BROKEN BOARDS, CHAPTER 5
BROKEN BOARDS, CHAPTER 5
A Jake Jansen Mystery
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CHAPTER FIVE - PIPE MASTERS
4:00 AM came early.
This time, Jake had slept through the night. He slept heavily after the emotional rollercoaster from the day before. A good day on the waves, making up time with an old friend, followed by an emotional evening with his father, had been exhausting in every way possible. But in many ways, it had been very necessary.
Today, there was no need for gathering gear or boards. He was out the door at five minutes past, greeted by the familiar call of the roosters in the neighborhood, and was in the Blazer, headed for Rabbit’s place. Traffic was light at this hour. The areas around Honolulu didn’t start to wake up until sunrise. This side of the island regularly saw most of its traffic due to the city, tourism, and the joint Air Force-Naval Base, Pearl-Hickam. But during this part of the year, with Pipe Masters, the island would wake up earlier than usual, and surf fans would make the early morning trek to the North Shore. Narrow roads and minimal parking made for an adventure unto itself. If a person wasn’t careful, they could end up parking miles away from the event.
The drive to the Wilhelmina Rise neighborhood went quickly. Jake had queued up his app to the Bluetooth and was listening to the early morning surf forecasts. Soon, Dawn Patrol would be on, and the guys would switch over and listen to the discussion centered around today’s surf heats. The Blazer rolled into the driveway, and the headlights found a very tired Robert Rothman sitting on the porch. He walked across the yard, opened the door, and climbed into the rig.
“Howzit, brah,” questioned Rabbit through a yawn.
“Slept like a dead baby rock, man,” Jake replied, looking over his shoulder as he backed out of the driveway. The Blazer slowed through the neighborhood as they headed toward the freeway that would lead them out to the North Shore.
“I’m stoked, brah, but man, so tired. Probably just too excited.”
Rabbit glanced at Jake. He seemed calm, almost at peace. Something seemed odd. Jake felt Rabbit staring at him and glanced in his direction.
“You all right, man?” he questioned.
“Went out for burgers last night with Dad,” Jake replied, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Say what? No way. Really?”
“Yeah, seriously. He wanted to apologize and clear the air. Talk about why things have been the way they are.”
“That’s crazy. I can tell you’re not puttin’, but wow, brah. I mean, that’s good, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so. I mean, I get it. I understand it’s hard for him too. Weird that he picked now as a time. Maybe cause it’s getting close to the holidays. I don’t know. Just weird,” Jake said as his voice trailed off.
There was silence for a moment. Jake tuned in momentarily to the surf discussion, but they were playing a recording of the previous event as it was too early for Dawn Patrol. They cut through the island, listening to the replay, and started the ascent up and over Likelike Highway. A light rain started to come down, and Jake smiled. As the island came to life, traffic started to pick up as they got farther away from Honolulu. There was a faint island breeze at this hour. The island even seemed to have a special energy this morning.
“Bro, if I timed this right, we should be able to hit the bakery when it opens and snag a couple dozen.”
“Hell yeah, brah. Perfect. Get in, get out and get up Kam, and get parked. The weather’s gonna be perfect today. Swell is supposed to pick up and be lit. They’re talking 12-16 feet! So stoked, brah!”
Jake carefully maneuvered the curves of the hilly descent. This road could make anyone feel uneasy, even on a good day. The rain died down once they got to the base of the mountain, near Kane’ohe, as they turned left onto Kam Highway toward the North Shore. Jake was cautious during the early morning hours when driving out through this part of the island. Though he knew her twists and turns, the darkness combined with some early morning rain, plus tourists who don’t know the road, could easily lead to a wreck or even fatal accident.
They passed all the familiar landmarks, passing up through the Kualoa region, which had become famous for its appearance in many movies. The area was lush, mountainous, and looked very exotic. If one didn’t know, it was easy to think you were in a remote, foreign jungle full of dangerous monsters. These days, it was a stop for tourists, taking trips on quadrunner ATVs, zipline tours, or just a quick bite to eat while traveling between Honolulu and the North Shore. Due to conditions and a gradual increase in traffic, the drive was longer than usual this morning. Jake had planned it almost perfectly, pulling into the bakery parking lot just a few minutes before opening.
“I almost forgot they open early during Pipe Masters. Looks like others might have the same idea,” he noted, watching some cars file in behind the Blazer and navigate to parking spaces. This had been a regular spot for the guys throughout high school. As soon as Jake was old enough to drive, this was the regular Saturday spot before, and sometimes after, hitting the waves. They climbed out of the rig and got to the door just as it was being unlocked. Jake and Rabbit were greeted with the universally pleasant island greeting of aloha. They took a couple of minutes to pick out their donuts. Rabbit, being a man of his word, paid, though making a rather dramatic scene as Jake just laughed at his antics. The young man behind the counter filled their order, boxed it, and handed it to them with plenty of gentle care, plus extra napkins.
“Mahalo,” all replied, as they all said their goodbyes as Jake and Rabbit left the bakery.
“Let’s go find some parking, brah. And eat. I’m starved.”
“Go ahead and eat, man. Just remember, if you make a mess, you also get to clean the whole rig, inside and out,” Jake laughed.
They climbed in the Blazer as Jake started her up. Rabbit took Jake’s advice and started eating and being very careful not to make a mess. It was a slow, 20-minute drive to go a little over a mile. But there was still good parking to be found. Jake knew his way around well enough, always going to the same place, avoiding paying to park, and putting himself in place for the quickest getaway possible. It was still slow, but he had his tricks and shortcuts, as least as best could be utilized in the current situation.
By the time Jake parked, the traffic had become a steady flow. The congestion had picked up, with almost bumper-to-bumper traffic going in both directions. They grabbed their donuts and drinks, moved to the back of the Blazer, then put down the tailgate to sit at their familiar meal spot. There was a steady flow of cars, trucks, SUVs - some with boards and some without, cyclists, and even people on foot. It was easy to separate locals from tourists based on everything from their body language, how they dressed, and the things they carried with them. People-watching had become a favorite pastime for the two friends.
The sun started breaking over the mountain range that partitioned the island as they continued eating. The clouds were beginning to give way to a bright blue sky. The smell of rain was fading and replaced by the scent of saltwater floating on the ocean breeze. There was energy in the atmosphere, the traffic, and the buzz of the surf fans. You could even sense something coming from the water, given the faint roar of the ocean in the distance.
“Buzzy Jansen and the unmistakable orange beast,” came a call in the distance.
Jake knew the voice and glanced up to see Liz, from the coffee shop, with a friend approaching. Jake’s eyes widened. Even though they had long been acquainted, this was the first time he’d seen Liz outside her work uniform. She had on a fleece hoody with denim shorts, and her lean, tan legs ended in a pair of tennis shoes. Her long blonde hair overflowed the hoody. Across her shoulder was a backpack.
“Mornin’, Liz,” Jake said with a smile. “Surprised to see you here.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not surprised to see you. But I am surprised you didn’t make your usual stop off at the coffee shop. Let me guess, you knew I wasn’t working,” she joked.
“Yes, that is exactly why I did not go,” Jake said, laughing out loud. Rabbit cleared his throat. Jake glanced over and smiled at Rabbit who was waiting impatiently to be introduced to Liz’s friend. Liz waved at Rabbit, and he smiled before turning his attention back to the other girl.
“Robert Rothman. Everyone calls me Rabbit. And you are?” Rabbit asked politely.
“Leilani. Leilani Garcia. You can call me ‘L’,” she said with a smile. Leilani was of average height, but her dark brown skin gave her a very exotic beauty, with long black hair pulled into a ponytail. She had sunglasses on top of her head, a white zip-up sweater covering her visible bikini top, denim shorts, and flip-flops.
“You coming to watch Pipe?” Jake asked.
“Of course. Since she surfs, she’s a bigger fan than I am, but this is my first event,” Liz said. “So, I let her drag me away from the house. I knew you’d be here but didn’t expect to run into you so soon. But you’re easy to find driving this monstrosity.”
“Hey, now!” Jake said with a laugh as he hopped off the tailgate. “And here, I was going to offer you a place to sit,” he joked as he motioned for them to take his place.
“I’m really excited about the event. The three-person race is going to make for such an epic finish. Can’t wait,” Leilani said, bouncing with energy.
“Who you takin’?” Rabbit asked. “I’m leaning toward JJ.”
Liz had slipped off her backpack and taken a seat on the tailgate. Jake caught himself staring at Liz before taking a drink of some milk and washing down a donut. Liz noticed, cracked a smile, but pretended to be unaware. She knew that she’d finally been successful in getting Jake’s attention.
“I’m definitely taking JJ!” Leilani replied. “You have to! He’s the local. He’s such a nice guy too! His brothers are as well. Such a great group of guys! Totally!”
“You know them?” Rabbit asked.
“Talked to them here and there. My older brother knows them more than I do. He went to school with them.”
“Dat’s cool, yeah. Only said hey in passing a few times on the beach. Seen them out in the water a couple of times. Don’t see them much over on Maui. Though I hear his brother rips at Jaws.”
Leilani had moved over to stay in her conversation with Rabbit as Liz focused her attention on Jake. Jake glanced down and picked up the box of donuts, offering one to Liz.
“Donut? From the bakery.” Liz smiled, looking selectively through the box.
“Chocolate sprinkles, huh? Doesn’t seem like your type,” she said, picking up the donut.
“Uh, that’s Rabbit’s.”
“Not anymore,” Liz replied, taking a bite out of the donut. She reached over, took the milk carton from Jake’s hand, and took a drink.
“Help yourself,” Jake said with a laugh. He glanced over to see Rabbit and Leilani in an active and animated conversation about the surfers and the details of the upcoming competition. Rabbit seemed impressed with her knowledge, attention to detail, and passion for the sport.
“Are you guys staying all day?” Liz asked.
“Probably. At least, that’s the plan. It depends on what’s happening in the early rounds today. Going to try to catch up with my Dad tonight.”
“Really? You don’t say?”
“We’re working on repairing some things after a conversation last night. We’ll see how it goes.”
“That’s nice. I mean, it’s a start,” Liz replied with a smile.
There was a bit of silence for a moment. Liz continued to work on the makeshift breakfast that Jake had provided. Rabbit and Leilani were deep in conversation. Jake pulled out his phone, took a glance at the time, and then clapped his hands.
“Probably a good time to go find a good vantage spot. Uh, you’re more than welcome to join us if you like. By the look of things, I don’t think Rabbit will mind. I’ve got blankets and some chairs, some extra snacks. Would be nice to have the company.”
“Would love to!” Liz said without trying to hide her enthusiasm.
Jake stood up, cleaned up the boxes of donuts, finished off the carton of milk, and put them in the backseat. He grabbed a blanket and stuffed it in the spare bag from the back. He grabbed the two lawn chairs and then closed up the back tailgate. The group cut through the traffic on Kam Highway, then walked toward the beach. Jake and Rabbit had been to many events over the years, but something felt different this time around. Maybe it was the tight three-person race or the bigger than expected waves. Typically, there were only two people at the top of the standings with a chance to win. But this year, three surfers were within just a few points of each other. The excitement from the fans was palpable, as was the nervous tension between the surfers.
The beach had already started to get crowded. The main event stand had been set up for a few days. Security crews for event staff, judges, and surfers had begun to take their places at their necessary points – around all the popular spots, including the water’s edge for when the surfers came out of the water after a heat. The judges’ stand had been strategically placed to give them the best view of the waves, over the crowd, ensuring that nothing obstructed their view. The staff was finishing off the preparation tent. This gave the competitors a place to store boards, get ready, stretch, and warm up, plus get final instruction from their coaches. The area had started to fill up with souvenir stands, food stands, and even first aid stands – for surfers and fans alike. The lifeguard tower was manned by six of the best watermen that the Hawai’ian Lifeguard Association could provide. Out on the waves, water rescue crews and jet ski drivers had started to take their positions.
The numerous sponsored beach houses had started to come to life. Music was beginning to come from some of the houses, as the main event stand’s sound system was powered up and came to life, as the announcers prepared for their Dawn Patrol live simulcast for both the local fans and those listening around the world.
Flags from around the globe were present on the beach – Australia, Brazil, Fiji, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, and the States. There were even a handful of state flags representing the handful of states that provided American surfers – California, Florida, Hawai’i, and Texas. Though, Hawai’i was regularly treated as a standalone entity.
Some fans had started to gather at specific vantage points, holding posters, flags, hats, and even surfboards, hoping to get autographs from some of the pros. Kids stood around hoping to get that one special signature, or maybe a picture, as the moment of a lifetime.
Jake motioned for the others to follow him as he made his way over in front of the large board that displayed all the matchups. They stood there for a few moments, reading over the names and pointing at specific heat matchups before continuing along the beach to their vantage point. The group moved up to the bluff, positioning themselves near the judges’ stand in an area that surprisingly hadn’t been occupied yet. It was arguably the perfect spot. Jake set down the chairs, offering them to the girls, as he and Rabbit placed the blanket on the sand and settled in. The unobstructed view had a clear shot of the waves and offered no room for anyone in front of them due to the drop-off from the bluff. There was no way someone could position themselves between the group and the view of Hawai’i’s most famous surf break, the Banzai Pipeline.
The translucent, bright blue water was producing glass-like tubes. It looked to be a perfect day. As the group continued their conversation, the event organizer’s booth came to life and started announcing matchups as it grew closer to the event start time. There was a roar of applause, and cheers from the crowd as the first group of surfers came out of the prep tent and headed for the water.
“Totally stoked, brah! Stoked!” Rabbit said with unbridled enthusiasm as he high-fived Jake. Liz looked at Leilani and chuckled at their behavior as Jake started clapping and let out a loud whistle. Jake eyed the massive crowd of people. People of all ages, from all over the globe, had come to watch the best 44 surfers in the world. Jake thought to himself that he only wanted to see some great surfing and didn’t care who won. He just wanted to enjoy his time with Rabbit and his new friends and make the best of a great day.
This is what the people had come to see.
Across the next few hours, the waves got bigger, the scores got higher, and the crowd got more excited. The championship race was starting to take shape. The group was having a great time. As the afternoon began to wind down, Jake glanced at his phone. He decided there’d be plenty more surfing to enjoy throughout the rest of the week. He was going to take the chance to spend some time with his Dad.
“Rabbit, you wanna roll? I’m gonna try to beat traffic and catch up with Dad. I think it’s a good idea.”
“Ah, sure, course, brah. It’ll give me a chance to hit the surf shop too. Thinking about buying a new board! Drop me off, brah?”
“Of course, man.”
Liz took Jake’s phone, opened his contacts, and entered her information.
“For tomorrow,” she said with a smile. Jake smiled, putting the phone in his pocket.
“You guys can hang on to the chairs and blankets. We can use them tomorrow. Let’s meet back here, same spot.”
The guys stood up as they said their goodbyes before heading off to the Blazer. It was going to be a longer-than-normal drive through the chaos toward Honolulu.