Living the Dream Maui’s Northshore, windsurfing, surfing, kitesurfing and island lifestyles.
Life on Maui’s Northshore is an idyllic life, living the dream on a beautiful island, golden sand beaches, with warm water lapping on the shores of Maui. Imagine dropping into a ten-foot Hawaiian wave, bottom turning into a smooth face and you’re getting barreled, then you wake up it has been only a dream. Maybe only a dream to some, but a reality to us who call Maui’s Northshore home. Surfing Honolua Bay in the earlier 70’s with your friends, or paddling out to Hookipa Maui with uncrowded waves, surfing with the Lopez brothers, guys like Eulie Middleton. Johnny Mac, and the Saito Brothers on perfect Kona day.
For many windsurfers, kite surfers, stand up paddlers and surfers living the dream on Maui is what drew us to experience life on Maui’s Northshore. In 1973 visiting Maui from the mainland, I was captured by the raw beauty of Maui, great surf and an idea that paradise can be a reality. A slower pace to life, that many have lost touch with.
Back in the day you had mom and pop stores and restaurants in Paia, Picnic’s was a favorite with fresh spinach burgers. Morning surf was always complete with breakfast at Kata’s in Makawao, eggs over easy, Portuguese sausage and white rice. For a treat a trip to Komodas for fresh donuts in Makawao, which is still in business, famous throughout the islands.
The 80’s arrived and we are surfing the point at Hookipa Beach Park and these guys show up on what looks like surfboards with sails on their boards, what the heck. Guys like Mike Waltze, Craig Masonville, and Malta Simmer and his brother Klaus, Miki Eskimo are ripping across waves, bottom turning with so much speed launching into the air, we were experiencing the beginning of windsurfing madness on Maui. From that point on, cars have windsurf gear tied to their roofs, guys are quitting their jobs, the term windsurfing widows comes alive. You have a new breed of professionals windsurfers that follow Like Josh and Mark Anglou, Robbie Naish, Fransico Goya, Josh Stone, Pete Cabrinha, Sean Ordonez, Kelby Ano, Dana Dawes and surfboard and windsurfing factories come alive.
Maui unlike many other places on the planet is attracting watermen from all over the world. Surfers and windsurfers from Japan, Australia, Brazil and Europe are making it to the shores of Maui to experience this new phenomena windsurfing. With straps on sailboards the next evolution is strap surfing, being towed behind a jet ski into huge waves at a place call Jaws. I would say strap surfing founder was Rush Randel, blowing minds being whipped into waves with a jet ski. Following Rush’s lead guys like Buzzy Kerbox, Larid Hamiltion, Dave Kalama, Brett Lickle just to name a few, opening the doors to big wave surfing around the world, being towed into giant waves experimenting at Jaws on waves up to 70 feet.
Then you have the younger crew with Ian Walsh, choosing to ditch the jet ski with Darrick Doerner, choosing to paddle the huge waves at Jaws and from that day on it pretty much was the end of tow surfing at Jaws as we know it. Now Jaws is a world class big waves paddle destination when the surf and wind line up. Local Maui guys like Billy Kemper has taken out two big waves events at Jaws, along with Paige Alms in the womens division.
Man left to himself is always evolving, creating and redefining how to ride waves. So we need to revisit Larid Hamilton always on the cutting edge of exploring new ways to approach surfing on waves. Larid was the first stand up paddler on Maui out charging waves at Hookipa, not that everyone was happy about it. Riding then a 11 to 12ft boards with a paddle, which allows you to get into the wave early and surf the wave, fast forward to today and stand paddling is a huge part of ocean activity on Maui’s Northshore. So you have guys catching waves on stand up boards, and then there is the downwinder crew that launched from Maliko Bay and paddles 8 miles to Kanaha Beach on 16 ft. stand up boards, great work out and riding open ocean waves. Women like Suzie Cooney, dedicated paddler and instructor rasing the bar in performance.
Maui is a hot bed of talent, Ian Walsh big wave surfer, Albee Layer. Kai Lenny who just won the big wave event at Porto Escondido and Cody Young just taking the win at Huntington Beach Jr. men’s division. You will find many individuals that have committed their lives to different water sports on Maui. Kim Ball, owner of Hi Tech surf sports has given his support and backing to the surf community on Maui endlessly over the years. Matt Kinoshida from Kazuma Surfboards has supported many of the youth on Maui over the years including both my sons. Surfboard, windsurf, stand up shaper and designer Jimmy Lewis has had a major influence on water sports over the years. Another windsurf/ slash surfboard company is Goya Maui, owner Francisco Goya, pro windsurfer, owner and just coolest guy has had a major influence on windsurfing on Maui. I just want to thank the Goya crew for all their Aloha, putting up with me, helping me, a late bloomer in the windsurfing scene, they have help me along my windsurfing journey Mahalo.
Robbie Naish, World Champion Windsurfer, business man, owner of Naish Windsurfing has had a major influence on Windsurfing on Maui. He is the man, always redefining the sport of windsurfing and an avid Kite surfer. The newest rage is kitesurfing. On just about any given day if you were to drive down the coast you would see a collection of kites flying in the sky, some with kite surfers flying 50 ft. through the sky, pretty crazy, who would have thought this was possible.
For many windsurfers, kite surfers, stand up paddlers and surfers living the dream on Maui is what drew us to experience life on Maui’s Northshore. In 1973 visiting Maui from the mainland, I was captured by the raw beauty of Maui, great surf and an idea that paradise can be a reality. A slower pace to life, that many have lost touch with. My experience has evolved over the 45 years living on Maui, surfing, windsurfing and raising a family of four, two of my sons are talented surfers. Watching the evolution of water sports on Maui, with too many names to mention that have effected life as we know it on Maui’s Northshore surf scene.
I would have to say, it’s been exciting over the years living on Maui’s Northshore. So many talented individuals, designers, shapers, athletes, leaders in the surf industry. a talent pool of people that surf and windsurf like construction, hotel workers, everyday working class men and women that can’t wait to spend time in the water. Maui is blessed with a talent pool of waterman that are redefining the water-sports worldwide.
So for my journey, it’s been exciting being along for the ride over the years. My name is Steven Nickens, surfer, windsurfer, father, grandfather and Maui Realtor on Maui’s Northshore. If you have any questions about living on Maui’s Northshore give me a call. I work for Elite Pacific Properties, #1 in luxury home sales in Hawaii. I would love to introduce you to the Maui Northshore community, the lifestyles, and prestigious properties in places like Spreckelsville, Paia and Haiku Maui. Maui’s Northshore, where luxury is a lifestyle and dreams becomes a reality.
Steve Nickens RS-54097 GRI ABR
Selling Real Estate Maui’s Northshore 23 years
Elite Pacific Properties
Cell; 808-280-2208
Email: nickens@maui.net
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