Browse >
Home / Archive by category 'Places'
I promised long ago that I’d do a tour of the Ding King’s, one of the most perfect surfer joints I’ve ever seen. Here it is. If you think you know of a better one, send me photos and a few words and I’ll post it.
The folks who did Blue Crush missed a great location: The Ding King’s joint. This place REEKS of surfing soul and creativity. I always grin as I turn in the driveway. And it’s REAL, there’s a lot of talent in this crusty looking place.
As always, you can click on the pictures for a larger version.
The funmobile looks right at home in front of Ding King’s
The Ding King does fibreglass repair of all kinds–fast and good but not cheap (you were expecting all three?). They also design and build very elegant stuff like the hollow standup board I bought from them, and gorgeous Hawaiian racing canoes. Mark’s knowledge and design approach turns out highly functional products with well known performance. For example, one of the new standup/longboard sailboards being produced by Starboard is based on Mark’s plug (Mark Rappahorst owns the place) .
I asked Mark once why they had built the giant “Edith Ann” chairs out front. He said “Ahh… I don’t know, we get a goofy idea, we just got to do it”
These chairs and table look normal size, but they’re about twice normal height. When you see the Ding King guys eating lunch out here they look like a bunch of little kids. That fits.
The surfboard chair with windsurfer boom rockers is comfortable, and so is the surfboard bench. Planters everywhere from everything: Toilets, canoes, amas, even an actual flowerpot
Mark, and a better view of the stick wave. Mark is usually kind of grey colored from fiberglass dust
Inside–it’s hard to know what to look at first. A lot going on in this place
Canoe molds and the top mold for the excellent Ku Nalu hollow standup board.
I love mine–it paddles great and sails even better. every time I see one without a mast track I think “you knucklehead!” You see these boards all over the place in Maui, which is amazing when you consider they’re made one at a time in this single mold. I waited six months for mine. Worth it.
Mark’s canoes are highly regarded–light and strong.
He also fixes a lot of the less robust ones from asia. Every time I go in the place I’m tempted to get a canoe–they’re beautiful. But I’m running out of room in the garage.
Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts
On August 9, 2008, a small group of stand-up paddle surfers will attempt a grueling marathon paddle across Cape Cod Bay from Plymouth to Provincetown to raise awareness and money to help stop the ever growing problem of pollution in our oceans and along our shores.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Ocean Conservancy, a non-profit dedicated to promoting healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems. Part of the proceeds of this event will go towards the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean Up on September 20, 2008.
The beauty, purity and the challenge of paddle surfing make it a great platform to raise awareness about the extremely serious issue of ocean pollution. Our goal is to make this an annual event that will serve as an on-going fundraiser for, and reminder of, our need to be responsible stewards of the ocean.
I had to think about whether I wanted to tell my own story or not. One it’s personal and two, this paddle isn’t about me. But I do want to use this opportunity to not only raise some money for a good cause but also maybe encourage a few folks to join me on the water. Especially if they are dealing with issues similar to my own.
When I first thought of the challenge last fall I didn’t think it was something I would be participating in….just organizing was my original thought. You see, five years ago I was diagnosed with a brain tumor, a vestibular schwannoma, growing on the vestibular nerve. Since then I’ve undergone radio-surgery to kill the tumor. The ongoing side effects of the tumor and radio-surgery caused severe headaches, vertigo, and dizziness, also deafness and tinnitus on my left side. The most disabling issue was loss of balance and vertigo, being unable to trust my body to do things, especially driving, made life planning difficult at best. I wasn’t sure where it would end, what it would mean to my career. Even the simple things like keeping up with the yardwork had become impossible.
4 years of treatments and prescriptions did little to help. Nothing the doctors did helped with the balance/vertigo problems. Then my brother Bill gave me his 12-6 Starboard Cruiser standup paddleboard when he thought it might be good therapy. It has proved to be one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received.. Ten short months ago I was approaching 50, an overweight, out of shape balance challenged guy on a downward spiral. 5 months later on my 50th birthday, January 24th, I was surfing at Nauset Beach on Cape Cod.
I had already seen a dramatic change by then. I had retrained my system to balance visually. Pushing my need for balance to the extreme on a standup board makes the normal possible. I’ve been driving my car…..freedom. I went from barely being able to stand on a board to going out in 10′ waves in a nor’easter in mid May. Wild wind, heavy chop, and 8-10′ waves and I’m not only standup paddling out into it but catching a few waves as well. Talk about feeling alive.
Here I am 10 months later, 50 lbs lighter, even with all the added muscle, able to live a more normal life all because of a sport that is incredibly fun to do. I hope many of you that read this might be encouraged to give it a try, especially those that might be facing issues like mine. If I can do it almost anyone can. The added benefit, I’m in better shape now than I was at 30.
I’m not saying that this negates the need for medical care. I’ve just been painfully reminded of that. Unfortunately after 4 years of no growth I’ve just found out my little friend may be growing again. You can’t argue the obvious benefits however. The not so obvious may be just as important. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so at peace as while I’m out paddling. I return from every session refreshed in spirit. One thing that standup definitely gives me is a much better outlook on rehab if I need treatment again this time. My 1st question is going to be how long before I can get back on the water?
For additional info and to donate please check our website http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org . You can also download a copy of our poster there.
See you on the water.
Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts
Glassy knee highs
How often do you get to be the first at anything?
I don’t believe anyone has ever surfed the shoal 2 miles off of Plymouth beach. Why would you? Only a few have bothered to surf the beach itself and the shoal is a 3 mile paddle from the parking lot. A long way for a prone surfer but a nice cruise with a paddle. I know some kayaker’s have been out there but no surf boards that I’ve heard. That was part of the reason I was having so much fun riding and connecting section after section on this beautiful glassy day small though it was. Just the thought that maybe, just maybe, I could be the first was pretty interesting.
Me the newb! [Read more]
In the heat of the shortboard revolution, the summer of 1972, young surf phenomenon Gerry Lopez and Jack Shipley realized the old established shops were buried under inventories of boards that were obsolete. They decided to open their own surfboard shop dedicated to the leading edge of surfing–and Lightning Bolt was born. Gerry Lopez and Rory Russell ruled pipeline on Lightning Bolt surfboards, and the striking logo soon appeared, shredding waves in magazines everywhere.
Also in the summer of ‘72 Jack’s friend Nino Baltar came to Maui and opened Lightning Bolt Maui in the same building the shop is in today. In 1974 Gerry Lopez came to Maui and took over, shaping the boards and running the shop. Lightning Bolt became the hangout for surfers throughout Maui–it was Maui’s only surf shop and naturally it’s now the oldest shop on Maui.
The walls are covered in history. If you’re a surfer and you visit Maui, you’ll enjoy a visit if only just to look at the collection of vintage surfboards. Today they maintain the tradition of shaping boards at the forefront of surf evolution, including Standup Paddle Boards. They sell production, custom and semi custom boards from a variety of shapers including Tom Parrish, Bill Foote, Bill Hamilton, Tom Nellis, Danny Nichols, Steve Walden, Ed Angulo, Lloyd Ishimine, Joey Goette and John Nack.
Besides boards, accessories, surf gear, stickies, and ancillary stuff the shop also offers rental equipment.
Man, Kanaha is looking really shabby. I’ve got an idea about what to do with all the plastic bags we get from the grocery store. I’m going to take one to Kanaha with me every morning I go there and spend ten minutes picking up trash.
Yeah, I don’t like picking up other people’s crap, especially the dirty diapers I find tossed in the parking lot. I have no idea WTF people are thinking, but the slobs will always be with us (unless we put a bounty on them) and the park is ours.
I’m not going to try to talk anyone else into doing this–other than to mention it here. I hate it when people do that to me. I’m just going to do it. So if you see me rummaging in the garbage cans and picking up trash, don’t offer me some spare change. The recession hasn’t nailed me yet. I just hate looking at one of the most beautiful parks in the world after the slobs get done with it.
Two Maui surf shops: Hawaiian Island Surf and Sports and HiTech Maui bought almost all the Showcase boards and paddles and put them in their rental fleet. Both stores now have an extensive rental fleet of new boards–it’s a unique opportunity (if you’re on Maui) to try the latest Sup boards and paddles.
Rentals are a fine way to get started in this great sport, and they are equally valuable when a shop has a good selection for determining the next board you want to buy as your skill progress. If you know of a good selection of rental boards in your area, please leave a comment. We’ll be building a directory of SUP shops using this article as a base. For that matter, let us know about any good Sup shop in your area.
I wonder how distributors are going to expand Sup sales into the inland waters? People can’t try the sport if they can’t get the boards. Stand up paddling certainly isn’t limited to the coasts and the islands, but growth might be slowed just because people need to see others doing it to become interested.
Why would you go to a restaurant where Mai Tais are fifteen bucks.
Because it’s worth it.
Mama’s is a gorgeous place. Actually it’s way past gorgeous. There’s an unobstructed view across the empty beach (it’s not private, but you have to come through the Mama’s entrance to get to it) to crashing waves. There’s the glorious entry, the unique architecture–even the valet parking stand is amazing, the wonderful bar. I halfway expect to meet Humphrey Bogart there someday (and by the way, how much of a man do you have to be to make the name Humphrey represent unadulterated toughness).
The food is excellent, the prices are scary. Just realize you’re going to drop a hundred bucks per person and get over it. Their wines are not stratospherically priced, though maybe I just feel that way after experiencing truly absurd wine prices in Aspen ($300 for Newton unfiltered Merlot at the Montagne restaurant in the Little Nell Hotel–a $40 bottle at any wine store). At any rate, wine prices at Mamas are rational if not a bargain.
Their Ahi Poke is excellent, as is the Lobster soup. Salads and soups are fabulous. They always bring you an amuse bouche (yeah, yeah I know, there’s supposed to be some accent marks in there someplace), usually a bisque, and it’s always excellent and not enough (that’s the idea, eh?). The bread plate is irresistable, slightly sweet fresh baked bread loaves. All the fish entree’s are extremely fresh, caught that morning. They always give the name of the local fisherman that caught the fish. Local fishermen tell me that if their name gets on the menu that means they had a very good day, because Mama’s needs a lot of fish.
Here’s some pictures. If you don’t realize that this is a must go place, at least once per trip to Maui, then I just can’t help you.
I have a friend in Portland who’s a fairly wealthy guy (owns a big car dealership) who has eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the world. He’s a hard guy to please and very outspoken when he doesn’t like something. When he’s in Maui he eats at Mama’s almost every day.
Enough talk, here’s some pictures. In looking at these I felt the place came off looking a little Disney. It’s not.
This series is the valet stand. The valet stand!! Where they keep your car keys! Sure, it’s the first thing you see, but how many restaurants figure out that such a prosaic thing can make a big impression. These folks aren’t assuming you’re going to figure out this place is special–they let you know right away. And they don’t insult your intelligence and taste with a grass hut or something hokey. This is one interesting structure.
The walkway has a gecko pattern to the concrete that looks like something from an Escher painting.
Mama’s beach is beautiful, though the close reef makes entry into the water tricky. It’s a famous surf break, though the long paddle means you’re more likely to see windsurfers in the wave.
I should be more specific I suppose and make it clear that I’m talking about the north shore. Nothing wrong with the south side, I’m just rarely there for breakfast and it’s mostly tourist places. Except the Keihei Cafe, which serves an excellent breakfast and absolute stone killer coffee cake.
So you crawled out of bed early and you’re rolling through Paia to join the dawn patrol. But your stomach is growling and you won’t be worth squat without some coffee. You’re in luck if it’s after 5:30 AM, because Anthony’s Coffee is open (probably) and they can fix you up. Eddie and Kerry (not sure I spelled that right) run a great place–super friendly, full of interesting people, and knee deep in local color. Plus they have the best coffee I’ve ever had–Eddie roasts it himself. The roaster used to be right in the store, but Eddie moved it to a separate building when the place got too crowded. Diane and I buy dozens of bags of Anthony’s coffee every year, both for ourselves and to give to deserving friends.
And one look in the doorway of Anthony’s is all you need to understand–the place has so much soul they haven’t even unpacked most of it. Anthony’s also has local pastries, great bagels, and serves a full breakfast. I’m not wild about their eggs benedict–the hollandaise is some kind of a mix. But they’ve got lots of other choices and it’s all pretty good. Don’t get hashbrowns unless you like those little pre-formed bottom-feeding patty thingies. But the country fries are just fine.
Good ice cream too. Kerry (Ed’s wife) cooks amazing cakes, but she doesn’t do it as often as she used to. It’s just as well, I always felt really weird eating pineapple bundt cake for breakfast. But I never wanted to take a chance that it would be gone when I got done surfing.
If it’s a little later, and you’re hungrier, then there’s Moana Cafe.
I hear that Moana is a great place to have dinner. they have music there a lot, and it usually looks interesting. But I’ve never been there for dinner, and rarely for lunch (I’m usually on a board of some kind during lunch). For me Moana is breakfast. And what a breakfast.
The Funmobile in it’s accustomed place.
First of all there’s the eggs benedict. It’s a rare restaurant that makes their own hollandaise–usually it’s a mix. Not only does Moana make theirs from scratch, but it’s perfection. Light, slightly lemony, with the delicate flavors that the bogus mixes so totally lack. Perfect poached eggs–not disappointingly hard, or disgustingly runny. Perfect. Spicy blackened Mahi, or other choices that I’m sure are excellent. I wouldn’t know–I can’t pass up the mahi. Wonderful home fries–crisp on the outside, flaky on the inside. great coffee, excellent service. What more could you ask for.
The deadly pastry case–super croissants
Well, actually there is more. Their waffles are excellent, clearly made from scratch, you just can’t get that crispness any other way that I’ve ever found. Diane gets the waffles frequently. And Moana is a bakery–their croissants are excellent.
This is a local hangout. Did I mention the waitresses are all gorgeous?
They also have a really great lamb wrap thats great for lunch. I’ll just have to try the place for dinner sometime soon, but for me Moana means breakfast.
Grab a window seat if you can, but don’t take mine. Hey, that guy’s sitting in my seat!
