Bodysurf-trip to HAWAII 2004 by Gwenael LeFranc This is a freetranslation.com version of the original French. http://bzh.bodysurf.site.voila.fr/ If you wish infos on Hawaii: good plans. ..cliquez January 15 2004: Taken of the train since Provide for Paris. There has not the sea to Paris, but this always is with pleasure of me there to return for, this is the show to street every corner and that that compares me a little more final destination. January 16 2004: 11h10 the airplane dŽcole. ..direction San Francisco then Hawaii the next lines will be done on the Hawaiian earths. KENAVO France. [Point Panic sign, Bodysurfing Only] Ca does warm to the heart of a bodysurfeur to read this kind of things. ..(Point Panic, Honolulu, Hawaii 2004) January 17 2004: this is on the spot of Not At All Panic that I have for the first shod time my palms to Hawaii. Disturbing place, but long vague and that give speed. I put my bag to Waikiki Beach, high place of the longboard. ..c'est in fact a wave that gives envies to return a long board. [picture] 7h00 and already packed Waikiki of surfers with to smile it January 18 2004: Haleiwa... in the bus that took me to the North Shore I met Will a California bodysurfeur... North Shore, me voila ...Haleiwa a small session ...il is not rare to see guys in standing surfing in the tube. January 19 2004: The houle is there. This is very big on the North Shore. A small auto-stop blows and here I am to Pipeline... just to see. This is very big, 3 heights of man at least. I remained two hours to look at... and a guy was evacuated ...une falls monumental... state: unknown but not well of the all. Next passage has Waimea Bay it is big but the shore breack is nŽgociable... this is on my list of the spots to do. [Danger No Swimming signs] This is dangeureux and the rescuers note it to every panel... If you feel it not... does not there go! January 26 2004: To Find a boundary internet is not more simple on the North Shore... There are three days row that I bodysurfe Banzai Pipeline... some frayeurs (a mega set on the corner of the nose that impresses! !!), an extraordinary show (it is very exciting to see these surfers themselves caller in the standing tube since the interieur or see Mike Stewart tear down big waves) and happiness while slipping on this mythical wave I begin finding some brands on this wave. ..c'estGood sensations... The wrinkles of the contest of bodysurf are at the entra”nement ...une good school for me... I surf also the spots of Log telephone Booth and Waimea Bay. January 27 2004: Yesterday, very small swell on the North Shore then very small sessions to pipeline. A little rests and a dive session in apnea to the encounter of the fishes of the neighborhood ...magnifique I would have believed myself in "Nemo". This morning, the pipeline was perfect. I begin taking confidence in this wave, address familiarly the boulders of the reef (but I avoid anyway to approach them too ready). A wave to note particularly this morning: departure in heir apparent, long back riding, elrollo in the barel ...et gone out of the tube... the god of BANZAI PIPELINE was with me on this wrinkle. This afternoon this is the moment to register itself, to the competition of PIPELINE BODYSURFING CLASSIC. already some heads known. ..tel that Mark Cunningham. The competition begins January 29 and the waiting period lasts until the 6 fevrier. ..prochain contact after that... good wrinkle to all.. Sacred site of WAIMEA... A gift is done by prudence... February 1 2004: In my last message, I showed my taken one of confidence to Pipeline. From that time where I got up of this web coffee I went to Pipeline for bodysurfer. ..et Pipe had decided to be very big... confidence, I had left it on the beach. The spot was packed water photographers - I greet to the passage their job - and of surfers more kamiquazes them a than the others. A mega falls very top for me then a long great wrinkle. Good report anyway. ..mme if that was worth me a pain to the neck during 2 or 3 days. Here a fourth day of "waiting period" without competition... but the houle gets up aujourd'hui... I believe well that that na not eut place this day also because of the Superbowl (final of soccer US). Brief by here when the swell is small, the principal occupation is: dived in apnea and small surfing ...puissant anyway!!! Tomorrow I believe that there will be the competition (sense of smell of breton! !!)...avec all these bodysurfeurs all rather sympas... February 2 2004: THIS IS today that unfolded itself the competition "PIPELINE BODYSURFING CLASSIC". At the start 40 participants. They are in very big hawaii majority. There is also More brazilian, More californian, More australian one and a breton. As much say that there was some beautiful ones, very beautiful series. ..mais between they ....un little too much expectation. [picture] Pipeline the day of the competition reserved some pretty waves. 6 competitors to the water on the wave of Pipeline (as much to say that to be only 6 on this wave is a true pleasure) with 25 minutes to shoot a maximum of 10 waves by competitor, the 3 better waves being counted. To this small game the classification of the two first ones does not leave actually surprises. 1 - mike stewart (HAWAII) 2 - mark cunningham (HAWAII) 3 - steve kapela (HAWAII) 4 - james duca (HAWAII) 5 - chris moore (HAWAII) 6 - rogerio shefler (BRAZIL) And you probably wonder this that became the breton. And well this is in semifinal that I cracked. But this fžt a beautiful and friendly adventure... and 3 turns to Pipeline to only 6 on the spot, this is simply a pure happiness. And now, free surfing and some others meet... with the passing of the foam. February 6 2004 there is several bodysurfeurs that moved themselves on the North Shore to participate or just to look at the competition of bodysurf. Henceforth the spot is surrounded by several of these persons when I surfing. All with to smile it, all simply happy one to be there has bodysurfer bodies. ..juste sessions very priviligiŽes on often perfect waves... This is simply a happiness of bodysurfeur. 14 fervrier 2004 I am on the ile of Kauai. Surfing is, for the moment, without big shivers but the pretty ile, and the mood to the peak... more calm that did good to surf for the pleasure... February 18 2004 I finish after a journey to Kauai with small surfing, but full the eyes of beautiful landscapes, on the oahu Northshore. a little PIPELINE and of slips for the last days. good surfing to all and to very very soon for a February eletter a little late I grant it to you. February 19 2004 While coming on Hawaii, I questioned myself on the does to take me a helmet kind GATH... while surfing Pipeline, I saw bodysurfeurs some to carry and they were said me that as celˆ, they felt more in security lives has lives other surfers but also reef. I myself some am therefore bought a. I tried it and I did not test very good sensations... but here this morning to 1 day of the departure, the swell is big. I went to surf on LOGCABINE... not far from Pipeline. And thank God, on this spot, parcemŽ of boulders and of patates... I chose for the helmet. after some great wrinkles, I launched myself on a wave with hesitation... I was late. Result: big fall. ..et some memories of the local reef. [picture of Gwen's severely scraped shoulder] Conclusion numero 1: A helmet can save a life. Conclusion numero 2: never to hesitate, the place the more on wave is in his heart and no on the top of the lip that erupts. But I am delighted of my session. This afternoon, I puts back that for the swell is too perfect. ..a goes just to prick on the wounds