hands were placed on each other’s shoulders.  They stood in connection for a good minute, breathing in and out, noses pressed, eyes closed, feeling each other’s energy.  They then withdrew, hands still firmly gripped, Anaru looked at Ryan and Ryan at Anaru and they exchanged the warmest of smiles between one another.  A few tears ran down my cheek and at that very moment I understood what Aloha really meant, a unity, a harmony, a love that touched deep in the soul.
8. Anaru continued to talk of his people, the history of the Maori and the similarities of Hawaii and our history back home.  “I used to hea stories you know, from my grand parents, stories of Hawaii, that we sailed thea to Hawaii and at a special place on one of your islands, we let down our sails and bowed to that particular place, in honor of Havai’i.” I thought of a place that Aunty Grace Kupuka’a explained to me once, a place in Kona where there are individual stones, set near the coastline and each one of those stones represented all the different Polynesian islands, it represented the arrival of the Polynesian canoes, the wa’a, a symbol of ‘ohana, that we are all cousins in Polynesia.  “We all come from Tahiti, too much warring however and so we all went our separate ways, we are all connected, we are all family, when you come to New Zealand, I promise, you will feel at home,” Anaru explained, looking deeply into Ry and I’s eyes.  He spoke of the history of Captain Cook, of the diseases that ravaged the Maori people, of the loss of much, but that the Maori people have stood strong throughout the ages, the years and have continued, “We are a strong people, we are a warrior people, I have heard stories of Hawaii, you as Hawaiians, the Hawaiian people have lost so much, but I want you to remember that the Polynesian culture is too strong to ever be lost or forgotten, we continue as a people, we are all warriors at heart,” Anaru said looking at all of us now.  He looked at Isaac, “He is a Pakeha, one who is not Maori, but he is my brother, in New Zealand, we have come a long way, there still may be a little tension, but you see this man here, he is my brother, we have to have unity, we all have to find a way to co-exist, it is the way things are now, we didn’t ask for Captain Cook to come to New Zealand, but he did, we didn’t ask for the British to come, but they did, so how do we survive then? Continue…”  Isaac began to speak, “Yes, thea can be tension.  I mean come on, the Europeans came in and *&%$#@# over the Maori people!” Isaac proclaimed, “We did such horrible things to the native people!  It really comes down to respect.  There are strength and weaknesses in my European culture, and they’re strength and weaknesses in the Maori culture, as long as we understand and accept each other, we be okay.”  Isaac and Anaru now looked at each other, a Pakeha and a Maori exchanging smiles with utmost admiration.  “There is still tension of course!” Anaru smiled, “But, you see this Pakeha here, he is my brother.” They both continued to explain the situation in many other countries, but the worse of the cases they agreed was the situation with the aboriginal people in Australia.  I’ve heard others talk of the horrendous treatment of the aboriginal people, in fact one Australian blatantly exclaimed “There are no more aboriginal people left, I don’t see them around anymore.”  It is a tragedy that continues today.  
9. I promised to take Anaru to a taro patch when he makes it out to Hawaii on day.  He was very thrilled, excited to pull weeds and plant huli in the ‘aina and experience Hawaii and our culture.  He definitely is a surf fanatic like Ryan and we would be so honored to show him to the various surf spots back home.  Anaru’s hero is Eddie Aikau.  “Eddie is known throughout Polynesia.  He is a hero you see.  Hokule’a gave so much pride, not just to Hawaiians, but to all of Polynesia,” “All of the Pacific,” Ryan replied, “Yea, all the Pacific.  It gave us hope that we as the Maori could also build a canoe and sail to Tahiti.  Hokule’a was the pride of all of Polynesia, but especially to the Hawaiians.  You know why Eddie decided to paddle out when Hokule’a was in need of help?  It is because he couldn’t see his Hokule’a go down, the pride of and for his people, culture was too great, he paddled out to continue the hope and strength for his people and that inspired all of Polynesia.”        

There was so much insight and advice that was given in this rich conversation, so much hope for Polynesia, especially for Hawaiians.  Anaru mentioned the same words that Aunty Peggy Ha’o Ross once said to me a long time ago, “You still have it, you have always had it, it has never been lost, and with it, you’re people will come together and be as one.”  Aloha.  Aloha means so much more then hello and goodbye, it is an emotion, a formal Hawaiian greeting like the Hongi (“alo”= face to face, “ha” breathe of life), it is a unifying cry, a way to peace and not to suffering, a word that must encompass all that we do, it is what is right and righteous, it is about being humble and embracing differences, it is about forgiveness and acceptance, it is about a love that touches deep within our na’au (being, soul), it is about the positive energy and not the negative and it is also a strength, a strength that helps us all to continue.  So let the strength of Aloha continue to guide us…Mahalo Ke Akua mana loa o Iesu Christo…

The Arrival of Hilary and Jason

It’s been an amazing past week with the arrival of Hilary and Jason, our good friends from Hawaii.  It’s always more fun to be with friends to share adventures with; especially in the surfing arena.  I feel so much more comfortable that there is a “group” of us in the water to watch out for one another.  Ryan and I rented a car to pick Hilary and Jason up from the Bali international airport.  We always envisioned picking up “tourist” from the airport, like we’re so “local” now.  I have to say, driving at night is much different than the day time.  Ryan immediately felt stress and caused himself to have a migraine headache.  I was screaming “watch-out!” and “Oh my gosh!” every minute.  Before picking up Hil and J at the airport at 11:00 p.m., Ryan and I headed to the BIMC hospital to get recent test results.  That killed our time since it took about 2 hours of consultation.  We were cutting it very close to the time to pick up Hil and J and I told Ryan, “Okay, you have one chance, just one chance to get it right.  No wrong turns to the airport or we will be late and Hilary and Jason are going to wonder where we are and we are going to have to turn around on these crazy roads!”  Ryan thoroughly understood his mission and so we headed out onto the main highway.  We had to make a U-turn, which normally is a pain, but it turned out to be a breeze thankfully.  Ryan followed the sign that said “Airport” and went around the large statue in the middle of the main intersection.  This was our first time driving to the airport and we were slightly nervous wrecks.  A right turn, then a swift left turn, then another right turn, then payment booths, then a check point, then another left turn, then another right turn and we made it to the parking lot.  Unlike Honolulu international airport where there might or might not be parking and are charged a large fee, the Bali airport was full of empty spaces and no fee…yet.  “There, there, over there Ryan, park…go, go, park.”  Ryan swiftly found a parking and we jumped out to head to the “waiting area.”  There were a large amount of people holding signs for their respective guests.  The airport had really cleaned up from just two years ago when it was my first time to Bali.  I was freaking out when I left the safety of the airport with all my luggage. Driver after driver ran up to Ryan and I “Need transport, need transport, I take your bags!”  “Hold on to your bags…tightly Kir,” Ryan sternly reminded me.  I did what he said and I remember Ryan trusting a stranger to take us to Kuta.  The stranger turned out to be a “good transport” and took us to a safe hotel.  Two years later, waiting to pick up our friends, there was a metal safety gate before any of the “drivers” could meet the tourists (which were much fewer to begin with) and everything seemed much more organized than the chaos that I first experienced.  The taxi service was well near the metal gates and the taxi drivers were efficiently prepared to gather the newly arrived tourists into their safe, air conditioned Toyota and Honda vehicles.

                “Their flight number is not on the screen Kir!  Are you sure they’re coming tonight?”  Contemplating I thought, did I make a mistake, I could have sworn it was Wed., April 13^th, I had been waiting for this day for a long, long time, there is no way I made a mistake.  “No Ry, I know it is tonight, I have been prepared for like a month now, counting down the days.”  Giving a “hopefully you’re right, non-trusting, paranoid glance,” Ryan hoped that they would be coming through the glass doors.  I pointed to several Korean language name signs to comfort Ryan’s nerves.  Afterall, Hil and J were arriving on Korean Air.  One by one and three by three Korean passengers exited through the glass doors.  They were definitely Korean nationals with their distinct look.  “It’s my people!” I exclaimed to Ryan, since I am 1/8^th Korean.  Ry just kinda looked at me and laughed a bit.  “Hey, kim chee is supposed to be cancer fighting you know.”  Then suddenly two very familiar faces popped through the glass doors and there they were!  They made it to Bali!  Excited Ryan and I let out a “Transport, transport?” and waved a big wave.  It was a moment Ry and I had been waiting for, for a long time.  Hil and J looked a bit travel weary, but extremely relieved that they had finally made it to Indonesia.  The parking at the airport was a mere $2.00 and we headed home in our vehicle. The drive back to Uluwatu was a breeze, no people, no traffic.  “This road is crazy in the day time,” Ryan explained to Hil and J, “Wait for tomorrow when we go to Kuta, it will be quite an adventure.”  “I really don’t doubt it,” Hil replied to Ry.  Before we could make it home the Polisi had a stopping point to check our cars.  “Be prepared to possibly take out your passports,” I said, trying to calm us down a bit.  “But Ry, remember, just give him your international driver’s license.  We are not supposed to give our passports and if we do, and he takes it away, we need to report him.”  The polisi checked Ryan’s driver’s license and our vehicle.  The rest of us just smiled the biggest smile that we could and they let us free.  Thank goodness because the last time this happened the polisi took our passports and demanded we pay to get it back.  Apparantly on the bukit there have been several cases of drunk driving and accidents and so the polisi were out checking to make sure there were no other repeated offenses.  “That’s actually very responsible that they are doing that,” Hilary responded after the close call.  Soon enough we made it to our homestay.  We reserved a room right next door to ours.  Satisfied and relieved at the cleanliness and space of the room, Hil and J settled in.  We talked for a good couple of hours before we head to bed.  Ry and I were so thrilled that our friends made it safely to Bali.    

                The next day Ryan and I took Hil and J to crazy Kuta to find a body board and a surf board.  We still had the vehicle rented.  Traffic had tripled and Hilary and Jason looked on with worry and excitement.  Arriving in Kuta, it was as busy as it could get and the heat completely sucked the energy out of our bodies.  Ryan parked extremely far away from Poppies I and Poppies II, but somehow we made it to those busy alley’s.  The haggling began right away, “You buy, you buy!” “Massage only $50,000,” “Sunglasses, wallets, come on just look, just look one minute.”  I knew Hil and J would be completely overwhelmed in the first five minutes.  Hilary gave really good advice to all of us, “Never ever say that you are coming back to that place to try to be nice, then they will expect you to come back and push the sale even more.”  I accidently said it to the wallet guy, but only because I thought we were really going to be coming back that way.  “No, no Kir, don’t tell him that we will be back,” Ryan whispered to me.  “Okay, okay, sorry.”  I happened upon the make- my- luck- by- forcing- to- paint nails lady.  “Oooo, I remember you!” she said in a strong voice, pointing and staring at me.  “Oooo, and I remember you!” I strongly said back, staring her down while swiftly walking away.  There are more of them than us even though I felt like I needed to stand up for myself.

                Hilary and Jason found good deals on a body board and surf board and Ryan found the unique multi-colored boat kite that he really wanted.  I haggled a bit and bought five beaded necklaces for my friends.  I almost walked away until he would give the right price.  In the end, we all agreed that a Kuta visit would only be if we REALLY needed to go down there for an errand or to go to the Hard Rock Café as Jason suggested.  Kuta really is a place for the special and unique, those who want to party hard every night, shop and haggle to their hearts desire in the dying heat, and be amongst crowds and crowds of people from all over the world.  Country living is definitely not in sight, although perhaps at one time, Kuta was more like Uluwatu, quiet and calm.  

                For the next week after Kuta, Ryan and I brought Hil and J to various surf spots, Green bowls, Padang Padang, Impossibles (Hil calls it Incredibles), Dreamland, Uluwatu, Piung, Nusa Dua, and the 547 stair hike down to Nyang Nyang.  Nusa Dua spots on the East Side have recently and unfortunately gone to poop.  Literally a week before Hil and J arrived Nusa Dua was glassy, beautiful, and manageable.  Ryan and I were bummed since we wanted to share those spots…especially the secret spot, “Shangrila.”  Other than that Hil and J had incredible days at Impossibles.  J got a barrel at Uluwatu and Hilary got covered in a right hander barrel at Padang on a fun day.  Nyang Nyang was too huge for all of us and only Ryan went out.  It reminded us of an out of control surf at Quarries in Mokuleia back home on the North Shore.  I was praying that Ry would come out alive and well! Oh yes, that’s right, I forgot to mention.  A miracle has occurred, Ry is up and riding again and it’s such a relief.  Watching him paddle out to catch perfect left handers at Impossibles about 5 days ago with a beautiful sunset and moon rise brought a genuine smile to my heart.  I understand that your heart is unable to smile, but if it could and I could show the world, it did at that very moment.  The hiatas of not being able to participate in water activities together has been a bit of a strain on Ry and I.  The ocean definitely is our connection and will always be.  We had our first amazing session together at Greenbowls yesterday and I felt much safer and comforted with Ry in the water.    

Currently, today, 4/22/2011, Hil is recovering from a case of Bali Belly.  Jason caught a flu bug and Ryan and I are trying to not get sick…but you never know what can happen with all the traditional Indonesian food we have been consuming.  We are all taking it easy today, resting our bodies from surf and heat exhaustion.  The storm last night has made spots choppy and unorganized.  It is a bit overcast today.  When all is well, healed and rested, we will resume our adventures.  Signing off for now—U’i 

U'i's Take on the Waves

Nusa Dua on the east side of Indonesia has been phenomenal.  Even when there are double overhead sets coming in at Geiger, there are perfect head high, running and partially barreling sets that roll in on inside peaks.  After experiencing Nusa Dua, Ry and I are convinced that Bali is also the island of rights.  Ryan’s friend Dash and his girlfriend Saskia came to Bali and happened to stay in the same homestay as Ry and I.  It was nice to have company in the water.  It can be really scary by yourself, especially at a new spot.  We had some solid sessions at Nusa Dua at a “secret spot.”  It catches a perfect head high to slightly overhead wrap when other spots are double to triple overhead.   Dash, Saskia and I had an unforgettable session at the “no-name” break.  No one out our first day and only three others the next day when it was bigger, better, and slightly barreling.  The waves came in around the corner and developed two peaks, one slightly hugging the peninsula and the other farther down the little bay.  Poor Ry however had to sit this one out, again, in the pouring rain.  He ended up building a shelter for himself.  (pictures will be uploaded soon.)  The shelter was actually quite impressive.  As soon as he finished however, the rain stopped.  We all contemplated on the name of the break “No one allowed, but us, “ or “No ones,” or “Secrets” or “Perfect Right.”  Ryan decided the name.  Just down from this secret break there was another break called “Sri Lanka,” and Ryan kept calling the secret right “Shangrila,” so we ended up naming the break Shangrila.  It was definitely one of the best sessions that I’ve had on this trip.

                Saskia and I surfed a little spot near Black Stone, while Dash headed out to a really low-tide, but pumping Geiger.  A local called it “The Body board spot.”  It was a little small when Saskia and I surfed, but later on in the trip, Hil, Jason and I paddled out and nice, little pitching, right-hander sets came rolling in. It reminded us of Baby Haleiwa, right next to Bamburas at Magic Island, Ala Moana. Awesome for body boarding.  

                Now comes the crazy, crazy, crazy day at a very special spot called Greenbowls.  When pronounced by the locals it sounds like “Green-balls,” so we either call it the Greenbowl or Greenball.  It was Dash and Saskia’s first day of surf.  Ryan and I wanted to show them some spots and so Greenball was the choice made.  “It’s kind of like a Diamondhead,” Ryan exclaimed to Dash and Saskia.  I thought to myself, yeah…a Daimondhead South shore O’ahu wave turned into a Mokulei’ia, Quarries, North Shore wave depending on the tide and swell.  We arrived at the break.  It looked a bit windy and Ry asked if this would be an okay place to jump in or we could venture on to other breaks.  Since the tide was getting lower, I pushed to stay since time would be running out.  When the tide goes out in Bali, certain spots become treacherous and I didn’t feel like getting caught and be in danger in a brand new spot.  Dash, Saskia, Ry and I headed down the 322 stairs to Greenbowls.  I’ve had good sessions at Greenbowls in the past and so I was excited to go out.  It did look a little bit bigger than before and a little more currenty.  Ry and I warned about the rip that ran like a river to the right-hander peak.  We all geared up and I quietly said a little prayer to myself for the safety of all of us.  The rip took me out very quickly and Dash and Saskia followed.  There was a bit of a crowd when we got out there, around 6 Australian surfers.  Waves were fun and perfect in the beginning.  Solid head-high to slightly overhead sets, nice drops, with a line that curled like a bowl (thus Greenbowls).  Around 40 minutes into the session I told Saskia that it seemed like it was getting bigger since the tide was dropping and that I would take the next one in.  She agreed.  We waited for a few minutes and all of a sudden an eerie feeling came over me.  In the back, like way in the back I saw dark bulges, like fat dark hills coming towards us.  My heart began to pump and I knew this was it.  “Saskia, you need to paddle now! Everyone needs to paddle now!”  I got a head start and kicked with all my might.  I didn’t care how sore my feet were from any previous day of body boarding, it was my life I was beginning to become concerned about.  I looked back, no one was following me or was following very slowly.  I kept thinking, did I second guess myself?  Maybe it wasn’t going to be that big?  Then a monsterous set came and I used every part of the adrenaline that was now fiercely pumping in my heart to kick over the first set.  I barely made it over the first wave through the tip of the curl.  The other’s were not so lucky.  A second one came, then a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth…it seemed bigger and bigger as one by one they came crashing down.  It was like the sound of thunder in the back of me.  Greenbowls had went from a comfortable 2-4 ft. Hawaiian to 6-8 ft. Hawaiian in 40 minutes! I had never been in a situation like this before, 6-8 ft. Hawaiian was extremely big and I was not prepared for it….I’m not that great of a body boarder!  I kicked the hardest that I had ever kicked before to get over each set and felt completely out of breathe.  I thought to myself, if any one of these sets crashed on my head, I could not hold my breath, I may very well die today, please help me God.  Dash I believe had made it through alright and one other Australian, but Saskia and the rest of the surfers were washed into the rip to the shallow left-hander break on the other side.  Dash went to help Saskia and I was on my own…there in the deep blue.  I looked back to see how far I had kicked out and it was very far.  I slowly made my way back in and tried to stay on the shoulder, but not too far to where the rip resided.  I by now was quite terrified, but I tried to calm myself down.  “If I panic more, I won’t get in, it’s okay,” I said to myself,” it’s over now, catch a wave in if you can and avoid that rip!”  I ended up catching a wave on the shoulder and pushed my weight to the left as hard as I could.  Unfortunately it didn’t have enough power and instead I drifted into the dreaded rip.  It took 10 minutes of fighting the rip until I got to shore.  An Australian guy and I paddled intensely to get out.  I finally made it.  Ryan swept me up in his arms. “Thank God you are safe, I was so scared for you out there and I couldn’t do a thing, but pray.”  “I know, I couldn’t avoid that rip, but I made it in okay and I am so very thankful.”  Saskia and Dash finally made it in over the reef and we all plopped down, in the sand with the other Australians stood and looked back towards the ocean from the stairs.  We all took deep breaths and pondered about what just happened. All of us looked at each other…”We survived.”        

                There isn’t any other time in my life where I really thought I wasn’t going to make it out alive.  I am truly very humbled at the power of the ocean.  I would never want to be in a situation like that ever again.  This experience made me want to train better, swim more, and practice holding my breath longer.  I guess it’s these kinds of experiences that bring about unique wave knowledge, of which I will definitely carry with me the rest of my life.  I definitely learned the hard way!  Granted, even though the waves were treacherous, dangerous, double-overhead masses that came through, it truly was a beautiful wave and I got to feel the intense energy of the ocean.  I still believed in Greenbowls, so much so that I have been back twice, of which the latter was one of my best sessions…even better than Shangrila!  But I now know, that I would never go out on a dropping tide during a new moon!  I purchased a woven bracelet that day, blue to remind me of the incredible power of the ocean and waves, yellow, to continue to have hope even after a scary session, red to symbolize what could happen when taking risks, and white to symbolize survival and humbleness.  I will wear it for the rest of this trip!