i love going on boats, especially with friends. yesterday’s boat trip was something to remember. old friends and new friends just having a good time and getting to know each other much better. this is the part of surfing i like. we grow, we move forward, and we bond from the ocean. something you can’t do in an office.

typhoon 17 is bearing down on okinawa and we are going out to an outer island to surf the waves it’s pumping toward us. might sound crazy to most people, but this is our life. so heading out to sea knowing it’s going to be big and powerful is pretty exciting!

after yesterday, i have a lot more respect for Takahashi-san. maneuvering his 53′ boat through the big waves and strong winds at ease. normal captains wouldn’t even take their boat out, but Takahashi-san has confidence, is highly skilled, and makes me feel safe. that’s pretty cool.

a boat trip to remember.

eating out every night takes a toll on my body. so this one night of eating a mellow dinner at the clubhouse with no alcohol reset my body. something i need to balance my life. curry, goya, friends, and happiness.

the more time i spend with Kimura-san and Atusko-san makes me realize how lucky i am. they treat me like their own child and i know i can go to them for anything. they listen to my problems. yeah, i do have problems sometimes. haha. but they listen to me and give me the best advise. for business, for personal, for pleasure, and for anything. if Atsuko-san gives me advice, i listen 100%. if Kimura-san gives me advise, i listen 80%. haha. but these 2 people are very special in my life. the love and support from them is the greatest feeling in the world. i’m sure i’ll have more problems down the line but knowing i have them to talk to, i know i’ll get through anything. Happy 60th Birthday again Kimura-san! thank you for always being there for me.

Leaving Okinawa.
2.5 hour flight to Narita.
5 hour transit in Narita.
7.5 hour flight to Hawaii.
A long way home.

good morning. well, the day has finally come. time to get on 2 flights on the long journey back to hawaii. i came here for kimura-san’s birthday party and had no expectations on getting waves. yes, the typhoon is coming but everybody said friday and saturday would be the best. i thought i’d miss out. my friend mike in hawaii sent me an email yesterday saying “don’t worry kirby, even though you will miss the typhoon, there will be waves on the north shore and south shore when you get back. then i boarded takahashi-san’s boat yesterday with all my friends and headed out to an island. i wasn’t expecting any waves but as we approached, OMG! score? i think so.

Go-Naminori official blogger Hayato Maki caught a lot of good waves. super solid surfing in each section. then on his last one, he kicked out and had to duck dive 20 big sets on his head. he ended up so far inside and took about 45 minutes to get back to the boat.

then Go-Naminori Official blogger Shinpei Horiguchi got the wave of the day. one of japan and the world’s most respected big wave surfer. surfing good and charging as usual.

between surfs, we’ve been hanging out and shooting photos. Go-Naminori official blogger Rikio Higa on the famous sunabe sea wall. cool guy!

in okinawa, you never know who you will bump into. i was super stoked to see the newlyweds Takashi-san and Ryoko-san. i wish them the brightest future ahead!

the sunabe sea wall is a gathering place. we surf, we eat, we talk, we watch sunsets, and we just live a typical okinawan surfers life. it’s like life in a bikini. a very small bikini. haha.

megu-chan is from sendai. i’ve known her since 1992 the first time i went there. a professional bodyboarder and a really smart girl. when it comes to promotion surfing and bodyboarding in japan, we feel the same way. never give up!

people ask me what my job is. it’s surfing, shooting, diving, guiding, coordinating, and lots more. and the few time i have between all those jobs, i’m either on my phone or computer. but i guess i can’t complain when i’m sitting on the balcony of a room i share with good friends fronting the beautiful ocean.

like i said, sunset time at the sunabe wall. a mandatory event every evening. and if you seen a sunset from there, you will understand why.

i’m going to miss okinawa. as i was talking with rikio yesterday, i told him that the longer i stay, the sadder it get when i leave. i get so attached to this beautiful island and the beautiful people who live here. they true mensore spirit makes me want to come back more and more.
anyway, gotta pack and head to the airport. see you back in hawaii! thank you to okinawa, the locals, and my friends. you guys are gold!