this is one year ago. Inaida-san and Yuki-san just started surfing. they started taking off in the small knee high white wash then gradually making their way to the outside and catching waist/chest high waves. little by little, the rode bigger and longer waves. let’s jump to yesterday and today. we went BIG! i mean GIANT!
ala moana was too crowded yesterday because of the holiday so we surfed diamond head. far paddle out, big waves, super windy, and challenging conditions. the sets were well overhead but we all rode good waves and survived. a great experience. after that, i told Inaida-san that surfing ala moana will be easy after that.
then we pull up today. waves were 3-4′ or well overhead. it was so big that i was a little worried. i even put on a leash because i knew that if a big set caught me in the inside, i would lose my board for sure. anyway, we paddle out and somehow make it out with our hair still dry. then all of a sudden, i seen the whole ocean on the outside moving. moving in a way you only see once in a few years on the south shore. huge sets on the horizon. we make it over solid 6′ sets which felt like mountains. the waves were breaking so far out that we were super close to the buoys. today wasn’t a day for beginners, today wasn’t a day for surfers with one year experience. but today was a day for us. i told Inaida-san and Yuki-san to catch one wave, and go in! haha. after we got back safely to the beach, i thought to myself that was crazy. i’ve never seen the waves that big in a long time. this is our first summer south swell and it came with a bang!
for days like today, the pool looked almost too calm at the Modern Hotel. i swear the view from the suite is the best view in hawaii. the more i go up there, the more i want to live there. but i have to stop dreaming. haha.
i went to buy some beers for our dinner. guess what i picked? BIG SWELL BEER! a perfect way to end the day.
then we went to eat taiwan nabe. i couldn’t believe how many plates we ate. hungry surfers needed food!
this swell is big. this swell is challenging a lot of surfers confidence. some will stay home and hide. some will go out and challenge themselves. if you surf with me, i won’t let you hide. i will push you to your limit and when you catch the biggest wave of your life, you will understand the feeling only a surfer knows. until then, ganbatte kudasai!
