Today Whit Dabbles in happiness. I long for the sea. Not like, "Oh, I want to go to the beach." It's all I can think about. I put on Red Bull surfing videos or other YouTube vloggers during the day while I work just so I can hear waves crashing. I draw the ocean when ever I feel inspired. My beloved Volkswagen bus, Bertha, is a surf mobile that has never seen the ocean. I long for the sea.
I am pretty sure this started with a short stint living in Carlsbad, California when I was 10. The year was tumultuous to say the least but it still sparked something in me. My husband and Mom often comment on how I am just staring into the big, blue abyss. I've had passer-by ask if I was looking for or saw whales. Nope, I just like looking at it. Is that because I grew up in the complete opposite of climates, the Las Vegas desert, or is it just something that is in me? I am not sure I will ever know, but I plan to get there eventually.
When I first traveled to Oahu I can remember the feeling of NEEDING to get to the north shore, to Ehukai, to see Pipe. It was overwhelming and the thought of doing anything else was daunting. When we got there I was fascinated by how thick the sand is, how you can feel the waves crashing, how people just sit and watch. I want to sit and watch too. That wasn't the paramount moment of the trip though.
Discovering snorkeling was something that made me feel so close to the ocean. I love animals, fish included, and I could finally see these sea dwellers thriving on a reef. I could feel their inquisitive nature was just as strong as mine. More than anything, I could just float. The most impressive floating session, and I am not even sure I want to blast this secret out there even more than it already is, Waimea Bay. Waimea Bay is home to The Eddie, a big wave surfing invitational that runs in the winter months when the swell is of size and the Aikau family deems it worthy. It's an amazing place, one you have probably seen on Instagram or in a magazine and not realized it. There is a church tower over looking the magnificent u-shaped bay. A small parking lot that is full of life. Families socializing. Brave souls jumping off a huge rock. People fishing--the list is endless.
Waimea Bay has a fairly shallow shelf followed by a rapid drop off to a more deep ocean. That's why you get that beautiful, teal colored water--the shallow shelf and pristine sea. When you swim out beyond the self and look out, it truly is an abyss. You can't see what is out there and it's almost other-wordly. It's something that is difficult to describe and is best seen in person. If you really want to experience this for yourself: get up early, stop at The Sunrise Shack for a bullet coffee or a Monkey Bowl, and head over to Waimea before the crowds come in. I promise you, you will not regret it.
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