JULIUS BYRNE: 5-STAR MAUI MISSION
JULIUS BYRNE: 5-STAR MAUI MISSION
JULIUS BYRNE: 5-STAR MAUI MISSION
Maui is most likely close to the top of every windsurfer’s bucket list, a place where world champions live and train, trade winds deliver almost daily and Ho’okipa serves up some of the most iconic waves on the planet.
For young Irish windsurfer Julius Byrne, that dream finally became reality. What started as a plan to compete in the early season Maui Pro-Am quickly turned into a five-week trip of a lifetime!
This is a first-hand account of the highs, lows, costs, chaos and unforgettable sessions that came with his first trip to Maui! From navigating brutal travel logistics, unheard of flooding and budget struggles to sailing alongside the world’s best in challenging conditions.
Photos: Fish Bowl Diaries and Julius Byrne.
JULIUS BYRNE…From running an Irish watersports centre to a dream trip to Maui!
My name is Julius Byrne and I’m a windsurfer from the west coast of Ireland. I run a watersports centre in Galway during the summer and spend the winter chasing waves and training. I started windsurfing in Rusheen Bay as a kid and have been competing ever since. I’m a two-time Irish wave champion, two-time vice champion and Irish freestyle vice champion. It was always a dream to windsurf in Maui the home of windsurfing. Since I was 18 I’ve been trying to make it to Maui after seeing all the amazing windsurf legends sailing there. Jaws is also 100% on the bucket list. When I took a gap year for windsurfing Maui was top of the list but unfortunately wasn’t very affordable for an 18 year old so I ended up in the Canary Islands instead.
WHY MAUI?… From a last-minute decision to a 5-star challenge!
JULIUS BYRNE: “The main thing that triggered the decision for me to book a trip to Maui was when the WWT/ PWA announced the 4-star Pro Am for the end of March. I heard it was the windy season in Maui that time of year and that it would be a good starboard tack jumping competition. Most of my local spots are port tack, so I really wanted to push myself to progress in jumping and wave riding down the line starboard tack. By the time they announced it would actually be 5-star I had already committed and just hoped I’d qualify to get in as I’d never done a 5-star before. I planned to stay for five weeks, four weeks before the comp practicing and 1 week after to enjoy the spot without pressure.”
THE JOURNEY OUT… Board bags, baggage fees and near misses!
With the decision made and the goal set, the next challenge was simply getting there…which turned out to be an ordeal in itself.
JULIUS BYRNE: “The flights were one of the most frustrating things I’ve ever had to do. To fly from Ireland, it wasn’t possible to go with only one airline the whole way, so I had to check the baggage policy of every airline. It took me three days before I eventually found two airlines that allowed multiple board bags for all the connecting flights… obviously the most expensive option out of all the routes. I even considered going to Germany getting a train to another airport overnight then flying from Germany since it was so much cheaper but, in the end, it wasn’t worth all the extra hassle. My flights including excess for board bags was meant to be €2200 but a lovely surfer behind the check in desk saved me €250 by undercharging me on purpose. I flew from Dublin to Paris then to Seattle and onto Maui. One thing worth noting is at first entry into USA, they make you collect your board bags and go through the passport queue lugging them around. I nearly missed my next flight, making it with five minutes to spare so make sure that first entry to USA stopover is longer than two hours.”
LIVING THE MAUI DREAM (ON A BUDGET)…Accommodation, car hire, and the real cost of paradise!
After surviving the journey and arriving in one piece, the reality of living in Maui and paying for it…quickly set in.
JULIUS BYRNE: “Accommodation hurt the wallet for sure. Finding it took a few months before something affordable came up and luckily the cheapest car rental on Maui came included. I found the accommodation in a riders group chat for the competition when someone texted in a contact. I got the cabin for $1200 and a car for $600 a month. It was a pretty cool cabin overlooking the ocean two minutes from Ho’okipa. Perfect to see exactly when the wind was filling in every day.
I did have to battle against nature daily to cook my food in a kitchen with only three walls. Nothing was safe from the gecko poo raining down from above. Drinks without a tissue over them usually had a little something extra in them after a few mins. In the five weeks there I noticed not a single nature trail or outside area had more insects or wildlife than in my kitchen. Definitely makes me appreciate the lack of insects in Ireland.
I was told well in advance by many that Maui on a budget isn’t possible. I knew it would be expensive, but it still hit hard spending $200 on food a week easily, while cooking from home. In the end I think it came out to a bit over €5000 for everything included.”
FIRST IMPRESSIONS… Trade winds, Kona storms and a wake-up call!
With a roof overhead (mostly) and a car sorted, it was finally time to experience Maui for what it’s known for… wind and waves.
JULIUS BYRNE: “Arriving in Maui was pretty surreal. I’d been dreaming about going there for years. Instantly I found nice people that were very welcoming there and even got offered a free lift to my accommodation from the airport. I was pretty shocked when I went to grab a trolley for my board bags and it was locked behind a paywall. That definitely set me up for what was to come. Nothing in Maui is free.
I think I sailed the first 10 days straight with the usual trade winds. In the beginning it was mast-high but it slowly dropped to waist high by the end of that run of wind. Afterwards we were hit with one of the worst Kona storms in years from what I was told. It was the heaviest rainfall in over 25 years with four feet of rain on Maui in one week. That wind direction proved to be a slight issue for my accommodation.
Turns out the wind is strong enough to blow open my front door. I found out when I came home from the night out. with the inside flooded. For the next few days the couch was used to barricade the door. We scored a Kona session at lanes three times during that week of heavy rain. Mast high heavy lips on the first day while very off-shore and gusty. Lanes was pretty intimidating doing the jump off the end of the rocks to get in. Extremely tricky conditions but we caught some sick waves on two of the Kona days. It was amazing sharing waves with Antoine Martin, Morgan Noireaux and Federico Morisio. The third Kona day we all ended up swimming in when the wind dropped. We needed help getting the gear back up the rocks because of the massive back wash. Honestly thought I’d smash everything if this random guy hadn’t spotted me and ran down from the hills in Ho’okipa to help me.”
HO’OKIPA: EXPECTATION VS REALITY…The world-class break that humbles everyone!
But no amount of anticipation could fully prepare for sailing at Ho’okipa for the first time.
JULIUS BYRNE: “First impressions of Ho’okipa were positive but the waves definitely packed a punch. We had great conditions the first week before the waves dropped off. Actually, riding the wave was so much harder than I expected after seeing the top guys effortlessly riding there. It’s far faster than expected and quite unpredictable. No two waves were the same. One notable thing, was even on a bad forecast Ho’okipa would get wind funnelling around the mountain getting a boost as well as the waves ramping up bigger than forecast. There were quite a few days where looking at the forecast you’d think it was a day for the bar but ended up being pretty fun on the water.”
MAUI PRO-AM EXPERIENCE: Chaos, strategy, and a hard-earned result!
Then came the main event…the moment that sparked the entire trip.
JULIUS BYRNE: “The event kicked off with a horrible start for me. I was pretty nervous and tried to go out twenty minutes before my heat because I knew with light onshore wind and a closing channel it would take a long time to get out. What I didn’t expect was a complete lull to hit right as I got to the channel.
I spent the next 10 mins ducking under mast high close out sets that pushed me all the way to the cliff in Lanes. The jet ski tried to drag me out past the break but after a few attempts the driver even gave up. At this stage I thought I’d already missed my heat and was about to crawl over the rocks in Lanes to accept defeat, but I felt a small gust of wind. I don’t think I’ve ever pumped harder to get out the back and finally made it up to Ho’okipa again. With one minute left on the heat timer after thirty minutes attempting to get out back, the jet ski told me my heat was postponed since everyone in the heat didn’t even make it out. All that effort for nothing.
The earlier heats were all about strategy. Which waves you could catch that had an escape out the channel and no close outs coming afterwards. With the light onshore wind, you only really had a chance at two set waves at best. It took nearly six minutes to get back upwind and they were only twelve minute heats. I had spent the last three days practicing in pretty nasty onshore Ho’okipa, while nearly everyone else went to the west coast for clean down the line. This definitely helped in knowing where to position myself since it was far from the usual Ho’okipa these days and I felt this is what got me through the first round.
I had very low expectations and my goal was to not come last with starboard tack being my bad side and no jumping counting. I was stoked to make it through a round and gain 10 positions from last.”
THE MAUI VIBE…Community, legends, and learning from the best!
Away from the competition jersey, the atmosphere in the water and on the beach told its own story.
JULIUS BYRNE: “The vibe on Maui was epic. Everyone at the beach were so friendly and always willing to chat. It felt like such a welcoming community just hanging out at Ho’okipa. As a tourist I didn’t expect the locals to even acknowledge me but straight away they let you into their community.
It was so inspiring to see previous world champions ripping up the waves right in front of you. It was quite helpful to study how they rode the wave and using footage of them to compare against myself at the same spot on the same day. That way it was more obvious to see where I could improve. Maybe a bit cheeky but I followed a few to get the right positioning on the wave and to try to hit the same sections as them.”
EXPLORING THE ISLAND…Road trips, snorkelling, and seeing another side of Maui!
Of course, Maui isn’t just about windsurfing…even if that’s the main focus.
JULIUS BYRNE: “Aside from windsurfing we did the three main driving loops around the island. Luckily, we did all of them before the Kona storm because most of the roads were closed for weeks after the damage and fallen trees. We also did a few small hikes and some snorkelling. The scenery around the island away from the main town is amazing!”
FINAL THOUGHTS…Was Maui everything it’s cracked up to be?
After five weeks on the island, it all came down to one question…was it worth it?
JULIUS BYRNE: “Overall Maui was great for time spent on the water. Out of 38 days, I think 30 of them had windsurf or surf conditions. The community was one of the best I’ve seen around the world. I think I got unlucky with the conditions that I didn’t really score the best version of Ho’okipa to see it firing for days on end like it apparently does often. Instead, I got every type of condition and wind direction but not quite the highest standard of any of them. With that in mind it was a great trip and I’m so glad I went to see Maui but I wouldn’t be in a rush back to spend €5000 on it every year. Maybe in a few years’ time, I’ll head back again.”
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS… The moments that made it all worthwhile!
JULIUS BYRNE: “The highlight of the trip was definitely the competition. The vibes hanging around at the beach and watching the best of the best in person for the first time was epic. The best move I saw was Antoine Martins no handed Goiter. Bernd surprised me so much with some of the moves he pulled off as well. It was less so the move, but more the fact he did it on a section that seemed impossible and yet he would still emerge from the white water every time like a cat that always lands on his feet. I heard from a few people that gravity was just an option to him. “
TOUGHEST MOMENTS…Injuries, setbacks, and hard lessons.
JULIUS BYRNE: “The low point would be injuring my forearm. Just had a nasty wipe out and refused to let go of the boom since I was close to the rocks. Strained a tendon the sail flipped so I spent a few days side-lined and jealous, but I found a gel can heal injuries quite quickly.”
MAUI SURVIVAL GUIDE… What I wish I knew before going!
JULIUS BYRNE: “Tips for Maui. From what I could tell wind angle mattered more than wind strength because of the funnel effect around the mountain. Even if the forecast is terrible there’s always a chance of a session in Hookipa if you’re willing to sit around all day waiting for it to turn on. Some sessions surprised us. Come prepared with a decent chunk of change to survive there. Bring spare masts. The rocks don’t take prisoners. And one last tip. Go to Haiku Market to get cheap $8 Poke bowls that are delicious and filling!”
EQUIPMENT CHOICES…What gear to take and how to pack it!
I took my 82L Starboard Ultra and 93L Starboard Hyper. Both of which got a lot of use. For reference I’m 75kg. We had a mix of 35 knots gusty 3.5m days to barely floating with 5.0m. For March – April I think it’s good to bring the smaller gear just in case as it can get pretty windy at times. I was also warned to bring spare masts with me for the inevitable trips to the rocks but fortunately I didn’t need them in the end. I did however see a lot of carnage on the rocks the days before the competition and during it. Broken gear constantly being towed in by the jet ski away from the rocks.
A surfboard would definitely come in handy for the light wind days or if you wanted a morning session while you wait for the wind to start but it’s also pretty cheap to get a decent second hand one there. For gear packing I’ve been stung badly in the past by Ryanair. They returned two of my boards snapped in half and that’s when I found out the max the pay-out per board bag is €1600 no matter the value inside. The extra paid travel insurance only pays €1600 as well so it’s a waste of €50. To get around this I always pack only one board per board bag to limit the risk and lower the value of each bag.
SUMMARY…Finals thought after 5 weeks in Maui!
JULIUS BYRNE:
“Maui lived up to the dream in some ways and completely challenged it in others. It wasn’t perfect conditions or epic Ho’okipa sailing every day…I guess we were unlucky with the Kona storm. But it pushed me out of my comfort zone, and gave me a taste of what the top level really looks like. For €5000, it’s not a trip you take lightly but it’s one that changes how you see the sport. Maui didn’t hand anything to me, not the conditions, not the results, not even the sessions. Every good wave, every heat, every bit of progress had to be earned. But if you’re serious about windsurfing, it’s somewhere you have to go at least once!”
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