THE PREPERATION
KAI KATCHADOURIAN
“Any mission into the Jaws of Pe’ahi is important to take very seriously. Once the decision is made to head up, there are a few things I always look at. Maliko left, a wave next to the slipway where we launch the jet skis, is a gauge to Pe’ahi. It’s a strong indicator – in situations where the waves are truly giant it is a beacon of open ocean swell energy and you have to listen to what Maliko is saying. The sight of a 30 foot wall detonating into the cliff? Very intimidating when you are putting the ski in the water! Without a doubt, preparation is key –the way you load up the ski, where to place the rig components – how to stack the boards on the sled, what size sail to bring up, how’s the ski functioning? You have to stay alert on the water to avoid debris, which under big swell conditions can be a serious factor.
Timing the sets and launching the ski correctly bring a sense of confidence. How the mission will play out is based on preparation and myself, Rudy and Pierre felt well prepared. We did have Rudy’s ski fairly loaded up and once outside underway we were not holding on tightly enough or keeping properly cantered so Pierre and I tumbled into the water and were swimming with a pair of booms for a moment. Because everything else was quite secure it was no big deal, just a wakeup call to tighten the load up and soldier on. It’s a treacherous body of water one traverses to get to Pe’ahi. The immense amounts of ocean energy on the passage are a prelude to when you round the corner above K-Bay Lighthouse and see the white plumes of spray signalling your arrival at the arena of Giants where you finally suss out what the situation is”