Surfing and Housing

[jetski217]

Aloha,

I have a few questions for which I should probably start several threads but for brevity I'll keep them here.

I'm 24 and soon to be married. My wife and I are strongly considering moving to Oahu in January of 08 to attend business school at UH Manoa. Before moving I wanted to check on a few things.

1. Friendly communities to live in.
It's just the two of us and we would ideally like a 1 bedroom in a safe community. We are looking to spend no more than $1400 per month, if possible. Could anyone recommend communities, keeping UH Manoa in mind?

2. Surfing: I know there is a huge thread on localism but that thread sort of focused on the contest video, not localism generally.

Coming from Florida, surfing for 3 years, I don't pretend to be the best surfer in the water. As Dave Kalama said "Im only looking to have fun." Also, in Florida we don't get many waves so sharing is something I do well. I enjoy watching others catch great waves. So on a note of localism, are people suggesting that if you just paddle out then you are asking for problems? (Leaving out the west side). More talking the south shore.

Thanks for the info, Mahalo.

[lavagal]

Re: Surfing and Housing

The South Shore, particularly in Waikiki proper, is the most friendly to new faces, simply because of all the tourists on rental boards. As one gains confidence, as is my experience, you paddle out in new locations. My second surfing spot was at Diamond Head, and I surfed those three-four breaks for years. When one gets more confident, and makes more friends, paddling out to Ala Moana Beach Park breaks like Tennis Courts, or out at Ala Moana Bowls or Kaisers, becomes a bit easier, but one should immediately acknowledge you're the littlest, most insignificant turd in those toilet bowls. You'll figure it out.

[jetski217]

Re: Surfing and Housing

It's always so strange for me to hear of localism because I haven't really ever encountered it in person. Some spots here in Fl are known to be pretty local (Sebastian Inlet for example), but I've surfed there a few times and always enjoyed it, even on a day with 200+ people out. I usually just let most other people take the waves since I'm kinda picky and I just tend to watch. Many times people drop in on me and I just hop off the back side or bail. It's not worth it, I had fun on the drop and there's always another wave.

How are the reefs there? Most our breaks here are beachbreaks with soft sandy bottoms so even when its heavier, I'm not really worried about being pounded into the sand. On spot in particular is a perfect (no really its perfect) left hand over a reef. I surfed it a few times about head high on the peak and never hit the reef at all...it's about 3-4 ft deep to the top of the reef.

Just wondering how much I should expect to get cut up on the reefs there on the south shore.

Thanks for the info. I'm really looking forward to it. By the way, how does one pronounce haole? How-Lee? Ho-lee? Ho-lay?

Thank you,
Jacob