What makes a visit to Hawaii special?  Let’s see…besides the food, the people, the powerful isolation of the island chain in the middle of the Pacific, the uniqueness of every island (and even each side of the island), and the natural beauty?

If that’s not enough, one of my favorite ways to pass time in the islands is to watch people surfing.  Many vacationers want to try to surf.  Not me.  Instead of subjecting myself to the humiliation of falling off a board every time I try to ride – or worse, breaking something – I’m content watching people catch a wave.

It’s not just watching amazing athletes try and ride a board across water.  It’s the anticipation of the next wave.  The challenge of the ride, as each surfer tries to squeeze one more inch out of the wave.  And, at the end, the look of exhilaration – the “I just did it” look – gives me a thrill.

During our recent trip to Kauai, I captured these three images showing a surfer on one ride.  In particular, I love the image of the wave breaking overhead while he’s crouched, hoping to extend the ride as long as possible.

A surfer rides the waves near Poipu, Kauai.

Surfer near Poipu, Kauai ducks under the surf break, extending the ride

Surfer at Poipu, Kauai exits the waves after a successful ride