COLUMN:

You’re never too old to experience Oahu on land, sea and in the air

By Lisa Sonne©

The Waianae mountain range forms backdrop for aerial view from glider ride on North Shore. Departures are from Dillingham Air Field.

I’ve spent hours a day surfing, but it’s all in the cyber sea. The only breaks are ones I don’t want — bad Internet connections and dead links. I also spend a lot of time segue-ing — but it’s mostly between different “to do” lists, not between city blocks with ocean views.

And alas, my grinding is at my desk for work, not with my hips for hula.

So heading to Oahu, I had a lot of vacation fantasies. The first dream was to ditch my keyboard and grab a surfboard. I wanted the good breaks of Pacific waves. I wanted to be “epic” (as real surfers say). That’s a lot to hope for as a novice, especially as a “boomer” wondering what latent boom awaits expression.

My home base was the enchanting Hilton Hawaiian Resort Village, with its long white sandy beach, close to where the Duke himself grew up and surfed.

At Clyde Aiku’s Surf Lessons, I joined other newbies with instructors Kawika and Howie (who taught Carmen Diaz and Justin Timberlake.) Kawika assured us that everyone should learn: “If you come to Hawaii and don’t surf, that’s like going to Vegas and not betting, or going to Australia and not seeing a kangaroo.”

I laid on a 12-foot “longboard” and practiced paddling in the sand – double-paddling with both arms in sync, and alternate-paddling like swimming the crawl. We were told on cue to “jump up” on folded knees, but with our hands still gripping the sides of the board.

Then, when the instructor said “Jump,” we were to release our hands and leap to our feet, legs spread wide, knees bent, looking straight ahead with arms outstretched over the board. It was awkward, but fairly easy on the sand.

Tourists learn basics of riding surfboard on sand during lesson on Waikiki Beach before venturing into the water. ©WorldTouristBureau.com, Lisa Sonne

Our surf gurus oversaw our practice on shore until it was time to paddle through the turquoise Waikiki waters with Diamond Head in view. We were in a beginner’s paradise with a protective jetty that provided long, gentle waves.

The first good swell was approaching. Howie pushed me forward, ahead of the peak, and yelled the cues. I stood up and was so startled to feel myself actually standing on the board in motion that I lost my balance and fell. I had started off in front of the wave and then was in the wave and needed to maintain equilibrium. Our rehearsals in the sand didn’t include that unexpected feeling.

Later, I thought what a good metaphor surfing is for innovation. First you must be ahead of the forces, and then you must stay upright in the exploding momentum. At the time though, my thoughts were just in the moment, which I am told is the meditational addiction of surfing.

I alternate-paddled out to try again. This time I stayed on the board. I “surfed”! The right confluence of good weather, easy waves, supportive instruction and relaxed focus let it all unfold. I may have looked a bit ridiculous, and I never did “hang ten,” but I did have inklings of the hang of it all.

I didn’t want the class to end. For my last wave, no instructor pushed my board into the wave or cued me. My arms double-paddled, carving and cycling into the wave as fast as they could. Then I was in the crouch position for a long pause before rising — and riding the wave. This time I even waved a Shaka to no one in particular — just the joy in the air.

There was no time to bask in the sun or glory, though. I had signed up for the hula lesson at the Hilton. I arrived a bit late with wet hair and was timid about joining the rows of already swaying bodies. Little keiki in the front were dressed with grass skirts and looked like they were ringers ready to out-hula any Hollywood stars.

Can your limbs be dyslexic? I think mine were. The graceful nuances of our gracious teacher did not pass my notice. I just wasn’t emulating them or even coming close to imitating them yet.

Everyone made me feel welcome, though, as I waved and wiggled.

I was relieved to learn that many of the adults and children who managed to stay in rhythmic flow together, were repeat visitors to the class. They were actually taking lessons (note the “s” at the end) rather than hoping for instant masterfication. I can understand why: It was fun.

I enjoyed having different parts of my body tell a story. The origins of hula as a pre-literate way of preserving legacies, rules and culture fascinate me. It’s a body language that still communicates.

My next lesson for the day was down the garden path to meet the wildlife guide who leads tours in the resort’s 22 acres. I saw native birds and imports. A wildly colored parrot sat on my shoulder and I pet a penguin. That was not something I expected to do on Oahu.

Seeing penguins waddling about when the closest ice was in someone’s drink disturbed me. Then, my guide told me that most species of penguins are sub-tropical. I observed that the entertaining creatures were more at home than I had been on the hula stage.

And now for a segue to another day. I mean Segway — one of those motorized platforms that v-room around. There were enticing sunset and fireworks options for touring, but I realized I could be dangerous enough in bright daylight when on top of the wheel instead of behind it — especially when I learned there were no brakes.

You stop the Segway by reversing direction with a certain feet-and-knees motion, a little like some surfing and hula-ing.

After we conquered helpful drills, we were “good to glide.” Away we went – window-shopping while whirling and whishing along sidewalks to the gorgeous vistas of Magic Island.

When it came time to see some of Oahu outside Honolulu, I wanted to go sky high. A bunch of us jumped in a Polynesian Adventure Tour van that left the hotel and headed to the North Shore for the airfields of “Original Glider Rides.”

Our “pit” stop was a valley of great beauty — both natural and human-cultivated. We filled the memory chips of our digital cameras with waterfalls, orchids, and peacocks at the Waimea Valley Audubon Center. It was a lovely place to be peacefully grounded before we were towed into the air, then cut loose in a motorless glider plane.

Floating in the air and riding the thermals like a bird, made my spirit soar as well as my body. Below us, the folded greens of earth and powerful North Shore surf were a rhapsody in wonder.

My seatmate and I kept exclaiming “oh!” and “ah!” at O’ah-u.

Water. Land. Sky. Surfing, segwaying and soaring.
Oahu was “epic!”

Lisa Sonne, who is older than 50, is a freelance writer who has written for LIFE, American Way, USC and Stanford magazines as well as for National Geographic, Discovery and PBS television and an Academy Award-winning documentary. She has been coming to Hawaii for vacations and work since 1974. She lived in the Allerton Gardens of Kauai for a Video History project and has filmed on Maui, the Big Island and Kauai for a Discovery program. She and her family spent many happy times together in Kona.

Resources:

The glider rides are open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “including all holidays.” General e-mail:info@gliderridehawaii.com
Segway of Hawaii at the Hilton resort: 941-3151
Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa
2005 Kalia Road; www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com
Property tours offered Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.; hula lessons are Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Reservations are needed.
Surf lessons: One hour group or individual sessions; www.waikikibeachactivities.com

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