North Shore Surf Girls Surf School Happenings

Surfing Lessons with Geen Sea Turtles May Soon Be a thing of the Past for Oahu Visitors and Locals alike.

Carol — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:47:41 +0000

It’s no secret that the North Shore is teaming with green sea turtles… We see them at virtually every surfing lesson that we give. Weighing up to 700lbs and living as long as 80 years, they are gentle beautiful creatures that have graced the oceans for as long as 150 million years. With rare exceptions surfers don’t chase them, feed them or harass them in any way. The result is that surfers and turtles live in harmony in the surf and on the beautiful beaches of the North Shore and around the island of Oahu even including Waikiki.
When giving a surfing lesson, I often joke with my students that I have TADD, or Turtle Attention Deficit Disorder, because when ever I see a turtle I’m compelled to say “hi” as he or she pops it’s head up for a breath of air in the surf. One day we even rescued a little one that had fishing line wrapped all around it’s neck and flippers. Saving that young turtles long life was a beautiful moment for me and my friend, Christi.

It was not always that way back in In 1973, biologist researching the Hawaiian green sea turtle, counted only 67 nesting females on the beaches of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, to this day they don’t nest on the main Hawaiian Islands. With the population in steep decline and turtle meat and turtle shells going for $100 each on the open market, Hawaii’s honu were in deep trouble. Fortunately for them, the state of Hawaii enacted protections in 1974 and, in 1978 and Hawaiian green sea turtles were added to the federal list of endangered species, making it illegal to hunt, injure or harass them. Sadly fast forwarding to 2012 there are some who want to hunt the Honu for “subsistence purposes”. As a consequence Western Pacific Fishery Management Council is holding it’s Eighth Meeting of its Sea Turtle Advisory Committee meeting to consider a petition to have the Honu removed from the endangered species list. More details on this meeting are below. While it’s easy to understand why some people would want to hunt these beautiful creatures, the green meat is supposed to be delicious, tasting like most “good meat, just like chicken”, and the shells would be worth hundreds of dollars as wall mounts, allowing hunting of these shy but friendly creatures we will soon never see them again as they will be scared of humans.

Below is a press Release from my friend, Marjorie Ziegler, Executive Director of the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i

Aloha, everyone. Please attend if you can. I will not be able to attend, but the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i is closely monitoring a petition to NOAA by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs to remove honu from the threatened species list. We are concerned because threats to honu still exist and may actually increase over the next few decades with sea level rise, coral bleaching, ocean acidification, increased intensity of storms, and invasive species. In addition, we have not seen any data suggesting that recovery goals for the honu have been met. Removing a plant or an animal from the threatened and endangered species list is serious matter with far-reaching, sometimes irreversible implications. This is not a game. Proceed with caution. Mahalo.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-04-20/pdf/2012-9539.pdf

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), gives notice that the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold the Eighth Meeting of its Sea Turtle Advisory Committee (STAC) in Honolulu, HI on Wednesday, May 23, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Thursday, May 24, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Council Office Conference Room, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI; telephone: (808) 522–8220. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; telephone: (808) 522–8220.

Hawaii Surfing Lesson Pictures in Haleiwa, Oahu

Carol — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:12:32 +0000

One of our favorite parts of a surfing lesson is when our students see the pictures of themselves surfing for the first time. Below is a short video of some fun surfing lesson photos taken by our surf photographer.

Surfing Lessons on The North Shore of Oahu Slideshow: North’s trip to Haleiwa, Oahu, United States was created by TripAdvisor. See another Haleiwa slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.

Surfing is as Hawaiian as Dancing the Hula…

Carol — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 04:36:17 +0000

Learning to surf is as Hawaiian as dancing the Hula….This vintage You Tube video below beautifully captures the magic of some of Hawaii’s treasures singing, dancing and slack key gutarring.

Learning to surf in Hawaii is only enhanced when one takes time to learn more about the island’s culture. Kaula Ili performed by Sonny Chillingworth,Myrna English,Billy Hew Len, and Hula by Harriet Purdy.

Surfing Lessons Surf Student Video

Carol — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:23:59 +0000

Below is a super fun surfing lessons video from some of our surf students. Enjoy!

Congratulations to the Winners of the SeaHawaii Womens Pro Pipeline Surfing Contest on the North Shore of Oahu…

Carol — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:43:30 +0000

Congratulations to the winners of the SeaHawaii Womens Pro Pipeline surfing contest which finished up on March 15th on the North Shore of Oahu. Over 160 women from around the world entered the 4 divisions of surfing, longboarding and bodyboarding. Bianca Valentin Sr. women’s Champion, Alisha Gonsalves Jr. Women’s Champion, Melanie Bartels Longboard Champion & Karla Costa Bodyboarding women’s champion.

Hawaiian Champion & Pro Surfergirl, Melanie Bartels competing on the North Shore of Oahu.

North Shore Surf’s up for the Girls at the SeaHawaii Womens Pro at Pipeline Starts March 1, 2012

Carol — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:50:10 +0000

March 1, 2012, marks the beginning of the 9 day holding period for the the Sea Hawaii Women’s Pro at Pipeline. The event is the only women’s surfing event held at the famous Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu. Held on the best 3-days of surf over the course of it’s 9 day window, the best way to find out if the event is off or on is to check in with the Surf News Network after 8:00 am daily.

The event features the following divisions and prize purses:

USBA Women’s Bodyboarding Pro $2,000.00 Purse
ASP One Star Shortboard Women’s Pro $10,000.00 Purse
ASP Two Star Jr. Womens Pro $3,000.00 Purse
ASP Two Star Men’s Jr. Pro $10,000.00 Purse

Honolulu City and County Mayor, Peter Carlisle w/ athletes from the SeaHawaii Womens Pro. Please note learning to surf at Pipeline is not recommended. We keep our surfing lessons fun and safe by teaching in a protected cove when the the surf is big on the North Shore of Oahu.

How to prepare for a surfing lesson.

Carol — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:12:52 +0000

Preparing for a surf lesson will greatly enhance your experience. Learning to surf is easy when you have a surf instructor pushing you into waves, but learning how to paddle into a wave can take a bit more time. None the less the biggest asset you will bring in the water is strong arms! So start right now with the push ups and arm weight!

How North Shore Surfer John John Florence became the Youngest Guy to Win Vans Triple Crown of Surfing

Carol — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:41:23 +0000

Eighteen year old John John Florence proved to the world that he is the best competitive surfer on the North Shore of Oahu, when he won the 39th Annual Triple Crown of Surfing on December 10, 2011. So how did he do it? Sheer talent played its part to be sure, but what else happened that made John John succeed beyond so many peers. The answer may be in “Mom John” or Alex, John John’s mother. Alex is the only mother who surfs Pipe with her kids. Can you imaging being out at 8 foot Pipe and having your son yell “go mom go”? Well that’s the life Alex gave John John and his brothers a mom who surfed Pipe!

Alex Florence AKA “Mom John” looking stoked as her oldest son John Florence holds his Triple Crown of Surfing trophy!

What Happened to the Women’s Triple Crown of Surfing on the North Shore of Oahu.

Carol — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:26:46 +0000

This winter on the North Shore of Oahu there are no women’s surfing contest in the Van’s Triple Crown of surfing due to “lack of sponsorship”. It is a particularly painful year for the Surf Industry Manufactures Association to bail out on the women surfers in Hawaii because local girl Carrissa Moore is the Association of Surfing Professionals World Champion. One of the Triple Crown of Surfing commenters summed it up while commenting on a men’s event that “the women are a little bit bummed about not being allowed to compete in Hawaii.” A little bummed? How about heart broken. The only token being thrown at the women is a wild card giving to Carrissa Moore allowing one women surfer to compete against 200 men. This is pro surfing’s version of gender equality in the year 2011.

North Shore Surf Fashion or What to Wear on the North Shore of Oahu

Carol — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:30:11 +0000

North Shore surf fashion or what to wear on the North Shore of Oahu can best be summed up as causal. You have to basic options: caus it up or caus it down. Items to bring with you include, sarongs, bikini’s (you will live in them), Havaiana slippers, (multiple colors if you can) sundress, jeans, sea shell jewelry and tops that show off your well tanned shoulders…Why so causal on the North Shore? Because Haleiwa Joe’s is the fanciest place you will likely go to. Not to play down Haleiwa Joe’s it’s a delicious steak and sea food restaurant filled with surfing lore. The North Shore however is the center of the sun, sand and surf lifestyle. Slippers are always the correct shoe to wear 99% of the time. Since you will be getting in and out of the water multiple times in a day a bikini (board shorts for the guys) is the only practical thing to wear. Wrapping a sarong around you after swimming in the ocean gives you the ultimate flexibility to cover yourself in the most flattering way. So caus it up or caus it down just don’t wear too much and you will enjoy being a fashionista on the North Shore of Oahu.