“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
I wasn’t born to be a surfer; I grew up in a family of non-surfers, twenty miles from the coast in Orange County California. In my teens I had to beg my parents to take me to the beach and I didn’t really know that surfed-out, beach-bleached, salt-crusted skin feel till I was 16. However, despite my late entry into the lineup, Hawaii was somewhere that was always on my radar. It was warm, it was beautiful, and it was rich in surf history and culture. I made it my goal to someday call the Aloha State my home.
Making the Dream Move
Shortly after graduating from college, my dreams came to a screeching halt when I came down with a mysterious illness. I spent five years bedridden and another two recovering, but when I finally felt well enough to travel, I began considering a move. It was 2021, and although travel was allowed, it was still COVID times. Being immune compromised, I silently considered my options. One day, I hopped on Hawaiian Airlines’ website for kicks. One-way tickets were $99. The decision was made.
An overseas move is not easy. You must find a place to live sight unseen, pack your entire life into two suitcases, and figure out what you’re going to do about work when you get there. Luckily, I had a good friend who had moved to Oahu six months before I made my decision, and she talked me through places she thought I’d like to live and the details of shipping my car.
I’d been working as a freelance surf journalist for nearly a decade, but work was slow thanks to COVID, so I figured I’d find a couple shifts a week on a tourist boat once I landed. I’d spent my entire life making responsible choices and planning everything out to a tee. But for the first time, at age 29, I was going to be a dreamer.
An Introduction to Hawaii’s History
Before moving, I spoke at length with a friend who had called Oahu her home for ten years. As a white woman from an upper-class family, she informed me that I should expect to experience racism for the first time in my life. In 1893, the Kingdom of Hawaii was illegally overthrown by American and European businessmen. Between that travesty and tourists frequently trashing their home, many Hawaiians didn’t take well to white people, or haoles as they call them.
I was anxious about how I would be perceived in and out of the water and I desperately wanted to connect with the locals. I decided to use my job to my advantage, and shortly after arriving on the island, I began working on an article for Surfline entitled ‘The Women of Waikiki.’ I met with prominent native Hawaiian longboarders Megan Godines, Geodee Clark, Tiki Willis, Kelis Kaleopaa, Kelia Moniz, Malia Kaleopaa, Tammy Moniz, and Tiara Bella. We paddled out at Queens, shared some waves, and talked story for hours.
They shared insight into Oahu’s history, their thoughts on tourists and outsiders, their tight-knit community, and the best ways to keep the Hawaiian culture alive. It was incredibly insightful and eye-opening. What it all ultimately boiled down to was respect – respect for the land (aina) and the Hawaiian people.
The Surf Scene
As primarily a longboarder, I was under the assumption that I would spend the majority of my time surfing at Queens in Waikiki. It’s the perfect longboard wave and relatively gentle for someone who was a very intermediate surfer. My first few sessions, I paddled out at Queens, being careful to be respectful, especially to the locals. I quickly learned Queens would not be my staple surf spot. One, I hate crowds and it’s in the heart of Waikiki. Two, it’s packed with tourists who don’t know what they’re doing and local pros who I’d never stand a chance of out-paddling.
I moved to Oahu in late April, so the south shore was just warming up upon my arrival. I began exploring various breaks, careful to only paddle out at new spots if I was with a friend or under the guidance of a local. Lots of the breaks have shallow reefs and to this day, I still prefer to try new spots with someone who’s surfed them before. I hit Diamond Head, Sandbar, Kaisers, Threes, Rockpiles, Straight Outs, Canoes, Pops, and Marinelands. I wanted the consistency of a homebreak to meet people and make friends, but I loved the variety, and instead, surfed wherever the conditions were favourable each day.
I came into my move expecting big, heavy surf and constant criticism from the locals. What I found was that, most of the time, the south shore is soft and friendly. When there’s swell, it can be challenging, but there was always somewhere a very intermediate surfer like me could surf. And as the women of Waikiki said, if you’re respectful, you’ll be treated with respect back. After five years of calling Oahu my home, I have yet to have a bad experience in the water.
