Canoe Surfers Charge Hawaii's ‘Biggest Swell in 3 Years’ (Watch)

The highlight reel from the session comes from Ocean Paddler TV, a chronicler of this pastime that’s “dedicated to outrigger canoe paddling and all things related to paddling in our oceans. Based out of Hawaii, the world's capital of outrigger Canoe Paddling, Ocean Paddler covers some of the largest events and World Championships.”

As for this session, in particular, one of the paddlers explained:

“Just finished a great session out there. Biggest swell in three years. We had a couple great rides. Some really good ones. Fortunately, we didn’t break anything, which was good. It seems to be picking up right now. I don’t know, maybe we’ll get back out there tomorrow, and try and get a couple more.”

For a little context on the history of canoe surfing, here’s historian Matt Warshaw:

“Ancient Polynesian form of wave-riding, still practiced in most Pacific Ocean islands, and among a small number of devotees elsewhere in the world. Anthropologists regard the canoe as a defining item in Polynesian culture, with dozens of models and variations used for transport, fishing, racing, war, and burial, as well as recreation.

“With the exception of the great double-hulled canoes used for lengthy inter-island voyages, all ancient Hawaiian canoes followed a similar blueprint: a long and narrow koa wood main hull—just wide enough for a single person and ranging in length from 20 to 80 feet—with a parallel-running wiliwili wood outrigger attached by two booms of hua wood, and all connecting points fastened by braided coconut sennit.”

The tradition lives on.