Hawaiian spring surf has arrived with brisk easterly trades scouring the seas, and after a long, above- average North Shore big-wave season, fresh wave energy is pulsing into Oahu’s South Shore and surfers are sifting through town breaks for nuggets — those shiny little, pop-up rides — while hoping for big, outside bombs.

And when we’re not surfing, it’s exciting to tune in and watch Hawaii women surfers continue their breakout run, with the islands fielding a record three “Hawaiian rookies on tour,” as a World Surf League commentator called the teenage Gabriela Bryan, Bettylou Sakura Johnson and Luana Silva, during their strong performances on Monday in the opening rounds of the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, Australia.

Two Hawaiians are currently ranked in the women’s top five on the championship tour, a critical roster in a new WSL format, which debuted last year: only five women and five men will compete in the final contests at Lower Trestles, Calif., where Carissa Moore took her fifth world championship title in September after her history-making win of the first Olympic gold medal for surfing in August.

Moore sits in second place on this year’s tour, which kicked off with Hawaiian Moana Jones Wong’s winning the debut women’s Billabong Pro Pipeline event.

And fans worldwide are stoked at the return of Kauai’s Malia Manuel, currently ranked world No. 5.

“It’s been a few years, so it’s great to be back,” said Manuel, who has been sidelined by injuries.

“I’m just so lucky to have grown up surrounded by the sea, and doing what I love,” she said.

Meanwhile, back in the islands on Sunday, a new champion was crowned in the second Red Bull Magnitude. Maui’s Skylar Lickle came away with the victory in an all-women’s, big-wave, virtual contest organized by the North Shore’s “Banzai” Betty Depolito and filmed over the winter, escorted by water safety crews, at Oahu’s Waimea Bay, Maui’s Peahi, or Jaws and various outer reefs.

Among 20 participants, Lickle won the top, Overall Performer Award and $35,000 prize based on a video of her best three rides in wave heights of at least 15 feet with 30-foot faces.

Michaela Fregonese placed second and Katie McConnell finished third, while Maui’s veteran big-wave champion Paige Alms won both the Yeti Best Ride Award for the single highest scoring wave and the Best Paddle Award for the best wave paddled into. Annie Reickert won the Best Tow Award for the best towed-in wave.

Not everyone can win, of course, and surfing, whether competitive or recreational, is filled with sudden reversals and heartbreaks.

Early Monday morning, for instance, it looked a little too big and windy out at Suis for me, but I’d ridden some nice waves Sunday and I was greedy for more.

When I arrived at the beach, “everybody I see paddling in has a smile,” said Bill, who stands on the sea wall every morning taking in the scene.

“Must be good out there,” he added.

“Looks windy,” I said.

“Yesterday evening it was windy but fun,” chimed in a young Suis regular.

“Yesterday morning, too — I’m still feeling kind of blasted,” I said.

“We’re all in the same boat,” he said with a kind smile.

“No, we’re not,” I said. “You’re young and strong.”

He looked a little downcast then, and I realized I’d rejected just the sort of inclusive good fellowship I’m always wishing surfer guys would show.

The waves were indeed too big for me, while the young surfer was the superstar, effortlessly taking off behind the peaks and flying unscathed across exploding walls while I hovered on the wave shoulders.

“Shoulder hopper!” I scolded myself. That was the supreme putdown when I was young.

I went in after the minimum two rides.

In a competitive surf heat, they only count your two best waves, and even the pros have bad days: at Bells, Hawaii’s Seth Moniz, ranked fifth in the world, and Johnson didn’t make it past the elimination round; Bryan, Manuel, 28, and Silva, lost in the round of 16. In the next round, Hawaii’s Barron Mamiya and Ezekiel Lau narrowly lost their heats, while two-time world champ John John Florence advanced after narrowly dispatching Brazilian rookie Jiao Chianca in the biggest waves and highest-scoring heat of the day, and Imaikalani deVault outscored 11-time world champ Kelly Slater in the event’s biggest upset yet.

But the vanquished were busy moving on and getting ready for Margaret River, the next stop.

The pros spring back to their feet, and I need to remember to do that.

The Bells event can be viewed on Spectrum surf channel #20, and at Worldsurfleague.com.

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Reach Mindy Pennybacker at mpennybacker@staradvertiser.com