Honolua Bay. Mystical, ethereal, surreal and elusive. She is the supreme temptress, one of the most fickle waves in the world, and by the reckoning of many, absolutely the most exquisitely perfect right-hander anywhere.

Honolua Bay. Mystical, ethereal, surreal and elusive. She is the supreme temptress, one of the most fickle waves in the world, and by the reckoning of many, absolutely the most exquisitely perfect right-hander anywhere. If you visualize Angourie on the best day in the last 50 years, then add some more size, power and perfection, you’ll be somewhere near the mark. Of course, you’ll also have to add a rarity that means there will only be a hand full of rideable days per year, and crowds so ravenous they’d make a hungry Great White seem full.

Steph soaks in the view.

The wave has such a rich history, such an aura, that it is beyond iconic. Stories of Jeff Hakman and his mates, surfing the place at 10 ft and perfect in the late ’60’s with a head full of acid and no legropes, or crowds, merge with the now generation and their exploits, the likes of local hotties Granger Larson, Clay Marzo and Dusty Payne.

The place is so trippy that even in this age of internet swell predictions, when North Shore Oahu swells are predicted to within an hour or so of arrival, the net swell savvy types usually get it wrong when it comes to Honolua. The main reason for this is the extremely narrow window available to the swell. A huge N/N/West is required, and must pinball it’s way past Molokai, to the north of Maui, and into the beautiful bay of Honolua, just north of Kapalua. The window is so slight that a tiny alteration in swell angle can shut the wave down like a slamming door, and it can go from 12 ft to flat in the time it takes you to get dropped in on by a ruthless local – and they are ruthless. They make Snapper Rocks locals seem like Salvation Army volunteers.

Silvana Lima gets deep.

So how a female World Tour contest came to be held here is one of the great mysteries of modern surf culture; Billabong must have done some deals with the devil for this one I’d say. And somehow, despite all of the above obstacles, and the slight chance of scoring this wave during a 2-week waiting period, the chicky babes usually get waves! But God, not like they got this year. Yesterday was so perfect, so utterly flawless, that I was literally weeping while I shot. 8-10ft bowls of outrageous symmetry charged their way into the bay, and it was consistent. The only thing that kept me mildly sane was the knowledge that even if I’d got the chance to surf the place, I would never get a wave off the local froth squad – and if I did, I’d be dropped in on quicker than you could say “Christ this wave is good!”

Sally Fitzgibbons scored one of the days best tubes.

It was a big day, December the 8th. While the girls munched on all time Honolua, the Eddie ran for the first time in years over at Waimea Bay on Oahu. Greg Long stamped his name on a very elite list, taking out Kelly in increasingly pulsey conditions at 25ft plus Bay. But the girls got some crazy barrels at Honolua, easily the most insane tube rides I’ve ever seen by women. Alana Blanchard, Silvana Lima, Sam Cornish, Bec Woods and Steph Gilmore all had the shacks of their lives, but it was Steph who ultimately took the event out – again.

Highline barrel work with Steph Gilmore.

What about this babe? Three years on tour, three world titles, three Honolua victories, two Triple Crowns, a million event wins! She slaughtered Sofia Mulanovich in the final in smaller, but perfect, 4-5 ft conditions, and really she is coasting now. All the froth about the young girls, like Coco Ho, Carissa Moore, and Sally Fitzgibbons, is warranted for sure, these ladies totally rip, but so does Steph, and she is simply the smartest competitor around right now. Oh, and she’s throwing another party tonight, so excuse me while I go and get shit faced again. Go Sticks McGraw!!!!!

Steph’s a happy Gilmore with another title to her name.

– Words and photos by David Sparkes