i was at the honolulu airport waiting for my flight when i opened up the latest hawaii fishing newspaper. in there, there was an interesting article somebody wrote about how the DNLR is screwed up. for all of you who don’t know, the DNLR stands for DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES. it’s this government organization that makes and enforces the laws of our oceans. they make the rules and we have to follow. no overnight fishing? what? anyway, the person who wrote the article was really upset on how the DNLR is operating. lies? nonsense? ridicule? yeah, i read a lot in the article. but because i don’t judge something by just one side of the story, i’m a lot more interested in it now. and when i get back to hawaii, i’m going to look more into it.
but one thing in the article that made me stop and think was this sentence this person wrote:
i like tourists. i really do. believe me, i do.
we are a tourist destination remember.
be nice to the tourist. they make our economy.
go round and round and up and down.
but what i do not like is when the tourist
come to hawaii and forget to go home.
make house and tell us locals how we supposed to live.


WOW!!! strong words. i had to read that over and over. the reason he wrote this is because the DNLR chairperson is named laura thielen and she’s not from hawaii. that thought was stuck in my head as i almost missed my flight. yeah, the door was closing and i was just sitting down thinking about this. as i rushed onto the plane, this was still in my mind. want to hear my point of view? no? sorry, your going to have to.
being that the ocean is part of everybody’s life in hawaii, i feel that unless you fish, dive, surf, or appreciate the ocean as much as the local people of hawaii, you shouldn’t be in the top seat making rules. i think that position should be run by a well respected local that knows the ins and outs of hawaii and it’s oceans. nobody outside of hawaii should be in that role when making decisions on culture and traditions. it’s almost like somebody from india becoming the president of japan? yeah, think about it.
when i get back to hawaii, i’m going to look more into this issue because it’s not about me and now, it’s about our children and the future. keep you posted…

**i got this email from my pen pal warren over there in wakayama. check it out….
Hi Kirby, On your blog you were talking about surfing in the 70s! I have a good memory of your Uncle Tony Moniz! He came to my local beach back in 1984 when I was 14 with a group of Aussie pro surfers and tore the place apart! I was on the point watching all day and was impressed by this big guy from Hawaii in the water, tube riding like I have never seen before! A few months later surfworld published the photos and I bought the mag! That week changed my life and have been in the water ever since! .. When I go home back to the Gold Coast every year I always vist the Island to dive and surf! cheers


this is the cover shot of this antique magazine from the 70’s…

the crew with the only hawaiian, tony moniz…

i think this is tony because i don’t think australians get a nice suntan like this. haha…

tony was getting barreled when i was still in my diapers….

these photos are keepers and i’m sure the kids will get a good laugh at dad…

i was eating waiola shave ice with my friend and along came this weird car. a car i haven’t seen in my life before. i asked the owner what kind it was but i forgot the brand. if i’m not mistaken, it’s from france?

he told me that there is not a single mechanic in hawaii that can fix it if it breaks. so when that time comes, he has to ship this car to the mainland, have it fixed, and ship it back. think that’s cheap? probably not. and the car probably ain’t that cheap too because it’s the only one on the island….

then that same day, i was driving near nauru towers and along came another car i haven’t seen before. come to find out, it’s the new porsche and there’s only 3 in hawaii…

i think it’s called a panarama or something? pretty dam cool….

then that same day, i had a meeting with somebody that owned one. yeah, what a weird coincidence. i sat in it, and felt rich. i felt like a new man… haha…

then later that evening, i pulled up to sam’s club and seen this beauty. now this is my kind of car. a ford bronco. i owned a bronco II before and loved it. if i had to pick my top 5 cars on the world, this one would be in there.
i love cars and love looking at them. one of my dreams would to own a house that can fit 10 cars and 2 boats in the garage. my room to sleep could be a box. i don’t care so long i have a big garage…..