Fiji was the ultimate getaway from rain

RICK FIGNETTI

One storm after another has hit the California coastline, leaving

murky and stormy conditions in its wake, but it finally looks like

some sunnier days could be in store for us.

The mega, 7-foot-high tides and heavy rain caused some flooding in

Newport Beach and Sunset Beach and even closed Pacific Coast Highway

at times by the bottom of the cliffs. The combination of the Arctic

storm and Pineapple Express saw about as much rainfall as we’ve ever

seen over a four-day period here in Surf City. The local mountains

got a couple of feet of snow off the previous storms, but the last

one was warmer, and they received mostly rain, not to mention some

road closures with some mudslides. We’ll take a few days of sunshine

to dry things out.

Speaking of sunshine, the crew from Huntington Surf and Sport had

its second Ultimate Gift trip to Tavarua, Fiji last month. The

day-and-a-half journey, with owner Aaron Pai leading the way, scored

perfect mid-80s air temps, sunny skies, no rain, water temps in the

upper 70s and some outrageous surf. Thirty-seven were in the crew --

surfers, team riders and parents -- some there last year and some for

the first time, but all ready to have the time of their life.

Team manager Scott Waring helped organize the trip that featured

his son, H.B. High and National Scholastic Surfing Assn. star Chris

Waring score some killer four- to eight-foot plus waves at Cloud

Break toward the middle of the trip.

Other H.B. rippers included Kyle Kennelly, “Domo” Dominic Defeo,

Logan Strook and Brad Ettinger, all tearing it up. Newport Beach’s

Doheny clan, Brian, Andrew and Matt, were shredding too. Getting some

killer waves too were Carl and Eddie Elles, Trevor and Taylor Pai and

hot women’s team rider Courtney Conlogue.

On the smaller days, they did some snorkeling over the reefs,

scored some incredible fishing and also had some pool tournaments. I

heard Logan caught the biggest fish, a 20-plus-pound Trevale that fed

the camp one night. Big yellowtail and even a few reef sharks were

seen in the lineup on a couple of days. And they did see a giant sea

turtle come up to the beach to lay its eggs, something straight outta

National Geographic.

When the waves were big, they even did a few tow-ins at Wilks

Right. Fifteen surfed regularly, and that kept the crowd minimal, as

the Fijians boated them out to the breaks.

So another year, a killer trip, everyone stoked -- what a way to

spend the New Year’s! For good karma they even turned the Fijians on

to a couple of surfboards that are probably getting barreled as you

read this.

That’s it, see ya. Rockin Fig over and out.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a nine-time West Coast champion, has announced

the U.S. Open of Surfing the last 11 years and has been the KROQ-FM

surfologist for the last 18 years, doing morning surf reports. He

owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.