Influenced by his father Mike, Hayato Maki’s love for camping, motocross, skiing and other outdoor sports began at an early age. It wasn’t until he was 14 years old, when his family moved to Oahu, HI, that his older brother Claude got him into surfing. Hayato returned to Japan after graduating from Kalaheo High School and earned his Japanese professional surfer qualification, but competitive surfing failed to interest him and he left the contest scene to become a traveling soul surfer.
Dave lives on the fabled north coast of New South Wales, a surfing mecca rich with pointbreaks and pristine coastline. “Being in an engaged community of coastal people who actively preserve the wild spaces and culture that make the place so beautiful is the highlight of my life,” he says. Living simply on an acreage—growing fruit and vegetables, beekeeping and, of course, surfing—makes for days filled with meaningful play.
Born to a Japanese father and a Danish mother, David found his way to surfing at the age of 16. Grooming his style in the waves of Kamakura, he was soon traveling around the globe to compete on the ASP World Longboard Tour. A well-known activist in the Japanese surf community, he now speaks out on issues ranging from nuclear power to coastal construction and ocean pollution. He’s surfing full-time these days, and says he’s happiest when riding “anything from knee-high to double overhead.”
Kimi grew up in tropical surroundings on Maui, where her father was a dedicated freediver. With a craving for the simple life, Kimi followed in her dad’s footsteps, winning a U.S. National Spearfishing Championship in 2008. She’s also an artist and accomplished chef. “The moment I took up freediving and spearfishing again,” she says, “I reconnected to the happiness of my childhood.”
