| Molokai |
| 2009-05-17 18:06:29 by Barry Lewin
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It’s way past my bedtime and my eyes are hardly open. I am watching the live coverage of the Molokai race on www.surfski.info , so glad I am not there with hot and flat conditions this year and my bank manager is patting me on the back to! My bank balance still hasn’t recovered after last years trip!
Got so many cool memories of hanging around the Island after the race last year with Hank, Steve, Ian and Carter. Made the trip so wor...
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| Hawaii Reflections |
| 2008-05-21 19:34:43 by Barry Lewin
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Bags are packed and I am ready for the massive two days flying home to Durban. Packing my stuff up looking back on the trip I am reminded what a great time I have had, laughs I have shared with great people and amazing things I have seen.
The trip has been expensive but that doesn’t come close to the logistics involved in this race. Organising a place to stay, flights, entries, boats, containers, hired c...
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| Molokai Crossing Race Report |
| 2008-05-19 23:46:36 by Barry Lewin
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The overnight prayers for wind were not answers yesterday for my first Molokai crossing. On the hottest day in Hawaii since last summer the 130 strong field took off from Molokai to cross the channel to Oahu some 53km away.
The beach was packed with escort boats on the paddle through the waves on Molokai, luckily found Mark’s boat with his brother Tom driving to hand over my Jeep kit bag. Warmed up to the right of the boys ...
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| Molokai Crossing Update |
| 2008-05-19 21:50:14 by Barry Lewin
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I finished my first Molokai crossing yesterday, sorry for the slow update but haven’t been able to get near a computer.
The race didn’t go to plan and I finished a disappointing 21st.
Photo’s and race reports coming soon! ...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 10 and 11 |
| 2008-05-16 05:02:19 by Barry Lewin
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Day 10
Another lazy start to the day, with no boats to paddle there is no point in rushing out the house early. I attended the race press conference and didn’t get asked a question. The media here are only interested in the local doods or the race organisers.
The race is sponsored by one of the kayak manufactures and they want their due so doesn’t pay having me in the media as I don’t paddle their boat. It was a total waist of time so I sat around and caught up with a friend from New York, Jo.
&n...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 9 |
| 2008-05-13 22:41:51 by Barry Lewin
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Was meant to wake up early to paddle this morning but it just didn’t happen, body is a bit tired so no harm. Spent most of the morning loading a container, for some reason the Saffa boys were last on the list so our boats got loaded last and we were the first ones there.
Typical hurry up and wait situation so we got involved to speed up the process. Think they were a bit shocked; these doods just started loading boa...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 8 |
| 2008-05-13 01:09:34 by Barry Lewin
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Early start this morning to meet the group for the final downwind paddle before the big race on Sunday! The boats go in a container to Molokai tomorrow so we won’t have boats for the next couple days. Keen on the rest, been paddling a ton the last week I have been here.
We met for a Makapuu run to Hawaii Kai with like 30 doods all hitting the water. The wind was really light and min swell so we decided to th...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 7 |
| 2008-05-12 05:15:55 by Barry Lewin
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Today almost seemed boring in comparison to the last week as I never did anything new. I paddled in what is now becoming a familiar spot from the house in Hawaii Kai to Mahayana bay and back practicing the finish of the race.
I managed to drag myself away from the couch this morning before the paddle to brand my boat. I had a little moment, all alone on the grass in from of the house when I noticed it was the first tim...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 6 |
| 2008-05-11 03:54:22 by Barry Lewin
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The wind pumped today 6 love! Went for a drive out to Kailua (voted the best beach in the world the last 3 years). Was great checking out that part of the island but the wind was calling. Didn’t get to stay long before we had to head to training.
Did a downwind from Makapuu back to the finish where we staying with a massive group. Three cars packed with tons of boats, paddlers from 4 countries out into the massive conditions only Hawaii could dish out. The combination of wind, open ocean swell in the middle of the Pacific and current running between th...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 5 |
| 2008-05-11 03:07:56 by Barry Lewin
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The explorations of the island were stepped up this morning after a serious days training yesterday. The team headed out to the North Shore for a bit of site seeing.
The surf didn’t live up to its reputation, it was totally flat! The place is pretty enchanting with a lot of local Hawaiian tradition the western world hasn’t eroded, the surfing vibe instilled by the Duke is alive and kicking.
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 4 |
| 2008-05-09 06:56:20 by Barry Lewin
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Today the real training and race prep starts as I am basically over my jet lag. I have gotten into a sleeping pattern and am not awake in the middle of the night which is great.
We started early with a solid 2h15min paddle from Makapuu out to sea into the channel and then down to the finish in Hawaii Kai where we are staying. The trade wind has been picking up over the last 3 days so it was also the first paddle in true rough ...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 3 |
| 2008-05-08 04:05:50 by Barry Lewin
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Today was back at training after a rest day yesterday. An early morning was in order to miss traffic to collect our ski’s which had arrived from LA thanks to Ocean Paddle Sports.
My boat got here perfect which is a great relief as there are always risks in shipping light carbon ski’s half way round the world. Thanks to Custom Kayaks for the amazing boat. Its great being in such a light ski, felt like home! ...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 2 |
| 2008-05-07 05:36:20 by Barry Lewin
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In an attempt to recover from the long flights I had a rest day today. Lazed around the house this morning admiring the view of Hawaii Kai from the porch playing music on my laptop.
Went exploring through Waikiki and did some shopping at the Halamawana shopping centre and the Island Paddler shop. The Waikiki main stretch and beach is quite a site with tons of people on the beach enjoying being in the protected bay.
<...
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| Hawaii Diary's - Day 1 |
| 2008-05-07 02:21:25 by Barry Lewin
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WOW!
The day wasn’t that different to a day at home. Woke up, had chow, went for a short run, did a downwind in the afternoon and supper with mates.
Well it’s done here in Hawaii with a massive difference being the SPOT.
The run was through a forest on the side of a volcanic mountain with the mates I am staying with (Steve, Ian and Carter) near our condo in Hawaii K...
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