“When Pipe Is 8-Foot Perfect And West, We’re Surfing Windy 2-Foot Closeouts”

Maui is home to two of surfing’s most iconic waves: Honolua and Jaws. 

But beyond that, and especially when compared to Oahu’s North Shore, the Valley Isle is kinda slim pickings. Not only are their surf breaks fewer and farther between, but due to the natural wind that funnel the formed between the island’s dueling mountain ranges, Maui is considered the gustiest of all the Hawaiian islands, which is similar to being the coldest iceberg in Antarctica.

Nonetheless, Maui continues to pump out world-class talent, including technical geniuses Clay Marzo and Eli Hanneman, flight specialists Matt Meola and Albee Layer, and mountain-tamers Kai Lenny and Billy Kemper (Albee also fits here, heal up kid). 

And for these reasons, Maui surfers are proud of their lineage. Take, for instance, Braiden Maither, who you can see surfing strictly on his home island in the video above. Braiden had this to say on the topic:

While the surf world sees the huge jaws swells and the occasional beautiful Honolua Bay photo, the people who surf here every day see a different picture. Majority of winter the wind is howling, Pipe will be 8ft perfect and west, while we get major island blockage and surf two-foot closeouts. Somehow Maui still produces crazy talent. So next time you see an edit from a Meola or a Marzo just know that lots of hours were spent driving in circles and surfing in 20 mile an hour wind chop. We will still be right here doing the same thing!

And can you blame him?