today is January 1, 2022.  it’s a day i don’t look back at 2021 and just look forward to the upcoming year.  i have many dreams and goals that start today.  my biggest goal is to keep calmer.  whether i’m foiling knee high waves or 20′ waves, i just want to approach it as if it’s a children’s ride at an amusement park.  i don’t want to show any emotions, and i surely don’t want to show any fear.  i’m doing pretty good with that so far because i know 100% that fear is my worst enemy.  

so what am i thinking when i’m foiling waves like this?  i’m singing the song “Close to You” by The Carpenters in slow motion while i’m flying in fast motion.  it’s helped me keep calm when free diving deep, and it’s helped me in the most frantic moments of my life.  like i said before, surfing is 95% mental and if you can control your emotions, you are at less risk of getting hurt, and you are also living in the moment.  i can look back at this photo and remember every single second of that ride.  i remember it with 100% clarity and there’s nothing in the world that felt better than that!  

2022 is going to be a great year.  i’m going slower with work, play, and everything i do.  i’m going to spend more time with family, friends, and the tight circle of friends in my life.  living every moment to the fullest is the theme for me.  i’m looking forward to that!

Happy 2022!  Welcome to another year of adventure and happiness!

Good morning 3:45am.
North shore chest high and perfect offshore.
Ala Moana waist high and onshore.
Diamond Head chest high onshore.
South winds at 20mph.
Warm and getting sunny later.
Going to the sea.
Have a wonderful day!

thanks to the rain, there was only 2 other surfers near us.  so that meant we could ride any wave we wanted!  and it was a good day for Daisuke-san to perfect his style!  

i know the feeling of satisfaction.  and when i see it, i also feel it too.  this is what i love about teaching people how to surf.  this is my reward!

i decided that if the waves are under chest high, i’m going to foil.  turning like this brings me joy and i like to feel joyful.

there are no other 2 people in the ocean having more fun than us.  we laugh so loud that i’m sure people hate us.  haha.    

Daisuke-san’s been trying so hard to find his style.  and now he did!  this is exactly how i want each and every of my students to surf.  it’s calm, and it’s super cool! 

when i’m foiling, nobody dares to drop in on us.  that’s another reason i like to foil.  it’s just the 2 of us enjoying the happy rides all morning long…  

Daisuke-san keeps a journal on his surfing progress.  in just 10 days of Boot Camp, look how good he got.  look at his style from the first day we surfed on 12/22.  then look at today!  it takes some surfers 30 years to figure out how to surf that cool.  to transform that fast is like being reborn!

goodbye 2021 and hello 2022!