Toyo’s legacy: Learning to surf later in life and building surf sisterhood through the Salt Water Divas

👋 Hi, I’m Toyo

“Be the ripple, be kind, live in gratitude.”

👨‍👩‍👧 Growing up between cultures

My mom and dad were the most wonderful parents. My father, Toyo, was born north of Hilo in Ninole, Hawaii, on a sugarcane plantation. My Japanese mother was born and raised in California.

My life growing up in Santa Barbara, CA, was socially challenging. I recall being one of two Asians in my grammar school and the only Asian family in my neighborhood. Life was not always kind—being short, Asian, and female meant the bullies were in full force. But because of my parents and extended family, life was beautiful.

🌞 Watching the waves from the shore

I did not grow up surfing. My mother was a proper Japanese lady who did not believe in suntans or bikinis, so I watched the surfers from the shore. My father, Toyo, on the other hand, being from Hawaii, was the opposite. He got me out of cotillion and bought me roller skates and a hula hoop.

✈️ A different path: from Santa Barbara to the skies

Long story short, I did not become the doctor, nurse, or physical therapist that was wished for me. Instead, I left Santa Barbara after a few years in community college and became a flight attendant—working with people all over the world who embraced acceptance, diversity, and inclusion. My dream job. I saw the world, and it taught me about people, cultures, and ways of life outside my Santa Barbara bubble.

💑 Love, family, and finding my voice

I met my husband, Vinnie, an inner-city police officer, while based on the East Coast as a flight attendant. We had one date and have been together ever since. We have raised three beautiful sons. My sons have been an inspiration, and my Italian/Jersey husband supports me in a way that gave me a voice and courage—without fear—to say what is in my heart.

🏄🏻‍♀️ Surfing through life’s transitions

As all parents do, we live vicariously through our children on some level. While visiting my parents, I put my boys in a surf camp.

When my father, Toyo, passed, the boys and I moved back to Santa Barbara to take care of my mother. I had lost my father, I was taking care of my terminally ill mother, and my husband was still living on the East Coast.

When the boys went to school, I spent a few hours in the mornings and decided—at 46 years young—to learn how to surf. I found peace, joy, and rejuvenation.

🌊 Creating a community: The Salt Water Divas

There were not a lot of women in the water—and definitely not women of “almost a certain age.” So, I started the Salt Water Divas. Twelve years later, it has organically become a movement filled with friendships, adventures, and beautiful memories – a true beginner surfer community for women almost certain age.

Most importantly, we support women of all ages and inspire them to try something new, take a risk, make their dreams a reality, and—most of all—be kind. You can find us @saltwaterdivas

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