While shopping at malls and eating at sit-down restaurants might've been on hold during Hawaii's stay-at-home order, surfing was still in full force.
It's considered an outdoor exercise, along with swimming or kayaking, that very few places around the world even allow. The tricky part, however, seemed to be determining which beachgoers were actually working out–or simply hanging out. Meaning, the pandemic hasn't stopped people from packing the beaches and line-ups.
Our family, on the other hand, had been hardcore social distancing–even well before the official stay-at-home order took effect in March. But like all fish out of water, we needed to wet our gills.
We'll always remember our first social distance surf. It was right around the time Hawaii began to flatten the curve. Even before paddling out to that remote north shore spot, the session felt different; it was more than just remembering to put on sunscreen but carefully calculating our migration from the car to the beach as well.
After several sessions, we felt comfortable and confident in our strategies to social distance. We changed up our surf check mentality, turning our eyes to the inside breaks instead. Waves we'd otherwise overlook quickly topped the list of go-to spots, quite possibly after quarantine. Not only were they empty but also filled with fun little peelers–perfect for logging with a little.
Logging with our toddler also became more frequent during this time. Hawaii's rules about outdoor activities meant no lounging on the beach, so it only made sense to put Liv on the board instead. The shared family waves are ones we'll never forget. The beginning of a very exciting journey for us and definite highlight during these dark times.
VIDEO: A social distance surf session at a fun (and empty) inside break.
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