In this series of Boarding Pass, Todd Caranto, SUP shaper and founder of Pau Hana Surf Supply journeys to the island of Oahu in Hawaii where he meets up with some of his local friends and introduces you to the Pau Hana lifestyle. View a new episode every day that follows Pau Hana on all their surf, fishing, and yoga sessions along with the local places they stop for grinds along the way.
SUP shaper Todd Caranto is driving through Waialua to visit his friends Garrett McNamara, Rose, and Garrett’s father-in-law Carlos Macias. Carlos shows them around the homestead and points out the fabled banana tree in their backyard. Of course, the bananas are only now just flowering. Before he leaves the homestead, Todd asks Carlos about his place in the local surf lineup as a SUP surfer. Carlos explains that he is further out and deeper than the lineup. He continues that some of the people do care, but some of them like to see a SUPer that can still catch waves. Carlos then tells the story of how after he had been surfing there for awhile Garrett McNamara tells Carlos that “everyone used to give me a hard time about my brother and now everybody gives me a hard time about you.”
The next day, they wax up their new 8'6'' Carve performance SUP surf boards and go out to surf the waves. It’s easy to see why Hawai'i has such a great name for surfing when the water is so clear and warm particularly when you compare it to California. Best of all, there’s no wetsuit needed, just board shorts and you’re good to go on Oahu. Carlos ends their surf session by cracking open a coconut to share with his newly met friends he found on the beach.
Todd meets Jerry at “The Spot,” a local food stop on the North Shore of Oahu at Shark’s Cove between Waimea Bay and Pipeline. Jerry tells Todd how originally the community protested the construction of a giant mall being built in their location. Eventually, the community won and they were told they could put food trucks there instead. Now, it’s easy to see that they made the right decision. Besides being just awesome, “The Spot” has one of the best views on the North Shore especially if you’re looking for a place to bring some beer or wine to enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian sunset that the North Shore of Oahu offers it’s visitors.
Jerry’s partner is Liam McNamara, a pro surfer, who went in with Jerry to own the Spot and the food truck. Then, Liam’s wife owns the boutique, the shaved ice stand, and the surf shop right in the same area.
They’re specialty is their coconut panko crusted fresh fish (either Ono Mahi or Ahi) with rice and a small salad. Also, their fresh homemade tartar sauce is a must for anyone who visits this place.
It’s the perfect spot to pull off the road from all the traffic, have some great food, and just relax with visitors and locals alike.
The swell was about head high, but Carlos warned us that even though the waves looked nice and relaxed they had a bit of a kick so we should keep that in mind when we drop in. At the end of the day we had a nice laid back surf sesh and went home feeling satisfied with our day out on the water. Yes, Carlos was right, but according to Todd, that’s part of what made that break so great. It was so slow and then it slams down with tons of speed. After catching a few, the best way to unwind is by chilling out on the beach.
Still in Waialua on the North Shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Team Pau Hana meets some friends at a local pizzeria called Jerry’s Pizza. Jerry’s pizza is a BYOB joint with thin crust pizza. So, naturally, it’s become a local staple of the Waialua community. They have an awesome band jamming, delicious pizza, and hot wings to top it all off.
Jake Albrecht, Pau Hana’s videographer, shows the camera how to eat a hot wing in one bite (more of a stroke then a bite). In response, Carlos Macias shows how they eat hot wings back in Cuba with his ol’ pal Fidel. Though not as clean as Jake’s one stroker bite, Carlos still manages to eat a hot wing faster than anyone else humanly should. Anyway, with good food, friends, and an awesome venue like Jerry’s Pizza, it’s hard not to make a stop here. Just don’t forget to BYOB.
Later, SUP yogi Michelle Caranto and her daughter Haley unwind with a sunset SUP yoga session in Waikiki on Oahu with their friend, Lucy from Samata Magazine & Stand Up Paddle Magazine. After warming up, they go through downward facing dog, upward facing dog, camel pose, warrior pose, attached together via a Petal band with their 10'0'' Lotus Yoga Stand Up Paddle Board specially designed for SUP yoga.
The next day, the Pau Hana crew checks out the famed Matsumoto’s shaved ice in Halewia on the North Shore of Oahu. In Hawaii, shaved ice actually means shaved ice as in with a blade and the long lines at these shaved ice places are a testament that they don’t mess around with it. Todd goes with a traditional Hawaiian flavor for his which is pineapple, coconut, and banana flavors with red sweet beans at the bottom. If you go here and don’t have enough time to wait in the line you can go to some of the other traditional shaved ice places around like Aoki’s.
While simultaneously surfing on a Pau Hana Big EZ Angler on Oahu’s North Shore. After getting rolled in a wave, he recovers control to reel in the prize and finds his double stoke. The crew then stops for lunch in Haleiwa at Big Wave Shrimp Truck to enjoy some of the best garlic shrimp on the North Shore at Big Wave Shrimp Truck. Todd talks to Kate, the owner of the shrimp truck and finds out that she’s been making the shrimp for around the last 11 years or so. They prepare the shrimp by slicing it so it opens like a butterfly and then they fry the shrimp in garlic, butter, and oil and then place it on rice and macaroni.
On their last morning, the team enjoys one last surf session at Sunset Beach on the North Shore on Oahu, Hawaii. With the ease that comes with surfing, diving and exploring on the Big EZ Ricochet it makes it hard not to pack up the bags and go back and visit those pristine waters in Hawaii.
Todd Caranto lands in Oahu, Hawaii and visits his friend Garrett McNamara and his family at his home in Waialua on the North Shore. Garrett's father-in-law, Carlos Macias, explains the origins of the banana tree at their homestead. Then gives Todd the low down on the local surfing line-up and where SUP surfers fit into it.
Todd has a surf session with Garrett McNamara's father-in-law, Carlos Macias, at Chuns Reef Beach on the North Shore on their new Pau Hana 8'6" Carve. Carlos Macias, prepares a coconut just to make new friends as the SUP surf session ends and their Pau Hana time begins.
Todd meets Jerry at "The Spot," a local food stop on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii where he enjoys grinds and a beautiful sunset. Jerry tells Todd how the community protested a giant mall being built and ended up putting food trucks there instead. Between the great food, the amazing sunset, and the location at a heavy traffic area, "The Spot" is the perfect stop for the hungry travelers and locals alike.
Todd and Carlos Macias wax up their boards to catch some waves at Sunset beach. After hearing from Carlos that the wave may look nice, but it has more punch to it then it looks like, Todd tests it out for himself. Afterwards, they chill out by strutting a bit on a ukulele.
We met some friends at a local pizzeria where they enjoy live music, pizza, and hot wings. Jerry's Pizza is a famous pizza joint on the north shore of Oahu that serves both great pizzas and great chicken wings. We went with our friends Jake Albrecht and Carlos Macias, both of whom demonstrated their techniques of how to eat a chicken wing in one bite. Jake's midwestern technique went head to head with Carlos' Cuban style of chicken consumption. I'm not still not sure which method is better, but at the end of the day we walked away happy with clean plates and a full belly.
Todd Caranto's wife Michelle and daughter Haley unwind with a sunset SUP yoga session in Waikiki with their friend, Lucy from Samata & Stand Up Paddle Magazine.
The Pau Hana crew checks out the famed Matsumoto's shaved ice on the North Shore of Oahu. On Hawaii, shaved ice actually means shaved ice and the long lines at these shaved ice places show that they don't mess around with it.
Todd catches a bluefin trevally fish while simultaneously surfing on a Pau Hana Big EZ Angler Stand Up Paddle Board on Oahu's North Shore. After getting rolled in a wave, he recovers control to reel in the prize and finds his double stoke.
The Carantos stop for lunch in Haleiwa at Big Wave Shrimp Truck to enjoy some of the best garlic shrimp on the North Shore. After talking to Kate the owner, Todd goes over how they prepare the shrimp which is enough to get your mouth watering.
Todd enjoys one last morning SUP surf session at Sunset Beach on the North Shore on Oahu, Hawaii. Carving, diving and exploring on his Pau Hana 11'0" Big EZ armored with Ricochet makes it hard not to want to get out on the water.
Watch the whole BOARDING PASS series on our YouTube channel!
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