Surf’s Up!

Waikīkī, meaning to spout fresh water.

The name of one of the world's most famous beaches, Waikīkī does not disappointed. The blue-green water is deliciously warm. Surfers dot the crest of curling waves, rumbling toward a shoreline of soft white sand. And every evening the sun sets over the water, just out of reach of the shadow of Diamond Head. 

Lest you think it's all tiki bars and sunscreen, the history of Waikīkī is posted for all to see; on surfboards that line the walkway parallel to the beach. Every few yards a board brimming with text appears, telling the story of everything from Hawaii's royal lineage to the intrepid few who first took a board into the waves.

This past week I swam languidly through Waikiki's tidal pools, protected from torrents of crashing water by the sturdiest of seawalls. But my heart still skipped a beat every time a surfer streaked by - tanned and flush with the thrill of skimming across the sea.

"Nobody gets to the end of their life and wishes they surfed less." - Bradley Hook