Posted by Robert Ebanez on February 8, 2009 at 9:30pm
On the morning of August 18, 1972 Hurricane DIANA, surf estimated to be 30 feet in height struck Hawaii Island's Puna coast at Kalapana, Kapoho Beach lots and Kapoho Vacationland. At Vacationland, which was most severely hit, the surf swept four homes off their foundations, extensively damaged one of them, flooded another home, washed rocks and debris inland and eroded 200 feet of a private road. Tides at Hilo Harbor rose 4 to 5 feet above normal beginning about 8 a.m. and lasted throughout the day. Although there were no floods, rainfall was heavy over most of the eastern side of the Big Island with pockets of very heavy rainfall. Ten inches fell in a small area northeast of Hilo and 8 inches fell in the Punaluu area southwest of Hilo.It would have been helpful to us surfers in Ka'u to have known the above surf report back then. All we knew was big waves from the storm hitting the coast and we figured the best place to surf was our secret spot, not where I saw the 16 foot shark.We had several surfers with us from Na'alehu to Pahala. The night before I had a hard time sleeping,just thinking how big the surf might be at this spot. I loved that rush..It's weird....Driving down at 4:30am that morning through the first chained gate and into a road that goes about 10 miles to the sea,we could hear but not see the pounding surf since it was still dark. Our group of surfers were celebrating the waves as we drove towards the bay. Then about 5 miles out we could see the waves even though the sun has not risen. The waves were monsters. We never seen it that big before at this spot.That noisy celebrating, stopped! You could hear a pin drop among our group of surfers.It's like going to War. We are warriors and practicing our ancient culture. Surfing.When we got there, the waves were breaking across the bay which is about a mile wide. We studied the situation, waxed our boards. And told the other surfers, if you ready come, if not then its okay,but cook lunch..he he he..something like that...We are braddah warriors, each surfer in that group that day, would risk his life for anyone in need.That is respect my man. To all the surfers out there , I respect all of you regardless of your gender and skill in surfing. Just respect mother nature.Lambert had the longest board among us three. A 7ft pin tail. I had a 6ft 2 inch lightning bolt and Cy had his 6'8 . We jumped in and paddle out to the breaks.I told you, we were freakin crazy.Be safe.Aloha noBobby E
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