wanted to wish my Cookie Monster friend a happy birthday! wish you a wonderful year ahead!
had a wonderful time with these 3 girls this morning. their first time surfing so we had a great experience! thank you Tomomi-san, Saori-san, and Shizuno-san for the fun time! keep on surfing!
if you come to hawaii, nama harumaki or “Summer Rolls” are a must!
and Pho too! so good!
back in 2003, a couple of my surfer friends and a photographer went to explore an island down south in japan. a super typhoon was nearing and while people were fleeing the island, we headed there to surf the big waves. none of us really knew what to expect as none of us surfed it before. we pull up near this harbor as the tide starts filling in. the swell was coming up right in front of our eyes, but the reef was sticking out as the tide was too low. every minute passed as every wave got bigger and hollower. it was late evening and the sun started going down. it was due or die for us as we went there for a reason. the reason to surf anything that comes our way. we paddled out, looked over a few waves, and nobody wanted to go first as the reef was still dry. then as the tide started to fill in right before dark, i seen a big black swell coming in from the horizon. it got bigger and bigger as i paddled for it. it was now or never for me. if i go, i might die. if i don’t, i might regret it for the rest of my life. i don’t like to regret things so i paddle, barely make the steep take off, bottom turn and see the biggest black hole barrel ahead. if i go straight, i will eat the reef and i won’t get the shot. if i pull in, i will eat the reef but i will get the shot. it was my job and i got paid to get the best shot possible on any given day. in other words, my job was to risk my life and pull into an uncertain wave breaking over an uncertain shallow razor sharp reef. i pull in, i set my rail, i make it out, and i get the cover shot. by looking at this photo, it looks so easy. but if you were out that evening with the few of us that dared to paddle out, you would have been shitting in your trunks. this was 10 years ago and the waves never got this good ever since. i will never forget that special day!
as i write this, another typhoon is heading for this very same island. should i go? or should i stay? that’s a tough one as it’s very far away and very expensive to get to. i will decide in my sleep tonight.
