Comments...

comment by Anonymous, 2009-07-20 00:17:57

Fun Anyway
Solid south swell size takes care of all the previously mentioned problems. If you complain about the crowd at Canoe's, then you are a part of the problem i.e. you're surfing on a beginner day anyway.

comment by Flip73, 2007-05-30 19:48:30

Mahalo Waikiki
Well, at the age of 34 I finally did what I have wanted to do for years - Surf. My wife and I just got back Sunday from a weeks vacation in Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii, the Big Island) While in Oahu I have read it was a good spot to learn on Waikiki Beach. I took a 1.5 hr lesson and loved every minute of it. Ok, I am sure this is one of the last places a experienced surfer would go but it was perfect for me (a beginner) After the lesson I rented a longboard for a few hours and got a little betterand got a pretty good sunburn! Well, unfortunately I did not get to surf any other beach out on the other islands but I look forward to future trips and maybe hit a few local beaches here on the East Coast (although the water and waves can't compare to Hawaii! Now I am hooked and I cant wait to hit the waves again soon!

comment by anonymous, 2006-05-20 04:10:52

So good
Hey everyone, me and my dad went on a two week holiday last december to oahu and maui. I surfed waikiki at about 4-5 ft and i looved it. There are so many reefs that the crowd doesn't matter. I paddled out the back and started chatting to one of the locals about waikiki, he was one of the nicest guys. The locals there are great. If your at Oahu, hire a mal of the day and head out. Hawaii is the best surfing place on the planet!! Mahalo

comment by anonymous, 2005-12-07 14:13:58

Shark
Some Japanese surfer got eaten by a shark about a week ago. Be careful, they still have not found the shark.

comment by anonymous, 2005-08-23 05:55:00

Canoe's goes over the falls
I have been surfing for 26 years and have lived in Hawaii, but now live in California. I have surfed at Canoes many times over the past two decades (and Queens, and Kaiser's, and Rock Piles, and other places). Since Canoes is such an ultra-crowded spot, it demands patience, courtesy, and understanding, especially with so many people who are on a surfboard for the first time.

Sadly, Canoes has recently become a death trap waiting to happen. Sometime in the last year there has been a tremendous increase in the number of surfing lessons at Canoes for beginners. Surfing lessons are great, but with 100-200+ people in the water, and most of them total beginners, surf instructors need to be aware of where people are and be helpful in ensuring that everyone has a good and safe time. Instead, they are now completely agro. Didn't use to be this way. Frankly, they are an embarrassment. In my most recent trip, I have heard these guys yelling at people to get out of their way as if they owned the spot ("Hey, can't you see I'm giving a lesson here!"), seen them blocking other people from taking off by positioning their own boards sideways in front of them, and even riding waves directly at people recklessly trying to scare them. How ridiculous. It is clear that they not only have no respect for the aloha spirit, or for common courtesy (as they yell at other people to get out of their way as a "common courtesy"), or for safety. I took it upon myself to say something to one of the instructors, but didn't get very far. Maybe I got somewhere, but not very far. No doubt they will be yelling at people again tomorrow, if not later today.

Canoes used to be a fun spot for beginners to learn. Even my wife learned there. Now, I can't imagine it being fun for virtually beginner, even the people paying for lessons. Once someone gets hurt because of an instructor's negligence, I can only imagine the next legal steps. No further instruction would be first. Probably no more board rentals without signing lots of legal documents absolving responsibility. Civil actions would follow, probably involving the city and county of Honolulu. Maybe it will take the city facing a $10 million law suit to step in put things back to the way they used to be. How sad that the wonderful birthplace of surfing has turned into a rat race reminiscent of driving in Los Angeles and getting flipped off or worse. So far, no guns in the water, but give it time I guess.

I have always considered Hawaii my home away from home. I am embarrassed that it has come to this. How sad. Who can make this better? The surf instructors themselves can, unless they want someone to eventually step in and shut them down. And nobody wants that, especially all the people who would love to learn how to surf at Canoes, like my wife did years ago.

Sigh. Where's Rabbit when you need him?

comment by anonymous, 2005-08-01 08:11:10

crowded huh?
i have seen 10 people on a wave before no kidding. average is probably like 3-5.

comment by anonymous, 2005-06-12 10:21:37

hey im gonna be heading over to hawaii next year and can already surf at an intermediate sort of level. is this pretty much a mal only wave or can u ride a shortboard there at all. looks like theres plenty of chicks hangin round there so im guessing this is pretty much a beginners wave, what are some other good waves in the region that are a little more challenging

comment by anonymous, 2005-06-01 05:09:14

surf it
all in all, if your visitng oahu, surf this wave. packed 24/7 but the ride itself is worth it. long rolly waves are perfect for begineers and if you get outside some bigger sets come through. expect a crowd. even at 6:00 theres already about 15 people out-the locals know how it works. as the day goes on more and more people show up. get out there early and have fun

comment by Kosta, 2005-05-03 05:37:17

Surfin Canoes
I just spent two weeks surfing this spot and believe me it's a lot of fun. Yeah there are heaps of beginners hamming it up on the first reef, but if you paddle past them and get outside to the 4th, 5th or 6th reef then you can be in heaven. I surfe 4-6 feet of glass every day.

Aloha

comment by anonymous, 2004-10-12 08:47:36

Canoes
I've been surfing at Canoes for about 3 years every weekend. Tons of tourists. One day you'll probably get hit by a board or you will hit someone because of the crowd. I suggest going when the tide is low because the waves will break more when it is shallower. Hardly any shortboarders are there and almost no boogie boarders. Best is longboard by far. The average catchable wave has about 3-5 people on it. I've seen at most about 8 people I think on one wave. The earlier you get there the better. As soon as the sun comes up the waves seem to get smaller for some reason. If theres a contest most times its at Queens so you can surf at Canoes but all the Queens people will go to Canoes. Rent a board or try a lesson, but always respect beachboys and old timers there. Aloha.