Why North Shore Hawaii Local Rosie Jaffurs is Always Stoked

Remember that slow motion high of your very first wave? Gliding on the ocean’s energy and smiling so hard you thought you’d break your face. As a private surf instructor on the North Shore of Hawaii, Rosie Jaffurs vicariously re-lives that experience almost every day through the stoked eyes of her clients.

“It just brought me a feeling I didn’t know about,” says Rosie about the happiness she gains while teaching surfing. Born and raised on Pupukea, the mountainous region above Waimea Bay in Oahu, Rosie Jaffurs talks about her paradise home with as much awe and gratitude for her lucky lifestyle as tourists passing through. She didn’t have any “locals only” attitude about her favorite spots, instead openly guiding the Seeababes with the utmost hospitality during our last trip to Oahu.

“When I travel to another place, I want to hang with the locals and get their experience. For me to be able to return that, that makes me stoked,” Rosie explains. Drawing upon the teachings of her mentor Montgomery “Buttons” Kaluhiokalani, the famously stylish Hawaiian surfer that passed in 2013 — or as Rosie calls him, “Uncle Buttons” — the vibe around Rosie is always surrounded by fun and stoke. We caught up with this North shore native to find out what it was like to know Buttons in his final days, and her favorites spots to log.

Rosie wears the Jalama Bikini in Vintage Rose. Photo by Luki O'Keefe.

In what part of Hawaii did you grow up? How did you parents arrive to the islands?

I’m born and raised on Pupukea, which is above Waimea Bay. My dad moved to Hawaii when he was 18. He was a surfer from Maryland and had to travel hours for usually very junk surf. He read in the surfing magazines that the average height for surf in Hawaii was four feet. He bought property in Pupukea because he enjoyed being in the mountains, yet five minutes from the beach. Growing up I always wanted him to sell our house and buy beachfront. I'm glad he never listened to me because if I'm not escaping this world by surfing, nowadays I'll go up in the mountains and escape the crowded North shore. I live with my boyfriend now who is beachfront on Waimea point.

My mom grew up in Hawaii. My grandfather [on my mom’s side] worked in the plantations. That’s why a lot of immigrants — Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos — came to Hawaii because they were brought here to work in the cane fields, or pineapple fields. That’s what brought my Chinese grandfather here.

What culture significance does Waimea Bay have? And what does it mean to you?

Waimea is a very sacred place for the Hawaiian culture because you could only live there back in the day if u were Ali'i, chief, or royalty. Later after the caste system was broken, Waimea Valley was used as a "college" for young apprentices learning a new ministry.

My boyfriend was raised on the exact opposite of Waimea and our meeting place is in between, which is exactly at Waimea Bay. It's just the beauty of Waimea gets me and I just know that’s my home. It always has been.

Rosie wears the Doheny Rashguard in Aquaflor. Photo by Luki O'Keefe.

How did you get into teaching surf lessons?

I was working for Buttons [at Buttons Surf School] and at the time, he was slowly dying because he had cancer and was really sick. [Before,] if there was a big 200-pound man, Uncle Buttons could push the guy in, no problem. But he got to the point that he was so weak that I would have to push that 200 pound man. He could sit back and relax and not have to worry about the lessons anymore. He knew that I would take care of them. I came into the picture after he had started getting sick. He was pretty sick for the last couple of years.