Ryland Akana from Po'okela Street Band to play in Westport at Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill

This Friday & Saturday night (April 22/23), from 8pm - close, Ryland Akana, lead singer of the Po'okela Street Band will be giving solo performances at the Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill. Bruddah Ry is the originator and front man of PSB, and has been performing professionally for 30+ years. Along with the others in the group, Ry is instrumental in writing and the arrangement of all PSB music. His musical influences stem from from "grass roots" Hawaiian music and artists such as Hawaiian slack-key icon "Pops" Gabby Pahinui, the Sons of Hawai'i and Olomana. His appreciation for contemporary music came from Hawaiian national recording artists Cecilio & Kapono, and Kalapana. The passion for Reggae music was influenced by, none other than the Godfather of reggae music himself, Bob Marley.

During his performances, the Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill will be donating $1 from all Kona draft beer purchases to the Surfrider Foundation to support their Clean Water Classic Surf Contest which will take place in Westport May 13 - 15.

Hawaiian drink and dinner specials will also be offered both nights.

Close up Eagle!

Eagle on the beach - enjoying the sunshine. There isn't really much more you can say about this one - what a sight!!

Stand up paddle ... flat water in Westport

So, the experiment has proved my hypothesis true - stand up paddling in Elk River is FUN and EASY (sort of). We went out last Sunday and it was a little choppy due to the incoming tide, but it was a blast. We paddled from the duck club boat launch almost to the bridge and back. It was a short excursion, not more than half an hour, because the sun was getting ready to go down and my babysitter was turning into a pumpkin, but we had a lot of fun.

Some notes:

(1) You can paddle without a wetsuit. Even though it was not super sunny, I wore shorts & a sweater. We also used our PFD's since it was our first time and we weren't sure if we'd fall in or get swept out to sea :) (Us mom's have to think like that).

(2) As a Hawaii girl, I'm still way more comfortable in the ocean. Muddy river bottoms take some getting used to.

(3) There is a ton of wildlife out there in the Elk River Estuary. We saw a lot of birds I couldn't name, a sea otter (or maybe he was seal) and little fish jumping right around our boards. I'm sure if I wasn't concentrating so hard on standing up, I'd have seen more.

We'll try a couple of other places and keep you posted, especially as the weather gets warmer.

Stand Up Paddling for Beginners & Elk River, here I come!

During a recent trip to Hawaii, I was able to try out Stand up paddling for the first time. If you're not familiar with the sport, its an ancient-sport-come-new-fad that has become the hot new thing in watersports. I've been watching the sport get more and more popular, and finally had a chance to try it.

The first day, I went with friends at Camp Mokuleia beach. It was a beautiful day, but the water was far from flat. I never managed to get beyond my knees. My 9-year old nephew did great though, he was up and paddling in no time. It was one of those really hot, no-trade-winds days, so great for just bobbing in the water anyway. We did spy a few sea turtles which made it all worthwhile.

I decided to take a lesson a few days later at Haleiwa. I called Rainbow Watersports and booked a morning lesson with Heidi. We met near the memorial at Haleiwa and did about 5 minutes of paperwork. Then she gave me a 15 minute primer on the sand, explaining basic paddle strokes and walking me through how we were going to launch the board and stand up.

The hardest part of the whole lesson - schlepping an 11' board down to waters edge and back. I am super uncoordinated, and I was able to stand up almost immediately. It was so cool. The best way to describe it is like kayaking standing up - it requires a lot more balance and concentration than kayaking, and you don't get to rest (unless you want to get down and lay on your board). We paddled across Haleiwa beach to the river, under the Anahulu Bridge and down to the end of that little stream. I grew up about 20 minutes from there and had never been back that way. I was amazed at how pretty it was. Along the way, Heidi gave instruction in different turns and manuevers.

The weather, of course, was to die for. At 8:00 in the morning, it was already about 80 degrees out. So when I got a scare from a sea turtle under my board and fell into the water, it was a welcome break from the heat. I fell one other time, when Heidi was showing me different stances on the board. Other than that, it was a really natural and intuitive thing.

Now that I'm back in Westport, I am itching to go paddling again. I have seen a couple of guys paddle surfing in front of the condos, but I think I will stick with the flat water. I'm looking to get a big board and take it out on Elk River (the river that passes by Brady's Oysters). If anyone is interested in trying a flat water paddle out here, send me an email at sup@vacationbythesea.com. I'll be checking it out and writing more about it.

In the meantime, if you find yourself in Hawaii, I highly recommend Heidi at Rainbow Watersports. She does a great job and the lesson price includes the board and paddle. It was a totally awesome experience.

Surfing Westport's secret - or not so secret - breaks

I have been talking about taking a surf lesson for over a year now, since my baby turned 6 weeks old and I was back to "normal". I am by no means an athlete, but watching the waves from my deck every day makes me really want to get in there. Growing up in Hawaii, surfing always seemed to be a "boy" thing, and to be totally truthful, I was way to geeky to get into the surf crowd. However, I do love the beach, and I miss swimming in the ocean. One of these days, I am going to find the time and the nerve to pull on a wetsuit and see if I can learn to love the 58 degree water outside my window.

In the meantime, articles like this one in Yesterday's Tacoma News Tribune continue to peak my interest.

Catching on to catching waves

Wet suits make Westport a good place to learn to surf

CRAIG HILL; The News Tribune

Published: September 13th, 2007 06:00 AM

Enlarge image ALISON YIN / The News Tribune Surfers clad in wet suits head for high tide at Westhaven State Park near Westport. A good rule of thumb for beginners: Don’t go where the experienced surfers go. You’ll be in over your head – literally. Enlarge image ALISON YIN/THE NEWS TRIBUNE Darcia Davis, 31, paddles to catch a wave. The Westport resident says she tries to surf a couple of times a week, even though she has a 5-month-old baby. Enlarge image ALISON YIN/THE NEWS TRIBUNE Surfers wait on their boards for good waves off the beach at Westhaven State Park. Thanks, in part, to improved west suits, the surf scene in the Westport area is booming.

WESTPORT – Learning to surf is a personal journey. At least that’s what Northwest surfing icon Al Perlee will tell you if you drop by his historic Surf Shop. The deep-thinking former Stanford defensive lineman who has been a fixture on the beach for 30 years answers every question about learning to catch a wave the same way. “It depends on the individual.”

While that is true of every sport, it sounds a little more insightful when Perlee says it with laid-back surfer-dude style.

SAND SURFING FIRST

My personal voyage started face down in the sand early one rainy August morning with one of Perlee’s best friends standing over me.

Barry Esty, like Perlee, learned to surf as a boy in California in the ’60s and moved to Westport when the California beaches got too crowded. He’s now retired but gives lessons to those who ask.

“It’s a service I like to provide,” Esty said. “I try to give people enough advice to keep them from bashing their butts on the rocks.”

That, however, is not why I was laying in the wet sand. Esty drew the outline of a surfboard in the sand with his toe and was teaching me the basics of standing on a board.

Following his direction, I straightened my arms and arched my back to lift my chest above the outline. From this uncomfortable yoga-like position, he told me, I needed to jump to my feet.

Trying to jump with my hips in the sand, I said, is a rather challenging pre-breakfast request. Not nearly as challenging as doing it on top of a cresting wave, he replied.

“It’s not easy to stand,” Esty said. “It’s all about practice. Maybe after a week of practicing every day you’ll be able to stand.”

When the landlocked lesson concluded, I met a Seattle surfer in the parking lot who reinforced Esty’s point.

“It’s not easy,” said Brian Gardner, 32. “I’ve been doing this for four years, and I still struggle.”

GAINING POPULARITY

The learning curve might be steeper than the waves, but the Westport surf scene isn’t booming because the sport is easy.

“It’s popular because it’s fun even though it’s challenging to learn,” said Damon Romero, 39, of Olympia.

Romero has been surfing at Westport since the ’80s, when the beaches were less crowded and the locals weren’t so keen on the idea of sharing their waves with inlanders.

But that was when Westport’s three breaks – Halfmoon Bay, the Groins and the Jetty – were still a fairly well-kept secret.

The secret has been out for years now and the vibe is friendly, provided the newbies surf smart.

“Any time you see surfers better than you, stay away from that area,” Adam Foster of The Surf Shop said as he issued me a wet suit and a 10-foot board. “That’s a good sign that area is over your head.”

I figured that bit of advice would eliminate the entire Pacific Rim for me, but I was surprised to find that I fit right in chasing my board in the Jetty’s modest surf.

“I’d say about 90 percent of the people out here have been doing this for five years or less,” Esty said.

That’s not to say Westport doesn’t produce gifted surfers.

At the Surf Shop, Perlee popped in a DVD with footage of his children, Dane and Hana, surfing side-by-side at Westport. As they ride the wave, Dane – who regularly wins competitions against California surfers – steps off his board and onto Hana’s.

CREATURE COMFORTS

On my first day, I figure I’ll be lucky if I can step on my own board.

I wasn’t exactly stoked to walk out in the frigid Pacific Ocean. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that my rental wet suit keeps me nice and warm.

Modern wet suit technology, Perlee says, might be the biggest reason more people are surfing at Westport now than when he moved here in the ’70s. With a good wet suit, it’s no longer painful to spend a few hours in the water.

“I used to be OK out there for about 30 minutes with my old wet suit,” Romero said. “Any longer than that, and I was suffering.”

I was downright toasty as I worked my way out to chest deep water, a bit deeper than the waist-deep surf Esty recommended for my first day. I crawled onboard and laid face down as I watched an approaching set of waves.

All I had to do, according to Esty, was paddle around to face shore, catch the wave and spring to my feet as the wave broke.

Sounds easy, but it wasn’t. I only managed to get parallel to the beach when the first wave promptly dumped me off the board.

I popped up, salt water running from my nose, and jumped on again – this time catching a wave and riding almost all the way to shore, lying on the board the entire way.

Even this, what must have been an extremely uncool-looking ride, was a bit of a rush.

I grabbed the board and waded back out for another set, anxious to try to stand.

If this story were a film, this would be the place for the music montage of me falling face first, then butt first, then tripping while carrying the board on the beach.

But, after a few hours of splashes and crashes, I finally got to my feet – for about two seconds. Just long enough to see why the true watermen, as they call themselves, live for this.

A few weeks later, back at The Surf Shop, I asked Perlee how long it takes to feel comfortable with a moving surfboard underfoot. I should have known how he’d reply.

“I can’t answer that,” Perlee said. “It depends on the individual.”

Learning to surf, after all, is a personal voyage.

TIPS TO RIP

PRACTICE: Cut out a piece of cardboard about 9 feet long and 22 inches wide then put a mark in the middle of your mock board. Lay on the board with your sternum on the mark. Then, with your hands on the side of the cardboard, practice thrusting up and whipping your front foot to the spot in the middle of the board where your sternum used to be.

DON’T FOLLOW THE PACK: If you’re a rookie and you see the surfing veterans riding big waves, pick some place else to get indoctrinated. That area is probably way over your head – literally. Pick an area where the water is about waist deep, says Al Perlee, owner of The Surf Shop.

LOSE THE SWIM TRUNKS: Those Bermuda trunks might look sweet on the beach, but they’ll bunch up on you if you try to wear them under a wet suit. The veterans recommend Speedos, bike shorts or, if you must, tighty whities (But please change in the car).

START ON A LONG BOARD: A 6-foot short board is ideal for precise turns and gnarly tricks, but it’s going to be hard to use. A 10-foot long board is for more powerful movements, and its size makes it more stable, perfect for getting a hang of the sport.

LET THE KIDS BOOGIE: Adam Foster of The Surf Shop in Westport suggests starting young kids off with a boogie board. The small foam boards are easier for the kids to play with in the surf and light enough for them to lug to and from the car. WESTPORT SURF SHOPS

THE SURF SHOP: Westportsurfshop.com, 360-268-0992. Rent a wet suit and board for $35. No lessons here, but the staff will direct you to locals who’ll teach you the basics.

STEEPWATER SURF SHOP: Steepwatersurfshop.com, 360-268-5527. A wet suit and board rental is $38 for the day or $26 for four hours. Lessons start at $50 for 90 minutes.

Craig Hill: 253-597-8497

Sometimes it rains in July...

This weekend we were supposed to be having the annual Hot Rod Show and Shine, which is a very cool car show for pre-1949 cars. Last year, I missed it because I was home with a 3-week old, and I was really looking forward to it this year. However, a major glitch that was ruining weekends from Bellingham to Eugene was ... the rain.

Yes, it does rain in July. Actually, I don't mind the rain so much (I accept the weather patterns I live in, and happily deal with the October through June onslaught of drizzle, clouds, fog, and other weather that makes most tropical folks run and hide), except that when it happens in late July, we all feel a little cheated. This is made a million times worse when it happens in late July on a WEEKEND. I mean, after all, there are five perfectly good work days when the skies could gray over and no one would care.

The good news is the plants get the water they need, the streets get rinsed, and my car (which rarely sees a car wash out here in the sticks) gets a washdown.

AND, interestingly, the surfers were still out in force, despite the weather. When I took a walk by the jetty, there seemed to even be more of them out than normal. I guess the storm that brought the rain must have brought some great swells as well. Seeing this reinforces that voice in the back of my head that wants me to try a surf lesson. Oh well, maybe when the sun comes out again.

Zen Fishing

Occasionally I see men out in the surf fishing and I wonder what the heck they are fishing for (I supposed I could ask someone) and how it could be worth standing in that cold water for so long. But on days like today, when the weather is clear and the temperature is hot, I almost wish I was out there with them.

To Protect and to Surf

The Surfrider Foundation and the surf community descended onto Westport this weekend to celebrate the 6th Annual Cleanwater Classic, which is basically a small surf contest and big party.

I have always been fascinated with surfers and surfing. Growing up 20 minutes from the big wave surf of the North Shore of Oahu, I have a very solid respect for the ocean. I was caught in way too many close calls in the shorebreak to really ever feel comfortable in the surf, although I consider myself a strong swimmer. I was also quite a dork growing up, so I never had the opportunity to try surfing. So now as an adult, and with all of my adult wisdom, I am highly interested in learning. I do have an aversion to (1) squeezing my large body into a wetsuit and (2) immersing my island grown ass into 65 degree seas. However, its still on my list of "things to do", and maybe on day you'll read all about it here.

In the meantime, watching the surfing is an adventure in and of itself. The contest headquarters were located at the Islander Motel, and each morning, they would post where the surfing would occur (whether at Half Moon Bay or at the Jetty or the Groins).

Unfortunately, I won't be able to report what it was truly like at this particular time, because, well it was foggy and chilly and I can honestly say that I didn't actually make it to see any heats. I only peeked in at the post-surf party (and I mostly did that for the hawaiian plate lunch).

But, all around town, surfers were everywhere to be found, and do they ever know how to throw a party. The nice thing is that it increases awareness for the Surfrider Foundation, which is dedicated to the preservation of the oceans. Maybe next year, I'll be in the water.