Hawaii part two

Volcom Pipehouse during the Volcom Pipeline Pro.

Got alot of chances to watch surfing while camping on the North Shore. Huge swells. Saw big wave surfing at Waimea Bay ( 30 to 40 foot waves) all the way to surf competitions on the Pipe and Sunset Beach. Alot of fun and a place I would love to spend all my winters! Anyone need a photographer?!

Waimea Bay


Rob Machado

Sunny Garcia

Da Pipeline. Car outside the Volcom house.

Pipeline looking toward Off The Wall

Jack Johnson and family...


Jamie O'Brien at the Volcom Pipeline Pro

Hawaii part one.

Besides the wonderful friends I have in Hawaii...there are so many unreal and beautiful places to go while there...and I am not talking Waikiki beach. I am no expert just a guy lucky enough to have gone there a few times. I have only been to Oahu and The Big Island, but have gotten to go multiple times. I will show you some photos..mainly from my last trip..of some of the things that were super fun to do there. The first week we rented a house on Lanikai Beach which was amazing. Lanikai and Kailua is a very cool area. Way more low key then Honolulu and Waikiki. Good places to eat and hang out and nice beautiful beaches. If renting a house on Oahu for vacation I would look in this area or North Shore.






The second week me and two friends camped at a campground on Oahu's famous North Shore.
We just happened to be there during some of the biggest swells the North Shore had ever seen. 30 to 40 foot waves. It was amazing. Here is photos from out campsite.





Both places were wonderful base camps to go out and explore the island. the camp ground was called Malaekahana and was located just outside of the old sugar town of Kahuku. It is about 15 minutes or so from Pipeline and Sunset beach. They have many different camping options from tent site to grass shacks to yurts. All of it located directly on the beach. Not a bad deal! I would highly recommend checking this place out to stay. Saves you alot of money. They have hot showers, toilets and the gate locks every night and opens the next morning. Not to mention you have a beach all to yourself 3 steps from your grass shack!

Also on the North Shore near Sunset Beach check out Ted Bakery(www.tedsbakery.com)...a must stop for a great breakfast sandwich....and who knows who you will run into!

Terry O'Quinn who plays John Locke on LOST.


One of the coolest things we did was a hike to Maunawili falls. I did not bring the camera on the hike as we did not bring anything you did not want to get wet. Thank you Brian for taking us there! Here are some pics and info here.
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/html/hiking/maunawili_trail.html


Another beautiful place...and one of my favorite beaches on Oahu is the beach infront of what is commonly known as Magnum PIs house..the actual house and beach from the TV series. Its a little off the beaten path beach so not alot of people and its BEAUTIFUL and calm. good for small children. Thats my buddy Mark in all the photos...

Now Waikiki is great. Lots of good places to eat..places to go out. But its just a big city...and you can go to a big city back home. I will say sunset there is beautiful..and the city lights with diamond head in the background are pretty neat!


Pearl Harbor. USS Arizona Memorial. I have been there 3 times now...and every time is just as moving as the last. Its amazing. I recommend anyone who is there to go. Get there early..beat the lines. Do the audio tour. Its worth it. Its amazing how as you board the boat to go to the memorial..and as you walk into the memorial..everyone is quiet. Its emotional.

I also have to give a shout out to 12th Ave Grill where my friend Jacci works. The food is stellar. Service is great. Just a all around cool place. I recommend it highly if you go to Honolulu.
http://www.12thavegrill.com/

Thats all for now. I will do another one of these as well coming up. Stay tuned!

Bad things happening to good people.

I am not a fan of bad things happening to good people...no one is. We
have a family friend named Kathy "Pete" Meshak. I got to know her
through my Aunt Patty. They are lifelong friends. I met her for the first time really at the benefit for her husband a few years ago. He passed away shortly after from Cancer. Soon after she found a house that she liked just down the street from my Aunt's. I helped her get the house...and it was perfect for my Aunt and Pete. They could keep a eye on each other!:) She also became a fixture at our family gatherings..specially my birthday dinner at silver coach. Always a smile and always kind. That is who she was. Recently she had a accident. She fell down a flight of stairs and hit her head. She is very badly injured.

I guess I write this because it makes me so angry that this would happen to someone like her. It is not fair. She is the kindest soul. Only time will tell how things will work out. I just hope that everyone has someone like Pete in their life at some point. And if you do..do not ever take them for granted...ever.




Photo from my birthday dinner at silver coach. :)

WEEZER!

Went and saw Weezer last night in Milwaukee. Amazing show as always. Every time I see them the show changes. Its great. And its awesome to know rock and roll is still alive! Here are some of my photos. Could not bring the big camera in so used the point and shoot.

Feed The Fish

At the end of last February I had the opportunity to head up to Door County and do still photos on a movie set for a few days. The film is called Feed The Fish and is written and directed by Michael Matzdorff. I read the script and its awesome.

Please check out the website for the film Feed The Fish at http://www.feedthefishmovie.com/.

By the time I got there...the cast and crew had been together for a few weeks, freezing there asses off in Door County in the middle of winter. They let me slide right in and showed me how everything worked and where to go to not get in the way! Everyone was so nice and welcoming to me. It was one of the best experiences I have had. I also met alot of great people that I have become friends with including the primary still photographer Richard Steinberger (http://www.richardsteinbergerphotography.com/) who helped me not get yelled at and i have been able to lean on for photography questions..and sometimes a beer or two! We finally get to see the movie on November 21st up in Door County and I can not wait. Thank you to all the cast and crew for a fun time and for the chance to have this experience. I could go on for awhile with sotries and things...but I take pictures not write! Now onto the photos!

All photos can be found at
http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/Helbach/Feed%20the%20fish/
and
http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/Helbach/Feed%20The%20Fish%202/

And of course check out www.feedthefishmovie.com.