When I was 17 I went to summer school on Kauai run by some outfit in the US. It was called the Swope summer school and occupied a high school which was vacant for the summer. We had bunks in the classrooms. Basically the whole 300 kid student body flew over from the mainland and we spent six weeks in school. Well, what passed for school, I took my newport paipo board with me and spent most of my time at Hanalei Bay which was pretty close to the school. I recall some great rides out there but nothing like Poipu, man that was a sweet body boarding and body surfing spot and utterly beautiful compared to my hometown grinder at the Wedge which would routinely scare the hell out of me.

Oh yes, I got Fs in my summer school classes.

It was a magical time and I have not visited Kauai since.

I am really really looking forward to sailing there.