Maui Experiences Camp

With a few "free days" at work and a birthday coming up, I thought about ways of spending the time. I considered flying to Bonaire, but late September does not offer favorable windsurfing conditions. I queried ChatGPT and Gemini AI and was advised to consider visiting Maui. 

While checking out Maui, I learned about a Maui Experiences Camp hosted by Robby Swift from September 20th to 29th. This 10-day camp was longer than I had intended, but it happened to coincide with my days off at work. I contacted Robby to get more details and learned the following about the camp:

• 10 days of on-the-water coaching
• 9 nights' accommodation (individual rooms on the North Shore)
• Sharing a 2-bedroom house at Camp 1 on Stable Rd.
• 10 days of equipment rental
• 10-day vehicle rental 
• (2 people per car) -> I would have to share a car
• Professional video from land every day
• Drone video on select days
• 1 session of water photography

Since the Camp started on Sunday and I wanted to maximize my time on the water, I considered arriving a day earlier, on Saturday, September 19th. I contacted Robby to discuss it further, and he recommended that I arrive on Saturday as well.

When I checked the available flights to Kahului (OGG), Maui, I found that Hawaiian Airlines operates nonstop service from San Jose (SJC) to Kahului (OGG), departing at 07:00 PST and arriving in Maui at 09:23 HST. This would be an ideal flight for me, as I would have time to either sup surf, wing foil, or windsurf on Saturday. I planned to depart Maui the following Sunday, Sep 27th, at noon, landing in San Jose (SJC) at 8:00 pm PST.

Robby explained that I would have to pay an extra $300 for the extra Saturday night stay. However, I could use Camp 1's house to windsurf or wingfoil off the beach. This would greatly simplify logistics, as I wouldn't necessarily have to worry about parking at Kanaha Beach. I could rig the sails and wings and let them stay rigged!

The daily plan, as far as I understood, was as follows:

• 09:30 - 10:30 - Meet at Robby's house to review the previous day's videos and discuss the day's plan
• 12:00 - 14:00 - Windsurf or wing-foil at Camp 1/Kanaha/Hookipa (depending on wind and waves)
• 14:00 - 15:00 - Take a break
• 15:00 - 17:00  - Windsurf some more, but need to finish at 17:00 as surfers start to dominate

Most windsurfers planned to buy groceries for breakfast and lunch (sandwiches), and go out for dinner in Pai'a in the evening.

Robby would supply the following gear:

• Surf SUPs:  
• JP Longboard SUP, which is 9'3", 130-liter
• Surf Pro 8'6 
• Wing Foils
• Neil Pryde Foils 1000, 1250
• Wings
• Windsurfing Boards & Sails
• JP Australia Freestyle Wave Pro
• NeilPryde Combat Wave

In case of no wind, the following activities are possible:

• downhill mountain biking from the top of Mt. Haleakala
• visiting local windsurfing factories
• snorkeling

Day 1 - Saturday, Sep 19, 2026

Since my Hawaiian Airlines AS953 flight was scheduled to depart at 07:00, I prebooked an UberX for 05:00 (a bit overpriced at $39.95) for the short drive to San Jose Airport (SJC).

I already checked in to the flight (and had prebooked seat 17G) and a vegetarian breakfast (Coconut Overnight Oats).

Upon landing in Maui (OGG) at 09:23 HST, I retrieved the minivan (North Shore Maui Rent A Car) from row C of the Airport's Public Parking lot. The key was inside the vehicle in a lockbox (the code was texted to me prior to my arrival). Robby already picked up and delivered all of the gear, saving me time. I had no need to drive to Swift Sports (140 Hobron Ave, Kahului, HI 96732).

North Shore Maui Rent A Car 

Confirmation: NSMCCP15834
Car: 2019 Black Honda Odyssey
License Plate: LLK223
Airport Location: Row H, I, J of the Airport Public Lot
Key: inside the lockbox, inside the vehicle

I found the 2019 Black Honda Odyssey but was initially unable to open the lockbox. Eventually, Ian came by and helped to open the lockbox. From the airport, I drove directly to my rental house on the beach, located off Spreckelsville Rd.

Maui Home Rental 

582 Stable Rd. 

Paia HI 96779
Your room is the east-side unit (HOOKIPA) on the right-side door on the ocean side.
Check-in is usually after 3:00, but you could check in at noon.

Robby was already there, waiting for me. He rigged the NeilPryde Combat Wave 4.5m sail and set up my JP Australia Freestyle Wave Pro 94-liter board.

As I was hungry, I decided to drive to the nearby Whole Foods and purchase groceries for the week. I purchased the following:

• Heirloom Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Granny Smith Apples
• Organic Eggs
• Skyr
• Blueberries
• Turkey
• Swiss Cheese slices
• Half-and-Half (for coffee)
• Ground Coffee (there is a coffee machine)
• Salmon & Rice premade lunch

I ended up eating the Salmon & Rice first, as I was quite hungry. Adrian checked in as I was finishing up, and I got ready for my first day of windsurfing.

The home at 582 Stable Road is a two-story, two-bedroom duplex (Adrian and I were in the "Hookipa" section). Each bedroom has a bed and air conditioning (and it gets very hot and humid on Maui). 

While rigging sails, I felt sweat pouring down my neck. It was 84 degrees Fahrenheit, hot and extremely humid.

I did not expect the wind to be so strong. After going on the 4.5m sail, I was shocked by how overpowered it was. I decided to lend my 4.5m NP Combat Wave sail to Adrian, while I rigged a smaller 4.2m NP Combat Wave.

It took me some time to change sails, as I was unfamiliar with the NeilPryde rigging procedures (which were quite different from Ezzy). Eventually, I managed to rig the 4.2m Combat Wave and sail out. 

Although the wind was still crazy gusty, I felt more in control with the smaller 4.2m NP sail and had many excellent sessions. I did have to pay special attention to the underwater reefs, which became visible as the tide receded.

We finished sailing at around 16:30, after taking many breaks to recuperate from the maximum exertion required to handle the gusts.

For dinner, we decided to dine at the Paia Fish Market in downtown Paia. We parked nearby and waited in a line to order our entrees. I ordered the following:

• Mahi-Mahi charbroiled with French Fries & Coleslaw
• Bottled water with Electrolytes

The Mahi-Mahi wasn't bad at all, but the meal wasn't memorable.

After returning home, I made some hot black English breakfast tea.

I spoke briefly with Inna (who was traveling through Lyon) and then decided to turn in early because I was falling asleep. The time difference and my lack of sleep were affecting me. I went to bed around 21:00, but had difficulty falling asleep due to the noise of jets taking off.

Day 2 - Sunday, Sep 20, 2026

I woke at 06:30, showered, shaved, and ate Skyr with blueberries for breakfast. I also brewed coffee in the Coffee maker (acceptable) and took my medicines.

I decided to stroll along the beach and take a closer look at the area. I encountered a few dog walkers and a few fishermen who had cast their lines into the ocean. 

Our plan was to start windsurfing at 12:30, with the whole group at Camp 1 (our Stable Road residence).

I made a large salad for lunch, using one heirloom tomato, half a red pepper, one medium avocado, and a few cucumbers. I also had a few slices of turkey.

When Robby arrived at 12:30, we rigged our sails and started windsurfing.  I windsurfed for three hours, with Robby giving me pointers on gybing technique.

Windsurfing Pointers from Robbie

1. When sailing a tri-fin board, like the JP Australia Freestyle Wave Pro

• On a tri-fin board, keep the sail upright and apply minimum pressure on the back foot. Basically, keep the board flat to get it to accelerate.
• On a single-fin board, shift your weight on the back foot 

2. On Gybing

• Move the front arm toward the mast and keep the mast upright
• When moving feet out of the straps, don't stomp on the foot — be gentle to avoid upsetting the trim of the board
• In heavy chop, push down on the boom to keep the board planted (and minimize bouncing)

After my session ended, we put the boards away, and I took a shower.

We decided to have dinner at Milagro's Food Co. (a Mexican restaurant) in downtown Paia at 18:30. We parked nearby in the public Paia parking lot and walked over. Three of us were there first, and we sat down outdoors and ordered a few drinks. I ordered the following items:

• Drinks: Lilikoi Cider
• Main: Paniolo Sandwich (white cheddar cheese, frizzled onions, brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, fries)

 The Lilikoi Cider was nice and refreshing, and the Paniolo burger was excellent. However, our waitress was a bit slow with the drinks (took 20 minutes).

Day 3 - Monday, Sep 21, 2026

In the morning, I woke at 06:30, showered, shaved, and dressed. After eating a breakfast of Skyr with blueberries and freshly brewed coffee, I went for a short stroll on the beach. The wind was much lighter than yesterday, foreshadowing a light-wind day to come (though the forecast was much more optimistic).

After the walk, I was still a bit hungry, so I decided to make an omelet with smoked turkey. I had to find the right pan and oil. I managed to make a decent omelet and enjoyed it with a cup of coffee.

After breakfast, we had planned to drive to Robby's house (in Paia) to review the videos he and his associate had taken during Sunday's windsurfing session. Upon arrival, we went inside and met up with all the other sailors. Robby put up a number of videos on the TV, and he provided detailed guidance on what to improve. I had to work on the following items during gybes:

• Clew-first sailing before the rig flip
• Moving my front arm to the mast, prior to flipping the sail
• Being gentle when placing the foot out of the footstrap, to avoid upsetting the board trim
• Keeping the board carving throughout the gybe (always being on the rail)

We returned to our home at 582 Stable Road, and decided to try windsurfing. The wind was quite light, so I decided to use Adrian's 5.0m NP sail while he rigged the 5.5m. I sailed out first and found it difficult to get planing as the wind was rather light. I returned and decided to wait for wing foiling instead. Adrian also sailed out with his NP 5.5m sail but returned early due to lack of wind.

Robby came by at around 14:45 and helped set up the JP XR Pro 99-liter wing foiling board with a 1250cm NeilPryde front foil and a 4.0m NP wing. I sailed out but had difficulty staying upright and getting the foil flying. I found the board to be quite unstable (compared to my Naish 95-liter and Armstrong 1250 cm Medium-aspect foil).

The NeilPryde 4.0m wing was excellent, with a built-in boom, and it felt similar to my Duotone SLS Slick. However, I had difficulty getting the NeilPryde 1250cm foil flying (Robby had no such issues), and the JP Australia board felt very tipsy (compared to my Naish Hover LE Carbon 95).

After a few more attempts, Robby came to help me and offered the following helpful suggestions.

Robby's Wing Foiling Tips

• Keep the back foot slightly off-center from the center line to counteract the other foot being on the opposite tack (where the front footstraps are usually attached)
• Pump quickly with the wing in very quick, short movements. Once adequate speed has been achieved, pump with the feet to get the board planing early
• During gybes, touch down briefly prior to switching feet (push on the front foot to do so)

I did manage to fly on the Neil Pryde foil (for a short duration), but the wind was very unpredictable, and I was not able to fly the foil consistently.

I practiced foiling until 16:15, when I got tired and called it a day. Robby borrowed the foil and showed all the maneuvers (tacking, gybing), making them look easy.

After the sessions had finished, we cleaned the gear, and I took a shower. I decided to make a quick drive to Whole Foods for a few more groceries.

For dinner, we decided to meet at 18:45 at the Flatbread Company in Paia. We ordered the following to share:

• Giant Salad to share)
• 3 Pizzas:
• Pepperoni & Mushroom
• Homemade Sausage
• Mopsy's Kalua Pork
• Boris: Cider

The pizzas were not bad, and I especially liked the Homemade Sausage. I didn't try the pork.

In the evening, I brewed some English breakfast tea and munched on a couple of oatmeal raisin cookies from Whole Foods.

I continued reading Bertie Plays the Blues by Alexander McCall Smith on my Kindle Colorsoft and went to sleep at 22:30. However, the jet takeoffs made it a bit challenging to fall asleep.

Day 4 - Tuesday, Sep 22, 2026

The Camp was planning to windsurf at Hookipa today, but sailing there is quite challenging and requires advanced skills (which I lack). I decided to skip sailing there and instead sail at Camp 1.

At night, light rain continued into the early morning. I woke at 06:30, showered, shaved, and dressed.

 

Links:

• Maui Camp with Robby Swift
• Maui Experiences Camp Sep 20 - 29
• House on Stable Rd: Hookipa Unit TW - Dropbox
• Swift Watersports
• North Shore Maui Rent A Car
• Windsurfing Gear
• Neil Pryde Combat Wave
• JP Australia Freestyle Wave Pro
• Wing Foiling Gear
• JP Australia XR Pro board
• NeilPryde Fly IV Wing
• NeilPryde Swift Front Wing
• Restaurants in Paia
• Paia Fish Market
• Milagro's Food Co.
• Flatbread Company
• 
  

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Bike Ride from Half Moon Bay to Purisima Creek

With beautiful weather in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was time for a nice bicycle ride from Half Moon Bay to Purisima Creek.

I met up with Alex in Palo Alto, and we loaded our two bicycles into the Toyota Sienna. We drove another 55 minutes to Half Moon Bay, parking in the empty parking lot across from Half Moon Bay Sportfishing & Tackle.

After unloading the bikes, we changed into our biking outfits and started the ride along Half Moon Bay, heading toward Purisima Creek. The ride was very, very pleasant, with gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean.

At Surfers Beach, we saw many young surfers testing their skills on small shorebreak. There was also a surfing class on the shore. I even saw one lonely SUP Surfer trying his luck.

We continued our ride along the bike lane by the beach, encountering many pedestrians, dogs, and a few other bikers.

When we finally turned into Purisma Creek Road, we encountered very few cars. Instead, we saw many farms with horses, goats, cows, and other animals. The trail turned into a hill climb, and we struggled a bit to reach the top.

We saw lots of cars near the Purisima Creek Trail at the Purisima Creek Road Trailhead. We didn't stop to explore further, but I learned a bit more about this redwood preserve later.

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains overlooking Half Moon Bay. The centerpiece of this 5,412-acre preserve is Purisima Creek Canyon, with its towering redwoods, rushing creek, and understory of ferns, berries, and wildflowers. Magnificent views of the coast and Half Moon Bay are visible from the northern part of the preserve.

On the way back, we stopped at Half Moon Bay's downtown for a coffee at Cafe Society. The cappuccinos had excellent foam but were nothing special.

We continued our ride back to Pillor Point Harbor, encountering strong Northerly wind. I even saw a kitesurfer on the water.

After we secured our bikes in the van, we decided to eat a quick lunch at Barbara's Fishtrap. We hoped to dine inside, but the wait for a table was 25 minutes, so we decided to order from the to-go menu and eat while standing.

I ordered the following items for lunch:

• Fish & Chips
• Cup of Clam Chowder

The Clam Chowder was awful, but the Fish & Chips were decent.

Purisma Creek & Higgins Canyon Road Loop

Road ride · September 13, 2026

23.43 miDistance

1152 ftElevation gain

2:12:46Moving time

Not recordedAvg power

10.6 mphAverage speed

1,312 kcalCalories

Elevation-5–221 m

Elevation gain 1152 ft / 351 mMax elevation 728 ft / 222 m

Speed3–36 km/h

Avg speed 10.6 mph / 17.0 km/hMax speed 26.9 mph / 43.3 km/h

Heart rate85–184 bpm

Avg heart rate 129 bpmMax heart rate 184 bpm

Cadence0–91 rpm

Avg cadence 77 rpmMax cadence 112 rpm

Temperature19–23 °C

Charts use 30-second averages across the full elapsed time (2:48:10), so horizontal gaps reflect stops. Session totals supply the headline and chart statistics.

Links

• Cafe Society
• Barbara's Fishtrap
• Purisima Creek Trail
• Half Moon Bay Sportfishing & Tackle
• Half Moon Bay to Purisima Creek.gpx

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Crazy Windy at Crissy Field

With a strong Southerly wind forecast (25 kts) from iwindsurf.com, I anticipated epic conditions at Crissy Field. 

I loaded up the Tesla Model Y with all my gear and started the drive to San Francisco's Crissy Field around 10:00. There was some heavy traffic, and I arrived at Crissy at 12:00.

After finding a spot to park (there was plenty of parking on the grass, and I found a good spot with enough grass to rig the wing), I messaged Alex and started the walk to Cracked & Battered, where I planned to meet Alex at noon. 

I was a bit late due to traffic, but fortunately, Alex arrived on time and added us to the waiting list at Cracked & Battered. We sat down quickly after I arrived at 12:30.

We ordered the following items at Cracked & Battered:

• Alex: Fried Chicken Benedict, Coffee
• Boris: Chicken & Waffles, Coffee

The Salad was large, healthy, and delicious.

After lunch, we walked back to Crissy Field to see whether the wind had picked up. The wind was extremely strong, and I was worried that my 4.0 wing might be too large.

Since iwindsurf.com reported about 25 knots of wind at Anita Rock, I decided to rig my gear as follows:

• Duotone Slick SLS 4.0 wing (my smallest)
• Armstrong 1250cm front foil
• Naish Hover LE Carbon Ultra 95-liter
• Dakine harness
• GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini cam in a plastic waterproof case (which tends to overheat in the case)

I had a crazy two-hour session, blasting along. The wind gusted to 30 knots, and the chop got quite heavy.

Here is a GoPro Hero 11 Black mini video of my one-hour session (recorded using 4K 60 frames/sec)

Links

• Cracked & Battered (Chestnut Street, Marina)
• Crissy Field Webcam
• Milos Meze
• Souvla 
• Napizza

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Wing Foiling at Crissy

With a favorable wind forecast (15-20 kts) from iwindsurf.com, I anticipated excellent wing foiling at Crissy Field in San Francisco. There was no wind at Coyote Point (my normal destination), so I decided to head to Crissy.

I loaded up the Tesla Model Y with all my gear and started the drive to San Francisco's Crissy Field around 10:00. There was some heavy traffic, and I arrived at Crissy at 11:30.

After finding a spot to park (there was plenty of parking on the grass, and I found a good spot with enough grass to rig the wing). I decided to try Cracked & Battered, but the line was too long, so I settled on Souvla instead. Alex was out of town, hiking with his Northeastern friends at Zion National Park.

I ordered the following items at Souvla.

• Salad with Lamb

The Salad  with Lamb was large, healthy, and delicious. I had my Kindle with me, so I had plenty of books to read. I decided to continue with Bertie Plays the Blues: A 44 Scotland Street Novel (7).

After lunch, I walked back to Crissy Field to see whether the wind had picked up. There were a few wing foilers out there, and I decided to rig up.

Since iwindsurf.com reported about 18 knots of wind at Anita Rock, I decided to rig my gear as follows:

• Duotone Slick SLS 5.0 wing (my smallest)
• Armstrong 1250cm front foil
• Naish Hover LE Carbon Ultra 95-liter
• Dakine harness
• GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini cam in a plastic waterproof case (which tends to overheat in the case)

I had an excellent two-hour session, blasting along on my 5.0m Duotone wing. The wing was a bit too large a few times, but I handled it well. The wind gusted to 25 knots, and the chop got quite heavy.

Here is a GoPro Hero 11 Black mini video of my one-hour session (recorded in 4K at 60 frames/sec)

Links

• Cracked & Battered (Chestnut Street, Marina)
• Crissy Field Webcam
• Milos Meze
• Souvla 
• Napizza

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Bike Ride from Sausalito to Tiburon and back

With beautiful weather in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was time for a nice bicycle ride from Sausalito to Tiburon and back. I met up with Alex in Palo Alto, and we loaded our two bicycles into the Toyota Sienna. Fortunately, both fit inside, without having to remove any of the wheels. We drove another 80 minutes to Sausalito, parking on the street, near the start of our intended bike ride.

After unloading the bikes, we changed into our biking outfits and started the ride to Tiburon. The ride was very, very pleasant, with many bicycle lanes, so we rarely had to watch out for cars.

Tiburon itself was very pleasant, and we stopped by Cafe Acri for a coffee and a snack (where many other bicyclists were also enjoying themselves). I ordered a Pizette, a cappuccino, and a cranberry scone (which I shared with Alex).

On the way back to Sausalito, my iGPSPORT bike GPS got confused, and we almost ended up doing another tour of Tiburon. Fortunately, we had the "deja-vu" feeling that we had been there before and quickly found our way back.

For a late lunch, we first stopped at Hook Fish Co. at Proof, but the line was so long that we decided to try Tartine in Mill Valley (about 8 minutes away). The line at Tartine was much shorter, and there were tables available, too.

I ordered the following (I initially wanted the Double Smash Burger, but it was sold out):

• Drinks: Cappuccino
• Main: Turkey Club (toasted)
• Dessert: Pudding

Here are the details of the ride:

Marin Paradise Loop

Road ride · September 5, 2026

27.68 miDistance

1040 ftElevation gain

2:23:25Moving time

Not recordedAvg power

11.6 mphAverage speed

1,931 kcalCalories

Elevation-3–98 m

Elevation gain 1040 ft / 317 mMax elevation 326 ft / 99 m

Speed4–37 km/h

Avg speed 11.6 mph / 18.6 km/hMax speed 25.3 mph / 40.7 km/h

Heart rate33–178 bpm

Avg heart rate 144 bpmMax heart rate 182 bpm

Cadence0–97 rpm

Avg cadence 78 rpmMax cadence 108 rpm

Temperature18–33 °C

Charts use 30-second averages across the full elapsed time (3:31:55), so horizontal gaps reflect stops. Recorded with iGPSPORT; average power: not recorded in fit samples.

Links

• Tiburon
• Café Acri
• Mill Valley
• Hook Fish Co. at Proof
• Tartine Mill Valley
• GPX
• Sausalito, Tiburon, Paradise Cay.gpx

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Bike Ride from Palo Alto to Filoli Gardens

With beautiful weather in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was time for a nice bicycle ride to Filoli Gardens. I met up with Alex in Palo Alto, and we started our long ride to Filoli Gardens.

I was riding my Specialized FSR S-Works mountain bike on pavement, and it felt a bit heavy at times. We stopped for a quick restroom break at Filoli Gardens.

Ride to Filoli Gardens

Road ride · August 30, 2026 · Palo Alto to Filoli and back

36.17 miDistance

1696 ftElevation gain

3:19:22Moving time

160 WAvg power

10.9 mphAverage speed

2,497 kcalCalories

Elevation-4–169 m

Elevation gain 1696 ft / 517 mMax elevation 558 ft / 170 m

Speed3–39 km/h

Avg speed 10.9 mph / 17.5 km/hMax speed 27.4 mph / 44.0 km/h

Heart rate84–173 bpm

Avg heart rate 137 bpmMax heart rate 174 bpm

Cadence0–94 rpm

Avg cadence 73 rpmMax cadence 105 rpm

Temperature20–32 °C

Charts use 30-second averages across the full elapsed time (4:17:40), so horizontal gaps reflect stops. Recorded with iGPSPORT; the 160 W average-power value was supplied separately because the FIT samples contain no power stream.

Links

• Filoli Gardens
• Palo Alto to Filoli GPX file

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