when ever i go surfing, i see guys paddle boarding way on the outside. i always think these guys are crazy! where do they come from? are they nuts? well, now it’s my turn to become crazy and nuts. i’ll be on a board in the deep blue sea. just like this guy but without the escort boat cheering me on. it will just be me, the turtles, dolphins, whales, and hopefully not sharks. i’m getting excited!!!

i will start from makai pier. the pier sticking out way back of this photo. then the hard part will be coming around the makapuu lighthouse. this place scares me.

see rabbit island way in the back right? that’s about where i will start, then paddle around sandy beach, hanauma bay, koko head, and then down around diamond head. gosh, the more i look at these photos, the more i want to quit this idea.

going around the south/east side will be fun. i’ll probably stay away from the cliffs so the backwash doesn’t flip me over.

this i will come in at waikiki. i woke up this morning with a sore shoulder. if it’s sore tomorrow morning, i will postpone it. but if i’m feeling at least 80%, i’m going for it!
and if i somehow don’t make it back, just remember that i had the best life any person could ask for. so don’t worry, be happy!

can you believe how close the presidential race was yesterday! Obama only won by less than 800,000 votes in the entire US. that’s so close! that said, about half the people in america is probably disappointed but here’s what i have to say. the election is done! let’s move on america! it doesn’t matter who you voted for now, let’s become one and support our president! no war, only love and peace!

it was last year i was at sandy beach shooting kelia during the sunrise. then i seen my longtime surfer friend keone watson pull up to the beach with this cool looking paddle board. we talked, he jumped in the water, and paddled to waikiki. come to find out, he was training for the 17 mile makapuu to waikiki paddle board race which he came runner up shortly after. before he left the beach, he told me “hey kirby, you should do it someday.” ever since that day, it was stuck in my mind. i always wanted to paddle the 35 mile or 56 kilometer molokai to oahu channel. so i guess this would be a good warmup for me?

keoni is on the left of kelly slater. a eddie aikau waimea bay invitee and a true waterman. a guy i totally respect. super cool, super kind, and super humble. the kind of guy that just lets his actions do the talking. i just seen keoni surfing at bowls the last swell. we talked and he offered to paddle with me. i thought about it for one minute and said “no thank you.” i just didn’t want to keep him waiting for me. there’s no way i can keep up with him and i just wanted to be able to keep up with myself.

the time has come. i promised myself i’d do it by the end of this year. i borrowed a board that i don’t even know how to paddle. haha. i’m going to do a practice run today and hopefully get the feel of it. then tomorrow, i’m planning to challenge myself for the 17 mile or 27 kilometer paddle. i’ve been looking for somebody about my level to paddle with me but nobody wants to.
can i do it? honestly, i don’t have too much confidence. it will be me, my board and my water bottle against the ocean. i’m hoping to do it within 5 hours and hopefully won’t give up. the only scary thing is going around the cliffs at makapuu because i passed by there with my boat before and it is scary. the raging currents, the backwash off the cliffs, and the deep blue ocean with whales jumping and sharks biting. not a place i want to be too long, especially alone. i’m going to take my time, and pace myself. i’m not racing against anything or anybody, i just want to complete it. and if i do, i’ll paddle the molokai channel next. but first things first.
so my last plea. anybody want to do it with me? haha.

Now on H1