PARADISE

Yesterday afternoon, myself, brothers Chris and Walter, paddled out to a spot called aligators, on the North Shore of O'ahu. the swell was pumping... i'm not going to get into sizing them as there are always so many discrepancies?, so let me just say that if lay down on the ground and look up at anything around you(counter top, fence post, garbage can's) they look huge, so this was enormous... not the biggest that is a whole other story!!!... We all paddled out; fear drilling into the back of our skulls and adrenaline pumping, endorphins just bursting in the brain. Here is the moment when i realize, ( by the look on the other faces it was mutual) that the world must be respected; As a huge set rolls through leaving behind a churning, foaming, white, blue, stew pot of ocean: Gerry Lopez got it rite 'after that wave rolled through everything felt different , as if it had changed, it looked different, even smelt different!' .
I've noticed something about large waves ; as they come your way, they look small, but after looking at this small wave for some time, i kinda think to me self "gee that wave sure is taking it's time gettin -here"... "YA" know why!!! you got it ... cuz it's bloody frigen huge, That's why!!!...
Ever watch a Freight Train rolling down the track looks small from a distance rite, till it gets closer, then you realize how big it is , and how fast it's moving... Same concept, ha ha!...
Well we all survived to surf another day, for myself i caught two waves; one monster i pulled off of, due to a slight shudder in Mitsu beneath me, so i did not risk it, which is good due to the risk of going over the falls(free fall from the top of the wave to the shallow part at the bottom).
These are a couple of pics from around and around , or windy and windy???? Liam

Waimea sunset, gee i wish i were on that boat, but it's all good!

Banzai Pipeline, not sure who?, this was a small one but had someone on it so i snapped this shot! 

Waimea Bay, clean up session... next year this will be me, started training already!!!

Time well wasted!, Training EH!

shifts and rifts

My best goes out to those of japan, and if' i can find a way to help, i will! 

Little tale for all of you all out there, after eatin supper; "or was it dinner": Not sure, anyhow!, 'after eating food', my friend Chris and I were told by our friends Lewis and Philip, about an earth quake, in Japan, and that there might be a Tsunami heading our way!. 

Chris checks his smart phone, and as he gets two lines in to the announcement. The phone lock's up!. just as the words "WHAT THE F- rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, THE AIR -RADE/TSUNAMI , warning siren, goes off!!!!!... 

And good thing da car is always ready ta go EH!, too the highest point we drive, then realize how much water we do not have!; So we find some bubble wrap in chris's jeep and i got rope from my car.

Set up for water collection, and try to get some sleep. 

Next morning!, a long wait to get down the mountain, luckily all that happened here on the North Shore of O'ahu, a few fish washed up on the highway in Halaiwa, so all is good here. 

Sea ya in the water 

Liam 

p/s way to tired from surfing and slack line to write more details 

life... in general... as it goes... on and on , and on

Well then guys and gals, too put into perspective the life of a "transient" 'gypsy', it is fast; we go through towns and states and provinces, very quickly to start, then we start to slow down and smell the flower's, (got a pic of that, but not set up for that at the present time... later), we just got back into Canada;(so glad to be back); don't get me wrong our american neighbours are great, very friendly, helpful, and courteous, but i am glad to be in mother Canada, as well as on mother earth! come on now... .

After 5000km and change... in two weeks... roughly... estimated of course, it was probly more? . WA- AWA and I had one hell of an interesting adventure, good times, good people, and good surf, not to mention good time... what i mean by that is, my clock consisted of the sky and dark meant sleep, light meant wake up, and waves meant surf, rocks and trees meant climb, hot sun meant 'siesta'!... oh ya!. 

Hear is a curious question for people! how dark is dark?, if one does not know the meaning of dark?. Yep that is it. In the red wood forest, we found a tree! big enough! to park behind!(so as no one could see us), cooked dinner on a small fire: and CRASHED! it was so dark i couldn't see my hand in front of my face!!!. What  a great sleep we had, in the Red Wood Forest. 

Time well spent, with 2000 year old Giants. 

We drove through a tree, called the chandelier tree(Due to it's shape i guess). We just barely fit through; with the (THULE carrier) on the roof and all.(pictures to come). I must add, WHAT A GREAT TRIP TO 'SOCAL'.

Being out on the road like this, It's a little hard to put into words how good it feels to be following dreams and, just abiding by day and night, all rhythm of the day and night, as nature intended us to!!, I hope that i may follow this rhythm for the rest of my life. 

It brings great peace to my solitude!!!

sea you all in the water somewhere 

Liam 

surf meditation, with old souls

Meditation, which i learned from a bro of mine 'Winston Loh'. has become a very important part of life. you also do not need to be Buddhist to meditate. It plays such a keen role in most sports and all do it differently, it allows us to live, "in the moment". It allows us to find answers to questions we already know, so it is really hard to pass up a great place or time to meditate. Some of these trees in 'Cathedral forest' where estimated to be 800 years old ( i soon hope to this same thing with red woods and sequoia's) and to sit with them, and listen to what they listen too,what they have to say... I sat with one tree, around the 800 year mark. i listened. At first there was a ton of traffic near by which i heard plain as day, but then as my new friend started to communicate with me, i noticed a stream near by bubbling away, then some song birds off in the distance, the wind in the branches, as we listened, my attention was brought to a fact that these trees, have encountered many beings, maybe even generations of beings, like the song bird. they do not hear the noise from the highway near by, that will not be there for long ,compared to the time they have spent standing in the wind and rain, for generations of people, birds and all things. Our world is such a wonderful place, it's a huge playground, far better than any we could ever dream of building, we must respect it and live within our means, otherwise we destroy it, lets say to have that mansion in the perfect location that costs a fortune, we cannot even enjoy the location because we must work so much and so hard, just to afford this piece of luxury."Lend me your eyes I can change what you see" Mumford & sons,awake my soul. Life as we know it is changing, enjoy it and play in the world!!!...

Sea ya in the water 

Liam

All smiles and laughter!

"I felt the thinnest mountain air cleaning out my lungs" Xavier Rudd,sky to ground!... 
Yep so that last post was out of boredom and a bit of a block, kings and Queens are all over and around, from the person next two you on the bus, stripping down and changing there clothes, the young family struggling to make it by on peanuts, trades people-business people, we are all kings and queens living in a beautiful wide world, every description in comments i feel was bang on... So now on to the exciting stuff, after a short visit with family in Edmonton, my niece showed me a thing or two about riding bush trails in Jaspers, Marmot basin resort, traded wisdom with my nephew and sister, all in all a great visit. I headed out one after noon(tried for morning,didn't happen the temp was -38 without wind chill) so while the car thawed,we played "Mario party", then good bye's where ordered up, stayed in Jasper for the evening, at 'seldom inn' guest house, very beautiful and a super place to stay for those looking!. Got to an early start heading through the mountains on Highway 93 south, i stopped a couple of times and shut the car off and just listened to  the mountains,with a small creek bubbling near by,steam rising from it and the sound of the wind 'Serenity'... i made it to Banf and rode Sunshine Village, very beautiful place. Made it to a place that night, that i have a soft spot for now...Golden  BC, i found a recently opened hostel called the DreamCatcher Hostel, Abi and Gerald Wagner, So friendly and helpful, they where in tune with everyones itinerary, which was such a plus when people where looking for ride share and such,Gerald did such a nice job of renovating the building, very cozy and clean. Anyhow, the goods kicking horse, with some advise from Gerald who was very knowledgeable, i found some fantastic technical runs with a little powder, then i met a young gentlemen by the name of Jacob from Chicago, at the top most in bounds run called stairway to heaven,(i recommend avalanche training everyone, it is handy and a must,also AV gear) So i snapped a few shots and we decided to drop in to the chute, what a blast, I've dreamed of riding mountains like this since a started to ski years ago, and then for the grand finale in golden, climbed to the next highest peak and out of bounds, it is hard to describe the feeling and the view, as well as the thin air while hiking to the peak, then there was the ride down, only a couple of tracks an all kinds of powder, down through the trees, more powder(remember avalanche training and gear boys and girls). The only way i can describe the feeling of being at the top and riding down are like surfing viewing mother earth how she was made, not how we changed it, and moving at the speed of the universe... Now i made it to Vancouver, over to the island and I've been surfing every day with my bro Jeramy, meeting some incredible people along the way and really finding myself out here in this great big world, i recommend to people not to forget about exploring our home Country,Canada is so diverse it will blow your mind to explore it... Get up off that couch, throw that blackberry message conversation B.S that takes all your time and throw it out the window, go explore, home truly is where and what you make it to be!!!. 


sea ya in the water 
Liam

sunrise! leaving Jasper

can anyone see the whale?

top of the stairway to heaven 

Jacob and myself 

nuf said!

that's the stairway to heaven over there 

the chute 

the first section after the chute

wisdom over the sink 

just a mountain away

A true king(or queen) i believe not one who is in power of many people or places, i believe a true king(queen) is in power of himself(herself). They make decisions based on there belief in themselves and there abilities, 'calculated risk's',(from hear on i'll use king but feel free to put in your own) I feel that deep down we are all kings, but i've found along the way many people that are more kingly than they may even know. Kingly is not measured in wealth or control, but experiences, wisdom, knowledge and respect. I believe the richest kings and queens of our short existence on this world where those who only take what they need and continue on, they need not just be travelers, but even those who settle. now to see how many people actually read this, i want to see at least ten different comments, of your definition of Kingly(Queenly) before i post any more pictures(like the ones that brought on this theory)...

If I where to seek, for just one peak, i would find myself weak , from seeking for weeks, i see one there!, just over there!, just one peak, rite over there, i''ll sneak to the top for just one peek, look over there!!!, another Peak!!!!

lum 

sea ya on the water!

west bound

Yep decided to head west, after a fantastic holiday visit with family in southern Ontario. much thanks goes out to all the hospitality I've received, from family,families, friends and total strangers, happy new years and may it be a fantastic one.... The journey to Edmonton was full of short naps at fuel stations or just about anywhere i could find a street light to park under, and let me tell you about a cold one, 90kmh, heat full blast, defrost ,and the windows began to freeze over in and out, my wiper blades froze to the windshield, this lasted about 100 km, before exiting the jet stream into the high's, pretty 'cool' i'd say. Next stop in about a week will be surf but for now snowboarding, fills the gap, Had a great day on a small hill in Edmonton, with my niece and nephew, it was around 4 deg C and sticky, but as the sun left the slope it was perfect for some really big surfy carves on edge, you know, the kind where you go from one side of the hill, to the other ,and back, all at like mach 1.So much fun!!! 

sea ya in the water, or on the snow lol

Lum