Samoa report

[Ted]

I just returned from Samoa with the 50" Austin and 47" Malama Kai.

The surf was small, clean and peaky the first week. I did manage to get barreled on my very first ride with the Austin - a quick backdoor blast through what I assumed would be a closeout section. I can't say I knew much about the ride as I had my eyes closed as I prepared for a reef thrashing. I heard the distinctive "throoming" in-the-tube sound and open my eyes just in time to be spat out into daylight.

The surf was bigger and more lined up the second week. The Austin did well at the peak and in the pitching end section that is unmakeable from the peak. I did blow quite a few waves including a double overhead screamer when I neglected to scoot forward enough on the Austin and left my privates hanging off the back of the board for intensive hydrotherapy (it felt like a midget boxer doing a speed bag workout on my package). Moving the fin back on the Austin for bigger surf was a mistake.

The highlight of the trip was a pair of tube rides on the Malama Kai. The first followed a takeoff at the peak as the wall stood up and threw behind me; I sideslipped the tail to kill speed and managed to back into the barrel. The second followed a behind the peak takeoff into a backdoor setup where I raced in the tube with a clear view of the curtain ahead; as I got spat out, I nearly ran over my buddy.

BTW, Hawaiian Airlines charged only regular baggage fee ($17) for my boardbag and Air Pacific charged nothing from HNL to Apia and $33 on the return.

http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/AJUwKnT5/1/5957713

[bgreen]

Ted,

I saw your Galapagos post & it reminded me of your Samoan adventures. Any more trips planned. I've been reading a bit about it and wondered about it as a potential trip.

Bob