October 7th. 2017

I have been hearing rumors of many kinds, good and bad, for years about this spot the locals call "Chonies." With it being a South Swell spot, and a pretty solid South in the water, I decided to make the journey to check it out. This part of the coast, a Surfing photographer never knows if he will be greeted with Aloha, or sneers, threats, people in your face, rocks being thrown or bullying. Yesterday I got the Aloha treatment and almost all the locals had a big smile on their faces, most of whom I have shot with many times over the years. Some I have watched and photographed them since the were pre teens! Now grown young men and rippahs, everyone of them. One local when I asked him, told me that Chonies got its name from a Chinese farmer that used to own this land a generation or two ago who's name was Chon. Hiking in, if he caught you, you were always obliged to go into his house and have tea with him and his wife, before he would give you the nod to carry on and go have fun. That tea house has long ceased to exist, but the name remains in honor of Chon. The waves yesterday were really beautiful with howling offshore winds, until after three hours the wind abruptly switched and started to mess up the waves. But for three hours it was magnificent, with almost perfect conditions. I made almost three thousand images in three hours, a thousand in the first half hour! Felt good to be back at the beach and watching my friends enjoy solid surf in near epic conditions. Remember my motto; "Stay Stoked, and Stay Forever Young." Da Lieb