Surfers and Surf breaks (Wednesday 4 May)

We felt like real surfer chicks getting up before dawn to hit the first waves. Our super truck rolled onto the beach and we saw a lanky, tall, bronzed gentleman in his seventies proudly sporting budgee smugglers and practicing tai chi on the pier. The two of us had a bit of a giggle and Charmian alighted from the truck to greet our instructor, Ron. I was a little slower, taking a bit longer to recover from my hysteria. This was not the surf instructor I had envisaged in my dreams.

Luckily, Ron was a great teacher. He took no time in getting us out on the water and standing up on our first wave. Unsurprisingly, Charmian carved out a perfect 10 on her first attempt, gliding down the face of a small wave with ease and taking it all the way into the beach. Then it was my turn. I lay there waiting and waiting, then woosh, Ron pushed my board onto a swell. The board wobbled uncontrollably. I dragged my legs underneath myself (but slightly offcentre) into a crouch, pointed my toes in the wrong direction attempted to stand, then promptly plopped head first into the water.

At least I could improve the most! After a few more attempts, Charmian had progressed onto finding her own wave and turning, whereas I was still being reminded to keep low and point my toes out. It was hilariously fun. Ron was impressed that I could remain standing (albeit quite akwardly) whilst doing all the wrong things. Apparently I have good balance. Charmian's next trick was to walk up her board to further lengthen her experience on the wave. I was still being told to keep low and point my toes out, but at least I was standing up and "surfing".

It has to be stressed that we were on the nursery slopes of waves and not the black runs. We learnt where to stand, how to turn, and when to catch the wave. There was a surreal moment when Charmian and Ron quoted Shakespeare together. I was very confused, but was so focussed on crouching low and pointing my toes out that I let it pass.

Whilst Ron continued his day with a 2mile sand run along the beach, we decided to continue exploring the island. Surfing had made for a great start to the day, and spurred on by our newfound confidence on the water, we decided to check out the course for tomorrow's downwind race. The most obvious observation point was the Kilauae lighthouse which is also a wildlife sanctory home to Boobies, Albatross, and luckily for us today, an endangered monk seal.

The weather was blustery and rough, giving the lighthouse a desolate feel. And as we watched the dramatic, mounting whitecaps a sense of desolation began to seep into our psyche...what more were these islands going to throw at us! How were we going to take on these waves tomorrow? Telepathically, Mandy called, and calmed me with a race plan and a suggested some lookout points to go and check out the rest of the route.

Whilst I was talking to Mandy, Charmian was investigating a strange moaning, such as one may find at a haunted house. To her relief, it wasn't a phantom of the mind, but burrowing shearwaters on the cliff, birds hidden in the undergrowth, keeping clear of the buffetting 25-30kt winds. These delicate creatures somehow seemed to understand in a symbiotic way what the two of us were going through.

We continued on Mandy's suggested route along the shore road, and came across two kite surfers, turning sommersaults in the air. We stood and watched them fly on and off the waves, marvelling at their speed, skill and tricks. Hawaiian's really seem to understand how to utilise the elements.

Hopefully a little bit of their skill will have rubbed off on us, and allow us to have a great paddle tomorrow!