We call it “Hangover Sunday” and, hungover or not, my friends and I have established a water sport tradition: we wake up as early as possible on Sunday morning, drive to Makapu’u Beach, and drink a beer (or two) before jumping in the romping surf for at least a full hour of bodysurfing heaven.  Indeed, Makapu’u Beach is world-famous for its perfectly bodysurfable waves, but to my friend and me it means so much more.

            It’s 8 a.m.--the earliest Brian’s mother has seen us on a Sunday morning and we are, amazingly, wide awake and rearing to go.  I call to confirm that my friends will be meeting us there.  The four of us--Brian, Makia, Matt, and I--hop into Brian’s big green truck and are on our way.  To get in the mood, Brian flips down his fancy DVD player and pops in an old 80’s music video compilation. 

            “Rock the Casbah!” we sing in unison as we whiz down the Kalanianaole.  We are all wearing black sunglasses and bopping our heads to the synthesized beats.  Out the window lies before us a lazy Sunday morning.  The wind is still and the palm trees that line the highway are still waking up from their evening rest.  We drive through Hawaii Kai and Moanalua Bay, to our right, is a beautiful stretch of blue ocean.  We pass Hanauma Bay and Sandy’s Beach, another famed body surfing spot, and just before we make it to Makapu’u, we look behind us to see the lighthouse peaking over the steep cliffside.  We pull in to the parking lot, which is across the street for Sea Life Park.  Rabbit Island is looking particularly white this morning.  

            Tony and Malia have already arrived. 

            We each grab a beer.  “To Hangover Sunday!” we cheer.  We quickly dispose of a six-pack of Heineken, don our uncomfortable rubber fins, stash our towels and slippers under a rock by the shore, and waddle backwards into the water.

            As we bob up and down in the surf, Malia and I catch up on lost time.  She is only home for a month and today is her last day home.  She’ll be moving to New York City to begin a new job.

            “I can’t believe I’m leaving,” says Malia.  “It’s like I’ve just come home and now I have to go again.”

            “It’s always hard to leave,” I tell her, “but it’s that much easier coming home again.”

            “You’re right.”

            Our conversation is punctuated by brief rides along the sloping warm water to shore.  Tony, wearing his swimming goggles, then joins us and we converse. 

            It’s a beautiful day--perfect like practically every day on the islands.  To onlookers on the beach we are just specks in the vast pulse of blue.  Brian, Makia, and Matt join us now and we look out to the horizon. 

            Could it really be that we live in such a paradise?  How lucky are we.

            “K, guys, one last wave in, then plate lunch at Keneke’s,” Brian says.

            “Party wave!” I shout.  We all spot the swell coming our way, glance briefly at one another, and paddle to catch one last wave together to shore.

FACT BOX:

•   Makapu’u Beach is Hawaii’s premiere bodysurfing beach on Oahu’s east coast.  Surfboards are strictly prohibited during lifeguarding hours (8 am - 5 pm every day). 

•   On big days, rubber fins are necessities for bodysurfing.  Locals do not wear swimming goggles--ever--to bodysurf.  It’s actually considered uncool.  Tony just feels more comfortable being able to see underwater.

•   Keneke’s is a famous plate lunch restaurant with a great view of the beautiful cliffs in Waimanalo, a few miles farther along the Kalanianaole Highway.  Their kalua pig (pulled pork with cabbage) plate is to die for.