Surfing Hanalei
Here in the heart of Hanalei lies Pine Trees. This beach break has a range of faces. From playful rollers friendly for beginners, to heavy fast barreling walls for the most seasoned surfer, there’s something for everyone at the Hanalei beachie. The closer you get to the Hanalei Pier, the more mellow the wave is, with usually a bit less size. If you head down to the west end of the bay, more swell sneaks in and you will see the uptick of size and power. With a picturesque backdrop of flowing waterfalls and beautiful ridge lines, there’s no other place on earth like it.
The best part about Pine Trees is that you never know what the day will hold. Due to the location of Kauai's Northshore, it is exposed to huge North Pacific swells. These big swells hammer Hanalei, shifting sand from one end of the bay to the other. One afternoon you’ll be surfing soft playful rollers, and the next day the same sandbar could dredge out, making Kirra-esque running barrels. It’s almost like Christmas morning, you just never know what you’re going to get.
Kauai is home to many professional surfers. The mix of waves here allow top athletes to extend their abilities to the fullest. Most of these surfers learned to surf, right here at Pinetrees. Even the late Andy Irons grew up right across the street. When the waves are cooking and you look back at the mountains, you can almost feel his presence.
The vibes at Pine Trees are generally really friendly. Take a walk on the beach with your morning coffee and you’ll get nothing but hellos or “howzit!". Don’t be surprised if you run into a couple of local legends on their morning surf check.
As for everywhere in Hawaii, show locals respect and aloha, wait your turn, and you might just bag the wave of your life. Yeah, the same kind of waves you sketched up in class instead of listening to that lecture. - Logz
Hanalei Surfing Gallery
