Once I knew what to look for I started recognizing tipping points everywhere. I found the first one on the mountainside in rural Japan but realized I'd experienced one just a few days earlier in the water, during the height of the typhoon swell. Both were tests I'd have to face on my own.

What's it like to live in the "Wave Hunter" and surf typhoon swells in Japan? Follow the ups and downs of this eventful week on the Miyazaki coast.

Today we are kicking of the Japan series... which includes multiple notes from my extended stay and extensive search for surf in Japan. This first note covers how I came to decide that spending several months in Japan to find my stoke would be a good idea...

Each swell follows a predictable arc that plays out in the surf community. Here's how it goes...

Read this note and see pics and diagrams here:

https://surfersnotebook.com/uncategorized/the-arc-of-a-swell/

Why can't I come to terms with "surf dreams"?

Read it here: https://surfersnotebook.com/uncategorized/dreaming-of-surf/

What happens when a young group of 20 year-old men, heavily influenced by surf culture of the 2000's, rent an apartment in Costa Rica for a month?

A lot can happen... including one short moment that would change the trajectory of my life.

Drop out and tune in.

To read and see pics, visit: https://surfersnotebook.com/central-america-summers-pt-3-going-wild-in-the-streets

What kind of trouble can a gringo get into when they get setup with a host family in rural Nicaragua? Listen in to find out.

To read this note and see pictures, visit: https://surfersnotebook.com/uncategorized/central-american-summer-pt-2-nicaragua-the-interior/

This week we're going waaayyyyy back!

All the way to my first surf trip - a high school graduation venture to Panama which would kick off a 3-summer run of Central American adventures.

Some things lined up nicely, some things went terribly wrong. Listen in to hear about the rollercoaster ride.

To read this note, visit: https://surfersnotebook.com/central-american-summer-pt-1-venturing-beyond-the-bubble