Surfing

[jm minica]

Honoli'i is probably the most consistant break on the Island, probably the best spot on the east side for the less experienced surfer, and a very beutiful park. There is a river that flows into the bay, and when its rainy and the waters get muddy, there is an increased dager for sharks. As far as stink eye goes, I've not experienced that there. It is generally pretty crowded now a days, and I'm sure the folks that have been surfing there for years aren't all that happy about the crowds, so that may be the cause of the stink eye. But this is the case with all of the surf breaks on the Island now. Isaac Hale Beach Park is another good surf/swim spot with lefts, rights, points and reef breaks. Keokaha offers several beach parks that can produce surfable waves if the swell is right, as well as great snorkeling/swimming. Ka'awa beach, which is between Punalu'u and Whittington beach parks, is a black sand beach that gets some really nice barrels. There is a spot called Secrets that is between Isaac Hale and the public hot pond, but it's a pretty gnarly break that I would only suggest to the most competant of surfers. As far as sharks go, I haven't personally seen a shark in many years, and I go out looking for them. They are there, and the Tiger sharks can be very aggresive, but if you follow the basic safety tips of: avoid murky waters, avoid the water when it's not daylight; then you should be fine. Seems like the shark attacks always happen on Maui, it's been a long time since I can rememer an attack here. That's about it for the east side, but there are many other spots around the island, and if you are interested in learning more feel free to email me: jm_minica@yahoo.com.
Aloha,
Mark