The north shore of Oahu, Hawaii, is a magnet for those searching for the perfect wave, and at the heart of this surfing mecca is Haleʻiwa, a quaint, laidback little town with plantation architecture harking back to the early 1900s when the sugar industry was big on the island. A one-hour drive from Waikiki, it’s popular with tourists and residents who come to swim in summer, when the sea is calmer, and to surf in winter, when the waves can swell to nine metres or more. Stretching for more than 11 kilometres, the north shore beaches play host to some of the world’s major surfing competitions. If you want to take lessons or rent a surfboard, go to Surf N Sea. It always has a selection of vintage boards on display from famous surfers. After photographing the historic shop, I strolled into town in the intense sun, cooling off with a rainbow coloured shaved ice just as the locals do.
Photo & text © Christine Salins
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Rainbow coloured shaved ice – sounds nasty!!! Like lime milkshakes at the beach at Hervey Bay in the 1960s!