Dreamland (A Cabrinha Kitesurfing Film)
Features / Fri 4th May, 2018 @ 11:05 am
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WOAH! Is this the best wave riding film of the year so far? Check it out and decide for yourself as Moona Whyte and Keahi De Aboitiz take on massive waves on the North Shore of Hawaii. It’s not every day you get to see kitesurfers shredding at Pipeline! We’ve got the full movie, plus an interview with both riders and exclusive images right here.
Dreamland documents some of Oahu’s best winter swells. How did this year rate?
K: This winter started off a little weird with a lot of average swells and onshore winds, but it turned on in the middle with a few amazing days of waves. Oahu can be fickle, but when you get those magic days, its home to some of the best rights I’ve kited. Having a few swells in a row really allows you to get more comfortable out there and push it a little harder every session!
Moona, you’ve grown up on the north shore, so it seems like surfing and big waves are in your DNA, can you describe life as a north shore local?
M: Pretty much everyone on the north shore surfs or does some type of water sport, so it’s cool to always be surrounded by that energy and those people. Everyone’s daily life kind of revolves around what the ocean and weather is doing!
In the video it looks effortless and sometimes hard to see that actually the wind conditions can be incredibly testing, how hard is it to line things up there?
K: Haha, the wind is definitely one of the biggest challenges out there. Sure it can be nice and clean wind some sessions out there, but most days like the ones shot in the video where the waves are firing, it can be really up and down and a lot of work. You have to be comfortable when the wind gets and prepared to swim in any session out there. It’s not uncommon to see us body dragging through the lulls out there some days. One of the sessions in this video, the wind would actually come in puffs where it would blow for a couple of minutes, then die completely sometimes leaving you drifting in the lineup waiting for it to come back. You just had to time it with a set and to be honest we actually got some of the best footage from this day!
Moona, you are at the top of women’s kitesurfing, an area of the sport which more and more girls are getting into, do you have any advice to help girls improve their riding in the waves?
M: I would say to get out on the water as much as possible because the best way to improve is to get experience. You can even practice turns on flat water before going in the waves. Also, watch lots of videos of other girls kitesurfing and surfing, so you get an idea of what you want to aim for.
What are some important things that help when the waves go from playful to more serious? Is there any info to help avoid injury and scares?
M: Always know your limits. Don’t go out in waves you wouldn’t be comfortable surfing or swimming in because if you crash or something goes wrong, that’s exactly what you’re going to be doing!
Keahi, You surf pipe a lot also and seem to have established yourself in the pecking order after scoring some rides that almost won surfings prestigious ‘wave of the winter’, as a kiteboarder this seems almost unheard of, how close do you think surfing is to kitesurfing at the moment?
K: I think they can actually be a lot closer then most people think. With kites continuing to improve, it’s allowing us to handle more different wind conditions than before and focus more on just surfing the wave without the kite hindering you too much. Having that that additional speed from the kite allows you to come into a section with so much speed which is one of the things that attracts me so much. Its cool to see a lot of the surfers and lifeguards all pretty amped on kiting with more and more surfers wanting to pick it up each year.
You two are a dream couple; both hold the World Champion title. How is it riding together?
K: It’s always fun riding with Moona. Having grown up in Hawaii surfing all the time, she’s also really comfortable in bigger conditions so she can really hold her own out there. It’s amazing to have the same passion for waves and to be able to share sessions like this with her!
M: It’s really nice because Keahi is so experienced in all conditions, so I always feel a little safer when he’s out with me! It also helps my riding to be out with someone who’s always pushing the level.
What setups were you riding the most?
M: I’m riding a Drifter and 5’7 s-quad.
K: Kite wise, Drifters have been my go-to for the last few years now. They’re solid and forgiving and can really handle sketchy wind better than a lot of other kites I’ve tried. Boards wise, the S:Quad 5’9 is always my choice of weapon in bigger and more powerful surf. The more pulled in shape, combined with the extra length and quad setup really handles the speed well in these kinds of waves. It allows me to lean into turns with a lot of power without feeling like its going to slip out. In smaller, less powerful waves, I’ve always liked the spade as its much more manoeuvrable.
How was it working with Anders?
M: I love working with Anders. He’s so mellow and chill, so you always feel comfortable in front of the camera, and he’s always really stoked about the shots. And of course, the videos always come out cool.
His nickname is the sloth, is this because of how fast he moves or what?
M: He’s the sloth because he’s always content with whatever and he always has a chill relaxed vibe.
How hard is it to leave Oahu after the winter months?
M: It’s hard to leave any time of the year! If we score all the good swells, then it’s nice to travel to other places after, but when you see another swell coming that you’re gonna miss, that’s when you get the FOMO.
Check out Moona and Keahi’s set up:
Cabrinha Drifter
Fireball Control System
S:Quad
Spade
Dream Land was shot & edited by Anders Krüger
Photos: Anders Krüger
By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
