Happy New Year 2014 again! today is a day to relax, enjoy family and friends, eat good food, and take naps. i fell asleep at 9pm last night. wanted to get up early and start my 2014 the right way. and the right way for the past 8 years has been in the ocean. just watching the first sunrise of the year is inspiring for me. it’s a time to welcome new things, new waves, new experiences, new fortune, new friends, and a new outlook on life. 2013 is done, i had a great year, but there is no looking back for me. i only see the future and this year will be a better one for myself and the people around me. i can just feel it!

there is no other place i’d rather be than in the ocean. surfing, diving, or just driving around on my boat, i love the feeling of just being in a place where nothing bothers me. that’s why i knew where i would be early this morning.
as for my 2014 resolutions, i have many. one is to give more than i receive. towards the end of 2013, i started doing more things for more people, helping others, and giving things to people that appreciate it. it’s a great feeling and actually kind of addictive. i know what i need in my life, and i know what i don’t need in my life. going to live a lot more simple, a lot more appreciative, and a lot more happy. when people around me are happy, i am happy. so the more people i make happy, the more i will be happy. pretty simple thinking.
more resolutions coming for now but i’m going back to the ocean. have a beautiful first day of the year!

The first sunrise of 2014 from my office!

december 31, 2013 i pick up Kurihara-san and Wife. we check everywhere and the waves were super small, inconsistent, and crowded. diamond head? bowls? diamond head? bowls? after driving around, we decide to surf bowls and that was the best decision on this last day of 2013.

i told Kurihara-san to stay right by me and he did. i counted 20 set waves in the 2 hours we were out and he caught 18 of them. i’m not joking as he caught wave after wave and paddled back out with a smile after smile.

super stoked to surf with Kurihara-san. he’s a friend of Katsura-san and is also a swimmer. so taking off on a 5’6 was no problem for him.

look how perfect bowls was! we scored big time! just wanted to say sorry to all the other guys out there trying to catch a decent wave. Kurihara-san and i caught all of the best ones. i bet everybody was so happy when we went in. haha.

we paddled in pretty satisfied and you can see Kumiko-san in the back standing on the wall. cool photo.

warm water, blue sky, trunks, and glassy conditions. what a perfect day!

then i went to pick up Hiyori-chan from school. last night i taught her how to turn left and she did it on her first wave. now she can turn right and left so her level will go up pretty fast from now.

this is a perfect example of perfect surfing. bend your knees and look forward! if everybody did this, the ocean will be a much safer place.

after riding the 10′ perfectly. i put her on Kelia Moniz’s 9’0. it’s thin, narrow, and unstable. BUT, Hiyori-chan stood up first wave and turned right and left. i was amazed on how good she’s gotten so fast. before she leaves, i’m hoping to get her on a shortboard.
then i asked her “what is that mountain in the back called?” she said “i don’t remember!” OMG! Diamond Head!!!! haha.
then we went fishing. i hope Hiyori-chan doesn’t overheat again. in fact, i’m going to make her drink a big glass of water now.
going to eat soba and enjoy this last evening of 2013. tomorrow is a new year and i’ll be a new person! new vision, new goals, new thinking, and new destinations. see you next year in 1Q84. oops, i’m mean 2014!