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Aloha From Hawaii: Five Cool Things
1/15/2020 12:02:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
As the Minnesota swimming program puts the finishing touches on their 2020 Hawaii training trip this week, several Gophers took the time to record their thoughts before departing the island. In this particular Hawaii update, five swimmers reveal one cool thing they did during their last few days in Honolulu.
Jordan McGinty – North Shore Adventure
"On Sunday, January 5th, we ventured over to the North Shore of the island for an excursion at Waimea Bay with the whole team. Each of the vans set off for their day of fun right away in the morning. It was our first off day and everyone was eager for a new adventure. We all stopped at Kono's, a restaurant on the way, for a team breakfast. While at the beach, we spent most of our time in the water. Most people attempted body surfing, but the waves made that difficult for some and a few of us ended up washed up on shore. Since the tide was relatively low, we were able to climb through a formation of rocks and walk along a path where we found an area with a breathtaking view of the bay."
Gavin Olson – Open Water Swimming
"Coming to Hawaii has been an amazing experience for me. Having never been to the islands before, everything was a first for me. One thing that we did was an open water swim practice. It was approximately 5,000 yards and was a really cool experience! We saw some great sea life, from fish to sea turtles! It was a great day with the team and an even better substitute for a practice."
Nick Saulnier – Riding the Waves
"One of my favorite things to do in Hawaii is definitely surfing. One of the nights, Eitan Yudashkin and I put on our swim trunks and headed to rent surf boards to surf Waikiki. The waves weren't that big that night, but the plan was to watch the sunset on a surfboard in Hawaii. Life doesn't get much better than that. As we paddled out, we still had about 40 minutes until sunset, so we caught the waves we could and enjoyed the Hawaiian roller coaster ride. One of the best feelings to me is getting up on a wave and looking over to see one of your best friends riding the same wave with you. Both the air and water feel warm as you ride towards the beach. It's a sight you don't ever forget: the tall buildings of Honolulu with tan sand and green trees at the base of your view. Look to your right and you'll see Diamond Head, an inactive volcano. Look back and you see the beautiful sun setting behind the vast ocean that doesn't seem to end. It's something I've done almost every year and each year, I'm still amazed that I get to be here and do this."
Patricia Van Law – Dual Meet Sweep
"I would say that my favorite memory of this week is the meet that we had. Though the sky was gray and it was raining on and off with gusts of wind, our team was full of energy – dancing, cheering and just having an absolute blast as we got the opportunity to race the University of Hawaii. I'm sure that part of the energy came from the excitement of knowing that we had the next day off to do whatever we wanted; but no matter where the energy came from, I just remember enjoying the time with the team and laughing with Abbey Kilgallon and dancing behind the blocks. I will cherish these memories."
Minnesota officially returns to the contiguous United States this week for a dual meet against USC in Los Angeles on Jan. 17. Thereafter, the Gophers will make their way back to Minneapolis at long last for the start of the spring semester.
Jordan McGinty – North Shore Adventure
"On Sunday, January 5th, we ventured over to the North Shore of the island for an excursion at Waimea Bay with the whole team. Each of the vans set off for their day of fun right away in the morning. It was our first off day and everyone was eager for a new adventure. We all stopped at Kono's, a restaurant on the way, for a team breakfast. While at the beach, we spent most of our time in the water. Most people attempted body surfing, but the waves made that difficult for some and a few of us ended up washed up on shore. Since the tide was relatively low, we were able to climb through a formation of rocks and walk along a path where we found an area with a breathtaking view of the bay."
Gavin Olson – Open Water Swimming
"Coming to Hawaii has been an amazing experience for me. Having never been to the islands before, everything was a first for me. One thing that we did was an open water swim practice. It was approximately 5,000 yards and was a really cool experience! We saw some great sea life, from fish to sea turtles! It was a great day with the team and an even better substitute for a practice."
Nick Saulnier – Riding the Waves
"One of my favorite things to do in Hawaii is definitely surfing. One of the nights, Eitan Yudashkin and I put on our swim trunks and headed to rent surf boards to surf Waikiki. The waves weren't that big that night, but the plan was to watch the sunset on a surfboard in Hawaii. Life doesn't get much better than that. As we paddled out, we still had about 40 minutes until sunset, so we caught the waves we could and enjoyed the Hawaiian roller coaster ride. One of the best feelings to me is getting up on a wave and looking over to see one of your best friends riding the same wave with you. Both the air and water feel warm as you ride towards the beach. It's a sight you don't ever forget: the tall buildings of Honolulu with tan sand and green trees at the base of your view. Look to your right and you'll see Diamond Head, an inactive volcano. Look back and you see the beautiful sun setting behind the vast ocean that doesn't seem to end. It's something I've done almost every year and each year, I'm still amazed that I get to be here and do this."
Patricia Van Law – Dual Meet Sweep
"I would say that my favorite memory of this week is the meet that we had. Though the sky was gray and it was raining on and off with gusts of wind, our team was full of energy – dancing, cheering and just having an absolute blast as we got the opportunity to race the University of Hawaii. I'm sure that part of the energy came from the excitement of knowing that we had the next day off to do whatever we wanted; but no matter where the energy came from, I just remember enjoying the time with the team and laughing with Abbey Kilgallon and dancing behind the blocks. I will cherish these memories."
Tevyn Waddell – Hiking the Falls
"One cool thing I was able to experience this year in Hawaii was going on a hike to a waterfall! We went hiking at Manoa Falls on our off day following the swim meet. Even though the weather wasn't the greatest, it ended up being well worth it! Because of the rain, the waterfall was much more active than usual. I had never been on a hike in years past or seen a waterfall before, so it was definitely at the top of my list for this trip!"
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Minnesota officially returns to the contiguous United States this week for a dual meet against USC in Los Angeles on Jan. 17. Thereafter, the Gophers will make their way back to Minneapolis at long last for the start of the spring semester.
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