Hello Arata-kun, Good surfing. You’re a very smart boy. I can’t believe it was your first time surfing! I hope all you dreams come true! Keep on Diving, and Keep on Surfing! Aloha
13 Year Old Trilingual Surfer
Surfing with Kelia Moniz @ Brothers at Waikiki!
i got up early this morning, checked the surf, and was wondering where to surf. north shore closing out, maybe the east side? west side? town? then i get a call from Kelia “hey unko, we are all going to surf at waikiki now.” i load up my camera and head down to waikiki. there was no way in the world i would have missed this special surf session with my family. these kids grew up in waikiki. this is their roots. and since they are all grown up, or growing up, an opportunity like this is pretty rare.
there is so much love in this family. kelia moved to california and only came back for a few days. she leaves tomorrow so her brothers wanted some quality time in the water. all these kids started longboarding before shortboarding so it was cool to see them back where they started.
the paddle out as i’m right behind trying to get the fog off the lens of my video camera. it was so hot early this morning!
luckily my lens clears and i get some fun surfing video. for 25 years of my life, i would only focus on the best wave on the island and go there no matter what. back then, i would have never showed up for an occasion like this. waikiki when north shore is huge? no way! but now, my priority has changed. it’s days like this that make surfing so special. the north shore will always be there but a day like today won’t. my nephews and niece are all grown up and i watched each and every one of them from diapers to surf trunks and bikinis. the memories will live on forever!
the moniz family in hawaii is a household name. where ever they go in the world, they are respected. and the cool thing about it is they are all so humble. that’s what makes me love them even more!
hey kelia, have a safe flight back to california. i’m glad you’re living a great life and i’m sure you know that hawaii will always be here for you. take care and we all love you!
i put together a video but am still waiting on some music. should be up on GO-NAMINORI.COM sometime tomorrow. check back!
Surfer Family and Surfer Friends
yesterday has had to be one of the most beautiful day of the year. it was just picture perfect. the weather forecasters were expecting heavy vog, strong south/west winds, and afternoon rain. nothing even close to that happening. it was picture perfect from morning till dusk. our first huge north/west swell rolled in early this year. it washed off all the sand on the beaches so now every surf spot on the north shore is set up for perfect barrels. it took till december last year, but this year, it’s only early october and the north shore is awake! and not only that, we’re expecting another south summer swell this week! lucky if you live in hawaii.
if it wasn’t for the apple store genius bar, i’d be spending thousands of dollars on having my computer serviced and fixed. i still can’t believe it’s free! the only bummer thing is that i spend so much time in that store. i bought a new computer last week and it’s taking me over 10 hours to get it set up the way i want it. i just can’t keep up with technology.
had a great time at dinner with my family. we ate, ate, and ate. 7 lobsters, a whole duck, and much more. i’m so stoked to see these brothers getting along so well. each one got each others back both in and out of the water. what an awesome family!
then lucky kelia moniz. to have these 4 brothers looking after her is priceless. the love, respect, and support of this famous surfing family is so good to watch. kelia is taking over the world as a model/surfer, and the boys are making their way up the heavily localized pecking order of the infamous north shore of hawaii. i couldn’t be a prouder uncle than i am right now. i love these kids!
i surfed with inaida-san and yuki-san over a hundred times already. to see their level getting higher and higher is awesome. and to surf everyday together is making our friendship stronger. the stories, the laughs, the smiles, the great rides, and the heavy wipeouts. it’s all fun! to see friends enjoying surfing so much makes me enjoy it even more. back in okinawa, kimura-san said in his speech that the ocean has brought us all together. i couldn’t agree any more.
like i said, yesterday couldn’t have been any better. just a few surfers in the water, perfect conditions, and just us surfers enjoying a tropical hawaiian day. what more in life could you ask for? nothing.
