http://www.sanyasurf.com/rss description http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/34 Woke up to surf early this morning to the disappointment of seeing heavy winds blowing through the tops of the palm trees on the street below.  I could see the whole bay in Dadonghai was heavily textured, and whitecaps were appearing as far as I could see.  Still, the unmistakable presence of whitewater crashing up against the reef in front of the Mandarin Oriental gave me hope that our anticipated surf had arrived as promised by the past days' forecasts. By the time Brendan and I saddled up the truck with our surfboards and were on our way up the East coast of Sanya it was about noon; light rain was falling and the winds were still persistent.  After we'd driven only a few miles out of town TJ called and reported the devastating news that our little secret spot was completely flat. "Impossible." I muttered, knowing that TJ surely wasn't joking and had no other reason to mislead us.  Unfortunately, denial doesn't relinquish surfable waves, and it seemed that the window of swell promised to us by Typhoon Hagupit had passed swiftly in the night.  We pulled out the map and considered hauling all the way up to the North-east tip of Hainan where the coast might still be exposed to the passing weather, but with heavy wind and the prospect of getting completely skunked, we decided to turn back and see what D-hai could offer in terms of surf. When we pulled into the parking lot at Dadonghai, we were surprised to see that the waves seemed to be marching in from the west, rather than from the east as we'd expected.  It certainly explained why our East coast spots were flat, and we had the idea to go check the next bay over in Shao-Donghai to see if there were any options for surfing out there. We drove over the hill, and were equally disappointed again to see the entire bay blown flat, with a super-low tide exposing all the reefs.  In disbelief, we resolved ourselves to the fact that despite an indication of heavy swell, there were no lineups that possessed the combination of sheltering us from the wind and facing the right direction to catch the swell.  As we drove back up the hill to return home, I was still shaking my head at our bad fortune.  On a whim, we pulled into the parking lot overlooking the Luhuitou peninsula to survey the layout. Curiously, the waves in Sanya Bay seemed to be breaking in places we'd never considered surfing before, and a particular lump of rocks that was sticking out of the water seemed to be catching a bit of constant swell.  With nothing else to lose, we figured we'd check it out, and upon closer inspection, decided it would be better than just going home empty handed.  We drove down the spot, changed into our gear, and walked out a little landbridge to our newly discovered surf spot. As we approached the connecting land, we saw what appeared to be steady surf on the other side of this small islet, with waves breaking in the 5-6 foot range with a decent windguard provided by the islet.  An outcropping of rocks about 100 meters off the shore marked the end of the takeoff zone, with left breaking off the islet into Sanya Bay, and rights breaking off the outcropping and wrapping around the backside of the islet. As we walked out, the nearly unbearably sharp rocks bit into our booties and served as a subtle reminder of the fact that we were embarking on a surf session in unfamiliar waters where likely no one had ever surfed before (did I mention the water was murky brown with zero visibility?).  Anyway, we launched ourselves into this secluded stretch of water, and once we were in the takeoff zone, began scratching into our first solid waves in weeks. With choppy storm surf and a heavy current pushing against us each time we paddled back out after taking a wave, we were constantly fighting to stay in position between the islet and the jagged rocks that spat ocean spray from each wave that crashed onto them.  As the day drew on, the wind died down and the waves grew almost double in size, and a few even managed to closeout the entire span where we were surfing.  We each bagged about 10-15 waves, with our biggest conquests reaching a few feet overhead with rides reaching about 100 yards.  After nearly four hours of intense storm surf, we hauled our tired bodies out of the water and back up to road where the truck was parked. With tired eyes and sore bodies, we drove back home with the satisfaction that only comes from the luck of succeeding in a triumphant surf mission.  It may not have been the day we planned, but we sure managed to pull a gem out of a day that otherwise would have left us dry.  I'm sure this account could possibly lead to others discovering what we've dubbed 'Red Rocks', but given the odd conditions that make this place surfable, I'm not too worried about the word getting out.  Still, it's always fun to find new surf spots in China, especially when they're right in your backyard. http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/36 Woke up knowing there was a heavy swell in the water (TJ and Brendan both called to tell me the East coast was going off.  By the time I motivated and loaded up the truck it was already about 4 pm in the afternoon, and the drive out had be worried as it was raining so hard I could hardly see the back of the truck in front of me. The first glimpse of the ocean brought the feeling of excitement that only comes with the knowledge that there is not only surf; but surf of such size and power that it wakes you up and gets your heart pumping.  I was so amped that I could hardly control my fingers as I pulled on my springsuit and strapped up my booties, and was wide-eyed on the entire walk out to one of the best point breaks Hainan has to offer. I managed to jump in behind the waves; timing my launch carefully knowing that if a sneaker wave caught me off guard I'd have no where to retreat and would likely get thrown into the rocks.  Fortunately I only had to duckdive through one small wave before I made it to the safety of the outside shoulder. After catching my breath for a few minutes, I started flirting carefully with the right should of some of the larger waves: not wanting to get caught inside especially with low tide putting only a foot or two of water over the sharp rocky reef below. My first wave granted only a steep face ride with the shoulder closing out in front of me and forcing me to dive through the wave in order to avoid getting dragged to the inside.  I scratched my way back outside and for the first time noticed TJ sheltered under an umbrella behind one of the rocks on shore.  Within a few minutes he'd suited up and paddled out from the shore: passing on the sketchy jump-in and opting for an equally punishing paddle out through the break. I managed to catch another steep face and made it partway down the line before he face outpaced me; forcing me again to jump ship and get back out before the next set stacked up on me. TJ was a bit more aggressive and caught a handful of cleaner small waves for short rides, though his ambition also forced him to duckdive a few monster sets that would have likely carried me back to the rocky shoreline against my will.  We both scratched into numerous waves that failed to pick us up, but as the winds shifted offshore, the waves became more organized with faces that held all the way through to the inside reef. Still, the day was getting late, so we each agreed we'd catch one more before heading in:  I caught a nice sized overhead wall that carried and held its face all the way to the inside, I turned around and saw TJ carving up a similar wave right behind me. While we were a bit forlorn to leave the spot just as ideal conditions materialized, we were both fully stoked on what we'd scored, but even more so to recognize that the winter surf season had begun. http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/33 Well, there was no tsunami, no earthquake, and there have been no waves for weeks. We had a minor two foot swell last week, but it was barely enough to get a drop in on a longboard.Seems as though the typhoons off the East coast of the Phillipeans just haven't made the jump into the South China Sea, and while Taiwan and Japan must be having record summers, we're getting skunked down here so far.Anyway, I'm about to hang up my quiver for the summer and start preparing for winter (but still praying for a late summer miracle). http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/35 It's 3:00 am and I can't sleep.The Hainan surf buoys are predicted at 13 feet tomorrow on the East coast up the coast from Sanya, and the wind that was tossing palm fronds to the pavement earlier this afternoon has subsided.  With impending surf approaching, I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas day, eagerly anticipating tomorrow's offerings; though I must admit there's a bit of Halloween fear added to the portent of the approaching swell from Typhoon Hagupit.Tomorrow will certainly warrant a trip up Hainan’s East coast, and there should be no question of finding swell, but rather; tomorrow's surf challenge will be finding the most rideable conditions amongst chaotic wind patterns, temperamental tides, and of course, the sheer limits of my fortitude.  Sometimes the question is not whether there will be waves or not, but whether I have the courage to face the size and power that is ultimately delivered.  Given the dearth of surf we've seen in Hainan recently, I'm perhaps a bit on the reckless side of reason, and hope that by the time the swell has passed I've come as close as possible to exhausting myself past my physical and mental limits without extinguishing myself. I've always loved the anticipation of these days; I've always loved looking back at the triumph accomplished on days like these, but the fear... the fear is something that I've had to learn to love, or at least I struggle learn to live with.  Over time, I've come to recognize that the degree of intensity I experience these triumphant emotions with depends implicitly on the degree of fear that I endure in achieving them, and so therefore I anticipate this fear with a knowing pseudo-confidence that tomorrow I may face my limits, but to do so is such a rare opportunity in life that I can only sit awake and stir over the restlessness of my ambition to fast forward to facing the source of these fears; tomorrow's surf. Considering how this season's gone, tomorrow may just be a blow-out junky unrideable day, but anticipation, perseverance, and the willingness to face the unknown are part of what give life one of its most powerful driving forces: and it happens to be one of the most acutely descriptive words to encompass any surfer's dedication to this sport: passion. http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/32 Let's take a moment just to address this silliness associated with Jucelino Nobrega da Luz's prediction that "a 9.1 scale earthquake will occur between Nanning and Hainan Island on September 13, triggering a tsunami which will lead to the deaths of millions." (see link here) While even the world's top scientists seem unable to accurately predict the timing of earthquakes, this nut out in Brazil seems to think he can simply dream about them and they will come true.  The problem is, that his 'predictions' are often believed by many ignorant fools who cannot distinguish between educated hypothesis and baseless guesses.  In this case, the result has been real financial loss for the tourist industry in Hainan, as wary travellers have been scared off by this unfounded prediction.In any case, the surf has been so flat here recently that I would welcome a swell of any size, though a 30 meter wave seems just about impossible.  Nonetheless, I'll keep a camera close by on Saturday...'just in case'. http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/31 Typhoon Nuri was dumping waves on Hong Kong, and delivering surfable waves to the South facing beaches of Dadonghai and Sanya Bay.  Surf heights seemed to be shoulder-high, with larger sets and glassier conditions reported in the morning, and a bit choppier with less organization by mid-afternoon.Nonetheless, the regular crowd was in the lineup with a handful of beginners testing out their new longboards amidst a crowd of Chinese tourists swimming and cavorting in the water.Doesn't really make up for what has been a relatively poor summer, but enough fun to warrant getting wet.  Hoping for another typhoon. http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/9 Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0pt; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} Shoulda started this kinda thing long ago, but alas, the technology foiled me. But now--- I have the power!!! Well, we've made up our minds to get the hell out of Panyu Suquiouch and move to D'hai (Dadonghai for you uninitiated) in Sanya. Too hot and too much Ma Fan here: no surf and no burgers make Hammond something something... GO CRAZY?!!!?!?! Or just move to Sanya. http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/10 Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0pt; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} Well, all good things must come to an end, fortunately, so too must most bad things. For me, tomorrow marks the day of freedom- from the oppressive fumes and obnoxious behavior of Panyu and it's unsophisticated inhabitants (believe me I am not a snob, but this place is just abrasive in just about every way possible). Despite the joy of leaving for greener pastures (or bluer seas in this case) I will miss the friends I have made here: in business, on the soccer field, and in the various restaurants and bars in the area: and I will forever owe a debt of gratitude to Panyu for being the place I met Darci, but am for the most part was consoling myself through the final tortures of my last overprices cab ride and sour chicken Caesar salad (what is sour cream doing on my salad!!!). Played soccer with my team, "FC Green", for the last time tonight, and led the team to a victory against cross-town rivals- the blue team (I don't know their real name). I came through with a hat-trick; taking a through ball one touch and shoot on the first goal, a highlight-worthy chest trap through two defenders to a half-volley left-footed shot for the second goal, and a lucky header off a corner kick from the right side that bounced off a defenders foot and into the goal- also had a perfect assist that put my teammate alone in front of the goal for an easy put away. Glad to have left things good with my team, I said farewell and told them I'd look forward to playing with them again someday. http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/11 Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0pt; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} Chinese tourists are so funny, especially those that have obviously little experience with such modern technologies such as airplanes. By loading passengers onto the plane from both the front and rear of the plane, the airline managed to create confusion both on the ground as passengers tried to figure out which side of the plane they were supposed to get on, and again in the aisles as passengers inevitably had to cross each other, with baggage, to get to their seats. A particular group of tourists wearing matching red t-shirts and hats, and seemingly made up of housewives and their children, continued to delay the onflight takeoff procedures while taking pictures and moving from seat to seat to pose with their friends. The stewardesses were running after kids like it was a pre-school or something, and after they finally got everyone seated, they realized they had left someone off the plane. We waited 15 minutes while they searched the airport for some guy who said he got lost in the airport. Anyway, we've arrived in Sanya, finally. Just luggage and our dog, Gouro, who was a bit rattled by the trip through the belly of an airplane and eventually spinning around on the luggage claim conveyors while hundreds of Chinese tourists gawked and pointed at him. With any luck we'll get our furniture on the 16th as promised, and will work on the internet and phone lines this week. Otherwise a nice swell in the water and looking forward to some good surf over the next few days. http://www.sanyasurf.com/post/12 Surf has been pretty good. Great weather and very glad to be here.