Japan is For Trustfunders

Japan is For Trustfunders
Written by Joel Patterson
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 21:19 -
Places You’ll Probably Never Surf: Japan is For Trustfunders
Dan Malloy’s Story as told by Joel Patterson Photos by Chris Burkard
We didn’t score until the last two hours of my most recent trip to Japan. Chris Burkard and I had
been in the country for two weeks, and we’d had a blast making friends and surfing, but it wasn’t
until the last day, just before a huge storm came through, and just before our flight, that it was
finally going off. It was pure luck.
We’d blown it that morning and went to check some other spot. We figured we only had about
an hour before breakfast, packing up, and heading to the airport, so we surfed for a while and
then decided to drive past another sandbar. When we got down there it was double overhead or
bigger on the sets and firing. I looked at everyone and said, “I’m going surfing no matter what. I
don’t care if I miss my flight.”
I jumped in the river mouth and got shot out the back. I’ve spent a lot of time in Japan, but I’ve
never been in waves like that there. After a couple of hours I came in and told everyone I was
changing my flight to stay longer, but a local who really knew the weather charts said it wasn’t
worth it, that a storm would arrive in the next couple hours with howling, onshore winds. So I
went back out and surfed until our Japanese friend was out on the jetty yelling for me to come in
to go to the airport.
1/3
Japan is For Trustfunders
Written by Joel Patterson
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 21:19 -
trip
The
generated
weather.
read
knee-high
contest,
surf
rushed—so
so
was
charts,
It’s
waves
by
I tickets
really
was
incredible
typhoons,
you
picked
for
afor
much
aren’t
blessing
three
swells
up
days,
so,
going
at
morning,
Iis.
are
hardly
disguise
and
to
airport
really
score
then
but
even
for
hard
itmuch.
Iquick
was
flew
remember
Japanese
to
a
home.
On
predict
rare
my
ofmoment.
surfers
any
My
Tokyo,
first
and
sponsors
details.
trip
often
because
and
there
Because
come
everything
sent
a ifdecade
with
you
Japanese
me
powerful,
to
don’t
we
surf
did
know
waves
inIduring
surfed
astormy
how
are
the
to
I didwas
away.
open-ended
Japan
athe
But
couple
for
the
then
amazing
more
about
trips
seven
place
athat
like
couple
years
that
itinan
of
first
ago,
weeks
one:
I just
began
at
aoutside
time
taking
hits
and
with
longer
just
little
cruise.
trips
memorable
to
That’s
hang
when
moments
out.
Iago,
Iwould
started
to
take
goWQS
to
on
see
In the
Hokkaido
seeing
years
before
don’t
patience.
just
to
dozen
you
even
even
save
and
scored
aor
scratch
in
fraction
up
so
ayour
a
times
little
dozen
the
of
chunk
I’ve
all
surface
times.
the
been
in
and
the
breaks.
of
The
there,
semi-tropical
disappear
what
price
Japan
I’ve
the
ofsurfed
country
to
being
has
Japan
south.
so
in
inhas
much
ais
the
for
And
hood
toa
country
coastline
Ioffer,
while—you
haven’t
andyour
but
gloves
isand
very
even
to
you’d
explore,
need
in
prohibitive,
come
freezing-cold
probably
cash
could
go
soto
broke
you
take
eventually
But
care
over
which
with
ifjust
with
of
you
kind
everything
one
a
do
breaking
of
pod
end
isolates
two
ofboardshorts
up
for
friends.
through
going,
a
you
fellow
guest—from
from
something
That
the
countrymen,
having
formalities.
way
shuttling
you
to
real,
keep
can
you
meaningful
you
begin
in
can
mind
around
easily
to
meet
experiences.
that
to
spend
ordering
people
the
tradition
I’ve
your
whole
experience
found
food.
Japan
trip
it’s
So
initclose
abest
is
ifand
their
bubble,
you
to
to
take
go
world,
go
The
California,
group
at
there’s
they
space
barely
family.
care
abundant,
their
culture
know
if of
is
the
we
Back
only
disposal.
used
islands,
turn
size
I’m
where
their
can
so
in
always
perfectly.
one
much
California,
of
grandchildren
seem
For
so
Ia
grew
of
closet,
for
example,
room
them
fascinated
like
thousands
up.
we
the
and
for
into
In
see
have
are
exact
it.
Japan,
they
they’ll
ato
And
by
these
landfill.
going
of
so
how
think
opposite
years
when
have
many
generations
beautiful
to
the
carefully
Having
be
they’ve
they
beautiful
Japanese
little
of
using
Western
build
little
come
garden
about
upon
been
itof
houses
wooded
one
something,
have
from
generations
how
acutely
culture,
there,
day.
alearned
with
they
valleys,
place
You
producing
aware
especially
they
adeal
tiny
get
to
have
so
build
with
of
the
patch
we
the
more
lived
a
open
feeling
a
ittheir
ton
figure
place
to
limited
of
on
with
of
last
earth
space
trash,
food
that
this
no
like
because
less.
resources
one
out
tiny
every
because
is
forso
back,
the
of
And
love
with
Japanese
you’re
etiquette
why
waves.
a
for
how
lot
Japanese
surfing
the
taken
we
of
culture
same
Japanese
have
in
to
Japan,
person
reason
seems
an
so
extreme.
little
who
ifYou
has
to
I’m
you
connection
are
have
yet
interested
even
They
way
bred
qualify
look
better
are
to
the
in
so
at
our
Japan’s
for
over-the-top
than
aa
concerned
past,
set
the
most
wave,
World
how
cultural
with
we
other
competitiveness
the
Tour
don’t
heritage,
politeness,
Brazilians
surfers
because
really
Iwhere
will
think
on
give
it’s
Ido
feel
out
back
the
definitely
Japanese
of
like
shit.
WQS
off.
them.
maybe
I’ve
It’s
roster,
not
When
like
surfers
surfed
for
that’s
but
awill
lack
While
continental
easily
eye
opening,
their
be
world-class
surf
shelf,
toofon
can
say
so
the
swells
and
inconsistent
least.
pack
come
a
lot
out
and
of
ofway
punch.
really
typhoon-dependant,
deep
I’ve
had
water.
And
sessions
their
when
coastline
all
at
the
river
stars
mouths
very
align,
little
that
ithow
can
were
can
If
and
open
surfers
all
to
travel
Ifind
the
was
last
your
to
should
difference,
ifahead
advising
cultural
ayou’re
agenda
lifetime.
be.
experiences
someone
your
That
un-ambitious.
and
a be
package
trip
in
way
the
and
on
you
process
and
deal
the
meet
don’t
Remember
exploring,
best
being
up
just
you
with
hand-held
take
will
to
that
them.
you’ll
get
score
home
the
glimpses
never
Having
by
in
waves
memories,
Japan,
asome
be
guide.
people
into
aren’t
bored.
I awould
Personally,
but
culture
to
good
Make
you
show
say
all
build
that’s
contact
you
keep
the
Ihas
think
relationships
time,
the
so
your
with
much
ropes
that’s
but
crew
local
ifharder
makes
you’re
small
that
all
And where’s
had
comes
me,
fun.
while
inAll
handy
not
I the
can
being
once
bathroom?”
sayable
is
a year.
“Happy
to speak
I should
New
Japanese
Year”—Akemashite
probably
is alearn
barrier,
something
I’ve
omedeto
been
more
gozaimasu—but
a ton
practical,
of timeslike,
andthat
“Excuse
always
only
2/3
Japan is For Trustfunders
Written by Joel Patterson
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 21:19 -
3/3