Seth stealing the limelight again.  no matter what this kid does, he always makes a statement somehow.  and the media seems to love him too.   Round 3 starting now! we paddled out to Bowls and something was strange???  there was only Greg out at the main peak.  where is everybody???  come to find out, there was a contest today!   so we got to surf perfect Bowls for an hour before the contest started.  perfect timing again!  Greg and I were taking turns riding set after set.  it was like a dream session… i was going left and Funaki-san was going right.  he couldn’t believe nobody was out either.  what a lucky guy! then the first heat paddles out and i hear somebody yell “uncle!”  omg, it was Josh Moniz!  i didn’t even know he was in Hawaii!  i thought he was still in Africa? i was so happy to see this kid.  then the heat started and Josh caught his first wave.  i watched him surf it perfectly.  and then i hear the judges say “Josh, your last wave was a 9.5!”  omg!   Funaki-san was a little nervous because of the water patrol that was kicking everybody out of the lineup.  i told him “don’t worry, these guys are my friends.”  so we kept on surfing and surfing!   and Funaki-san kept on riding and riding.  look how beautifully empty it was!   then we went to pick up the rest of the family and had a wonderful chicken lunch… then it was Mama Mutsumi-san’s turn.  empty again and i was watching her ride the best waves of her life…i love kids.  so when i met 4 year old Ena-chan today, i couldn’t stop playing with her.   the cutest little girl!!!

 i planned to surf Bowls at the perfect time.  perfect tide, perfect swell, and perfect size.  the only strange thing that there were only 2 other guys out???  so Nakahodo-san and I had all the waves we wanted!   where is everybody??? Nakahodo-san is getting really good!  he kept on catching wave after wave and riding it super long.   look how crowded it is?  haha… once you get to this point where you can control the foil like this, you will get better super fast.  the hard part is done! the water was super clean.  i got to see turtles and this nice omilu swim by.  it looked so delicious!   the amazing thing about Nakahodo-san is that knows how to fall too.  fall sideward and away from the foil like this. as for me, i never gave up foiling even after getting hurt.  if i did, i’d be half a man.  but now, i feel like i’ve overcome one of the hardest challenges of my life.  anything his possible from now on!   Nakahodo-san wishes Toda-san could see his foiling.  but i didn’t miss a thing.  it’s all smiling from now on!  good job flying!!! want to thank Nao-san for the goodies!!!   i get requests to surf certain spots months in advance.  sometimes the spot is good, sometimes it isn’t.  i have absolutely no control over that.  but what i have control is that i can figure out what spot would be best for you on any given day.   no surf report can give you this information, it’s figuring it out on your own.  this day, Nao-san and i had the whole ocean to ourselves.  thank you to the surf report for sending everybody somewhere else, and thank you Todaheli for capturing the magical moment… and thank you Yuri-san from Niwa for the homemade umeshu!  i can’t wait to open it up!!!  cheers!!!and to Toda-san and Takami-san.  we all miss you here in Hawaii!  hope to see you guys again soon!

Friends become our chosen family…

Good morning 5:50am.

Ala Moana waist high.  Sometimes chest high sets.  New South swell tomorrow.

Diamond Head chest high and bumpy.

Trade winds at 20mph.

Sunny and warm.

Going surfing and surfing.

Have a wonderful day!