gosh, i have about a hundred photos on my desktop waiting to get posted to blogs. starting to fall behind because the action is happening too fast for me to keep up. i have Seigo-san and Yuki-san for 3 full days so i know that time will fly, and so will our adventures. so better start off with yesterday’s day 1.
Seigo-san is the owner of Marutaya Ramen. very successful ramen shops in wakayama that is a must go place for me. Yuki-san is one of the managers. a young boy at 22 years old. Seigo-san is teaching him how to be a good worker, and how to enjoy hawaii. both very important to a successful career. and of course surfing completes the happy circle of success.
look at the clouds! freaking amazing! when i was in high school, we use to call these “swell clouds.” it is rare when the clouds form like this in hawaii but when it does, you know the waves are going to be good. and yes, the clouds were right ever since high school!
Yuki-san’s first complete ride! right into the swell clouds, waikiki, and diamond head.
japanese surfers are very well mannered. they will never drop in, or never even paddle for a wave someone else is paddling for. in japan, it’s a rule. but in hawaii, my rule is “if i say go, GO!” i was yelling “go, go” to Seigo-san but he still didn’t want to drop in on me. i paddled back out and said “hey Seigo-san, this is hawaii. if i say go, you must GO!” he said “hai.”
next wave, i say “go” and Seigo-san goes! a perfect wave!!! i surfed with Seigo-san before but yesterday, he shined on the big waves!
and most japanese surfers don’t like to go backside. and i tell each and every one, “hey, if you can’t go backside, you will never be able to do a cutback. doing a bottom turn backside is the other half to complete a successful frontside cutback.” Seigo-san kept on practicing backside, and by the end of the day, he did his first ever frontside cutback! i was so stoked for him!
in the beginning, Yuki-san kept on looking down and falling down. i kept on telling him “if you look down, you will fall down.” then he focused on looking straight at the hotels and surfed perfectly. i can’t wait to take him surfing again. look forward Yuki-san!
Seigo-san was super stoked that his surfing went up a few levels just in one day. he was ripping!
and yes, i got to get a few waves of my own. longboard, shortboard, knee high, 20′, i’m super happy to be surfing! surfing is my life, everything else has to go around it. sorry.
and a photo from our amazing blue water turtle dive. it was freaking amazing! imagine Yuki-san’s first time out of japan and into the deep blue seeing this and connecting with nature. i would freak out!
