Aloha Duke Kahanamoku. 1915
Good morning 6:45am.
Small but clean.
Waist high at Ala Moana and perfect.
Diamond Head shoulder high and perfect.
No wind so glassy morning conditions.
Super sunny and very warm.
Going surfing.
Have a wonderful day!

this is something you will never ever see on any beach anywhere in the world. a shipwreck and a mermaid. i was lucky to experience it.

another hot day! can you believe the heat index was 97F or 36C? omg! luckily i was in the water all day keeping cool.

super stoked to see Masamune-kun today! we had a great time surfing and eating. just this kids smile made my whole day!

from the time i picked him up and dropped him off, we were speaking english only. i can’t believe how smart this kid is! a super genius!

and i can’t believe how tall this kid is! Masamune-kun is only 14 years old. we are same height, and have the same shoe size of 28cm. next year, he will guarantee be bigger than me. maybe he can become my bodyguard? haha.

i saw this sign at a restaurant in honolulu. so good, and so true!
here are my main points in living a great life:
try new things.
keep your promises.
learn by mistakes.
laugh every day.
respect each other.
be thankful.
be grateful.
never give up.
love each other.
if you can incorporate these wonderful phrases in your daily life, you will surely have a good one!

had a blast riding waves together with Naya-san. he’s surfing while I’m on the side yelling “look straight, bend your knees!” perfect!

Naya-san learned how to surf in the Philippines a couple of years ago. and now he’s hooked. that’s cool!

the sets were pretty big. so we started off with the smaller ones and gradually made ourselves to the outside catching all the big sets. i’m pretty sure it was the biggest and longest waves of Naya-san’s life.

and of course i’m always nearby for coaching and safety reasons. sometimes too nearby. haha. i was posing in the back for the photo. i don’t think Naya-san knew i was there.

and yes, i was trying to get tubed again. the waves were so perfect and beautiful!!!

remember Jose Angel? well, he’s not only my stepfather, he’s also the first surfer on the very first SURFER MAGAZINE cover back in 1960. pretty historic event! i’m so stoked to have known this wonderful waterman. the same waterman that took me surfing for the first time when i was only 7 years old. maybe i owe my surfing life to Jose.

Jose’s saying was “I’m so stoked. Every single day is like my whole life. I live it that way. I live each day like it’s the last.”
when i read this for the first time a month ago, i got the craziest chicken skin. now i feel so connected to a man that taught me so many things in life. so many things in life that i’m living right now. i’m so stoked too. i live every day like it’s my last. now i’m wondering if i got it from Jose? he was a survivor. he could live off the land and sea. when he went missing at sea, many people thought he’s still alive. i wouldn’t doubt that him and his best friend Eddie Aikau are living happily on a secluded island surfing the best waves ever. the legend continues.