Kawa Bay not Kapu? (kinda ranty)

On October 8, 2006, in Surfing, by Brent

This is the first time I’ve written about Kawa Bay. I don’t indulge myself in writing about local surf breaks that aren’t already crowded. I wait for the place to be “found” before I write. Ya see, here on the Big Island we’re in the midst of a long, drawn out losing battle to keep the country, country. I suppose finding a flyer at Verna’s for an Annual Surf Contest at Kawa Bay constitutes, “found.”

How can you keep a place low key if you’re going to post flyers around town announcing another Thanksgiving Day Surf Contest? True, it won’t be a huge turnout. It’s a hike to get to without a 4×4. Even with a 4×4 it’s still in Kau. So it’s pretty far away from any population centers. It’s remote, it’s isolated and there’s no lua.

So now a hundred people are gonna go down there again and leave dumps, leave trash and tell their friends how great it was. That’s what they do. Even if it wasn’t.

Catching it on the right swell is difficult. Isolation is one of it’s best traits. But it was gorgeous Saturday and with the South Swell passing by, there were plenty barrels at day break. But I just don’t understand posting flyers and holding a contest. Why make the place any more popular than it already is? Do you want more people there?

If you can’t find it yourself, if you haven’t done the research and exploring, if you haven’t been taken there by a local, if you don’t live in Kau maybe it sholdn’t come as easily as reading about on a flyer.

“Secrets” isn’t a secret any more and Kau is still Kapu.

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