The North Shore

So we bought the surf board, we've had the lessons, now it's time to get out there and try it for ourselves, right?  If only the waves would cooperate!  We returned to the same spot we originally learned at - Haleiwa Beach on the North Shore.  The only catch was that the awesome waves we learned on were absent.  Rather disappointing.  Whereas before there was plenty, this week there was one place where a wave would break.  And when we were there a class of 5 surfers were already out there, dominating the one place where a wave could be caught!  So later in the day we packed up and moved down shore to Sunset Beach.  Some success here, but we ran into the problem of too many surfers trying to get at the same wave.  As beginners that is a bit intimidating.  Also contributing to the struggle was that Matthew was not feeling well most of the week (he had has a pretty bad cold) and he got worn-out pretty quick.  None of this is a problem - all part of the process.  Hoping for better waves at Haleiwa next week!

Shark's Cove is also a great afternoon activity when you get worn out surfing.  It is an shallow bay on the North Shore thats great for snorkeling.  It has a natural rock barrier that moderates and protects the cove.  Small waterfalls are created every time a big wave breaks on the reef.  Great place for families to play - it's protected from the harsh North Shore surf.  

Not to be missed on a trip to the North Shore is Shaved Ice (aka Snow Cones) from the popular Matsumoto's.  Always a line for shaved ice at this general store, but I think it was worth the wait.  There was only 25cents difference in price between small and large, so we both went big!  We got the Hawaiian - Blue pineapple, pink coconut, orange banana, lemon yellow, all blended together.  Oh, and new twist for us, ice cream on the bottom rather than condensed milk on top!

And the ever popular Shrimp Trucks!  These well-tended food trucks are the perfect place to stop for a quick lunch. Most popular item is sauteed shrimp.  Between this collection of shrimp trucks at Haleiwa a variety of shrimp to choose from - fried, thai sweet and sour, lemon and garlic... it's always such a tough decision!  My personal favorite is the garlic butter shrimp from Giovanni's.  But I really enjoyed chatting with the Thai women at Hono's:)

What we're reading:

Because let's face it, what you read while you're relaxing on the beach is not a small matter.  I'm reading James Michener's 'Hawaii', a 900+ page saga that tells the tragic story of the evolution of Hawaii from a primative community of island natives to prospering tourist attraction (with missionaries, sugar plantations, and a revolution and statehood in between).  I've really been enjoying it and it's definitely added dimension and complexity to my understanding of the island.  Matthew, at the other extreme, is studying his latest Emergency Medicine text, and as strange as it may seem, he swears he is enjoying it too.

We stumbled upon this nice little beach spot - it's just south of Shark's Cove.  It's called Three Tables Beach due to the 3 large exposed rock outcroppings right off the shore that catch some really harsh waves.  As a result they mostly protect the shore from the tough waves.  There is also a really high ridge of sand and it's a nice place to people watch and wave watch and catch the ocean breeze.

Sunset at Three Tables Beach