XL swell incoming for Pe'ahi
It's still early season across Hawaii but they've already been hit with an XL swell earlier this week, and there's a second follow up system due to arrive through the end of the week.
You've heard about this swell, it's the one that's caused the WSL to green light the BWT Pe'ahi Challenge.
However, while the swell is large it isn't a standout swell and I'm tempted to say the WSL have jumped the gun a little. Reason being, this swell will be much smaller than last year's event and, as already mentioned, it's still only early season. Why not wait?
In saying all that, Friday morning is looking excellent.
Over the past couple days an elongated fetch of severe-gale (40-45kt) NW winds have been generated off the Aleutian Islands, projecting south-east towards Hawaii.
While the fetch was broad, elongated, and sustained, generating open ocean sea heights over 36ft, it's interesting to note that wind speeds never reached the storm-force (50kt) range. Often considered a benchmark for big waves.
We can expect the long-period fore-runners to arrive late Friday morning across Maui with the bulk of the swell not expected to arrive until the evening.
With this I don't expect the contest to kick off Thursday afternoon, as the WSL has said [Editor's Note: The WSL has just moved the start time back to Friday], but on Friday morning when the swell will peak with consistent 12-15ft surf and the odd 18ft bomb set, easing steadily through the day.
Light to moderate E/SE trades will keep conditions nicely groomed all day, which is especially good for the women’s event which is expected to be run immediately after the main men's event.
So all in all it'll be a fine morning of surfing in XL-size waves. Just don't expect to see any XXL behemoths such as that that were ridden last year.
Comments
Dorian and Ian Walsh have some quiver pics up on there insta.
That's got to be such a great feeling. Like one of those fun pre-surf mission jobs, making sure the camping stove hasn't clogged a line, or checking the tent for any issues from last time that you ignored cos you got home too late.
Except it's getting the bloody guns ready to surf 30 foot jaws.
Felicty Palmateer with her new JC 9'6.
"beauty and the Beast"
Ha, just checked her Insta, nothing there??
John Carpers insta
Thanks, here it is..
Beauty and the beast?
She's not that bad.
As expected, midday Hawaii time and no signs of the new swell from the buoy right off Maui.
Periods are around 14-15s with 10ft of swell.
The 51101 buoy some distance north-west of the Hawaiin Islands is picking up 17s periods, not too impressive compared to the swell earlier this week.
Ian Walsh has little swallow tails on his guns.
No pins. Interesting
Anyone got word on the WSL wildcards yet? Nothing on the WSL site.
Whoever signs up will be almost assured of missing Haleiwa.
WSL just announced lineup and there are no CT surfers on the Peahi list (except for Kerr but he wasn't one of the WSL wildcards). In fact the draw has been reduced from 24 to 18 surfers. Here they are:
Heat 1: Greg Long (USA), Josh Kerr (AUS), Cristian Merello (CHL), Jamie Mitchell (AUS), Gabriel Villaran (PER), Tyler Larronde (HAW)
Heat 2: Billy Kemper (HAW), Carlos Burle (BRA), Grant Baker (ZAF), Kai Lenny (HAW), Ian Walsh (HAW), Dege O’Connell (HAW)
Heat 3: Makuakai Rothman (HAW), Albee Layer (HAW), Mark Healey (HAW), Aaron Gold (HAW), Will Skudin (USA), Yuri Soledade (HAW)
Heat 4: Nic Lamb (USA), Damien Hobgood (USA), Shane Dorian (HAW), Pedro Calado (BRA), Shaun Walsh (HAW), Francisco Porcella (HAW)
Great quiver of guns ... if only ...
Palmateer ... impressive
interesting to see Felicity Palmateer invited to Jaws contest, one tow session under her belt and ready for paddling Jaws? Any pics of her surfing big waves on that instagram link?
likewise - any footage around of laura enever surfing big waves? props to all surfers and looking forward to watching. just had no idea LE was a big wave surfer
Hot chicks who charge! Wooooooo
Buoy data looking a little 'meh' right now.
Very 'meh'.
What time it starts lads..SA time or EST?
Probably around 8am local which is about 5am Sydney time.
Latest data from the 51101 buoy shows a dropping (temporary, I assume) trend - 9.8ft @ 16 seconds (down a couple of feet from the last few hours, periods about the same).
Looks like the Pauwela buoy (cloest to Maui) just picked up the leading edge at 18 seconds detected around 7pm local time. But, swell height is only 7.5ft so there's a long way to go (the "warm up" swell a few days ago was around 16ft at 18 secs, with the forerunners showing 22+ secs).
Thanks for the report guys , actually I saw flick out at huge margs 6 yrs ago
Been watching for five minutes now.. I'm impressed at the size at Pe'ahi given the low buoy data - the Pauwela buoy (immediately offshore from Jaws) has been averaging around 9.5-10ft at 15 seconds over the last few hours. It's much smaller than the size/period from a few days ago.
Pe'ahi looks reasonably big - certainly a lot bigger than the buoy data would suggest - but it's a lot smaller than what we've become accustomed to during the usual freesurfing sessions.
First image sent through from the event so far - Greg Long in Heat 1.
How big? Looks 12-15ft-ish to me.
Might be a bit bigger now?
But yeah, pretty playful compared to what it can be.
Not that I would want one on the head.
Bit small in jaws terms
Just tuned in, stand by my comment in the article.
Not sure why they jumped at this swell.
"However, while the swell is large it isn't a standout swell and I'm tempted to say the WSL have jumped the gun a little. Reason being, this swell will be much smaller than last year's event and, as already mentioned, it's still only early season. Why not wait?"
Interestingly, the swell just a few days was even bigger. Why did they not aim for that swell instead?
It was a" tow swell" nobody went out except tow , it was messy
Laura enever had a huge go down! Decent effort to have a crack at it
Yeah Laura got smoked!
Flics wave real nice, but Paige Alms entry and ride so easy and smooth.
Big ups to the sistas, but, Laura Enever's wipeout notwithstanding, there's not much happening for the viewer. 8 waves ridden in 40 minutes and only 2 of them succesful.
Not trying to disregard women as big wave surfers it is evident by all there surfing today that they can charge, but maybe why they chose this swell is becuase of the women's tour being added on the top of the men's. The Comp now goes for extra time so winds have to be good all day basically and I don't want to sound like a dick but the waves have to smaller. The waves last year at jaws they wouldn't have sent the women out there to surf so that's why they have chosen a smaller swell so early in the season
All valid points VS, but I imagine that non-surfing armchair viewers might find this kinda stuff a little underwhelming. Which - as it's the whole focus of the WSL right now - seems to defeat the purpose.
I had very little problem falling back too sleep on the couch
About a minute before Paige's wave i was going to predict they won't run the womens Pe'ahi challenge next year.
I'm almost prepared to stand by that.
Not that I'd be out there but looks to be some nice waves going unridden.
Yeah I'd have to almost agree. As you said not enough waves being ridden or completed.
yeah. complete respect to all competitors, but they would probably be better giving wildcards to the best women to compete in the men's events for a while. develop a separate women's comp over time rather than rushing in. laura enever certainly charged
Paige just copped a nasty one
Commentators doing it tough.
Hows kemper..wowzas that guys an animal!!
If you dont like big wave surfing why even watch it ? let alone comment on something you dont seem to understand .
some of those waves are much bigger than the armchair calls of 12-15ft its the same as usual on snet - but different ! . normally if its 25-30ft its called 15ft on sn , but today yous did better cos the margin of error is less than normal seeing its not 25ft & your calling it 12-15ft . JAws is a swell magnet that focusses swell incredibly thats why even a mediocre size deep water swell will focus a ten foot swell into 20fr wave . I didn't watch the event but saw a few bombs on insty . BIg wave surfers often focus on catching sets patiently so stop complaining that its boring . skating half pipes might be more exciting & you can measure the height of the ramp better too
I'm pretty stoked on my forecast of 12-15ft, with possibly some 18ft bombs.
That's 24-30ft faces with some 36ft face bombs.
Peak looked to be more through the day though instead of morning.
It looked like the wind was making it difficult for the girls to paddle into them then have the weight to keep the nose down. But they were having a solid go it was good to see
I agree it wasn't the best watching but you have to give the girls credit for having a go.
I know for a fact only a few of them have ever surfed Jaws so to be put out there in strong off-shore, pretty big conditions would be very daunting to say the least so good on them and hopefully we might see a few step it up from now on.
Laura had a good crack at it and took some heavy floggings as did the winner Paige Alm that I'm sure many of us wouldn't want to suffer!
Didn't watch the comp saw the highlights wasn't the biggest Jaws but was pretty solid full respect to all men and women getting amongst it today.
Oh man the final was epic greg, twiggy, kemper...seem to get better either the outgoing tide or new swell ir combo....just a side thought..the safety ripcord jacket ..woukd love an artic k e on the function and price