Aloha from Hawaii

            Getting to travel to Hawaii has been a dream of mine for ages and to get to see the gorgeous beaches, grandiose mountains, big waves, and perfect wind was simply amazing. Maverick and I stayed with an iQFOiL windsurfer that lives there and his family and it was so much fun. We got to Hawaii 4 days before training started which allowed for so many fun memories. Maverick taught me how to kite, we went on two absolutely gorgeous waterfall hikes, and we went surfing. The waterfalls were gorgeous, and we even got to jump into the pool beneath them!

            Then as training started, we got to sail in the most perfect conditions. Perfectly flat water, 12-15 knots of breeze and mountain ranges lining the shore. The water was blue, and you could even sometimes see turtles through the clear water. The training was amazing with our biggest focuses being racing decisions and foiling tacks. The flat water led to great conditions to try foiling tacks and I definitely improved a lot. I also improved my confidence significantly in making good decisions around a racecourse. The breeze was fairly easy to see on the water so I practiced ensuring I was always going to the correct side of the racecourse, regardless of what the rest of the fleet was doing.

            Then after training, Maverick and I had 4 days off before we had to fly to San Francisco. My favorite activity was we went out on one of the sailor’s outrigger canoe and paddled to an island off the beach. The island was unassuming at first but as we walked around the back of the island, these gorgeous cliffs overlooked a small pool of bright blue water. We jumped from the cliffs into the water and the experience was simply unforgettable. We then took the canoe out to some waves and surfed in the canoe; we even flipped twice!

            Overall, Hawaii was full of lots of fun and great sailing. I cannot wait to come back to this iconic venue that brings me back to so many friends that live on the island!