Nice sunset!

It was so windy today, but it was a nice sunset!  So here’s what happened today……I got down to the beach a little late and I could already see white caps out on the ocean.  In closer to shore, it was nice, though, so I gave it a shot.  It was nice paddling down to the boat ramp but it seemed like no one else was out on the water.  That should have been my first clue!  When I got to the boat ramp, a white boat was sitting there and the pontoon tour boat was making its way in.  I thought, oh great, this should be interesting!  I moved away from the boats and started to have my own little turtle show, with three large turtles surfacing and hanging out right by me.  Suddenly, the ocean surface started to change and I could feel the wind, so I took off paddling.  The wind came in like a hurricane and before I knew it, I was immersed in white water, getting belted by wind waves and I could barely hold on to my paddle!  I paddled and paddled, and I only got as far as Kam III which had me concerned.  I looked in the direction I wanted to go and all I could see was white water!  It was then I knew I was not going to make it back.  I paddled hard to get in position to make my way to shore at Kam III,  but the wind was creating wind waves and they were breaking on me!  I was getting really pushed around and the wind seemed to want to push me towards the rocks!  I finally made my way in and I was exhausted.  I stood there watching the  ocean, hoping that the wind would back off and maybe I could get out there and paddle back, but no such luck!  I hauled my board up the hill, over the park, and up to the shower at Kam III.  I washed my board off and went over to the lifeguards to ask if I could leave my board there while I walked back to Kam I to get my car.  One of the lifeguards put it by their stuff and I took off with my paddle and walked back to Kam I!  After stepping on some kiawe thorns, I decided to take the sidewalk.  The problem was that the sidewalk was getting hot!  So when I got to Kam II, I took the beach path and made my way back to Kam I.  It was so windy…hardly anyone was at the beach!  I decided to go for my swim before going back to get my board, but it was a rough water swim too!  I couldn’t believe how windy it was.  A friend came by and told me she had been worried about me and wondered where I was.  Then she asked me if I had  heard the weather report warning of high winds, but I had not.  Oh well, my board was safe and I could take my car down to get it.  When I got to Kam III, I got my board from the lifeguards, but the wind was blowing so hard, I could barely get it to the parking lot!  There I stood, in the parking lot, hanging on to my board for dear life, hoping the wind would back off for a few minutes so I could throw my board on my racks and quickly tie it on.  No luck with that, the wind was merciless and at one point it pushed so hard on my board that my board actually pushed me back a few feet into my car!  It was clear to me that I was not going to be able to get my board on top of my car in the wild wind!  Finally the lifeguard said he could help me, so we worked together.  Even with the two of us, it was a challenge hoisting my board onto my car in the wind!  Then it took both of us holding onto the board and working together to tie on the straps!  It was so stressful, but the lifeguard kept reassuring me that we could do it.  Finally, my board was strapped on, so I thanked the nice lifeguard for helping me and then he kidded me about having to bail out at Kam III!  I know, I know…..in almost three years of stand up paddling and paddling in a lot of wind, this was the very first time I had to bail!  Well, I guess there is a first time for everything, even though it’s not what I wanted to do, it was the safest thing to do, that’s for sure.  I drove carefully to my house and made it home without incident.  The wind was wild most of the day and had blown everything around on my lanai, even heavier things that don’t usually blow, so that tells you how strong it was!  I sure hope it’s not like that tomorrow….. but, I will be noticing it if no one else is out and paying attention!