i’m a true believer of “everything happens for a reason.” today was just another example of that. last month, i speed down to my secret spot and hit a freaking turtle. yeah, the turtle just popped up and BAM! i wasn’t worried about the turtle because i know i hit the rock hard shell. too solid to break. i was more worried about Mayuki. i checked it at that time and there was a small chip in the hull. it wasn’t leaking so i was relieved. but ever since then, i couldn’t sleep well at night. so today, i told myself that i’d better go check it again just in case.

i leave my house and it was so beautiful.

go underwater in the dirty ala wai and check the hull? no way! i decide to go out, enjoy the day, surf, then check the crack.

so i take her out to the blue sea. and i go surfing in the blue sea. it was awesome!

as i turned around diamond head, i seen 2 people on a paddle board in the middle of the sea. i see tourists getting sucked out to sea with the strong trade winds all the time. these guys looked like they knew what they were doing as they just sat on the board. so i pass by and head back to waikiki. but something made me turn around just in case. yes, you can call me Mr. Just in Case. haha. i go back to them and ask “are you alright?” they said “no, the wind blue us out to sea and we can’t get back in.” i said jump in and i’ll take you back to the beach. i swear we were like 2 miles out at sea and the wind blowing at 25 knots offshore wasn’t good at all.

this couple is from San Diego visiting hawaii. they guy said he trains for boxing so he thought he’d be alright. no, boxing doesn’t help at all for paddling. totally different muscles and totally different cardio. they were stoked i picked them up, i was too because 20 minutes more in the ocean, they would have went missing for sure.

i take them as close to the beach as possible, drop them off, and tell them to paddle fast to the beach before they get blown out to sea again. i watched as they made it.
then i jump in to check the crack the turtle did to Mayuki. i dive underwater, and start french kissing the hull. suck hard! if you suck water, that means the hull is leaking. if you suck no water, the hull isn’t leaking. exactly like a surfboard. but sucking a hull underwater was a first for me. i felt stupid but that’s the only way. luckily it wasn’t leaking so i was really happy.
anyway, everything happens for a reason right? i truly believe in that and i’m just glad i was there to help the boxer and his girl. i’m sure they are at their hotel room fighting about what happened today. haha.

Right now in the amazing sea!

was so stoked to watch my nephew’s heat yesterday. Joshua Moniz is making hawaii so proud. he and Seth are competing in the ASP World Junior contest in Portugal. massive floater that he made! he actually got 2 solid scores of 9.37 and 9.00 in this heat. unbeatable!

you’re a good kid Joshua. i’m so proud of you and how you represent hawaii so well. bring us home the world champion kid!

did some walking around the narrow streets of Ueno. pretty cool.

then i seen a little shop that had my favorite: tonsoku or pigs feet! i love it! so i ordered it and sucked it all up. the funny thing is it was still 9am in the morning. haha.

then i washed down the pigs feet with reimen. pretty dam good.

japan tako is so soft compared to hawaiian tako. and much cheaper too.

i love this shrimp! but after the last 2 times i ate it, my stomach hurt so bad. so i just pass it by.

this was the little stand i ate the pigs feet and reimen early that morning. cool yeah?

the flavors of japan.
i couldn’t believe how many tourists i seen in tokyo this trip. i think tourism in japan is booming because more and more are in the streets. lots of chinese and koreans too. great for the japanese economy. ganbare japan!