did you know that in japan you need a license to become an amateur surfer? well, i took mine and luckily passed on the first try. i had to take off, bottom turn, and pull out. i drove 3 hours up north, spent $200, and caught one wave. every country has it’s system and because i’m a foreigner, i can’t complain. if you want to become an amateur surfer in hawaii, all you have to do is wake up one morning, and say “hey, i’m an amateur surfer from today.” and i ain’t joking.
anyway, this license card is a great memory for me. and i also needed it to become a professional JPSA surfer the following year. i’ll tell you how that happened later.
what is fire reef? well, we don’t have it in hawaii so most people don’t know what it is. fire reef is in some parts of the world. for example, indonesia. i take off, i fall, my foot hits the reef very lightly, i get a scratch, my foot is on fire, and doesn’t heal for 3 months. the reef in some parts of the world is so alive that tiny organisms live in you for a long time. i still have a big scar from this little scratch.
