Some clean pristine small 2-3' NW got into Traks Thursday 2.9.12 while Country topped out at a stormy 12'; at 11am it was clear and cold with stiff 15-25 NE winds.
The mountains blocked the hardest winds so it stayed smooth at Traks. I got out further west where it was way colder and stiffer offshores at 3-5' solid. One out of 20 set waves would run down the reef just right making it seem like you're on some surf trip.
But then, you got spoiled immediately and thought why cant there be more...and there's too many surfers, and its too cold... blah blah blah...but the rest of my day was much better. 

Look back into the barrelling life of Bruce Iron's Perfect 100 in Quiksilver Eddie Aikau held at Waimea Bay, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii, December 15, 2004. Watch as Bruce survives the critical take-off and takes it right through to a heaving inside shore-break tube ride!
Insanity caught on film by Martino Apollonio. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VID or go next page for the full monte'...Mahalo

Alex and Koa Smith seem to fare alright on any kind of conditions...here's the standard shortboard from Glenn Minami. Photo: Lowe-White

Touted as the next great brotherly duo from Kauai, Alex and Koa Smith have been grown up in the spotlight. As a standout among his Hawaiian counterparts, the path to a successful career in professional surfing seemed inevitable for Alex. But as he has quickly learned, no matter how many accolades, trophies, and photo spreads you’ve got under your belt, a renewal on your contract is never guaranteed. After parting ways with his longtime sponsor, SURFER talked to a surprisingly optimistic Alex about brand loyalty, brotherhood, and of all things, Costco’s return policy.

Kahekili Labatte and Summer Hilen have won the Men and Women Open Am divisions of the first event of the 2012 USBA Science Hawaii Regional Tour, held at Makapuu Beach.

It's always great to see riders from across the state competing in difficult and challenging wave conditions.

All division had their standouts, however it was Summer Hilen in the Open Women's, Tanner McDaniel in the 13-17, JB Hilen in the Drop-Knee, Kawika Kamai in 12 and Under and Kahekili Labette in the Open Am that really stood out in their respective division.

Kelly Slater with his fourth Laureus Award, equaling the only other athlete to have won a Laureus Award four times--Roger Federer.

Kelly Slater may be the King of Surf and 11x World Champion, but outside of the surf world, and action sports for that matter, Kelly has also been recognized for his domination and achievements in the sport. Kelly was awarded his record-tying fourth Laureus Award which are the premier honors in the international sports scene. The winners for the 2012 Laureus world Sports Award were announced in a globally televised Awards Ceremony in London.

COOLANGATTA, Queensland/Aus – It’s summertime and the world’s best surfers are headed down under for the prestigious Australian leg of the ASP World Tour, starting with the ASP 4-Star Breaka Burleigh Pro. Queensland’s current crop of surfing heroes including two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), Julian Wilson (AUS), Josh Kerr (AUS), Bede Durbidge (AUS) and Jay ‘Bottle’ Thompson will lead the local contingent in their first event of the 2012 season.

COOLANGATTA, Queensland/AUS – A fit, well rested and relaxed Mick Fanning is poised to strike at the Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover starting on the Gold Coast on 25th February.

The two-time World Champion missed the season-ending Pipe Masters in 2011 because of a neck injury and burnout, but after an extended period away from the surf can’t wait for the World Tour’s opening event in his backyard at Snapper Rocks.

Making good on his promise of releasing at least one album of original material each decade Allan offers up ‘Deep Water’ his fifth. Recorded with the generous help of twenty-one stellar musicians playing at top form. You'll find songs ranging in territory from ‘The Longest Ride’ – a rock-jazz tribute to fallen surfer Andy Irons - featuring David Crosby & Graham Nash - to ‘The Downturn’ - a tongue-in-cheek take on the current state of economic mayhem. The record also features several character-driven compositions, among them ‘Other Than That’ - a vocal and drums only litany on the worst aspects of some people we all know, set to a late ’50′s beat-poet jazz groove, and the wizened and weary weed smuggler confessional of the searing rock-blues 'Monkey Business'.

SUP expression session © Waterman League
Some of the world's best hit Turtle Bay for the expression session
Surf News, 6 February. The first day of the Sunset Beach Pro presented by Malibu and Starboard and in association with Maui Jim saw a beautiful day here at Turtle Bay Resort. It all started with an amazing Na Kama Youth Clinic, hosted by Founder and Champion Surfer, Duane DeSoto on the beautiful east side of Turtle Bay.
50 young kids from the area congregrated for an incredible ocean sports experience with amongst the World's best Stand Up Paddle surfers and Na Kama Kai Volunteers.