Cracking head shots.

Testing 1-2-3...

At the risk of looking (and feeling) like a twat, I wielded my paddle like a baton twirler on crack to see if I could find a different angle.

....and talking of crack, it worked!


It the original video below, I promise you that you see more of the mountains than my head! The editing process must skim off a fraction of the frame, which is this case was kinda critical. I'll use this as a learning curve and will shoot lower next time, because Lord knows you be glad to see the back of my head!

Paddlecam from Sharon on Vimeo.

Same old - same old.

On a wind blown beach there's nothing but fun to be had when the ingredients are a giant inner tube, testosterone and young male imaginations.

Yes, they are rolling it up to the top of the beach. At which point a show off will curve his limbs in to the donut hole and be rolled by his cheering pals into the sea. Highly entertaining.

Meanwhile, not ten minutes away, this burned out tangle of spaghetti is sugar cane about to be harvested.

The same wind that makes Kanaha so fun to sail, makes this a dirty, dusty, mucky business and my commiserations if you live down wind from a field. You'd have to have a vacuum sealed house for that dust not to seep into your world.

No need to wait until you're 16 to drive on the water.

Today I was reminded that I don't need much to have fun. Small glassy people free waves (free), a gorgeous day (free), a desire to play (free), a friend to play with (free), turtles sightings (free). Drat....now my formula breaks down as I also needed my truck, the board, the paddle, the chair, the umbrella, the lunch, the camera, the phone etc. WTF, it still feels like a simple life worthy of leap of joy.

Beach practice. from Sharon on Vimeo.

A little more torture for you all.

See ya laters alligators.

Maui Water Shoot.

Pau hana work on Friday I found myself at the Hawaiian Canoe Club hale. A looooooong time ago I paddled with them and while I was never any good, I found myself fondly reminiscing as to how fit I was!

These days life is more leisurely and Friday night we convened at the Green Banana to enjoy the visual delights of our favorite water photographer Francky Berthout. He's spent the last eight months swimming, ducking, shooting and taking his life in his hands, all in the name of water photography.

His passion and enthusiasm have paid off and he chose a few shots to have blown up, to give some serious pleasure.

Chllin' down there our favorite Aussies from down under.....hellllllloooo!

....and the Toocan's kept a keen eye on the evenings events.

Meanwhile back upcountry, the cows have the best seat in the house.

Perfect long weekend.

Good clean fun for the whole family.

Post perfect sail, I sat in my chair appreciating the steady wind, sunny skies and happily plucking away on my Uke. July 4th made the park swell with some serious BBQ's, making my normally robust almond butter and honey sarni appear diminutive & inadequate. Good job I had an enormous banana that was more than ample to satiate my appetite.

The board room.

Yes, she was as pretty from the front as the back.

And talking of pretty, hands up all those who feel better just looking at this gorgeous smiling face! Yeah Phoebe and the rest of the Lane clan, so good to see you guys at your usual spot!

Never estimate the joy and power of a rubber ring.

Boldly going nowhere.

And finally, a big splooooooooosh of thanks to Phoebs who is the perfect beach model. She's full of infectious enthusiasm, willing to do anything and definitely not camera shy... my kinda girl.

Fun in the sun.

Sitting on top of a liquid world with my Gopro instructor.

Not too confident yet with the paddlecam.

Getting there...

Must remember to smile!

Easy does it....

White water SUPing.

Charging toward the valley.

Ahhhh much easier!

Meanwhile, I swear there's never a dull moment with Ulli & Michelle around. Let's hope there's no need for "a clean up on isle four"!

Pick a nose....any nose.

Guaranteed this will be Ulli's new Facebook profile picture!

I heard of a recent study in the UK that said about two thirds of women are totally uninterested in their everyday schedules. Shocking! They blamed their job, their relationships, lack of holidays and never ending chores. Good grief ladies, take some responsibility, make some new choices and start having some fun.....oh and you might find a good place to look for support is with a new bra!

How not to take a photo.

Saturday:

Step one: Post Kanaha sail, find the perfect shady spot to relax and enjoy the Maui Race series.

Step two: As the action begins, turn on the camera only to be alerted that the memory card is full.

Step three: No prob...switch to second camera with gargantuan 16gb card.

Step four: Open up camera door to transfer card, only to find slot empty.

Step five: Curse my carelessness and chalk it up as a good lesson.

Sunday:

Step one: Pack Gopro, which I checked last week was fully charged, sealed and ready to go.

Step two: Due to previous days debacle, double check both cameras have working memory cards and fully charged batteries.

Step three: Arrive at 1000 Peaks, mount Gopro on paddle only to be told by know-it-all friend that the batteries are not fully charged and won't last long.

Step four: Dismiss friend observations, paddle out, ready camera for action and find batteries are dead.

Step five: Momentarily pout in disbelief at blank led screen.

Step five: Play for two glorious hours with needless extra weight on the paddle. Chalk it up to weight training and hope that all battery/memory card related wrinkles are now out of my system.

At least I managed one photo.

Oh she's football crazy, she's football mad.

With only one main road from Lahaina to the airport, you don't want to be on the Lahaina side of the road with a flight to catch when a brush fire kicks in. There was many a pouty traveller in such a predicament last week, as they had to close Honoapiilani Hwy due to the wind that kicked up the smoke, fanned the fire and encouraged it to jump across the road.

Meanwhile.....back in the cheap seats there were no problems with anyone getting to Danny, Ian and Scotties for the USA v England footie match. To say we were a sober crowd would be decidedly misleading. While I brewed the tea, the majority of punters cracked open the Newcastle Brown & Bud for the 8:30am start.

I admit it, I've got a touch of World Cup fever. If proof were needed and (like the sad little fan I am) knowing who was on the cover, today I purchased this months Vanity Fair mag. I rifled through the pile in the store until I found a perfect non manhandled copy and post purchase, sat in my truck like a smitten teenager devouring the cover (and what a cover it is) for waaaaaaaaay longer than necessary.

Ohhhhhhh HELLO, there's more! That lucky cow Annie Liebervitz......except I can't believe they included Muntari in the second double page spread. IMHO he's a dirty, mean player that I hope gets sold from Inter Milan so I don't have to watch him next season.

I shoulda been sailing.....but with an article that begins "Look, can we get this straight, right from the get-go, from the first whistle: It's football, O.K.? Football not soccer. It's never been soccer." What's a girl to do but scarf down every word?

Yes, yes I know & then go sail.....but I was pooped from my morning SUP sesh so went home for an old lady nap instead. So sad.

Of course the biggest game on the planet is a gift to advertising agencies and I have to say the back cover ad is pure genius. If you want another word from our sponsors and are not one of the fifteen million peeps to have seen this, check out the WC Nike Ad.

Tonight, Spain v Switzerland with my fave ref Howard Webb from Rotheham......with apologies if you're losing the will to live.

60 years young.

There's turning 60....and celebrating turning 60 in style, which is what we did for my friend Ray last night. The invite came with directions; "The theme, is surprise! ... the 60s", and as Mr.and Mrs. Masters don't do things by halves it was time to get creative. Twister came out in 1966, my glue gun and scissors came out the night before last.

The English World Cup footy squad of 1966, met Elvis who was on vacation in Hawaii and a local Paia Hippie, for a beer in Ulli and Michelle's kitchen.

Ray and Viv's house was (as usual) turned into a club and as part of the decor, the birthday boy Andy Warholed himself and his dog Sevin for the occasion.

Ray is first and foremost an artist, but with music being another true love he's also a fabby DJ.

Mean while, back on the dance floor, right hand-left boob, left-hand-right hip...

That's quite a front room transformation....

.....and Elvis has not left the building.

At 12:45 am and feeling like Danny LaRue, it was time to peel off the eyelashes and fire up the a pressure washer to get off the industrial strength eye liner. In comparison to the birthday boy I'm an amateur as bed could not come soon enough.... and I'm not even 50.