we are expecting a Godzilla El Nino this year! good for us surfers because warm water means big storms means big waves. BUT, the weather will be unpredictable too. super storms, super rain, landslides, and all sorts of natural disasters. get ready for a crazy year!

paddling out with Masamune-kun yesterday was fun. we went over some big waves on the way out. normal people would be freaking out, but this kid was laughing. it’s been a year since he surfed so Masamune-kun was super stoked to be back in the water.

first wave perfect! he remembered everything i taught him. so surfing was super fun and pretty easy!

we were riding so many waves. a super happy day!

i asked again what Masamune-kun’s dreams were. he said the same thing as last year “i want to become an engineer, or become a doctor.” i’m pretty sure he can become both! see you again tomorrow Masamune-kun!

found these photos in my super old hard drive. this was about 15 years ago in north sumarta, indonesia. we were one of the first to explore that area by boat. in fact, we were the only boat there, no surf camps, or absolutely nothing around. turned out to be good waves and excellent diving. now, there are lots of boats, and too many surf camps. this place will never be the same. anyway, back then, i would dive every afternoon for our evening pupu’s. each drop on each dive was like walking through a fish market. i would get to the bottom, wait around, then pretty much choose what i wanted to eat. 30 minutes later, i’d be back to the boat with a mixed bag of sashimi. that was the easy part. the hard part was cleaning the fish, filleting it, and making the sashimi platter.

this would go on 11 days straight. there wasn’t a day we didn’t get to eat fresh sashimi, including lobster too. it went very well with the bin tang beers. gosh, i really miss those very simple living days!

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!