OK How do I even begin? Where do I start. OK GOD IS SO COOL. I think this is the best way to begin. He is just awesome. Only God would give me the vision and desire for this.

The other day I was sitting by the river in Shuili. And trust me I have sat here a lot. The river here is like a lot of rivers around the world it makes this cool looking wave. It’s this wave that I look at and think man what I would do to surf right now. I would love to just be able to ride a wave for like ever. The vision hit me a long time ago. Just grab my board and fins and surf the river. But the desire wasn’t there. Ok it wasn’t desire it was that I hadn’t been crazy enough to do it. It wasn’t till yesterday that God said to me so clear. You will not get second chances in Taiwan, time is running out. I jumped on my bike went home got my stuff and road up the mountain to the local hardware store. I bought 3 dollars worth of rope. It was like maybe 10-15ft. long. I looked at the river found a good rock put the rope around it and gave it a good old boy scout knot. Well I wasn’t a boy scout but if I was I am sure I would of gotten some sort of scout patch or some award for this awesome knot. I'm quit proud of my knot. Well so I grab my flippers and board put on my skim shirt and get in the water. AAHHH I am at home in the water. I get along side of the waterfall where this wave is building. The trick is to have like hoop knots down the rope so I can hold on to one then let go and fall back into the wave. Well yeah I had no clue if it was going to work. There wasn’t like I had some book or owners manual to see how to do it. I was just going on faith and prayer, A lot of prayer. I was like ok well its going to go really bad and one of these many huge rocks behind me and below me are going to make a great cushion to my bones and head. Or its going to work and yeah I'll never leave Shuili, ever. And yeah well I am holding on to this rope and count to 3. 1 and jump into the wave. I have never been a good counter. The force of the water was nothing I was expecting I snapped back in this rope like I a midget shoot out of a canon. The water was rushing so fast under me. I am holding on to this rope feeling my fingers saying let go or we are going to rip off. I get into my spot. Its like this area that you can ride it like a wave with out being rolled around like a rag doll. It was like the hand of God was holding me in the wave. I let go of the rope and wow it was just like a real wave. And my fingers were like thank you…. I am surfing in Shuili. WOWOWOWOWOWOW I am surfing in Shuili. I am going back in forth spraying cutting pushing the wave. And then like 30 seconds later I cut too much and the water shoots me out now I am like oooohhhh shit. I am thinking big rocks ahead. But no worry I stay off to the right and the current catches me and takes me back to my starting blocks.

Wow I rode over and over and over and over and well until it got dark and then went home. And I am now thinking to my self. I have done it all. God is to cool. I have gone river surfing in the middle of Taiwan. And I am sure I am the first. The funny thing was to see the people watching me. They were like ohh no he is drowning let's go look and watch him drown. Then they see me surfing this wave and there like wow Garcia is really crazy. Garcia is insane. I showed the pictures to my host parents. It was too funny to see the look on their faces. Where did you do this? NO!!! Really? Your Kong Kong “Retarded”. And all they had to say was ok well don’t die hahaaha. And I was like ok. Its funny I live in a culture that everything is dangerous and then there’s me well every Taiwanese family nightmare. A youth now goes out side and does stuff. Many, ok all the teenagers here are soft and stay inside and study and well don’t get bruises and scratches. They’re all mamas’ boys.. And now I ask was Taiwan the right choice? Yeah!!! They needed some one crazy like me here. Mountain climbing, Mountain Biking, and Riding my skateboard down the mountain roads, Surfing, Free climbing with out ropes, and now surfing in the river. This island has everything for me. Not everything in life is dangerous as long as you do it with your eyes open and don’t do it blind folded. Hahaha. Rotary thanks for sending me to Taiwan, to Shuili in the middle of Taiwan to ride the Shuili river waves. Thank you. I am never going home.…..
Much Love
JAVY

To see Javier's pictures click HERE