Urs's greatest Adventure!

Urs is my old friend that I know over 10 years. he was one of the windsurfer who was always at Hookipa hanging out every day, and so were we so we see each other all the time and eventually start talking to each other.

He noticed that he had seen me in Mt Hood in the summer where I was working in a snowboard camp and he was working as a ski coach for Canadia National team.
As we get to know each other we found more and more mutural friends and interests.
He got job and Weglie's heli as a Heli ski guide and eventually worked for one of my friends heli operation in Alaska.
He also loves traveling so we always talk about where to go.

Anyways, I found some very exotic looking shots of waves in his facebook post. I didn't know he was away this summer but those waves looked perfect and noone was on it. it looked very deserted. i knew he wasn't going to reveal the name of the place to many people but I really wanted to know where. I had a fairly good idea whereabouts but I wanted to hear all about it so I invitred him for dinner .

When hebroke up with his girlfriend, he was trying to figure out where to go, somehow he found place in south pacific, this atool has no flights to get there but he found some contacts and found out he could get there by getting on a freight ship from Honolulu. he showed me the picture of the boat, it is pretty old and shaky looking, not that big but he told me all kinds of characters who were on board and the 8days of traveling with them.
the place he told me is the place this guys who I met in marshall told me to go. this japanese guy was in 70's but very sharp and lively guy who has spent most of his life working in between south pacific and Japan and doing all kinds of work . he knew so many history and cultures of those very exotic places. He said if I wanted to travel beautiful exotic place with nice people, this atoll is the place.

Urs admited that he had never even heard of this place before, but somehow everything was going his way and he managed to get there and stayed for 3 months. very simple, primitive lifestyle, some days food was even hard to come by, but sounded like it was trip of a life time. it is so hard to find a place to surf where noone is around or noone knows about it, it takes such effort to look for those places and often lots of money and time.
So I know how special this trip must have been to him.
I am super envious but very stoked for him.

He sounded like he was sold on finding more places like this place, who know where he will go next but I have to stay in touch with him for sure so I would know those secrets.

Okazaki's on Maui

My whole family came to visit me on Maui for the very first time after all!
my parents had been here onece about 19 years ago but back then I was more of a freak and couldn't spend any time with them because I just couldn't see myself away from the beach during the day, I had to windsurf , and even if it wasn't windy, I had to be there so I know for sure I am not missing it.
So they hang out all day by themselves visiting places I recommended and meet me around eve only to find I was so exhausetd to even communicate and falling asleep while eating. I was a very bad daughter.

But this time I really wanted to entertain them and make sure they had a great time.
Everyone had different interest so it was a bit hard to make everyone happy at the same time but overall, I think we all had a great time being together and I got to show how I live here.
I have been a pain in a butt all my life for the family but they all still give me unconditional love and it sure gives me strength . love and support from your family is such a powerful force.

I feel so lucky to have all my family happy and healthy . We laughed and teased and give a harda time to each other so much , and that what familes do, I think, at least in my family.
Great time together indeed!

The best Sep I can remember

OK, I have been a super slacker not writing anything in english diary. It's been a busy fall with lots of visiters and trips and good waves・
Anyway, starting with first swell ariving on Aug 31, we already got couple good fun swell in Sep, this is the best Sep I can remember in last 20 plus years since I first came to Maui!

I am not sure if El Nino has anything to do with it but I vaguely remember one El Nino year, we had tind of huge waves all winter so maybe this winter will be the same.

So far, I am trying to get my back healed up and getting back in shape so I can be ready for that!

Surf's UP!

Posters from Higai

Today was like early X'mas!

First I went to JImmy lewis's factory to order my new board, and then got 2 big bags full of oranges and avos , some lychees from his garden. he is always generous with his fruits.

Then at the post office , big box was waiting for me , it was from Fuji and Maki who I met couple weeks ago here and went standup paddling together. They sent box full of Japanese food that are hard to get on Maui. wow!
Also posters from my friend Higai , too, He has been my dear friend for a long long time and we went on many snowboard trip together , some of them are so memorable and intense.
he is one of my favorite photographer to travel with, easy going, super funny ( without even trying) shares same kind of values. and his work is always amazing!
I miss traveling with him! Anyways, he is publishing another photobook soon and released 3 amazing posters and sent them to me. I cannot wait to put themon the wall!

At the beach, Brett Lickle, another long time friend , mentor gave me this seird looking footstraps, called hammerhead straps. As name says it, it has a shape like hammerhead shark and it is supposed to make jibing easy, I tried out on my surfboard and it sure made it easy with the extra stuff sticking out on the both sides and you can hold your toe with it while you are jibing. kinda hard to explain . I will try it out on bigger days and see how I like it.
Brett is the guy who is always thinking new inventions and ideas for as long as I know.( I am sure he has been that way since he was a child)
the system you can skate in the house like you are ramp skating, Surfball which builds your balance, lots of little things to inprove kite accesaries, oh yeah lots of early tow-in improvement came from him, too.

Then I bought a car, I had been looking for one for a while after I got my car smashed from behind, it is another Maui cruiser( beater) but seems like this guy took a good care of it and I hope I can have agood relationship with this van for a long time.

Anyways, felt like I got so many things today, felt like X'mas!

Full moon Camping

Waves came down. Looks like it will be a while till next one comes.

Since it is full moon tonight we decided to get out and camp out . we packed some food in the cooler andgot minimum stuff and left home around 4 , and still managed t enjoyed the drive in the sunset light and arrived to the camp spot before dark.
Wind was hauling so we couldn't set up the tent right on the beach but it is really nice and protected in the woods.
As we were cooking dinner, the huge moon came out behind the mountain.We were hoping the wind will be calm in the morning so we could cruise around on our standup or snorkel around the rocks , pick opihis but gust of wind woke us up in thr morning and the ocean was covered with white caps.
We drove around Hana side and checked couple cool falls and beaches and by 1pm we were back home, short get away but refleshing !

Swell going down

This is Honolua Bay couple days ago. this place is known for one of the best right breaks in the world, it is rare that this places gets good waves in Aug either.Waves are down again and forecast is not looking good for a while. it is good time for me to get things done and maybe do something different like hikes or swimming and get my back totally in shape before the real winter season starts.

North Swell in August!?

Northeast swell came up in the afternoon of Friday and Even Honolua Bay was breaking a little on Saturday. it came down a bit the next day but on Monday bigger size Swell hit the Northshore and we all had a great time.

Usually First winter swell comes around the end of sep or early Oct, Aug is unheard of ( I am not even sure if this can be the first swell, it may not be as big enough, but definately powerful enough to call it a swell)
It was a great surprise swell in Aug and great reminder that winter is right around the corner. in fast the air feels a bit cooler last couple days.
I was still under the weather but when I looked at the webcam, it showed the definate swell lines and it instantly injected some adrenalin into my system.I went down to Lanes early so I can get out right at eleven ( we have the rule on Maui that kiters and windsurfers are not supposed to go out till 11 am) It was already windy and waves were up, maybe about 4-5ft, way better than anything we had seen for 3-4 month.
We did have crazy North swell in May this year, which is unusually late, I hope this is the sign of good winter with lots of big swells.

Anyways, the guys on the beach sounded like they were pumping their smallest kites so I decided to go with my 4m , too. I don't like using it in Lanes, especially when it is gusty but sometimes I have no choice.
when I first went out, I was a bit underpowered but I was ok. first hour or so was just 3 of us and it was great. Waves weren't the cleanest but afterdealing with months of flat summer , we were so stoked to see anything !
it was nice to see all the familiar faces who come to Lanes in the winter , too.

Yasushi went out as well , he was doing great , it was probably the biggest waves he had dealt with and I saw him crashing his kite 3 times or so, some of the crash was pretty hard that his kite was totally inverted and folded in the waves, his board floating and drifting.
But luckily he managed to get his kite up every time. When he came back to the beach, he said he was scared but he had this glow in his face like he stepped up a notch. it was nice to be out there with him today.
Andrew went down to kite beach, even there had plenty of waves, he came back super stoked , telling me he had a break through!

This is Hookipa side, windsurfers were stoked as well.
When waves are on the island, everyone is stoked and the whole atomosphere on the beach changes. people move faster , more focused and happier.

Amazing what waves do to us , maybe what we need for the world peace is more waves?