I could not feel more stupid right now, but I left my SUP paddle at Kaimana beach park on Friday April 27. It is a Kialoa with a grey floral pattern on the blade. Reward if returned... reply here or call 808-348-3773 if found. Mahalo!

Race results posted for the Big Island Championship at Pohoiki from the HIPA website. There should be some pics soon.

http://tinyurl.com/dfq2lh</http://tinyurl.com/dfq2lh>

Must be getting old, because with weather like this, doing a HK run twice a day use to be fun. But now, once is enough for me. So just wondering if anyone out there has done it 3 or more times in a day?

Look through the Huki bargain page a lot just for kicks. There are pictured two 09 X's that in design look very much like the new Osprey... much lowered cockpit with higher gunwales and a pinched in footwell. Of course, can't find out a darned thing on Huki's webpage about the new design (whether it will be across the board or just on the X model). I wonder why they went to a similar design and when they did it? Anyone? If you lower the seat as much as is pictured, is it easier on the lower back? Also, how do you get the seat area to drain?

Dear fellow paddlers, amidst your paddling, may I like to draw your attention to this project!

Our Oceans are in trouble........
If you are concerned at all about environmental issues, please read this email. It is urgent, and requires your attention. It will only take you one minute.

There is an area of trash in the Pacific Ocean , called the "Plastic Vortex" which has estimates of over 4,000,000 tons of plastic waste. This is almost four times the size of Japan, and over 1,000 times the size of Hong Kong. It has been there since we started making plastics, because plastics do not go away.

The plastic is killing bird and marine life, and new studies show strong links to this plastic coming back into our own food chain. Many people have tested positive for the toxins contained in or attached to this plastic. This is significant when we consider the billions of people in this world who consume seafood.

Project Kaisei is a mission that plans to draw global awareness to the problem of plastics in our oceans. We will be working with National Geographic for the distribution of our documentary, and will be conducting this mission in June-August of this year. The mission will conduct trials and testing for collection methods to clean up the trash from the Ocean, as new technologies now exist to process the waste if it can be caught.

If you are interested in knowing more about the project, please click on this link for the website www.projectkaisei.org

The website explains the project in more detail. PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO ON THAT WEBSITE TO SEE AN INCREDIBLE EXPLANATION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE WORLD 'S OCEANS.

You can help by going to the website and donating US$25, $50, $100 or more to Project Kaisei. Donate as much as you feel is appropriate to help our oceans. Receipts for larger amounts can be given and are tax deductible.

You can then follow the mission via the website and Google Earth, who is one of our partners in this project. For some great visual information on the problem, you can also go to the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/oceans/la-oceans-flash-day4,0,7741594....

Please then forward this email to your address book. If each of you makes a small donation, and sends this email out, we will be able to make a big difference! The oceans really are in need of our help, as they have been neglected for years, and nothing in international waters will really ever be improved unless we take action ourselves from land.

Please ACT NOW, as this problem is an urgent one.

Thank you for taking the time to read this email and for making a donation.

http://www.projectkaisei.org

Photos courtesy of Wallace J. Nichols and Rick Loomis

This week I'm going to start posting the video's from Vaka Eiva 2008 starting with the Women's 12k OC1 Race.

The Series contains -

• Women Oc1, Oc6 Iron and changeover race
• Men Oc1 - Oc6 iron and changeover race
• Sprints, Blessings and Presentations
• Fun and Games and the Boiler Swim

The 1st video is online now http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com Women's 12k OC1

Cheers Rambo

PS The website http://www.vakaeiva.com is also online awaiting your nominations for 2009

Hey everyone,

I will be posting audio udates of the Catalina Relay. You can listen to them on my blog. I will start posting later today (3/27) on my way over to Catalina around 5:30 p.m. pacific time.

www.outriggercanoe.blogspot.com

Mindy

I've heard there are a bunch of different philosophies on the 'best' course to take for the Molo Solo race obviously pending conditions and so forth. Can anyone provide some general rule of thumb here. Best routes for different scenarios and conditions?

Any insight is much appreciated.

Mahalo!

Aloha all, as you know, HIPA is holding it's championships this weekend on March 28th however due to the conditions there will not be a junior course. However, the championship must go on! So, with the joint efforts of the H.I.P.A. Youth Program "Hui Palama" and Tui Tonga Youth Program, it will happen this weekend as well at Honokohau Harbor at Noon. We will be having the usual oc1 oc2 and surfski division as well as a shorter course for the paddleboard/stand up paddling youths under the ages of 17!! Any questions call Marjie (808) 864-8552. Mahalo!!