I guess it’s about time for an update!

As they say – no news is good news!  I’m back in Klitmøller since beginning of the month, and really enjoying being back home.

Maui was good, in fact there was hardly any days without wind!  However in April I barely sailed, as I got myself an ankle injury, and on top of that I got really busy shooting 2011 product videos for JP and some short films for Neil Pryde.  Although I’m not fond of missing out on the sailing, it was great to focus a 100% on the filming.  April was very fruitful shooting about 45 hours of footage in total! With great conditions almost every day, it was possible to collect some really good stuff, including footage from several helicopter sessions.  For the first time I also got to do some serious water shooting as Henne my German FYM partner that normally is in charge of the water filming couldn’t make over due to the ash clouds closing airports.

Here’s a few shots from the JP shoot.

Here’s a couple of shots from March 4’th, where I had my first session at Hookipa.  After a few days of high surf advisory the swell had backed off and was “just” mast high.  Yes, you are reading correctly - just mast high!  It’s funny how you at other spots around the world so rarely will have waves this size.  But here, it’s common to have at least logo high sets!  Hookipa is not famous for being the world wave sailing arena no. 1 without reason!

Wind from the right is not my natural tack, so I have been hard at work getting the “mechanics” working (again).  The previous days in lower Kanaha had been worth gold, as you could get a lot a turns on waves that doesn’t eat you alive when you goof up!..  At this session at Hookipa I was playing it save, but I’m slowly getting ready to step up my game as my comfort and confidence quickly rises.  Hope to be busting some big moves in the near future!

Big thanks to Danni Jakobsen for taking the pix while he was taking a day off to heal a minor foot injury.  Danni, my travel companion, is one of the young and upcoming Formula and Slalom racers in Denmark.  But while here, he has put the serious racing training on pause and is enjoying wave sailing to the max!

Danni bottom turning at Sprecks

Remember you can double click on the pictures to see them in bigger versions..

After a few days without wind (and a Tsunami!!!)  The wind and waves has returned full force. In fact high surf advisory is in effect at the moment.  With a big swell Lower Kanaha is normally great fun, so we were aiming at a session there.  But since we also wanted to shoot a few pix, we decided to go by Spreckelsville first.  (The waves at Kanaha is so far out that it is not possible to shoot there, where at Spreckelsville the waves are close to land.)

It was certainly not great conditions at Spreckelsville.  Kind of a stormy, very messy and choppy ocean..  But hey, it’s always good to get in the water!

We never made it to Kanaha eventually, we had a feeling that the conditions wouldn’t be that good there either and with a great forecast as far forward you can see, there was no reason to push too hard..

A solid forecast and one of the majestic set waves at Kuau.

We were probably not the only ones not stoked with the conditions.  It seems nobody was out during the day at the stretch from Kuau to Hookipa.  With regular sets at over 1½ mast and with chops the size of a car - it probably wouldn’t have been that much fun anyways!!.. And admittedly I would have been shitting my pants out at Hookipa today!  hahaha 

More to follow soon.

Alohaaa

Aloha from Maui!

It is so good to be back, especially this winter where Denmark has felt like it was a part of the Arctic Circle!  I’ve enclosed a few shots to give an idea of the contrast that I just experienced!  I’m always really appreciating the travelling I’m able to do, but this winter it’s been more than a blessing to get away!!!

Although it’s statically still a little early for the trade winds to really kick in over here, we been lucky with the wind already.  We had a nice 4,5 session yesterday, and forecasts are calling for stronger winds the coming days!  And waves, well this is Maui, and there’s always some swell running! 

I’ll be back soon with some photos and more updates!