Gilligan's Island

Guess where this is?  Back in the days when I was growing up, one of my favorite TV shows was Gilligan's Island.  Everyday I would look forward to watching new or old episodes of this hilarious show.  The other day, we were able to visit Coconut Island where they supposedly filmed the opening island shot.  The reefs and waters around there are well taken care of "malama I ke kai" and the scientist and biologists continue to help manage in creating a sustainable ocean environment.  You do need special permissions to get on the island but it's a great place to check out if you have the opportunity...And no that's not Gilligan, Mary-Ann, and Ginger in the background.

The Art of Diving

One of Hawaii's top women skin divers, Kimi Werner has been making news around the diving community.  Diver by day, Artist by night she continues to achieve her goals and yesterday was no exception.  We decided to head out with one of her diving mentors, Wayde Hayashi and as we reached the harbor, we saw our other diving friends launching their boat.  It was looking like another beautiful day in Hawaii.  We had our secret chum, made a few drifts and next thing you know it she managed to land the fish of the day, "BIG ONO" with a small reef gun.  Stay tuned for the entire story on a future episode of Hawaii Skin Diver TV featuring this awesome diving artist!

North Shore Ulua

We decided to go for a dive on the North Shore today with the kona wind conditions.  Weekday warriors, Kirby & Mason Fukunaga and Shawn Fujimoto were already at the harbor at 5:30 am. anxious to dive.  Within the first hour of diving I spotted this white ulua in a hole and called Shawn over to let him know I was going to make a drop.  The ulua was circling the hole so I waited for it to give me a good shot.  When I pulled the trigger on my 100cm Euro Riffe the shaft penetrated the head but within a few seconds it started to run.  Shawn gave it the back up shot and it broke his line but we did finally land it after Shawn stabbed himself with his knife trying to brain the fish.  We caught a mixed bag of fish and even had some excitement with some good size sharks who were sizing us up for their next meal.  I think Mason made _ _ _-_ _ _ in his wetsuit after he saw his biggest shark in his life.  You can check out Kirby's website www.go-naminori.com for the "rest of the story".

Wayde Pool

Remember those "Small Kid" dayz when the bathtub felt like an olympic sized swimming pool? Or when going to the Big Island was like going to other side of the world?  Then you got older, took a few trips, met more people, and your world became smaller.  Then 20 years later, you find out your neighbors brothers son-n-law is good friends with your uncles daughters sister and your world became even smaller.  Went for a dive one day with USA World team diver, Wayde Hayashi is still just a kid at heart!  As big an ocean we have to play in, the Red Sea Paparazzi caught him in his personal "Wayde Pool".  He loves the ocean and any chance he can get in some surf or dive while spending quality time with his wife Angela and 3-year old son Reece is what life is about.

Jockos in May

An out of season north shore swell arrived on schedule yesterday.  Looked like Jocko's and Chuns reef was the spot and the rest of Hawaii was out in full force.  Some fun overhead waves with photographers, surfers, stand-up surfers all trying to get in the zone.  Today looks like there are still some surf but conditions are marginal with a bit of morning sickness so my call is to work now, surf later.  Lights winds still in the Red Sea forecast, with a dropping north swell by the weekend.  Trades should be back early next week.  Have a great day!  

Go Dive with Go-Naminori

What a beautiful day in Hawaii nei!  The variable winds began today and no surf so you know what that means!  Go Dive!  This time with Go-Naminori.com!  I got the invitation from Kirby Fukunaga and his brother for a dive that I could not pass up.  After several dives we had a mix bag of goatfish, omilu, uhus, rois, menpachi, aholehole, and then some.  I had a handful of chum which I began unloading at the drop and within 5 minutes, 30-40 kawakawas came swimming by.  The school circled the chum a few times while a few hungry fish stopped for a bite.  I couldn't believe all these pelagics so close to shore as I usually see this type of fish at the buoys.  "Tunas! Get more chum!" I yelled.  After a couple of drops trying to line up of this fast moving fish, I took a shot with my 100cm Riffe euro gun and the fish began to spool my reel.  I gingerly brought it up wondering if the shot was good.  Luckily it held and we got it in the boat after we got a few pics first!  It weighed in at 18.2 lbs.  I think it is a new Hawaii Skin Diver Spearfishing Record, more importantly we got some sashimi for dinner:)

Rooster Chris

Hawaii Skin Diver TV, new episode features the 1st Annual Mexican Shootout held at Palapas Ventana Resort, in Baja Mexico.  One of Hawaii's local boys, Chris Palignawan was on fire landing an almost world record Roosterfish (Pez Gallo) on his first day of diving.  He was so stoked on this catch we even made a gyotaku print of this trophy.  The action heated up as all the divers began spotting marlin and sailfish which made the tournament exciting.   Our next Shootout is being held on July 21-26, and we are looking forward to another great event.  If you want to shoot big game pelagics this is the spot.  Email us if you would like to join us!

Gene Higa Memorial

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to dive with Hawaii's best 3-prongers, Gene Higa (left) in 2004. He was an engineer by trade and loved to spearfish. Gene, Kalei, and Wayde were the 3-musketeers of diving and always dove together for fun or competition. He passed away in 2004 from a shallow water blackout experience at the US Nationals and since then a dive tournament has been occurred each May. This years event is at Puiki pavillion in Wailua, Hawaii on Saturday May 10th. Come out and join the fun in memory of our fallen divers.

Giant Uhu

When there is no surf...dive...when the diving conditions are bad...travel! Here Kris Tyler lands his biggest "uhu" ever. We took a trip to southeast asia and he landed this 80 lb. beast. He was so stoked on spearing this fish we even got to make a gyotaku print of it that will someday be hanging on the walls of his new dive shop in Kapolei. Check out Westside Dive & Tackle in the Marketplace of Kapolei. If you are getting the itch to take a trip, now is the time to travel before the airfares go up even further.

Magic Boards by Wade

Hope everyone has been getting there share of waves. One of Hawaii's top shapers, Wade Tokoro recently shaped a few magic boards for me that I'm super stoked on. I was able to test them out on this south swell and they both worked really good. Wade shapes boards for the 2007 world champion Mick Fanning, and many other top rated surfers like Sunny Garcia, Bruce Irons, Makua Rothman, legendary Mark Occhilupo. He enjoys charging pipeline, waimea bay, or the secret spot "inner ledge". If you are interested in getting your magic board, check out his website at www.tokorosurfboards.com to place your order. Surf has been fun on both the north and south shores but waves are expected to decline over the next several days so get out there if you can.