Oahu
NEW Beautifully Painted Rainbow Van
Aloha All!
As I know we all loved the Rainbow Watersports brightly painted van, but it’s time had come for the old, clankity girl to rest. We were sad to see it go with the VERY cool Map that showed where all of our paddlers came from!!
We have revamped a NEW and IMPROVED Van to show off our BEAUTIFULLY painted Rainbow to the World! Well, to everyone passing through Haleiwa Town. Since we are located right in front of Jameson’s Restaurant in the Haleiwa Bay, everyone can come see our Rainbow Van and see the new special features on it. We have painted some of our own paddleboard instructors on the sides, with a HUGE sun on the very front and a special surprise on the back… Dolphins and Turtles:)
Come to Haleiwa Bay and check out our new Van and take a Paddleboard lesson with the finest instuctors on the Island of Oahu! We all love teaching this new skill and confidence on the water… and in the Anahulu River. Safety is first, and then FUN FUN FUN!! Come Play With Us!!
Thank you,
Mariah!!
Paddling with Dolphins!
Dolphins are frequent where we paddle during the months of July and August on the North Shore of Oahu.
Yesterday the ocean was like glass and as we dropped off the van at the bay, we could see spinner dolphins leaping out of the water and splashing all around. I, my mother in law, and three of my children quickly hopped on some boards and paddled over. It was AWESOME!!! Dolphins remind us humans to have fun 🙂
Of course, they’re wild and we cannot guarantee spottings, but if you want to have the BEST chance of seeing dolphins and being right up close to them, take the Coastal Eco-Adventure, especially during the months of July and August. Each morning they migrate from the west coast to Waimea Bay. We see them quite often this time of year because we paddle the same course they swim each morning.
You can check out the video here on our website at the Home Page!
Love,
Heidi
Paddling with Dolphins!
Get Some North Shore Style Stand Up Paddle Hats!
Our New Hats our flying out of our Rainbow Van on to people’s heads faster than you can say “SUP?!” Our favorite rainbow-colored logo’d hats are now accompanied by our new hat with the design by our friends at North Shore Embroidery (http://www.northshoreembroidery.com/)! We now have lots of hats for Mom, Dad, the kids, and all our paddling friends! Not only are they designed differently, but the shape of these hats are more stylish than you have ever seen. Want to see your friends green with envy? Oh just kidding, want to share these wonderful hats with your friends?
Everybody should come to the Haleiwa Bay to check out these hats and see our stylish design while keeping the sun rays out of your eyes! Especially when you are Paddling out on the water;)
Expand Your Fun with Kayak Tours!!
A Ginormous Turtle popping up to say “HEELLLOOO”
Rainbow Water Sports has recently scored some brand-new kayaks perfect for the Haleiwa Bay lesson and coastal adventures! Our instructors will be happy to take you out on the beautiful Anahulu River to experience the same lush views of green and blue all while sitting instead of standing;) Come KAYAK with us and learn our tips and tricks of the day.
We have two single kayaks, and one double kayak ready to explore the North Shore with you! The single kayaks are a great option for dates or a bonding experience together while seeing ginormous turtles popping their heads in and out of the water to say hello! Also, because summertime is here (YAY!!) and family is wanting to visit, this is a perfect option for Uncle Bob or Aunty Ann with weaker knees to still join in on the family fun experience!
We take lots of photos in the 2 hour lesson so the memories will always stay fresh on your minds. Hawaii Kayaking and Stand Up Paddle boarding is an ideal vacationing, enchanting, and enjoyable activity. I mean it says it right in Rainbow Watersport’s motto “We are having too much fun!”
New Head Instructors: Tina and Mariah
Let’s welcome Tina and Mariah as the newest Stand-Up Paddleboard Instructors! They have been trained by Rainbow Watersports Instructor, Jodi, with emphasize on safety and family fun. Both have been stand-up paddling for years on the North Shore and absolutely love it, so they are super eager to share it with all of you this summer!!
Tina specializes in not only SUP instructing, but also speaking Japanese. She was born and raised on the North Shore and her dad is a pro photographer and her mom is a pro body boarder.. and when we say pro we mean #1 IN THE WORLD!!! Wow, no wonder Tina is so good at all the water sports including body board, SUP, short board, and long board, Tina does it all!
Mariah loves surfing and body boarding, and loves life even more! She moved to Hawaii 2 years ago to challenge her sport abilities and to meet as many wonderful people as possible. She started out as a swim instructor after competing in the top 10 girls in a State- wide competition for the event Butterfly. She has been coaching and instructing since and loves to share her knowledge. You won’t stop smiling when you have Mariah as an instructor on the Anahulu River
We are so happy to have these two wonderful girls join our team for Summer FUN at the Haleiwa Bay!!
Need a Quick Map of the North Shore of Oahu?
It’s easy to get to the North Shore of Oahu, and here’s a quick map of the North Shore. Just cruise up Route 99 through the pineapple fields and feel the fresh ocean air flood your car as you descend down to Haleiwa. Rainbow Watersports is easy to find located at the Haleiwa Beach Park. You’ll see the Rainbow van painted with a HUGE rainbow on the site. Enjoy your trip to the North Shore!
Best things to do on the North Shore of Oahu in the Summer!
The North Shore of Oahu in the summer is the best! The ocean is smooth and calm, the sun sets over the ocean in the evening, and the slow pace of Haleiwa with leave you happy and relaxed. There are a few things you’ll want to make sure you do when you visit the North Shore of Oahu.
Food: Definitely hit up Luibueno’s for some fresh Mexican seafood. Get the seared or blackened Ahi burrito and you’re stoked! Order a side of guacamole for all your chips and you’re in heaven. The are located right in the heart of Haleiwa town.
Play: The safest and most fun way to get out in the water is to come padding with Rainbow Watersports. Call 1-800-470-4964. All ages and abilities, year round. Come in the morning or evening to paddle along side the gentle and beautiful sea turtles.
Rest: Be sure to take some time to lounge on any of the beaches. A great beach for families is Alii Beach Park. It’s just around the corner from Rainbow Watersports.
You’re going to LOVE the North Shore in the Summer!
Stand Up Paddling Fin-less
It’s summertime, time to take the family on the road on the mainland! We have cruised through some beautiful countryside, and most significantly, been around the most important people in the world: Family. However, every day Nate and I are reminiscing of stand up paddling, something much more rare on this western desert land. As it is now race season, our muscles are aching to get back in the water!
Besides “mind-paddling”, we’ve had our tease of paddling, from happening upon a river stand up paddle school in the middle of Southern Colorado on the Colorado river, and a lone paddler stroking the waters of the Natoma river in Sacramento. But after weeks of not doing what we love to do, we just HAD to get on a board.
We were stoked to find out that the Aquatics center at the lake in Sacramento rented stand up paddle boards, so we went out to check them out. “Just pick one up from behind the building,” I was told by the lady behind the counter. Sounded easy enough, and my eager heart began dancing and I hummed to myself, “I’m going paaadling, I’m going paaadling!” The music in my head stopped suddenly when I pulled out the longest aluminum paddle (you know, the ones that make your hands black?) with a straight blades, measuring no more than 5 feet tall. “Okay, I thought. Wierd, but doable.” But then I found that all the “stand up paddle boards” they had available were windsurfing boards with no fins –no fins!! Where were the fins?
Fins make the board steady and stable and also cause the board to turn when needed, so I knew this must have been a mistake. I looked around the bay area, and there were no fins or boards with fins to be found, or even anyone there to help. In my overzealousness to get paddling, I decided to at least set the board in the water anyway, and off I went like a drunkard on a helter-skelter course toward our family on the shore.
Once I got to shore, Nate took one of the kids’ beach shovel and shoved it right through the hole for the wind sail, which at least made it better than no fin at all. Perhaps a good moral to the story is, “When life don’t give you a fin, make one.” We made the best of what we had and had a good time anyway. When I returned the poor excuse for a stand up paddle board later, I was told “that’s just the way (their) boards are: a few have fins but most don’t. Besides, they’re unsteady anyway”. Seriously. It was good to be out on the water again, but boy, I am all the more grateful for Rainbow Watersports’ commitment to high quality instruction, and proper equipment. And I’ll bet you are too.
The Rainbow Watersports Van: A North Shore Icon
This post is dedicated to The Rainbow Watersports’ Van — the center hub for stand up paddling fun. Why a post on The Rainbow Watersports’ Van? Because it has quickly become a beloved structure of the North Shore. Paddlers and non-paddlers alike love to pose near “the rainbow van”. It brings a smile to everyone’s face. (Sure, some may be laughing at the cancerous rust that is quickly eating away at it, but the smiles are still there!) We like to think it brings an element of North Shore beachy fun to the community.
Let me tell you a bit about The Rainbow Van:
Our faithful 1979 Dodge has been with us since the beginning of the school. It began its motor-life more than 30 years ago as a service vehicle for Hawaiian Electric Company, then transitioned to a transporter of clay. It has now settled into a semi-retirement as The Rainbow Van, and is finally living the life! Every day it relaxes at the beach, taking in the rays (and salt air) and enjoying the views. Sure, that salt air is quickly corroding its body, but somehow or other, THE VAN still chugs its way to and from the beach each day.
SUPSURF is proudly displayed on its license plate, and a playful stand up paddle scene enwraps the van, echoing Rainbow Watersports’ emphasis on FUN. Because really, stand up paddling is all about having a fun time, right? Local artist Jaime Swim painted the van, and since then she has been becoming well known in the North Shore community. You’ll find her artwork at the Waialua Bakery as well as local art galleries. Just like any big fan, the van would like to take credit for her growing fame.
Here’s Jamie back in the day, covering up THE VAN’s monster-green outside with a splash of color:
There have been many, many days when we thought that surely The Rainbow Van won’t last another week, but it continues to chug away. There have been even more days when we thought for sure the walls, which somehow remain though unattached to the top of the van, or, in some spots, the bottom, would burst outward, like a cartoon car! But somehow the doors continue to open and close, and the holes in the floor and roof continue to “self-clean” The Rainbow Van during a rainstorm. It must love its life!
And others love it too. When I have mentioned to paddlers that we will soon be retiring The Rainbow Van for good, their reaction is, “No! Keep it! It is so fun!” And so we’re keeping it…for now. Truth is, there is a replacement van for it that’s being doctored to hold the same character and display for Rainbow Watersports’ love for stand up paddling, but don’t tell The Rainbow Van that — it might fall apart before we’re ready!!
The Rainbow Van’s popularity amongst paddlers and non-paddlers alike have caused it to have its own Facebook page — (don’t worry I won’t let it get to its head.) Check it out and become a fan!!
Record-breaking Turtles in River
These gentle green sea turtles are currently on the endangered list. This is a good sign they are making a comeback!
