We can more or less sum Braiden Maither’s message up in one sentence here: Maui is more than just maxing Jaws and perfect days at Honolua.
While the outside surf world sees those places repetitively, he tells The Inertia, people who live and surf here know life is entirely different on Maui. While Pipe is a perfect eight feet on Oahu, Maui surfers battle howling winds and two-foot closeouts thanks to the island’s swell blockage.
“Somehow Maui still produces crazy talent,” he points out. His new release, ALL TOGETHER THANK YOU, is a compilation of highlights from the past three months of winter surf on Maui that reflects just that. Because despite all the onshore days that look nothing like peeling tubes at Honolua, the island is ripe with talent that’s been groomed. “So next time you see an edit from a Meola or a Marzo,” he says, “just know that lots of hours were spent driving in circles and surfing in 20-mile an hour wind chop.”
