Highlights: Wild January Morning At Pipeline

A giant, very west swell slammed Hawaii this weekend. Monday morning dawned still solid and sunny and peaky — and things cleaned way up for a few hours for a few dozen Pipe aficionados. Despite a recent influx of CT surfers, it turned out to be a mostly locals’ affair.

“This whole swell has had a different type of energy to it,” said the day’s standout Makana Pang. “More steep, tall and hollow on the First Reef than our recent swells. In the beginning of it, on Saturday, I saw more wipeouts in one day than I did this whole season. I sat out there this morning for about an hour or so without a wave. Went in and switched for a bigger board and then found myself on a few fun ones back to back. Good start to the week!”

Pang was undeniably on a heater based on sheer wave count and total tube time. Shane Dorian went down very hard on one at Backdoor, but it was Eala Stewart who took home day’s best/worst wipeout honors, free falling from the lip on a Pipe double-up into the flats, feet connected to his board nearly the whole time. (More to come on that very soon. Let’s just say thank God for helmets.)

[Cover photo: Makana Pang by Pete Hodgson]

Watch the Pipe cam here:
https://www.surfline.com/surf-report/pipeline/5842041f4e65fad6a7708890?view=table
-----------------------------------
Subscribe:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=surfline

Become a Surfline Premium Member:
https://surfl.in/2Cd36tF
----------------------------------