Koa Tree contest

Koa Tree contest at Sandys is on Oct 16,17. I'll post a downloadable entry form when I get home tonight.

HSA at Courts

HSA at Courts is on! See you all here!

My footage of the crazy boat guy on the news! - What you should do if you want to start surfing!

I got a call from KITV4 today asking me if they can use the footage i got of the crazy boat guy trying to run over a parasailing boat full of tourists. i gave them permission to use it (for some $$! ha ha) and they ran the story today on the news.

you can click on the image above. or you can click

http://www.kitv.com/video/25061398/detail.html

Good thing i was too tired to surf that day. the waves were small so i'd normally would've just surfed but i just felt like sitting around so i was just happened to be filming.

see that kids, it pays to be lazy sometimes! ha ha. nah, nah. don't be lazy, work hard for what you want.

one of the most common emails i get from people are "i want to surf but where do i start?".

well, don't go out and spend hundreds of dollars and get a surfboard, specially a shortboard! i mean what if you don't like it and surfing is no an easy sport. not only you have to paddle out to the lineup, you need to read the waves, paddle into a right wave, and FINALLY you get to surf.

what i usually tell people is... go take a lesson first! it's a great way to learn about ocean safety, surfing etiquette, and best of all, you will catch waves, stand up, and surf with help from the instructors.

i know i am a bias reviewer for surf schools but i honestly think Tony and Tammy Moniz's school, Faith Surf School, is the best around.

here's a video of Faith Surf School!

I've been to Waikiki and watch different surf schools working but Faith is by far the friendliest and can tell they enjoy what they do.

so if you want to try surfing, hit them up. you might get hooked on surfing like us or even if you don't the feeling you get from sliding on top of waves is just unreal. everyone should experience that at least once in their lives!

HSA contest tomorrow so i'll see you all at Ala Moana Courts!

Kaz

Novus Swell

HSA update

The contest at Ala Moana Court is ON! Saturday= Jr Mens, Boys under11, Boys 12-14, Open Mens, Mens, Masters and Grand Masters. (Shortboard divisions)

The rest of the divisions are on Sunday.

Kaz Sano

Have a PUPU KINE evening everyone!

You all should know Kylen Yamakawa by now, right? well, if not, here's his profile i did a while back.

ok, now you know who he is. well, Kylen and his friends started a new clothing company, PUPU KINE. PUPU KINE is anything and everything positive, like "i had a PUPU KINE surf session today". well, check out Kylen's blog to find out more!

So Kylen hooked me up with a PUPU KINE shirt and stickers today!

These stickers are going on my board for sure!

so stoked these kids are trying new things and having fun doing it!

so everyone, have a PUPU KINE evening and see you in the water!

Kaz

Novus Swell

Thanks Clark Takashima, the surf artist!

When i was at the beach today, i ran into an artist Clark Takashima. He does really sick work and a super nice guy.

He was the one who did the artwork for Haleiwa International Open this past Dec. if you don't know what i'm talking about, check out this Novus Swell webisode.

Clark's been super busy and told me he hadn't had time to surf for over 2 months! It was really nice to see him finally got some time in the water.

He's art can be purchased at local art galleries and also i've heard he has a couple of art shows coming up too!

before Clark left the beach, he hooked me up with one of his paintings!! so stoked! thanks Clark!

check his site out to see his amazing work, who he is, and where to find him and his work.

www.ClarksSurfArtHawaii.com

I know lot of groms are into art but not sure where to go to find out how it is to be an artist and how to get your artwork out to people, hit me up. i'll connect you to Clark so you can ask him all the questions you have.

thanks again Clark for the painting and your friendship!

Kaz

Novus Swell

The special card that's always in my wallet - Waves!! Time for a photo session! - Kewalos hierarchy

There are few things i ALWAYS carry in my wallet. my driver's license, credit card and this special card. that's right, sometimes i'm so broke there's no cash in it. ha ha.

When i first started Novus Swell, Brueggemann family gave me a congrats card with this in it. We still didn't know each other as well as we do today but they have been supporting what i do since the day one.

even now when i doubt myself about what i'm doing and if it's any good, i take out this card. yeah what it says on the card is great but it's more than that... that there were people like Brueggemann family who believed in me in the beginning and they continue to support my effort today.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who's been supporting my effort, specially the Bruggemann ohana. Thanks guys!

Karl, Michelle, and their daughter Nicole (aka: my bodyguard!). their sons Devin was still surfing and Jordan didn't want to be in the photo cuz he's a teenager. ha ha.

So did you get to surf today? well, if you didn't, you missed out! well, it wasn't that good in the morning but in the afternoon, the condition cleaned up and it was super fun!

of course i went SURFING in the morning when it wasn't that good and decided to shoot photos in the afternoon. aaahhhh so nice to be a surf photog, can't surf when it's good! ha ha.

Derek Wong ready to paddle out! i didn't connect with him today tho... sorry Derek, no photos for you today.

Kyle Aukai's been surfing with us for a while now but this was the first time me shooting him. i guess i was supposed to tell him to surf like if i weren't there. ha ha.

One of the original Kewalos groms (well, he's an grown up now. ha ha). He was making sure all the new groms know why he dominates this break. so kids, if you see Kapu paddling for a wave, you better not even think about going on the same wave as him!

i mean who does a turn like this on good size wave like we had today? Kapu is the man!

Seth Moniz has been earning his spot on the lineup. He still can't sit as far out as Kapu but Seth is getting there. he's one of the smart ones who's been respectful to the uncles in the lineup, surfing inside and moving little bit more outside every year.

the result... now he can catch waves like this at Kewalos and all the uncles got his back!

This kid (sorry i don't know your name yet.) has been coming out and surfing the inside break improving his surfing skills hoping one of the uncles to call him to sit outside one day. he's improved a lot since the first day he started coming here.

Keanu Ikalani has been steadily proving himself too. he got this nice nugg today... Keanu, pull in the barrel!!! ha ha.

Noa Mizuno is down to do anything i tell him. after seeing Keanu's wave i told Noa to start pulling in the barrel. well, he was going for it after that!


BUT... he still can't sit as far out as some other guys so i was little too far out to get him in the barrel. sorry Noa, next time i'll get a barrel shots of you!

Since i talked little about where everyone sits at Kewalos, let me point out some stuff really quick. Kewalos is one of the few spots in town with pretty strong localism. There are uncles who's been surfing there for years even before the paved parking lot.

the uncles sits outside and once they are paddling for waves, nobody paddles for those waves. Even when you think they aren't going to catch it, don't even try to paddle for them.

next there are guys in their 30-40s who's been accepted by the uncles and Kapu, Zeke, and Derek. they paddle battle each other for waves but try not to get involve in that cuz they can get pretty upset!

after that, Josh, Seth and other kids and guys.

AND finally new kids and adults inside Josh and Seth guys.

There's been lot of random people coming to Kewalos and sitting outside with the uncles or with Kapu and them. DON'T DO IT. either you won't catch any waves or people are just going to drop in on you. and if you drop in on some of the guys out there, they WILL run you over. you'll have better time sitting inside or going somewhere else.

i know it sounds kindda nuts this hierarchy in town but that's how it's been and how it will be.

if you are new to a break (any break), just take your time and watch for a while. you'll see what's going on and who are the locals and dominate the break. if you respect them and surf within their rules, one day one of the uncle's going to tell you "come sit outside more".

be safe out there, you want to get pounded by the waves and not some uncles. ha ha.

more swell's on the way, see you in the water!

Kaz

Novus Swell