networking is the key to make dreams come true. if you have a dream, get out there, share it, and make it come true.
one of my dreams is to meet old school free divers in japan to learn about the culture. from the amasans in wakayama to the grandpa tako hunters in okinawa. in order for me to experience it, i know i have to meet a lot of people and ask a lot of questions.
i was at the ocean expo in hawaii the other month and i stopped by sonny tanabe’s booth to say hello. sonny introduced me to a gentlemen from japan named yoshinobu-san. yoshinobu-san is not only a professor at the kyushu university in fukuoka, he’s also a free diver. well, we decided to meet up for some tea the after that and i sat down and listened to his stories in awe…. yoshinobu-san lived on ishigakaki island for years and knows the spear fishermen there. now days, he spends most of his summer vacation free diving the outer islands of ishigaki island. this summer, i hope to meet with him and dive together with the locals. i told him that i didn’t want to spear fish, i want to take my camera and document things i thought i could only see on tv. this summer, that dream might come true. when i’m hanging out in okinawa and the waves get flat between typhoons, i’m taking a flight to ishigaki island and experience things most people can only dream of… can’t freakin wait!!! thank you yoshinobu-san for the great conversation. until we meet again…..
yoshinobu-san sent me these photos of his spear fisherman friend on his boat, or also called “sabani.”
i hope to meet this amazing legend spear fisherman someday. and hopefully that someday will be soon….
