HORSES FOR COURSES
Comparing backyards to Ho’okipa is like comparing a beat-up Fiat to a nice new BMW. The ride is smooth with great walls to hit and lots of power to be felt underfoot. It’s sometimes tricky when it gets a little too big but, if you’re careful and select the right waves, you can have some of the most epic rides of your life. Compared to Ho’okipa, Backyards offers a more high-performance, top-to-bottom sailing experience where you can push as hard as you want in the bottom and top turns. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to sail a real, quality wave.
As I drove past Sunset Beach I got my first real look at the Backyards line-up. It looked pretty big and a little uneven due to the 14-second period swell that day. The wind was super-light and already starting to switch to the offshore direction. Right then I knew it was going to be a hard day. Backyards is one of the most fickle spots to sail on the planet. The only guys that really do score this wave are the very few local windsurfers that live in the tight-knit community nearby.
I decided to just get on with it and get out there as Backyards is the sort of place where you just have to be out there drifting around and wait for the gusts to have any sort of chance at a productive day. Banks of cloud were rolling through and I knew that with each passing system there would be a small window of good wind. A few other friends joined me so I felt comfortable getting out there and sharing a few waves with my friends.
