i’ve been following this kid with my camera lens since he was a little kid. i took thousands and thousands of photos because i knew he was going to be a star someday. it all started off in Waikiki for Seth Moniz. the cutest kid out there…
while all the other kids didn’t want to leave their comfort zone at Queens, Seth was the only one that jumped in my car to surf shark infested, heavy localized, sharp reef Kewalo’s. this was actually his first session so shot it.
fast forward 15 years and now we’re at the biggest WQS 6000 event in Japan. the whole world’s watching this one as Seth Moniz was the talk of the event. did the biggest air, only one with a 10 point ride, and the underdog that took down giants on his way to a 2nd place finish.
i just sit back, watch, laugh, and get more nervous than him.
i took this photo when Seth came in from the Final. he was so disappointed in himself because he knew he could have won. i almost cried when i gave him a hug. through the good and bad, Seth knows i’m always with him.
i know Seth was thinking things through in his mind. and he will take that experience with him into the next contest in South Africa. go boy!
to me, Seth is still my little nephew. he’s just gotten bigger, but his heart is still as gold. all this confidence will take him higher and higher. i just feel sorry for the competitors that get in his way.
as for Uncle Kirby, i came here to watch the contest, but i also came here to foil. i want to ride waves in Japan like i’ve never ridden them before. i’ll be here for a week so please let me know if there’s a wave in your neighborhood. but my first foil session in Chiba was totally amazing!
