HONOLULU — July 4th celebrations came early for those with water on the brain, with wave heights in the overhead plus range at Ala Moana Beach Park. Locals were coming in droves, some as early before first light on Sunday morning to beat the crowds and the fight for parking.
“It was multiple days of solid swell,” said Pete Morris, 47, of Ala Moana, who originally hails from Manahawkin, New Jersey. Morris said he grew up surfing at Long Beach Island, known as “LBI,” but has since converted to shredding in Oahu, namely at Concessions, Courts or Big Rights. “It’s the consistency and machine-like breaking of the wave [I like].”
Waianae surf dad of three, Lionel Jarrard, 55, is at the park every day regardless of swell size in the summers, to train his two daughters and son (Lucy, 20, Sive, 19, and Jonah, 16), who all recently made the transition to professional surfing. Lucy, completed her first QS at the Priority Destinations Pro last week at Ala Moana Bowls.
“They are all very, very beginner," said Lionel Jarrard. "And Hawaii is still the proving ground [to make it in surfing].”
"The swell at Ala Moana was very fun," said Sive Jarrard, who longboards. "My siblings and I surfed the whole week scoring great waves. Not to mention, all three of us woke up really early to go surfing because the waves were so good. We were all so happy and stoked to surf this swell together. "
Here are some photos that celebrate the pre-July 4th surf courtesy of photographer Ron Kimura.
Nuy Cho is the executive producer of Spectrum News Hawaii. She writes the surf report and covers other general news. Read more of her stories here.
