Works Over: PauHana Paddles (and surfs)!

One of the great things about having this site is getting to meet the site sponsors. Especially, when the guys are surf-crazy, like me. Todd and Royce, the owner/founders of PauHana Surf Supply definitely have their priorities straight when it comes to water time. Here's how it went with these guys:  Email from me: "Hey guys, I'm going to be in L.A. tomorrow do you think we could meet- maybe go

Small Long Period WNW Swell on Monday and Mid-Long Period Swells for Wed/Thursday

The last Monday in January was looking pretty flat in town. I was a bit surprised because there was a small 20 second swell in the water, it just wasn't big enough to show, even at the best spots. The beaches have been good lately so maybe Sharktown wouldn't be too big. The sand really hasn't gotten right but there was a nice left working down the beach. The sweeper crew was on it when I arrived. Surfed with the boyz for over an hour before the first detachment of crawlers paddled out. By then it seemed to me that a little had come off wave quality. Bob and Paul paddled off on a surf safari up coast and later reports indicated that they found a very nice left and surfed that for an hour. I saw them waaaaaay down there and it looked like they were having fun. Only Supsters would paddle a mile down the line looking for that next best peak. I surfed a few more, the only kelp farmer left in the line-up before calling it a day.

Wednesday and Thursday the mid-long period swells arrived. Wednesday was bigger but conditions weren't optimal. Thursday conditions were great but the swell dropped down to about half the size of Wednesday's offerings. For me the main hallmark of the four plus hour session I surfed on Wednesday was the total lack of crowds. I don't think I've ever surfed it with fewer peeps in the water. I started out at a left I hardly ever surf because there's just too many people surfing there usually. When I paddled out and into head high waves there was no one on it but me. That changed fairly soon to two, then three, then four. But I knew two of the guys so it was sweet. Doc Ken and Neil on stand up and I chatted and surfed for over an hour.

When the tide dropped sufficiently I headed up coast to my favorite spot and spent another three hours there taking down wave after wave. As I said, conditions weren't the best and the wind went from light to onshore to side shore to offshore all in just over four hours. But no complaints, there were plenty of waves and few surfers taking advantage of them.

Thursday was sunny and the wind was stiffer out of the southwest. Not bad really. I started out at Sarge's and finished up at Middies in surf that was substantially smaller than Wednesday. Again the crowds were small for most of the session. Love these mid-week swells we've been getting.

Bonga Perkins wins the ''Sunset Pro'' on StandUp World Tour