Ever had the urge to pick up a new language? Well there’s plenty of opportunity here on Kauai. Cultural diversity abound with Japanese, Portuguese, dialects of Chinese, Tagoleg, Hawaiian, ‘Pidgin’ and a fairly new ‘Romance’ language known as “Surf-ese”.
On the first Saturday of every month one can pick up a lesson or two; even if you are not a dedicated surfer (a barney). Give yourself an opportunity to experience the open-market ‘institution’ in front of the Hanalei Center. It’s one of the best places to catch local surf color and lingo as well as pick up a used surf board for a great price.
A rainbow of fiberglass, wood and plastic is spread out, laid down, propped up and stacked waiting for the 9 a.m. “starting gun” and for the haggling at the The Hanalei Surfboard Swap-Meet to begin.
Touted as the best place to find the best deals, the ‘Board Swap meet’ welcomes long boards, short boards, stand-ups, boogie boards, colors, shapes, and styles, of every size, preference and condition. Occasionally people even offer used kayaks, jet skis, dive equipment and an occasional boat. Prices range anywhere from $5 to $800 plus.
One can pick up a great education just listening to terminology and brand names like rail, twinzer, stringer, Rusty’s, hard bottom turns, shredding, Merricks, dings, Lost, Kimo Greene, and blown out – during the deals that are made.
So give yourself a treat,
The ‘set-up’ is tres sweet
Get into your ‘beater’
It’s on the first Saturday,
The Hanalei Surfboard Swap meet .