After years of hard work, everything is falling into place.  She’s riding the best surfboards, she’s wearing the best wetsuits, and she’s surfing like a world champion.  Haha.  Well, not quite like a world champion, but her dream is to surf like Carissa Moore.  We train physically and mentally in and out of the water, experiment on different surfboards, we talk equipment, I yell, she yells, she cries, but I don’t cry.  Haha.  I told her in the beginning that if you want to be a great surfer, it’s going to take hard work to get there.  And when you work hard, you will see results like this.  Just a few years ago, she could only go straight, now she can go vertical.  And the cool thing is it’s only going to get better…

Yesterday once more:  The set of the DAY!  Go Mighty Mouse!

Good morning 3:40am.
Ala Moana waist high and good.
Diamond Head chest high and bumpy.
Trade winds at 20mph.
Sunny and warm.
Going to surf.
Have a wonderful day!

The trade winds came back but were very light.  That made the conditions absolutely perfect all day long.

Ogura-san was a little nervous before we paddled out this morning but soon after this first beautiful ride, the nervousness turned into happiness.

I think she caught over 20 long rides this morning.  She wanted to surf waist high waves so I told her it was waist high today.  I lied.  Haha.  

Each wave Ogura-san’s surfing was getting better and better.  Then the photos started to really bring out how happy she was.  This is how everybody should be enjoying the ocean…

Round 2 we went out practicing the cutback.  Perfect waves and seemed like it was getting bigger.  

I don’t know anywhere else in the world where you can surf perfect off shore waves like this everyday.  Uncrowded, warm water, easy access, and as blue you will ever see.  

Riding a longer board and waiting way outside for the set of the day.  This is how you do it!

After all these years, I can no longer ride in front of Hashimoto-san anymore.  His surfing level got so high that I will only be in his way.  

So I shoot photos from behind and try to keep up with his speed.  

Then I wait for this cutback!  We spent a week working on this maneuver so we can get a good photo.  This is it!