WSSM Rails & Tales: WSSM Hawaii Women's Surf Retreat

S/S 14 $9.99 U.S. & CANADA

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RAILS & TALES . . . Hawaii

1st Annual WSSm

Hawaii Surf Reteat

Alex Beck showing her skills on a longboard in Waikiki vs. her usual shortboard

Photos by James Vybiral

Kristin Wetzel | New York

Kimberlee Schmahl from Chicago, surfing Waikiki

With open arms, we welcomed 8 surfer girls to our home island of Oahu, Hawaii, at our very first annual WSSM Hawaii Women’s Surf Retreat!

Guests were greeted at the airport with Hawaiian leis that perfumed the air. We started the week off with an evening surf session at Pops, where Kiersa and Kimberlee enjoyed surf lessons from Gone Surfing Hawaii and caught the first waves of their life. Cheered on by the rest of the girls, and ecstatic from the adrenalin surfing produces, they were ready to take on the rest of the week of fun in the sun!

Cindy Stokes from Virginia, brought happiness and joy everywhere she went.

Happy Birthday, Cindy... we loved celebrating with you!

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The week consisted of dawn patrolling under perfect double rainbows, chowing down beween sessions on tasy cuisine that our chef, Brian Laneve, prepared for us, and relaxing in the luxurious ho tub and pool at the exquisite Kailua Ocean View house perched on the hill overlooking Kaneohe Bay. We recounted surf stories, and learned more about each oher, enjoying the camaraderie that our sport brings. Carolyn, our in-house yogi, led the girls in yoga whenever their tired muscles permitted. Phil, our masseuse, brought calming energy to everyone as we enjoyed

Surfing under double rainbows in Waikiki: (left to right) Carolyn Palma, Kelsey Strapple-Bru, Sandra Olson, Alex Beck, Amanda Schmitz, Kiersa Brenner, Kimberlee Schmahl, Kristin Wetzel. (Cindy Stokes, not pictured here, was out SUP’n... we missed you in this shot, Cindy!)

Kiersa Brenner from Chicago, at Pops

Kiersa’s first wave !!

Kerry McDonald, in love with Waikiki wSSm | womenssurfstyle.com | 31

RAILS & TALES . . . Hawaii massages each night after surfing.

We hiked to waterfalls, played in north shore shore-pound (we had fun, even when the surf was lat!) and took turns jumping off the 30foo rock at famous Waimea Bay. This was a real challenge to some of our ladies, whose children back home lashed before their eyes as they contemplated the risk they faced.

Cheered on and supported, they took that leap of faith and pushed through barriers they never thought they would!

Shelsea Brown and Cindy Stokes were interviewed for an episode of FlHi Girls TV by the famous Banzaii Bety. We climbed Diamond Head overlooking Honolulu and Waikki, and went souvenir shopping at the Aloha Stadium swap meet. We night surfed under a full moon in Waikiki, as well as enjoyed a sunset sail and surf with Hawaiian Surf Adventures!

We even go to stop by the Honey Girl Waterwear warehouse, where we each picked out a new bikini. HG is famous in Hawaii for swimwear that is super cute- yet STAYS ON in the surf. It was fun seeing each of the girls personalities come to life through the patterns, prints and syles they chose.

James Vybiral, from the U.K. was there to capure our best (and worst) moments. We thank him for all the swimming and long hours he spent in the sun, capuring our memories and good times forever. We thank Daniel Kawasaki, who tirelessly sho video of us all week, including the 10’+ shark that decided to cruise through the lineup. Thank you, guys!

Amanda Schmitz surfs past Sarah Dean at a “secret spot” The gang showing surf stoke after a great session and safety from the shark that cruised through the lineup just moments before

Thank you, Sticky Bumps, for sponsoring our retreat ladies with Day Glo wax and leashes... The girls loved them! (stickybumps.com)

It was a week of laughter, sunshine, and rainbow drenched surf sessions... and we can’t wait to do it all again this winter... on Oahu’s North Shore!

BOOK Kailua Ocean View Estate for your next event at www.kailuaoceanview.com BOOK a surf & sail excursion with Hawaiian Surf Adventures www.hawaiiansurfadventures.com

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Carolyn Palma from Seattle, surfing Oahu’s south shore

Kerry McDonald gets a once-in-alifetime shot at Diamond Head

1st Annual WSSm

Hawaii Surf Reteat Photos by James Vybiral

Cindy Stokes gets her yoga on with WSSM videographer, Daniel Kawasaki

Kelsey Strapple-Bru, looking for a barrel Kristin Wetzel makes surfing overhead waves look easy!

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RAILS & TALES . . . Hawaii

Cindy Stokes makes her 1st jump with Shelsea Brown, who shows her local knowledge at the Waimea Rock

Shelsea and Cindy being interviewed by Banzaii Betty of FlHi Girls TV

1st Annual WSSm

Hawaii Surf Reteat Photos by James Vybiral

Move over Rockette’s... the WSSM Surfette’s are here!

Godzilla!

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Kerry McDonald at Chinamans hat on Oahu’s east side

Kimberlee celebrates her 1st jump off the 30ft rock at Waimea

The famous Haleiwa sign, featuring a surfer girl in a barrel

The WSSM crew at Waimea Bay on Oahu’s North Shore... AFTER our shopping trip to Honey Girl Waterwear, obviously :) Left to right: Kelsey, Carolyn, Kimberlee, Amanda, Shelsea, Sandra, Kiersa, Alex, Kristin, Cindy. Guys row/left to right: James (videographer), Brian (Sous chef), Dan (WSSM publisher), John (Our awesome driver & brother to Dan) James Bond girls...

Hawaii style

Kiersa Brenner and Kristin Wetzel at Chinamans Hat

Big love for our personal sous chef, Brian Laneve!

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My WSSM Hawaii Surf Retreat

By Kiersa Brenner To feel inspiration, anxiety, and excitement with the idea of trying something new is the sign of bravery. I needed something to push me off the ledge into new and exciting things. I love the water. I need to live by it and be engulfed in it’s beauty. Being a sailor in the Great Lakes there is no wonder why I naturally gravitate to surfing. I had yet to have the opportunity to learn how to surf until the opportunity with WSSM retreat presented itself.

The golden setting sun warmed my skin, the breeze was mild, carrying the smell of plumerias, and the warm water hugged me as I laid on my board. That was the start of my first lesson surfing. It was time to paddle out to the line up where my group was catching waves. My arms burned and I needed frequent breaks to get out to the line up. Okay, I confess...I didn’t paddle the whole time my first time surfing!

My teacher, Trevor, aka, Kevin, pulled my board out to the line up at Pops break. That was so I could conserve my energy for about 2 hours of nonstop wave catching.

My first wave was coming and I was told to paddle my little heart out. The loud sound of the waved whooshed up behind me. I felt the wave lift my board as I popped up to an instant stand up pose on my board. I realize in that moment of joy, and pure excitement, I was finally surfing! I could feel the balancing I needed to adjust as the wave pushed my board and me into shore. I rode my first wave an easy 50 yards in Waikiki Beach. It was the most amazing feeling ever, like flying on water. I knew I was hooked and I wanted more. I can’t imagine not having surfing be a part of my life now.

Kiersa, enjoying ANOTHER double rainbow session in Waikiki Sandra, Cindy and Kiersa at Waimea Bay

In addition to my amazing week of surfing, I had the opportunity to make some friends for life on the retreat. It was amazing to have the support of all the women while I learned to surf. Even though we all came from different experience levels of surfing it didn’t get in the way of the encouragement we gave one another. I will now meet them across bodies of water to surf with them again and again. Aside from surfing, one of my other favorite bonding moments was jumping off the 30ft cliff at Waimea in the company of legend Betty Bonsai. That was me being literal by pushing ‘myself’ off the cliff!

My take away from that was you can’t think too much when you are standing on top of the rock. You have to embrace the fear and just jump like any challenge in life. It was a blast and it rounded out the whole experience.

Overall, this experience has transformed me in so many positive ways. It has given me the courage to break out of my comfort zones and challenge myself when I’m faced with little or massive waves in life. I choose to ride the waves of life. There is no purpose in fighting against a wave, because you will not win! I now have the inspiration I was looking for to renew my passion to write my book for encouragement for women. We are all on this journey together and we all are a beginner at something. I found this reinforcement in the amazing women I met while on this retreat. This is only the first of the WSSM retreats I will be attending, as I’m already planning for 2014!

Mahalo Sandra and Dan-O!!  - Kiersa

Beautiful Kaneohe Bay. The WSSM house (Kailua Ocean View) is right there on the water. AWESOME house, awesome view!

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Alex styling in the shore pound at Waimea Bay

1st Annual WSSm

Hawaii Surf Reteat Photos by James Vybiral

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RAILS & TALES . . . Hawaii

Sunset sail and surf with Hawaiian Surf Adventures in Koko Marina... FUN!!

Yoga with Carolyn, overlooking Kaneohe Bay at the Kailua Ocean View Estate

Kristin Wetzel enjoys the morning view from the WSSM house... the luxurious Kailua Ocean View Estate on Oahu’s east side Kailua Ocean View Estate

This 5-bedroom estate was so nice to come home to after a good surf session

Dan, walking on water

Kelsey’s night with Kevin

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Thank you, Sticky Bumps and Oofos, for giving all the girls Day GLO wax, leashes and slippers!

The crew helps Sandra extract Vana from Kristin’s foot. With Brian’s chef knife, Kelsey’s flashlight, and Alex’s hand to hold...Kristin’s in good hands!

WSSM photoshoot with Carolyn and Kerry. Sandra & Dan discuss the scene while Daniel checks the angles