Hanging Loose on the North Shore

There was little worrying and lots of kvelling (as I can't think of another word that sums of the activity of being proud :) as I watched Maddie and Daniel take on some perfect beginner waves on a gorgeous morning on the North Shore. The two other students, both grown men - Toshi, from Japan and Jim, from Calgary - were as pleasant as could be. Their wahini instructor was a bit cross at first, telling Daniel that if he couldn't walk the beach with the surfboard on his head (after giving him no instruction as to how exactly he should do that), he wouldn't be able to surf. She is one of these tough broads who thinks her toughness is somehow endearing. It's not :)

That said, she took care of my kids on the water, making sure they got the opportunity to ride some waves. While Daniel never got fully up, he got better and better. From the shore, I took a deep breath each time his board flipped over, waiting to see if this was the time he was going to join me to build sand castles on the beach. Never happened. He'd flip the board, climb back on and give it another try. The smile on his face as he would ride a wave - sometimes on his knees, sometimes one foot up - let me know he wasn't just miserably trying to prove to his teacher that he was tough enough. The photographer who accompanies them out on the water (and from whom I bought the two most vivid photos of them surfing) was fabulous. He attended the same school Obama did (albeit much later) and assured me Hawaiians are very proud and glad to have a President who comes from his state; they're just too laid back to show it. Most important, he totally looked out for Daniel on the water; he gave him tips, reassurance, and generally kept his spirits high.

When he got out of the ocean to head back to the shop and prepare the photos, he told me "your son is great, and Maddie is a natural." I was thinking the same thing from my spot on the shore, but it was cool to hear a native Hawaiian say it :) She took to the board from the moment we arrived on the beach, carrying it to the water as though she'd been doing it her whole life, paddling tenaciously to get her next wave. The instructor warned her students that paddling uses muscles they likely don't use much and that they'd be beat by the time their lesson was over. I was so impressed to see Maddie paddling more energetically than Toshi and Jim at the end of the couple of hours they'd been out there. Meanwhile, she rode several waves and was just about glowing over her accomplishment (though in typical, abashed Maddie style).

Dana had a great dive, seeing four sea turtles and getting to swim through the lava tubes we learned about on Hilo. He said shore dives are far more awkward and exhausting than boat dives, as you have to navigate the sun bathers, shore rocks and trek to the beach all with oxygen tanks strapped to your back. He doubted it was worth it as he was cautiously making his way to the water but remembered how glorious the underwater world was once his group made it beneath the surface.

We made our way back to our hotel by hugging the windward coast and watching the dramatic scenery change as a mild storm moved through - covering the moutains in grey clouds. Quite impressive. Our dinner at the famous Alan Wong's (Obama had much of the restaurant staff fly out to Washington to cook some fancy meal and meet and greet) was a fine way to end a perfect Hawaiian day. Maddie had been eager to hum one of her favorite songs from Lilo and Stitch while surfing, so the trip was complete once she had taken a "Hawaiian roller coaster ride."