i planted a baby gardenia plant in my yard last month and the first flower bloomed! so fresh, so sweet, and so happy! many more to come!

been craving fish but too busy to go dive and get some. so i called my friend Derek as they were coming in from a day of fishing. i already know this boat has fish because Derek is the best fisherman i know. when everybody else isn’t catching fish, Derek is catching fish. and when everybody else is catching fish, Derek is catching more fish. that’s how good he is.

grabbed 3 travelly’s and 1 uku, stuck it in my backpack, jumped on the bike, and got home in a flash. can you believe my new bike gets 76 miles/gallon or 33 kilometers/liter? i rode around all day yesterday and spent only $3 on gas. thanks for the fish Derek!

and no matter where i am, i always stop to watch the sunset. an amazing one from hawaii kai boat ramp.

last night the uku was my dinner. black bean steamed chinese style.

want to thank Naomi-san for this 12 year old bottle of Hibiki Whisky. i can’t wait to sip it into the night.

and thank you Hikaru for sending me these photos. gosh, i miss hanging out with you guys in japan. hope to see you soon.

and thanks for this photo too. Mt. Fuji always makes me smile.

Haleiwa International Open Dec. 22 to Jan. 3.
No contest today, 24, and 25. Try again 26th.
Good morning 7am.
North shore junky 4′. Onshore and stormy.
South shore waist high and clean. Brown dirty water.
Strong cold North winds at 25mph.
Clouds, rain, sun, and rainbows.
Taking a break. No surf.
Have a wonderful day!

omg, it was pretty dark and cold today. probably the coldest of the year for us in hawaii. but so what? the water is warm and the waves are good so let’s go naminori!

went to meet Hinako-chan and Kaito-kun this morning at bowls. then we ran into Minami-chan. a super japanese morning surf session. waves were super fun and it was uncrowded. we all caught so many good waves!

so stoked to see these kids surfing so good. Kaito-kun was ripping! super good style and big backside off the lips.

Hinako-chan is surfing really fast and strong. super cool watching her set the rail and drive off the bottom turn.

it was their first time surfing the south shore. both told me they had a relaxing time today. i know that feeling because surfing the north shore everyday can be stressful. it’s a whole new ballpark out there. good surfers need good balance and that’s why i love hawaii. good balance everywhere. if you ever get stressed on the north shore, come to town. always relaxing and fun waves.

then i went surfing with the girls this evening. the clouds cleared and the sun came out right at sunset time. another golden moment in the ocean. no wind, glassy conditions, and perfect waves. what another awesome day!

thank you Kurokawa-san for the treats! fresh bonito flakes from mugi, shikoku. my favorite!
cold north wind and weather continues. keep warm and go surfing!