You may have noticed that over the last few weeks we have updated the remaining cams to 16:9 aspect HD.

Today we took that move one step further and added HD Streaming to the Camp One (Reef) Cam. Over the next weeks we will add the other cams, Sprecks and C1 Beach, to our streaming menu.

As luck would have it, the pictures from the new Camp One Cam have been brilliant as the huge surf and blue skies have been beautifully captured by our new State of the Art cam and improved streaming technology.

We cetrtainly hope you enjoy the new views and thank you for watching and your support.

As usual…expect more surprises and upgrades to your favorite beach cam site in 2012.

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!

It’s that “most wonderful time of the year” again!
So Sevin wanted to send you a special Woof for a fabulous Holiday Season and a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.
Of course true to form he asked Santa for his very favorite things and I guess from looking at his picture he’s been a Good Boy this year!

He certainly looks like a Happy Boy to us!

May Santa be as good to you and yours!

A big and warm Woof from us all at mauiwindcam.

Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!

Our neighborhood escapes with some bruises but our troubles are minor compared to many others......

The Mauiwindcam has many friends in Japan.

We know you often check our site and particularly love not only our windsurfing images, but also our dog, Sevin.

This message is for you.

We all have seen the horrifying images and videos of the Tsunami as it hit Northeastern Japan, we watched with our hearts in our mouths as the devastation unfolded on our televisions.  We hope that you and your families are safe after the terrible earthquake and Tsunami.

The Mauiwindcam crew and supporters send their deepest condolences to all those affected by this disaster and sincerely hope that Japan and all its’ citizens recover as soon as possible from this catastrophe.  We were lucky, on the North Shore of Maui, we were evacuated and returned home to find only minor damage from the swell.
Our concern immediately went to those less fortunate in Japan.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you… we are sending wishes of strength and Aloha to you all.

©2010 Ray Masters

We’ve had an epic winter. Not in terms of size but more in terms of usability and frequency.  There really haven’t been too many days of absolutely no waves.  On most days we’ve seen between head and double head high sets all along the North Shore.

A few times it has been big and today is one of those times. This is possibly one of the biggest of the season. So together with the swell we have a good wind blowing…all the right ingredients for a day at Jaws.

The Jaws surf break is the home of tow-in surfing and has reached its worldwide watersports fame largely due to the frequent filming and photography of tow-in surfing legends performing there on enormous ocean waves breaking at the deep reef off the shore.

In order for the surf at “Jaws” to reach its extreme heights, many specific ocean and weather conditions must prevail concurrently. Because ocean swells large enough to produce this kind of surf occur only during winter months, primarily between December and February, they typically coincide with very strong winds which have a large effect on the surf. Other swells, particularly the small but powerful trade wind swells, can make the surf choppy and difficult to ride. There are several other surf spots around the world that boast similar wave heights; however, “Jaws” is famous for its wave forming quality. The reef and rocks at “Jaws” are shaped in a way that magnify incoming swell energy and produce clean and well defined right and left-directional waves with gigantic barreling (hollow, air-filled wave interior) sections.

So, if you are on island, this could be a great day for some spectating at one of the most famous surf spots on the planet. What are you waiting for?

We have known Mayor Arakawa for several years. He has always impressed us with his open and friendly spirit. His ability to get people together from all sides and his great love and concern for our wonderful island home.

Alan has always been eager to welcome all comers while showing respect and care for the local peoples and environment. On such a small and delicate island it is a balancing act that’s not so easy to pull off.

Maui has, like the rest of the world, been suffering the malaise of a bad economy and lack of jobs so it is with great hope and anticipation that we look forward to a new and prosperous year.

Tourism is up and the vacation rental debacle is hopefully behind us. The North Shore is already showing signs of renewal. Paia in particular has seen a huge increase in visitors and new business startups.

The talk and feelings on the street are positive and up-beat.

If you are looking at us through the eyes of mauiwindcam we invite you to come on down and share the warm waters, sunny skies and aloha spirit.

Plane fares are at an all time low and quality accommodations abound.

So what are you waiting for? Come join us and share our joy. And while you are here please love and respect the aina and the Hawaiian people who open their homes and hearts for you.

Aloha Mayor Arakawa! Aloha to you all.

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou

That eagerly awaited event took place late last week.  Over the course of 2 days possibly over 100 baby turtles dug their way out of the nest and took their first steps toward the sea.

Following a few more days of observation members of the Hawaii Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project returned to the site, their aim to locate any unopened eggs or trapped live baby turtles.

From about a foot down a few unopened eggs were uncovered. As they went deeper egg shells became more prevalent. The sand was now getting hard indicating the bottom of the hole. Then just as we thought it was all over a baby turtle emerged.  It was down over 2 feet and would surely not have found it’s way to the surface.

After waiting for the sun to set and the lucky turtle time to regain it’s strength the baby was released and as we all watched in awe it made it’s way to the ocean. Time after time getting washed back up onto the beach. Time after time pushing a bit further out before the next wave undid all it’s hard work. But after a few more tries it had figured out the swimming thing.  It’s all about being under the water. One or two experimental efforts. Then a big push and it was gone. Home to the ocean.

We all cheered.

Magic!

The Hawaiian Islands will be treated to a spectacular Total Lunar Eclipse during the night of the 20th December.

From around 9:45 to 10:50 p.m., the moon should turn a discernible dark red color. This is the result of the entire moon being in Earth’s deep inner shadow.

Normally there is a lunar eclipse of some sort every six months however this is the first total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth in the past three years. The last one was on February 20th 2008.

It will be the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the day of the Winter Solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere; Summer in the Southern) since 1638, and only the second in the Common Era.

Lunar eclipses only occur during full moons when there is a straight line between sun, Earth and moon, with Earth in the middle. The Earth blocks most of the sunlight and stops that light from hitting the moon.

As the sun’s light passes by Earth on the way to the moon, our atmosphere blocks the shorter, blue wavelengths of light but allows the longer wavelengths of red light to pass through our atmosphere and continue onward to the moon. Because of this, during lunar eclipses the moon does not turn black, it turns an eerie shade of dark red.

From Hawaii the lunar eclipse technically will start at 7:29 p.m. as the moon enters the faint outer shadow (penumbra) of Earth. However, you will not notice any darkening of the moon until at least 8:32 p.m., when the moon begins to enter Earth’s deep inner shadow, or umbra. The moon will then be about one-third of the way up in the eastern sky.

By 9:42 p.m. the moon will be entirely in Earth’s inner shadow as the total phase of this lunar eclipse begins. The moon will be about halfway up the eastern sky and should be dramatically darker and redder than usual. This total phase will last until 10:52 p.m. By the time the total phase ends, the moon will be almost exactly overhead, in the zenith of the sky.

As of 10:52 p.m. the moon will start to leave the umbra, and you will see the moon start to lighten. By midnight the moon will be out of that dark inner shadow and will look like a regular full moon. Technically this eclipse ends at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 21 as the moon leaves Earth’s outer shadow completely.

Lunar eclipses are safe to view. All you really need to view this event is clear skies. More information is available at from the NASA website.

First and foremost is our mascot and uber waterdog Sevin. His person is mauiwindcam founder, Ray Masters. Ray woke up on the morning of his birthday 2 years ago to discover his new best friend abandoned and chained to a neighbors mail box. This was a life changing experience for both dog and man. Since that minute they have been inseparable. You can follow the many adventures of Sevin on mauiwindcam as he and Ray play on the water either swimming, SUP’ing, windsurfing or playing frisbee.

Before Sevin arrived the most visible dog on mauiwindcam was Henry. This funny black dog could be seen lounging on the beach or picnic table almost every day. Since his owners moved off the beach he has become less visible but no less a part of our ‘hood. Henry is not much of a waterdog but he is a very loved part of our community and a great guard dog…..sometimes too great!

The gold colored Shar-Pei is Roxy. She has been on the beach longer than all our current furry residents. She is getting on in years but still enjoys sunbathing and playing in the sand. She has the most wonderful and gentle demeanor and is a favorite of all visitors to Friendly Beach.

Finally, the new dog in town is Sidney. Owned by resident sail maker Jeff Henderson of Hot Sails Maui. Sidney is the puppy of the beach and a bundle of fun loving, tail wagging energy. This black mix breed was a pound rescue and has taken to his new life on the beach with verve and constant excitement. He can be seen sailing on Jeff’s Hobie Cat or romping with Sevin, his play friend.

From time to time you will see other playful pets on the cams including Patch, Bidu and Ziggy.  So from our very doggy beach……woof woof to you all!

Pride of America

We see it every Sunday morning as it steams into Kahului harbour. Then again on Monday evening as it departs for it’s next island stop. Looking like a floating city against the west Maui mountain backdrop. Dwarfing the towns of Waihee and Waiehu.

It is the Pride of America owned and operated by Norwegian Cruise Lines and it’s current asignment is to cruise the Hawaiian waters every week. Begining in Honolulu on a Thursday the Pride then sails to Maui for an overnight stop. Next it sails to Hilo on the Big Island and then onto Kona and finally Kauai. Returning to Honolulu at the end of it’s week at sea.

The Pride of America is not one of the largest cruise ships out there but it is never the less an impressive vessel. It boasts the largest conference facilities at sea, equipped with the latest in multi-media technology and located on a dedicated meeting deck spanning more than 9,300 square feet. It has a Passenger Capacity of 2,138 (double occupancy) and carries a Crew of 946.
It’s Gross Register Tonnage is a massive 80,439 with an Overall Length of 921 feet and Maximum Beam of 105 feet. It’s Draft is 26 feet and it cruises at 22 knots powered by Diesel Electric engines.

From the moment you step into the Capitol Atrium, with its soaring Tiffany-glass dome and grand staircase, you’ll know this is a spectacular cruise ship. Cruise America’s paradise in style, with 14 restaurants and nine bars and lounges, excellent family accommodations, spacious suites and lots of balconies – perfect for whale watching, witnessing Kilauea Volcano or taking in the dramatic views of the Napali Coast.

For more information on this vessel and the Hawaiian Island cruise visit Norwegian Cruise Lines

Utilizing a windsurf mast, two half booms a windsurf sail and some ingenuity, Hot Sails boss man Jeff Henderson has pieced together a cool watercraft for some fun sailing in his back yard.

The mast is located by using two half booms. Each one is attached to the mast just under the normal boom position. They are then fixed to the deck pad each side so as to hold the mast upright. Then another full boom is attached to the Hot Sails Super Freak sail in it’s usual windsurfing position. The outhaul is blocked so that the sail can be sheeted. Just like a normal sailboat boom set up.

Jeff can be seen having fun with his kids and his dog on those perfect balmy light days we love so much. A sweet drop of lemonade indeed!