Megan Abubo’s Journal

Sometimes one door closes and another one opens in this life. I spent a week at the chaotic Us Open of surfing and quickly caught a plane back home. During my stay in California a big door in my life unexpectedly shut on me and I thought at the time it was the end of the world. Lucky for me as soon as I stepped off the plane from California, the small smell of plumeria, and sense of security overwhelmed my mind and body.

My first night home I got a phone call from Crystal Thornburg and her boyfriend Dave Homcy. They wanted to know if I wanted to go on an outer island adventure in Aunty Rell Sunns canoe. What an honor I thought to myself and couldn’t think of a better door to open in front of me than the one of my hero, my idol, the Queen of Makaha and the woman who inspired me more than anyone to become a pro surfer.

Crystal and Dave are a happy little couple in my little hometown of Sunset and always have smiles on their faces, boards or swim fins in their hands, and grow a mean garden in their backyard. They eat their own food, drive a biodiesel car, and both have amazing talents in and out of the water. They are role model citizens in my book. Dave is a cinematographer and has been involved with some of my favorite films in surfing such as shelter and sliding Liberia. He has an exceptional eye for his subject and knows how to touch the heart of the viewer and you can really relate and want to go for a surf after you watch his film skills. Crystal Thornburg is a born n bred local girl whom lives the ultimate water lifestyle. She is an accomplished canoe paddler, longboarder, and swimmer. Crystal has a classic longboard style and I am always pleased to watch her surf. She rides for Patagonia and gets to go on cool expeditions and adventures with Dave and her sponsor. I thought she was very courageous going to Liberia with that film crew and hats were off to her. I love her passion for the ocean and for her history of Hawaii and her sense of being a true water woman. She really wants to keep the spirit of Rell alive and I was super honored to be a part of the trip

Before I went on the trip I stopped at one of my besties houses, Jen Homcy which is daves sisters house and the adventure traveler she is loaded me up with the best camping gear a girl could ask for. I had a one man tent, air mattress, junior park ranger coffee mug, waterproof bags, and of course mosquito netting up the butt. I am not a camper. I have not camped in the last 10 years and jen knew this. So she hooked a sister up with some good gear and I felt confident that I wouldn’t get wet, have a sore back, and not get bit by mozzies. It was on, I was going adventuring with a few people whom I didn’t know super super well and were very talented any many aspects of the wonderful ocean I spent every day of my life in.

I checked in 2 waterproof backpacks and some swim fins. This was different for me. No board charges and no duffle bag. I packed very minimally for me and I was curious to see if I would be able to handle wearing the same thing over and over. I kind of have this thing about wearing ultra clean clothes. I was up for the challenge. Ready for an adventure. We landed outer island of Oahu and met one of our guides, uncle Glenn. An amazing Hawaiian man with so many stories to tell. He grew up in Waianae with auntie Rell and he has some stuff to say about her. It was awesome when I first landed to hear all these stories about her. He had a huge mango tree at his house and we picked tons of mangoes for our journey in the canoe. We stopped at the local market and loaded up on some food, then stopped at a friend’s house to grab our veggies. This was awesome to me. We got organic, local veggies and fruit. No hormones, no pesticides and grown from loving hands. Oh how my body was longing for this. And my soul.

We drove to the end of the island; I switched my phone off and was ready to be in the moment. The very moment I was living. No facebook, no skype, no news, no texting, I will be in the moment for a week and this was my vacation. I owed this to myself. I will embark on a journey I have never before been a part of and be with people who are out of my comfort zone.