Solo session...
Look ahead, choose your line and go, go, go!
You can still sometimes wonder off the beaten path and find a perfect left with nobody out...
A wonderful day at a wonderful break...
Trio 06·24·09 ·
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I got it...
I really liked this study of negative and positive space and would challenge you to think about which one is more powerful in your life.
Ain't summer Gr8? Packing my bags as we speak and flying south tonight to Honduras...stoked. There's no internet where I am going and so I am given an opportunity to rethink how I do things...I started this site as a metaphorical branding iron--red hot, ready to poke me into action--so that I'd be motivated to shoot everyday. Well, if you have ever tried to do this, it is quite difficult but a fun exercise in discipline. I try, try, try to shoot everyday, and almost all of these shots are posted the same day that they were taken, but sometimes I don't shoot, or maybe I have way too many fun or good shots I want to share from previous days, and then they take precedent and get posted...I guess it has turned into an exercise in complete objectivity and randomness...all of which luckily revolves around my surfing obsession. So anyways, today I fly south and have pre-posted an assortment of shots from past shoots to keep you entertained until my return...enjoy
The Bu went off this week...
Yeah weekend! Almost time to pack the bags for Honduras...so stoked.
Wow did I get some epic sessions full of lefts in LA these last couple days...yes, I surf goofy and this south swell is exactly what the doctor ordered to cure my summertime SB no-surf blues...Here is a shot from a cliff south of Co. Line, definitely one of those semi-secret spots with zero crowd and all sorts of surf.
I come down to LA about once a week to work with a client whose office is right on the beach...surfed Topanga this sunrise and had a blast...here is a pretty mediocre shot of the view from my office. I can see Sunset and Topanga from here and they're going off with the changing tide. Go get it!
Made it to LA Co. today and hit up some great spots...had a 4hr. long evening sesh. full of lefts, lefts, lefts. This photo doesn't do the session justice. It was consistently shoulder to headhigh (with a few overhead sets) and the kelp was glassing it off...so fun!
Lowers was going off today (as reported by a little birdie) and SB was just not...Did not get in today and starting to get a little dehydrated. Am off to LA county for two days in the morning for some hydration therapy and salt baths...see you there.
What a fun weekend...found waves everyday and even had a couple double sessions...went camping, did yoga, swam in a very warm Pacific, met new peeps, enjoyed old ones, ate some tasty food and smiled smiled smiled.
Camp 06·14·09 ·
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Had some great waves here yesterday, and the swell is supposed to stick around through the week...on my way out the door to find some more.
YEAH, just got out of session number two...waist high glassy, maybe even as big as bellybutton high, really long rides all the way to the cove. Yeah! Got a new waterproof/shockproof/stoke-giving/ugly-looking/but-great-photo-taking digital camera yesterday and put it through it's paces today...And just as advertised I am stoked. Everyone looking for a waterproof/shockproof/stoke-giving/ugly-looking/but-great-photo-taking digital camera should get the new Canon PowerShot D10! Enjoy your weekend!
Optimism is waking up to waist high sets and thinking, or knowing that you'll find head high surf further down the road...on a day when they weren't even calling for anything past knee high.
Found a little surf today...little being the operative word, but still fun.
I really like this shot of El'Marinero. It was shot in maine on a cold winter night, it's about to snow and the raging Nor'Easter is bringing in some serious swell...its taken at the beach while checking the surf. I am posting this shot because El'M. just got back from sea today with only 9 fingers...that is pretty heavy stuff and its been weighing on my mind and heart since the phone call from the hospital. His index finger was ripped off at sea working on the engine of a huge tanker...it took 36 hours to get back to port and a hospital. The pain must have been excruciating only to be overtaken by the mental anguish. I do not know how we deal with such catastrophes- granted it could have been a whole lot worse, entire hands or arms could have gone missing, but that being said it is an incredibly sad and heart wrenching affair. Life is incredibly precious and delicate. We need to live every moment to the fullest and give thanks. I am sorry for your loss El'M.
It's all about the contour of the bottom...heehee
Wow, talk about flat. Am excited about this week's roadtrips, one evening sesh planned for up north and at least one dawn patrol south...wish it were way way south like to Playa Negra, but that'll have to wait a few months.
Epic 06·08·09 ·
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Not much out there these days (locally anyways- the roadtrips have been fun) and so I figured I'd make some waves of my own...
Don't you wish you could fall asleep and wake up here...
A buddy called me last night reporting that he had just had one of the top five sessions of his life...an evening glass off sesh at a spot not too far from here on a day where most everyone I know (including me) had written off finding much surf in SB. Goes to show that if you're willing to drive a little and check a few spots, you will be rewarded..here is the text he sent me "Long, fast, glassy lefts. Sets were a couple feet overhead. Arguably one of my best sessions ever. STOKED!"...good job buddy!
TGIF 06·05·09 ·
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Just bought a ticket to Honduras, not sure that I'll find much surf but will try...maybe I should have gone to Costa instead!
Drove south today and got in here...some fun waist2chest sets...looks like summer is all about roadtrips and distant breaks.
The size of the crowd is directly proportional to the temporal extent of the flat spell...huh? In other words, the Bu should not be this crowded except that these peelers are as good as it's been since I left for the East Coast.
I'm going going back back to Cali Cali...
"The greatest resource of the ocean is not material but the boundless spring of inspiration and well-being we gain from her" -Jacques Cousteau
Am in The Ocean State but aint no surf...
Went out to the FDR memorial but no surf was had...it's looking a lot like the Pacific ocean these days...FLAT!
DSea 05·28·09 ·
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A photo from C street, DC. Posting it makes me realize how much I'd rather be shooting waves...or the pier. But I guess I should smell the flowers and count my blessings that at least I know what drives me, what I love, what I seemingly could not live without...SURF!
Rolled into DC last night for two days of work and play before rolling north to Rhode Island, and hopefully a little surf. Took this opportunity to upload some photos. Am without computer on this East Coast trip so the daily photos will be uploaded in batches. Hope some of you are getting some surf.
A picture of my brother and me at a dear friends wedding this weekend..."I love love, I love marriage, I love weddings. They're the best" -Hank
Drove from NYSea to VA...8 hours of driving, 7 dollars worth of gas, ten playlists, one yard sale, one diner, and 5 friends in the Party Prius!
Flew into JFK tonight...already missing the surf. Does not help that we've been sin olas for the last week!
Went into the hills to find peace above the clouds covering the view of rush hour below the sound of birds singing to the setting sun and came down centered and ready to follow the path...but still no surf.
This winter flew right by at 99mph...Summer once seemed like a far off place, but here we are, its arrival forcing the memories of winter sessions into the past tense. It was a weirdly inconsistent winter by all accounts, yet somehow I feel like I've never surfed as much. Off to the east coast in a few days for weddings and graduations, and perhaps, if I'm lucky, a few east coast sessions...but until then I'll be driving this road searching for the surf of sessions passed.
Fade 05·18·09 ·
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Spent the weekend in the 858/619...found some surf, had some beers, took some photos, ate some food, made some friends and smiled alllllllllllllllllllll the way home.
Drove around all morning checking every spot from here to Cardiff...almost got in at the reef but wanted a little more size so drove back south and got in at El Rancho, for some chest high close outs...punchy and fun. Might have to take some logs out tomorrow for the morning session.
Headed south today to kook it up with some warm water friends just north of the border...excited to hit up all my favorite breaks.
Starting to feel like it's time to head south again.
One of the very first surf shots I ever took, back in 1995 in Rhode Island with my very first camera- a Pentax K1000...just recently came across these--funny how life so often comes full circle...
His story=History=Our story
Dora 05·11·09 ·
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Got the midnight surf session to ourselves...a little texture on the water but fun waist high rollers were consumed.
If you didn't get in today then you didn't try...wow, there were some good sessions to be had. The sunset sets were ridiculous.
The same Santa Ana's that have been driving this fire have been holding up faces and turning this surprise swell into some fun sessions. Checked way too many spots today and sifting through the junk found a spot down south and jumped in...good to get wet on such a hot day, crazy to be surfing in light of all this destruction. There was so much ash falling from the sky tonight that you could have thought it was snowing. Be safe and remember to help your neighbors! (and if being kind and selfless isn't reward enough, think of it as an investment in them not snaking you next time you're in the water together ).
Santa Barbara's burning! Keep those risking their lives for ours in your minds and hearts, and be thankful...
A super fun board for today...
Got in this evening at the Carp go to spot...whenever everything is nonexistent or slop (like tonight), this wave offers up little jewels of stoke. A fun session with friends and a nice floater to end the evening. Here is a shot of a break down the way that I checked before getting in. Go surf!
"It is important that we look at wrinkles as signs of wisdom and not as scars meant to be removed. We need to destroy the idea that perfection is a static thing...We need to start realizing how our world is so much richer because of time and use, and celebrate that richness, celebrate it’s mark. " -Brendan Ravenhill
Got rincon to ourselves this afternoon for about 10 minutes of pure fun as we traded sloppy wave after sloppy wave...water was almost summer warm and the waves, well, they were all over the place. Had a great time. Here is a shot of a good friend trickin' it out.
Jumped in at Rincon this afternoon...sloppy but good to get some waves. Supposed to get better as the week goes on. Trevor was out on his new
Ryan Lovelace hull and tearing it up...man that thing gets some speed. The talk in the lineup was that Costa sounds like the place to be in June...and I might have to let my arm be twisted into going. Got out and went for a hike as the sun was setting. What a day. Ooh, yeah, had a meatloaf sandwich for lunch that was killer....uhmmm, what a day!
Fox 05·02·09 ·
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Went to the beach...but no surf was had...somebody asked me if I crop my photos (and the answer is no, what you see is what I shot...exactly as I composed the frame) and if not then why is this photo (and other photos) a different size, and the answer is that sometimes (rarely) I shoot with my little digi point and shoot (such as here) and the dimensions of the frame are slightly different and so the image is sized differently...word!
I've always thought that Ralph Waldo Emerson nailed it when he said that "The Earth laughs in flowers"...and along the same lines perhaps the sea smiles in waves.
Have made the most of this flat spell and finished my taxes, sold my truck, completed my first album, climbed Mt. Everest, worked on my ninja tricks, decided that I want to be a firetruck when I grow up...or more likely have done nothing but check the surf everyday for the last week and not gotten in...here's another attempt at trying to find surf, this time as found in the power lines down the street.
Itchin for surf...seeing lines everywhere.
Checked it this morning and nada...checked it this evening and even less. Was still going to get in for a paddle and the wind turned me away. Here is a shot from a break down the road, taken en route to LAX to fly to Mex last week. How I wish those waves were still around...I would so be stoked!
So after a week of crazy surf (12 sessions in 4 days) I have returned to SB and somehow not surfed the last two days...am excited to bring that loosing streak to a close with tomorrow's dawn patrol. On a side note, I think a friend may have just convinced me that there is absolutely zero reason why I shouldn't move to southern France and live and work and surf in Bearritz. I'm a dual citizen (US and British) and thus can work in the EU without much hassle, and am fluent in french (it was my first language)...so I got a tattoo today to remind me that I just need to get up and go...well, ok, it's not a real tattoo, just sharpie, and I most likely am not moving to southern france, though it would be dope, but it's a possibility and possibilities make the world a more interesting place.
Didn't find much surf today, spent some time checking the spots and rockin'out to Modest Mouse but didn't get in. Somehow I didn't mind too much as I'm still riding the Cabo stoke. Here is a shot of La Roca after I got out yesterday to get on a plane. Such a fun wave, and the left is just as good.
Am back in cali, and with a little luck will get to surf this south swell all over again. Looking forward to hitting some of the local spots these next few days. Sad to think of putting on a wetsuit...anybody wanna go to Cabo next week?
The rising sun cast its rays on the biggest day yet. Paddled out to La Roca, got two fast rights and then moved to the left for the rest of the session. Got some crazy drops and carved them up all the way to the inside rock...paddled over to the left at old man's as the crowd filled in at the rock and got my best rides of the trip. Bigger sets coming in a 3-4ft overhead and fast but super makeable. The lefts were walling right up and I smiled all the way down the line, hitting the lip a couple times. Am so amped right now despite the battle wound on my heel (see below).
OUCH!
A good friend asked me about my day...dawn patrol.. jaccuzi.. breakfast... hammock.. session 2...pool/yoga...water, whole lot of water...snack...shade tree...lunch... session 3...water/sunscreen break...evening session (#4)...pool/jacuzzi...fish dinner...lots of margaritas...exploration...squidrow...sleep....repeat. I might never leave this place!
You'll have to pardon my lackluster photo...been surfing all day and barely got off a shot. Here is La Roca as seen from my balcony between session 3 and 4. I have noodle arms and my head is congested with stoke. So good today, bigger sets were well overhead and it's supposed to be bigger tomorrow. Psyched for the dawn patrol.
A beautiful sunrise this morning. It's 7:30am and I've already had my morning sesh. Got in at 6 right after I took this shot and got some good ones. The swell has built overnight and is consistently shoulder high and supposed to build with the falling tide. yeeyeah!
Cabo is grand. Rolled up midday, jumped into the rental and made our way to this little magical spot. Settled in, met all the locals in the lineup, trunked it into the evening and got some great rides. Only about waist to chest today, but supposed to build to overhead by Thursday. Stoked!
Drove right by potentially epic rincon this morning on my way to LA...and if you want a taste of what I (and most of you) missed read Kyle's
post for today...darn it, sometimes work just plain gets in the way of fun. Here is a shot from an LA spot I checked out after a day full of meetings. Definitely not the size, glassiness or speed that I saw at the con, and seeing as that I am flying to Cabo in the morning for a week of stokage, I didn't even get in. See if you can make your eyes turn this photo inside out, whereby the dark bars turn into the background and the surf,sand,sky turn into bars...huh? Good job Kyle.
No surf today but a nice hike...am all packed up and ready to finally fly south to warm empty headhigh lineups. Come on buena suerte!
Found three friends, piled them into my truck and went surf hunting at high noon...not much to be found but did bag a few choice sets at a local rivermouth south of here. A beautiful hot sunny day made it clear that summer is right around the corner and with it maybe some fun sessions at the summertime breaks. Checked mesalane for sunset. It was tiny but a couple groms were ripping it up. 1.5 days til' Cabo! Who's excited?
Flat is the sea..got rincon to myself this evening :) Fun to paddle around and watch the sun fade.
"You might feel like a lone individual in the world, but may be the world to a lone individual" -Andrew Garcia
Surfed down in LA today with a dear friend. He hasn't surfed in a while but is more stoked than most. Bought my ticket to Cabo for next week and getting really excited about surfing warm water. Crossing my fingers for swell.
Went back to this spot this morning before the wind hit it. A consistent shoulder to headhigh with a few juicy overhead sets...super fast fun rides. Not sure how many different ways you can photograph a certain break, but here is another entry in the Lil'Con series.
So as surfers we tend to exaggerate a little when it comes to our favorite pastime. We stretch the truth when recounting that one epic day we had no too long ago, or maybe in estimating the size of the surf when giving a buddy the surf report (in hopes of enticing them to the water). We are plagued by white lies and half-truths...and so with that disclaimer I would like to temporarily disown this vice and tell you that I got the longest barrel of my life this evening--no lie! I didn't expect much out of the session when I drove up to MiniCon and the lineup was empty. Sat there a while checkin' it when a sneaker set came through and got my ass in gear. Surfed it by myself for 2 hrs, and it just kept getting better and better as the sun moved towards the cloudy horizon. The waves were jacking right up and the better sets were shoulder to headhigh and far from mushy they were kinda hollow and very fast. Saw a two wave set coming in from the horizon and paddled for the second and bigger wave, made a steeper than expected drop and pulled in for my longest cover up ever...it just kept going and holding up and going and and I rode it from the green monster almost to the hotel, kicking out over the lip with a loud YEAAAAAAH! Think I'll be riding that high for weeks to come. Of course there was nobody out to corroborate my feat and I felt a little like the tree falling in the solitary woods trying to make some noise...but noise I made!
Had a great day yesterday. Got in at this little point on my way to Ventura and got it good- well better than expected. Definitely a wind swell but some fun rides as the waves jacked right up on the monster (what i've been calling the hungry seaweed covered rock lying right inside the takeoff spot). Fun. The Land Of Plenty artshow rocked out and I have to give some big THANK YOUs to all of you who donated art and supported the cause. Found some fun little rides this pm at armpits. Great day!
I hate to double post, but you should all be making your way towards Ventura this evening...and celebrating with us at the Buenaventura Artshow at the Red Brick Gallery in downtown Ventura, CA (315 E. Main Street, from 7 to 11pm). There will be music by Mr. Dope America, drinks provided by Nectar Ales, surf/skate films, and a bounty of art, photos, prints, and handpainted skateboards by some of your favorite artists and local students. Come by and support!
No waves were had today. Wish I were back in Big Sur...definitely the biggest surf I've had this winter. Here is a shot from our first evening, after making camp and checking the evening glassoff.
Got up early to check G-land and nada, nothing at the Queen either, so settled on a mid-afternoon hike up to Inspiration Pt...Santa Barbara is silent and at peace at those heights. Thought of this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson- "Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air". Seemed fitting for this SB lifestyle. Maybe we'll get a little swell this weekend.
"...And hope does not disappoint us"...Was in Ventucky this pm and with a burrito in hand went to the water to watch the chaos. It is the surfer's spirit that allows us to hope a little hope that we might find a secluded cove and a head high peeler, even when we know it's blowing 30 knots and we're headed to a well known not-so-secluded break.
Surf's been great these last couple days and I somehow find myself just wanting more...one friend got the longest shakage she's ever gotten at the Queen while another friend got a local point all to himself this morning at shoulder high...surfed north this pm and found some fun ones in a leeward cove, the clouds opened up right as we were changing and in no time we were soaked and full of smiles. Just got the invite for a Cabo surf trip and just can't say no, so am off in a couple of weeks to warm waters and hopefully some quality surf.
Come party with us this saturday in Ventura...plenty of cool art will be on silent auction, beer will flow and the Malloys have donated the use of their film One Track Mind to get you all to roll up...tell your friends, bring your peeps and see you there!
Wonderful to play all day with great ol'friends. Surfed Secrets this morning on the high tide and had some clean fast lefts...it seems to be the go-to spot whenever I am in SD. Spent some time on the cliffs above Blacks getting the bird's eye view...sunset session at T's on longboards. Feels like summervacation. yeah yeeeeeaaahh!
Somehow found a little surf this afternoon at RoadsEnd, fun times and warm water...really starting to feel like summer. Here's a shot from yesterday's surf check...
"Singin sweet songs...Of melodies pure and true,...Sayin, this is my message to you-ou-ou...................Singin: dont worry (dont worry) bout a thing,...cause every little thing gonna be all right!...." -Bob Marley
Was surfing this spot this pm when out of nowhere a grey whale breached completely out of the water and landed with the biggest of splashes...it was close enough for us to smell it's fishy breath. In retrospect it was quite an awe-inspiring event, but in those first few seconds of its leap into the air, I was certain a monster had risen from the deep to devour the entire line-up.
Was pleasantly surprised to find these little ankle snappers this evening. Took this shot and jumped in...water was warmish and I surfed 'til dark. Fun to be in the pacific ocean, it really centers my being.
My first car was a '69 cherry red bug..and there is something about this surf rig that is quite romantic. Not in the lets-hold-hands-and-whisper-sweet-nothings kind of way, but in the all-we-need-are-a-couple-of-boards-and-the-open-road sort of romance. It screams independence and free-spirits, and is the latest addition to the SurfRigs photo project. Time to hit the open road...
I've come to realize that some of my favorite people are other's black sheep...conformity is far from a necessity and it is often those that fall furthest from the familial or societal tree that are the most interesting. Not much in the way of surf today, but still got in this evening. The small glassy peelers were supplemented by good company and new friends. Was invited a little while back on a trip to JBay in June. At first I put it off as too expensive, but I am in serious need of some quality surf and, as of late, have been daydreaming about Africa...maybe it's time to go back. Check out the smile on that guy!
Just a quick post to say that if you haven't tried yoga yet, you should, your surfboard will thank you (for all the dope new tricks and aerials you'll be able to do). I started doing yoga this past summer and was told to give it 4 to 6 weeks (assuming you go at least once a week) and I'd be a different person. Sure enough I am hooked and now practice yoga about 4 times a week...so give it a shot!
Went down the road this afternoon for some waves. Got there right as the after-work crowd was showing up and by the looks of the way-more-full-than-it-should-be parking lot, it looked like everybody's favorite break was really going off...ran down to the beach to check it and take some photos and actually laughed out loud...only about waist high and lots of heads bobbing in the water. Sat on the sand, watched and took some mediocre shots. After taking this photo and talking some friends into getting in, I decided it was time to get wet and kook it up with the rest of the crowd. Within 30minutes of getting in, however, the crowd thinned right out and the evening glass off helped pick things up. A surprisingly fun session full of smiles and fun little rides. Got a text message while I was in the water that read along the lines of "you reaaaallly misssed it, you should have been here yesterday"...in other words, those of you who were lucky enough to dawn patrol it this morning really got it good.
Here's a shot to match the echoeing memories of a great weekend spent in pursuit of surf and adventure.
Swell picked up overnight with the wind...the bay messy and closed out at way overhead. Spent some time on the cliffs watching the surf, then packed up the Number Two and headed back south towards home. Really enjoyed the drive, we live in a pretty incredibly pretty state.
Woke up early this morning with a long walk to the cove for a surf check. A bay full of head-high+ peaks, nobody out and a morning full of hopes. Excited to spend some time going left! Suited up and jumped in with Mr. SkeetSkeet, Mrs. Turbo and El'Spencito. A half-mile paddle out through crystal clear water full of ice cream headaches and we were in the money. Super steep drops and some of the fastest waves I've seen in a long time...I had a great session. Spent the rest of the day celebrating life with beer, food, games and laughter.
Make sure to scroll down for today's other two photos...This particular shot is a self-portrait of yours truly and the Teahupo'o Tree in downtown SB. Ever since I first walked by this bush/tree I have pretended to surf it. It is the perfect, albeit very dry, "green room". It walls right up and you can see all the way down the line, imagining your ride, and as you can see the barrel is big enough to fit a van... It's almost always a stand-up barrel (unless the owners forget to trim it) and rarely is there anyone else in the line-up...quite rare around these parts. I walk past it often on my way into the mountains for a hike and I surf it every time, sometimes stalling in the barrel, shacked for an eternity, at other times running through before the close out. You can't take yourself too seriously or you'll wipe out and walk right by without chancing the ride, possibly without ever knowing you were so close to an epic barrel. Like in life, it is clearly good to be able to laugh at yourself and enjoy the ride.
No surf today, so I went hiking into the fire lands and happened upon this scene. Dead black trees surrounded by lively yellow spring flowers...nature taking its course.
Am off to Big Sur this weekend and will not be posting anything for the next few days...but will post stuff retroactively when I get back...going north to find some surf!
Funny how you can go to the same break and shoot it a million different ways, every time seeing it differently, noticing something new. Maybe a little like going to that same break and surfing a million different waves, each session uniquely new and different...been going to this spot a lot lately, each time seeing it and surfing it as if for the first time.
"Make your move, reach out, bridge the chasm...we all have to jump sometime"--anonymous, heard at a local SB watering hole this evening and thought it fitting in light of yesterday's post...so, yeah, jump!
"I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life, and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do." -Georgia O'Keefe
Jump 03·23·09 ·
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Up early and checked a number of spots before I found just the right one...kinda felt a little like goldilocks. Here's a shot from my back yard break, not really anything there this morning on account of the highhhhh tide, but be on the look out for some fun ones here early this pm if the wind stays off it. Ended up a ways south of this spot and had a short and sweet session on chest high wind slop. Any morning spent in the ocean is a good one...
Didn't really break out the camera today...but did take a shot at watercolors. Not necessarily ready for the Louvre yet, but fun to play with color and thought. No surf today, wind was all over it, not even a shot at the evening glass off. So I played in the mountains, complete with hail and, depending on who you ask, snow. Spent part of my day planting a garden and realized, again, that life without a little dirt under your fingernails is a life not truly lived...hoping for a morning session.
So good to share today with so many cool kids...we opened that skate park up in proper fashion. Good to give back to kids who don't have much, fun to share in their stoke. On the flip side of things, I saw Thomas Campbell's surf movie The Present last night and am still buzzing. The Africa, New Zealand and Alaia clips were completely awe inspiring, and I walked out of the theater ready to fly to distant lands...
So you can scroll down for today's photo, but I want to use this space to invite you all to a huge party tomorrow to help launch the Fillmore Skate Park, in Ventura, California. I will be there representin' the
Land Of Plenty Skateboard Foundation (LOP) and chillin with some pretty cool folks, and most importantly will be having a great ol'time with all the Fillmore kids in their new skate park. The premise of the LOP is that we get skateboards to kids who can't afford skateboards and we connect schools in California with schools in thirdworld countries through a 21st century version of penpals that we call BoardPals. We just connected a Venice Beach school with a school in Jamaica, and aim to connect these Fillmore middle school kids with a school in Haiti or Mexico. So come support us and all the cool peeps at the party tomorrow. Also would like to take this Public Service Announcement opportunity to point you to some pretty dope peoples...
Kyle Lightner and
Morgan Maassen are two of the more rad photographers/surfers/watermen around town that are laying it down in blogsurfdom--check em out. Also just got some blog lovin from
Stephan in france and
Osean in Germany. As a wise man has said..."surf is where you find it".
Skateboards painted by the kids of Fillmore Middle School in Ventura, California. Check out
The Land Of Plenty.
Drove south through the fog and parked right off the highway, hopeful, even though you could barely see the waves coming in through all the grey. Nobody out except for a pod of dolphin and three pelicans working in unison to attack a school of bait-fish simultaneously from above and below. We suited up and jumped in and scored big time, sorta. It was pure glass, not a ripple, and most of the waves were in the waist-high level and super fun, and every now and then a monster shoulder-high would materialize from the foggy horizon and we traded waves till past dark. This is a pretty below average photo taken after getting out of the water, but it paints the mood perfectly...this not so secret but very empty spot tonight was a beacon of light in an otherwise dark waveless wilderness, and we got it good (or at least a whole lot better than i expected). I had a great day, a wonderful lunch in the park, and beautiful evening session with a dear friend...wouldn't mind putting today on repeat!
"Change your focus and you'll find what you seek..." -Nelson Mandela
Been having a good time switching it up lately...with 13 boards to choose from there is never a dull moment. It's been hard finding much surf, but somehow I managed to get a few this afernoon. Funny how despite this varied quiver I still dream of getting another two or three boards...
Got a call at 4pm..."Hey I'm at "local break" and it's waist to chest and glassy--get your ass down here!" that's all I needed to call it quits for the day, throw the Frye singlefin in the truck and head over the hill. Sure enough it was clean and fun. The water was summertime warm and the crowd non-existent. I guess I have technology to thank for that, nobody expected that spot to show today, and so very few checked it...we got some fun rides. One in particular has been stuck on repeat, playing over and over in my mind's eye all evening. The wave jacked up to chest high on the takeoff, I dropped in and made a wide bottom turn left (I'm goofyfooted) and back up the face and the board just locked in place. The wave kept pitching forward as it dropped to waist high, but I was stuck in that pocket, crouched down, water coming over my left shoulder, left hand dragging through the face of the wave. This board was shaped by Skip Frye in 1968, when he was still shaping for Gordon&Smith, and must be the granddaddy of today's hulls...the rails are knife sharp, the deck convex and the ride magical. It would be cool if I could move the fin up a bit more, but for a board that is older than everyone out in the lineup today, it feels surprisingly futuristic.
This 5'10 Frye Fish is out of this world!
Camped up north again last night with a bunch of folks...fun to get away and chill around a campfire, while the sounds of the ocean fill the night.
Drove south today on a surf recon mission and found nada...Cstreet was crowded with dueling surf competitions and weekend warriors. Need to start hitting some of these south swells...this Baja itch is getting out of control and it may be time for some covert ops across the border. Talked to a friend about taking his sailboat down the coast to some not-so-secret baja pointbreaks and avoiding all the land pirates- could be fun. Here is another shot from my growing SurfRigs project.
Today's surf shot brought to you by the kind people of Spy Optics...I'm on my third pair and am loving my Spy Nolen sunglasses, they are polarized and now you all get to see what I see when I am wearing them. If any of you folks actually work for Spy or know somebody who does you should really think about sponsoring my blog and paying me millions to spread the Spy love...or at least send me another pair of these glasses. Surf has all but died, and though I did get in today I wouldn't say it was epic.
Woke up this morning very hopeful...had rolled in last night to pounding surf and zero wind--if you've been to this spot you know how windy it can get. From the cliff, you could see lines to the horizon, perfectly spaced apart, a long period with about a 15 second interval...they just kept coming in, in beautiful mile-wide lines. This morning was a different story. The wind was back and the swell had backed down to chest high...Damn it, should have charged it at 1am when I took these three shots!
6am 03·12·09 ·
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Rolled up to JB a little past midnight last night and the thunderous lines of rollers coming in from the moonlit horizon were literally shaking the ground...Stood on the cliff and took some shots then down the road to find a camping spot. Here is a shot from the beach looking west taken a 1am. Funny how the long exposure erases any proof of a swell.
Went south this mornin' to find some surf...got in but it wasn't much...waist high at best. Just had dinner, packed up the truck and am headed in the other direction, find a place to camp and surf the mornin' session at T's...see you there? Took this photo as the sun was rising over LA County.
I like this photo cause it's so clean. Simplicity is the goal. A small but fun evening session this pm, should have waited and done a full-moon surf, might still go out and make it a double sesh. day. I read this today and wanted to share... “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” -- John Muir
We try not to sweat the small stuff, and concentrate on those big life-changing events, but truth be told life is a collection of small stuff. It is the sum of all those tiny events, meeting someone new and saying hi, waxing that new board for the first time, an evening session in less than perfect surf, butterflies in your stomach, your 1000th breakfast burrito, looking up at the sun and sneezing...all singularly non-consequential but be sure to toss them in your suitcase cause you're taking them with you wherever you go. Sometimes those small things throw us for a loop and all of the sudden they are all grown up seriously BIG things, they are the forks in the road, the chance encounters, fate, providence, luck. This evening's session was a bit like that--none of the waves I caught were singularly life-changing, but I am somehow changed, different than the person I was just hours before...and better for it.
Went for a long long hike up into the Gaviota hills today and could see the surf rolling in at the ranch in the distance...it's flat everywhere but somehow it seemed like there were lines of peelers coming in, going unridden. I feel a little like a goose waiting for its flock to fly south while watching all the other birds take off for Baja. It seems like every surf rig on the road today was chock full of camping gear and piled high with boards, and I'm sure they were all headed staight to my favorite secret spot. Damn, I can't wait any longer, come on flock, let's go! Here is a shot of Leadbetter after dark taken tonight, 3 minute exposure at F8...now if only there were corduroy to the horizon.
I 've been fortunate enough to travel the world, 32 countries last I counted, I've been to 6 out of the 7 continents and have surfed some pretty amazing places...and yet i choose, as do some of you reading this, to live in Santa Barbara, and why not when we have the queen of the coast in our own backyard. She is truly a gem.
It's all about the little things...
Got a call from El Marinero in SD, seems he will soon be off to sea until spring, plying the waters between LA and Seattle...the reason I bring this up is that our conversation drifted from sea to surf to boards to photographs of sea and surf and boards and finally to the topic of photoshop- My response to his query of "so do you use Photoshop" was that I do not use photoshop, that in fact I don't even own photoshop but instead do all of the work "in-camera"...tweaking the light meter this way or that, or changing the white balance to match the availability of light, I use filters as well (graduated, polarizing and UV) and lots of tripod work to stabilize the shot (and many a rock or piece of driftwood have been used in a tripod's stead)...while I believe that Photoshop has its place, that space does not overlap with my own and rather I choose to use the camera to capture the moment. I shoot film and digital, but the digi has taken over as of late-mostly because I'm broke and have not been spending loot on developing. It is true that you can now do quite a lot with digital cameras that one could not do with film, but that -within certain self-imposed limits- is part of the art, in the same way that you can choose to use or not use filters with film, or tweak your light meter or use certain types of film...as my father would say "to each their own", and for me it's all about the camera and the moment...see you in June Marinero!
Should have gone out this morning but didn't, kicked myself in the ass all day as I watched the wind build and the swell die..Damn...by 4pm I had worked myself into a stupor but decided that it might glass off with the setting sun. Loaded two longboards into the truck, picked up Kitz and went down the road to check it. Looked pretty bad as we drove south, whitecap city. Got to the cove and sure enough the inside was sheltered and glassy, sort of. Nobody out on account of all the wind and we jumped in...still enough of the swell to push through the chop and each had a handful of pleasantly surprising really fun rides. Here is a shot of the cove after sunset. Today's lesson: When in doubt, get in!
One of my projects of late has been the photo-documentation of surf-rigs and surf-mobiles...and today's shot, taken at a well-known local break, is proof that some of those little green groms boosting those ridiculous airs and landing impossible aerials may not actually be your nextdoor kid neighbor johnny, but more likely pro-surfers from outer space.
Went back to the pier this evening for some surf. Still glassy, more people out but still plenty of waves to go around. It was one of those sessions where I got a lot of speed out of my board and just connected all the sections. Guys were lining up on the other side of the pier and slaloming through the pilings into the pocket-as seen in this low-light induced blurry shot. I like the power that the blur implies, and am just super psyched on my surfing right now. Sometimes our skills and abilities plateau, at other times it seems you progress at lightspeed, getting better by the second...these last two days have felt like that--Lightspeed!
Jumped in here this afternoon and surfed some of my best waves of the winter. Only a couple guys out, glass glass glass and great, fast super fun walls...the bigger sets were coming in overhead and barreling right up...a great evening! Excited for tomorrow's sunrise sesh.
"How's rincon look?" seems to be the question whenever you call your peeps for a surf report...and based on what the voice has to say on the other end of the phone, you know whether to go north, south, or stay home and watch Siestas y Olas...
Surfed down in Ventura all afternoon and came north to take photos at sunset...I really like this one as it completely pulls me in and there I am, dragging my hand through the lip, slowing down, slow motion, turning an otherwise non-descript wave into a memory.
Did not surf today...
Born and raised in the Ivory Coast, West Africa, people often ask me how that was...I say"the best" or "normal" or "would not change it for the world"....found and scanned some old photos...this is a photograph of a Goli Glin ceremony. "The Goli Glin is a zoomorohic spirit that can shape shift between a croccodile, a bush cow or buffalo. Though connected with supernatural forces, they play the role of the intermediaries between the living and the spirits. The Baule people ask these spirits protection and assistance in case of external danger and war and during epidemics." I was given this mask and the name of Goli (one of my middle names) at this ceremony.
Goli 02·26·09 ·
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Missed an opportunity to get in this morning...and the wind killed it tonight.
Had to go to LA for an all day meeting...went early and got in near Countyline, a few people out, mostly waist high, with one shoulder high set of which I got the second and biggest and longest wave. Rode it all the way in and called it a session. All day meetings and then back in the water for a short sunset sesh. Glad to have made it in the water twice, i snapped a few shots and drove back to SB. Thinking I may hit it in the morning on the 9'3 Herbie.
A little bump out there today when I checked it, probably should have gotten in, but didn't and instead went back home and worked...and now feel a little bit like the Shinning.
A beautiful clear evening. Went to the sea to see, fingers crossed, if I could find a ripple to surf. Had a great surf-filled weekend and it is proving hard to come down from such a high...I have the shakes, lusting for more. Give me waves! Seemed like I was the only one on the beach watching the horizon for any signs of corduroy. But nope, nada, no surf. Found a reflecting pool and took this photo. Reflected on reflection. Then some guy showed up (scroll down) and got in. Maybe tomorrow.
We are influenced by the world around us and I find myself absorbed by the photographs of others, and in the same way that I find inspiration in watching good surfers glide down the line, I often find an element of someone else's photographs in mine...the trick is to build on those elements, or throw them in a blender and see what you can whip up. In surfing too I find that I try to emulate others but in my own style, and it pushes me further...
Up at the crack and headed north, parked, made my way through a beautifully green field and across quiet train tracks to the bluff and surf. Spent all morning in the water with friends trading waves...barely anybody out and all sorts of waves to choose from. Got out after a few hours for a quick bite and warm up, played fetch with Wyatt the dog, had a peanut-butter-and-honey sandwich and then got back in. Got home a little passed 4, in time for a nap. Fun.
Got out of the surf, changed and warmed up and wasn't going to go shoot, looked like the clouds had rolled in and the light would be dead...decided that I should check it anyways...and this is what I found!
Spent the afternoon in the water...the swell brought the crowd and they are both supposed to build overnight, but there were still plenty of waves to go around and it just means we'll need to migrate to lesser known spots in the morning. Thanks to yesterday's and today's sessions I am super amped and excited to glide my way through the weekend...
I really like this one...and if you look closely there is some guy about to get barreled on that wave pealing towards the left side of the photograph. Sometimes everything falls into place.
After taking a photo of a cool ass VW in the parking lot, we ran down to the water and sat there waiting for a set...waited quite a while, skipped some stones and watched the pelicans dive-bombing their prey...weren't sure if we should suit up but then did and as always it was the right decision. The evening glass off came through and tomorrows swell sent some appetizers our way. Got two shoulder high beauties all the way into the cove and though there was a lot of sitting around between sets, I had a blast.
You never know what you'll find when you go down Bates Rd. It's always a surprise and today it was this crazy classy VW van. What is it about these that screams "ultimate surf rig"...I like that it is a little rough around the edges, aren't we all?
Shot south for the day and surfed a peeling magic spot near County Line. A beautiful morning, glassy and empty. Breakfast burrito before a few meetings in LA, then stopped at the 'Bu to watch some fancy footwork and finally back north to SB, racing the sun to the horizon. Another great day.
A photo from the hotel room after flying into Durban S.A. to headhigh surf and warm offshores...Had just spent the better part of the week tasting Cape Town and were headed up the coast to my aunt and uncle's place in the Drakensberg mountains, for two weeks of work and play at the aids hospice/orphanage they run...seems a world away, but really just a few clicks of the mouse on orbitz and I could be there next week. Tempting. Think a surf trip is well overdue, thoughts of squeezing Brazil in between now and May, when I go to Ethiopia for 3 weeks. Wondering 'bout wandering. Where are you going next?
Posted another round of photos from my round the world trip...click on the WHO, WHAT and WHERE above (under Surfbird) to view the various galleries (or scroll down to view older posts). The swell dropped a little today and the wind killed it. Stayed home and nursed a head cold...a good opportunity to post some old shots. Enjoy.
Spent the morning shooting. A beautiful SoCal day, waist high and somewhat glassy, no crowd on account of all this rain and clear skies. Spent the afternoon at a local point break on a 9'3" tank of a board, cross-stepping til sunset.
Logs 02·14·09 ·
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No surf was had on Catalina, but plenty of wildflowers...No surf to be had here in SB today, but did manage to go up into the mountains with Kitz to find snow. Thought I'd get a cool shot of Santa Barbara's coastal mountains covered in snow in the foreground with corduroy lines crossing the ocean in the background to crash in foamy goodness on the coast far below. Got up to the snow line and found ourselves in a cloud, with no view to the west of the valley and ocean below. Had a snowball fight with some kids, took this shot looking east and took off. I've said it before, & I'll say it again-I so absolutely love living in Santa Barbara (wouldn't complain if we got just a little more surf).
Snow 02·13·09 ·
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The wind killed it today. The swell wanted to play but the wind claimed Victory At Sea! Wish I were in Bali, deep in the pocket of a crystal clear Indo wave, instead of taking photographs of imaginary head high jean pocket barrels...
It was raining as I took this shot and some of the raindrops on the lens come through in the photograph...not a rockstar shot but I wanted to post it anyways because of the thoughts going through my head as I stood on the cliff taking the photo. Ask a surfer what it is about surfing that he or she loves so much or feels so connected and drawn to and they'll spill their heart...or not. Some of us can write you a whole dissertation on our connection to the wave, the board, the sport, the art, the lifestyle...while others may not, deciding it to be a personal matter, maybe a secret. The point is that you'll get a million different answers from a million different surfers, and truth be told, you'd probably get a million different answers from a single surfer, depending on the day, or his previous session, or her best wave ever, or the most recent swell or flat spell. Standing on that cliff I realized that on this day I was happy to be a surfer because of the connection I feel to the ocean. I love getting up in the morning and jumping into the sea to wake up. I am especially fond of the fact that I know when high tide and low tide are every day, what phase the moon is in, and what storms are brewing out there over the vast Pacific ocean. I like the thunderous sound of macking surf heard three blocks away as you walk towards the sea, heart pounding at the thought of getting in. I love the fact that on a rainy day, when most are glad to be inside, I am standing on a cliff checking the surf.
Know 02·11·09 ·
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Had lunch at this little taco joint...the world famous La Super Rica.
Woke up early to the sound of the rain cross stepping across my roof...went to mesalane and it was going off, three guys in the water and 2ft overhead on the big sets. The water, however, was chocolate milk and I did not feel like tasting it. Checked the spit and the high tide was killing it- decided to have breakfast and come back for a mid-morning check. A tasty home cooked burrito and the day was off to a great start. Jumped back in the truck and blasted Modest Mouse as I did the rounds, checking out all the spots. Jumped in for an evening sesh and had a blast...
Spent the entire morning surfing this cove...life's good.
Solo 02·06·09 ·
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Was going to surf today before the rain but the waves had not arrived...the rain came at 6am and with it the wind, killing any potential for an evening session. It's rare to get rain round here and I kinda like it. Here is a photo of what I imagine are cherry blossoms melting away on the wet red tiles of Santa Barbara.
Took this shot through a foggy car window while driving at 75mph in the rain and fog and really like the soft blur it created...but it was not until I really looked at the image that I realized that it kinda looks like a portrait of Cookie Monster running towards me with his mouth open...does that mean I'm a Kookie?
No waves but still got in the water. Switched it up and took out the Frye singlefin for some paddling around and the occasional ankle breaker. Where has winter gone? What happened to those epic days I dreamed about all summer? Time to cross some fingers and knock on wood and get this pacific ocean to pump out some waves. Or just pop in your favorite surf DVD (my current favorite is Sipping Jetstreams) and get your stoke on.
Flat water. No ripple. Baja's calling.
Found this four-chambered retro wave vehicle at a flea market today for a dollar--the ultimate next step in the finless revolution. Tom Wegner step aside, look out for the power of vinyl...I'm excited to get back to Santa Barbara and start hitting those double sessions again (on a surfboard). We just need the winter swell to show back up and stick around for a few months. We are all itching for some real size and consistency. But until then I'll be experimenting with new wave riding vehicles like this bad boy.
After a hard day's work on the ocean it is nice to tie up the boat, fire up the BBQ and invite your friends to watch the sun set and smile.
Am far away from the ocean today and though I am getting a little dehydrated I figured I should take this opportunity to post some photos from South Africa. If you like this shot and want to see more then click on the WHAT button above (below Surfbird) to access the Nature portfolio (or scroll down to see older posts)...I'll upload more photos there in the next few days...
Almost traded in my truck today for this beauty, well, not really, but thought about it. Always fun to see what fellow surfers decide to turn into their surfmobiles...
VW ·01·26·09 ·
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Sunset and an evening of burgers and beers by the ocean with friends...happy.
Surf picked back up today but its windy and all the rain these last few days has made getting in the water kinda scary...just got back from yoga and not quite sure if I should answer the call of the ocean. Will probably just pack up and head down to San Diego for a couple days of surfing on route to Florida for the week. A shot of a little artist's studio nestled among the spruce and lupines of Little Cranberry Island, Maine.
"It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know of wonder and humility." Rachel Carson
Funny how we want everyone to know that we scored big and had the best barrel of our lives or how fluidly we danced across the face of a wave dragging our hand through the pearly curtain of foam screaming WOOHOOOOOOOOO! And yet not want anyone to know where it happened for fear of publicizing our favorite spot and risking crowding out our next session...funny haha, but I'm still not telling you where I surfed today and it was epic. A bunch of guys and two girls out, but it can handle it and there were plenty of waves to go around. On days like today I wish I could clone myself to take photos of myself and get to surf and shoot simultaneously...but since I still have not received the Clone Machine I asked for my birthday I always choose surf over photos and so by default take a lot of post surf sunset shots...here you go, a Secret Spot Sunset.
This photo always cracks me up...no wonder we always drop in on these guys.
Morning session at the Con, then down to Ventura for a meeting at FCD to talk about "green" surfboards, back home for a smoothie and off to campus point for the afternoon/evening session. The swell is passing and so the direction has changed from WNW to straight W which has really woken up some sleepy coves and has me amped...
Congratulations America...
Surfed all morning at Rincon, had lunch, then surfed all afternoon and into the evening at C street...here is a shot of Victoria Falls from the Zambian side during a full moon. I find that I really miss Africa and need to go back soon, but until then will gladly take more pots of gold full of surf-filled days. Yeah.
It's Martin Luther King day tomorrow as well as National Day of Service...a perfect opportunity for you to give back to those in need.
I had a wonderful day and so completely love living in Santa Barbara...
Surf, eat, sleep, repeat...double session today and more to come in the morning. Swell supposed to stick around for a week and I'm psyched.
Funny how everywhere I go everyone is talking about the huge swell that's on its way. Depending on who you believe it is supposed to come in at well past DOH (doubleoverhead). That's huge and I find myself thinking that the ubiquity of long range surf forecast websites has got to be a double edged sword- awesome that we can all pack up our quiver and suits, grab some friends and take off for the best break, knowing that we're gonna get it good, but so much for ever being surprised by how fast a swell has built overnight when you're the first and only one out...that being said I am super psyched for this huge swell coming in from Japan. Excited for the surf and photos to come.
"Tu es la raison qu’on est tous naitre, you’re our raison d’etre"...hiked into the mountains this evening and was amazed at how calm the world was. Barely a breeze over the Pacific as the sun set over San Miguel Island. The horizon exploded into a soft colorful fade that stretched to every corner of the sky. A hawk flew overhead and the crickets began to sing as the evening air whispered a cool breeze...I found peace.
Here is a Night-blooming Cereus. Rarely seen in the wild but for one midsummer's night each year, its exqusitely scented flower opens as night falls, then closes forever with the first rays of the morning sun. My friend Ashley Bryan grew this flower and a few of us spent the evening in its glory.
"All of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean...And when we go back to the sea...we are going back from whence we came." JFK... Took this shot way past sunset this evening with no tripod but a need to capture these last colors of the day. I think the blur enhances the warmth of the shot in a time-to-cozy-up-to-a-fireplace kind of way.
Nothing quite like building a timberframe barn...
Been thinking of throwing a few boards, suits, cameras and sleeping bag into the pickup and heading to Baja for some fish tacos and empty breaks. Its been too long since my last trip south and Baja is calling...funny that I too seem to want to fly south in search of warmer waters and long lost amigos.
Woke up at 5am, collected my things and headed north with a friend...raced the sun through winding roads, oak groves and rolling hills. Rounding a bend a coyote crossed the road and stopped to watch us fly by...a little further down the road we surprised a huge sow, definitely the biggest wild pig I've ever seen, and she snorted and took off as we passed. Nature was in full force and in all its glory as the sun won the race and made its way into the heavens. We got to the beach and suited up. The bigger sets were overhead and the water so cold I actually wore a hood. Glad the wind stayed offshore and we surfed for a couple hours before hunger got the best of us and we got out and headed home. A great start to a wonderful day.
Landed to a crisp Santa Barbara evening, excited to be back, back to Cali Cali...but already miss Haiti. It may not be on any of your top ten lists of possible vacation spots, but go, visit, you won't be sorry. Hit me up and I'll point you in the right direction. Bring on 2009 and more board shaping!
A good time of year for retrospective thought, time to recalibrate the soul and set the odometer to zero. The unexamined life is a little like running up a downward moving escalator, you spend lots of energy doing it and it's kind of fun, but rarely does it lead anywhere before the security guard tells you to stop...I resolve to live more deliberately, to be the most optimistic person in the room, and to surf, laugh, smile.
A photo from a year ago, a beautifully large swell came down from Alaska and graced us with three days of glorious surf...
Was given a 1964 book titled "SURFING" as a Christmas gift, lots of cool graphics to inspire the next round of t-shirt designs...this image was titled "Pearling is Perilous".
Was driving through Cap Haitian, in northern Haiti, when I saw my first Haitian surfboard shaper...There was something about the way this guy was looking at the wooden planks that just screamed "I'm going to shape some Haitian Alaias". He grabbed the four boards as I snapped the photo and is probably in his shaping room right now, contemplating the finer points of contour, rocker and speed.
You should see some of the waves and shore breaks that these little dugout canoes can handle.
Evenings at the beach, Prestige beer in hand, watching the sun go down over Isle de la Gonave...
Took this shot on a trip through Baja. Having spent the entire trip surfing, we took advantage of a flat spell and headed to the Sea of Cortez for some fishing & exploring. Woke up early the next morning to this incredible sunrise.
A post surf shot of a big swell that came through this time last year, throwing sea spray high into the heavens, blending the line between ocean and sky and softening everything out of focus. Was thinking today about the ritual of gift giving and how the most important gift we can ever give has to be the gift of forgiveness, I mean its practically spelled out for us, it's ForGiveness. These thoughts grew out of a talk I recently had with a friend who told me that she may never speak to her long estranged father, despite his many attempts to contact her...and that's sad to me. I just traveled a quarter of the way around the globe to be with my family for the holidays and can't imagine anywhere I'd rather be. Maybe we all have somebody we should be forgiving this holiday season...
Went for a surf check at Mesalane. The wind is on it and the swell angle still too steep. Was hoping to get wet one last time before getting on a plane to Hispaniola later today. Excited for my three week sabbatical in the Caribbean. Had a staring contest with this little white eye on my way up the 1000 Steps, it won! See ya in the tropics.
"and all the things i tried to say were never easy to explain..."
Got in the water as the sun was setting. 6 people out, three of them groms...water's still warm and full of fish. The swell direction is way to steep and passing us right by on its way to Mexico, only the occasional waist high peeler gives any proof of its existence. Didn't think I'd get much but wanted to celebrate the full moon as it is closer to us tonight than at any time in the last 14 years. Traded waves with the others till soon enough I was alone, the groms left first and the adults slowly followed. Watching the moon rise over the coastal range was awe inspiring, and I had my pick of every set. I surfed for quite a while, watching the moon's reflection dance on the crest of each wave. Soon I too got out of the water, wanting to take a photo of this eternal dance. Didn't think I'd ever surf Rincon alone, it was great.
Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
-Dr. Suess
Not a great shot but always a fun spot, look at that little peeler. A two day flat spell is the calm before the storm. Forecasts are calling for well overhead this weekend...the butterflies in my stomach are waking and the knees starting to shake with excitement...where do I go? North or South? What board do I ride? Do i pull a solo mission or invite the crew? What song will I play in the car on the way to the break to get the blood flowing? The anticipation is great and always half the fun. Had a great day today getting the peeps at REEF to partner up with REEF CHECK to do some cross-marketing reef conservation/surfer awareness stuff...To borrow from a friend, Do Good Well!
I tend to get a little itchy this time of year as the travel bugs start biting and so will soon be off to Hispaniola for three weeks. Went to Mesalane for an evening surf check. No surf to be had. Came home to a brand new Ukulele--Santa came early this year. Time to practice.
Spent another sunset in the ocean. Surfed Faria again, a little slow but seemed to build as the session went on. An in-between-sets epiphany at the importance of water in my life. Rewarded by another great sunset- almost as though Monet had spilled his palette into the glassy sea as it mirrored a sky full of swirls of every imaginable hue. Surfed 'til dark and were treated to a post surf campfire warm up session by perfect strangers...they offered beer, tea and dinner, we accepted their warm fire and friendship. Makes me want to go camping. A shot of a waterfall in Northeastern Oz.
Its been an incredible week- seems all I've been doing is surfing surfing surfing. Went down to C Street today for a surf check, surprisingly the swell was not showing, but the locals were. Talked to some ol'timers in the parking lot for a while, the folds, wrinkles and lines of there faces etched in by decades of surf sessions tell the story of this coast, this sport, this lifestyle...they love to share and laugh and its fun to connect. This bus was in the lot. California Street! Ended up surfing Rincon 'til dark.
Surfed Faria today, again surprised to find that the swell is holding up. This is one of the most picturesque backdrops against which to surf, the view from the lineup as the evening sun sets fire to the golden mist rolling over the coastal buttes is breathtaking. Did not have my camera, so here is a photo of Amanda.
Went down the road today to C Street. Pleasantly surprised at the head high sets rolling through. Crowded but fun. Ended up surfing for three hours. Had not expected the size and so took out the 9'3 Herbie--spent most of the session on the nose. Excited to see what I find in the morning.
Had thanksgiving in Santa Cruz...lots of pies!
Perspective ·11·25·08 ·
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No surf today... dark, grey and windy. Drew the opposite.
What a day. Woke up early and went for the audible by deciding for a mid-morning session instead of joining the dawn patrol...back to bed. Got up at a reasonable hour and drove south past super crowded shoulder-high Rincon. I love this time of day, alone in the car, pumping some tunes and checking all the spots for the pick of the day. Settled on Hobson's and suited up. Tide was low and the reef firing. Surfed for two hours or so and then was off to get a burrito. This is how Saturday's should be spent. After the burrito I joined up with Kitz, a local troublemaker, and we headed to little rincon for an afternoon session...again with the audible as we stretched the afternoon session into a sunset session, getting out of the water in the dark. Thoroughly exhausted and smiling, I am ready for tomorrow's dawn patrol.
Drove by this secret spot and had to stop and shoot. Only had my little elph camera and the resolution sucks, but the mood is right...WAVES!
Seems like everyone was out tonight...including the queen of the coast in all her majestic glory. Head high offshore perfection. Beautiful!
Light Santa Ana winds swept in this evening to clean things up. Headed down to this secret spot for a sunset session. I brought my water camera to shoot some sunset shots and was rewarded by both a beautiful sunset and shoulder high sets. I always have fun here.
Waiting for waves while the little fish play with the little piggies...
Between Sets ·11·07·08 ·
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It rained yesterday and the 10ft swell they were calling for came in at head high...went north to avoid some of the SB runoff, got some good ones. Tried for three sessions, but the wind came up and stopped us at two. Still stoked.
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become." -Buddha.
Radical Surfing...
October 13 gives me pause time to reflect and be
a beautiful weekend in maine working the woods
as if ten again working by dad's side the sound of a chainsaw
forever reminding me of him salty sweat mosquito spray hugs
we cut down a dead tree whose rings numbered 110 all the way to 1898
what is it's legacy what do we all leave behind but leaves
can't believe it's been 11 years feels like an eternity.
We are what we think.
I saw this yesterday and had to go back to shoot it. My brother just turned me on to telephonic staple art ( yeah I just made that word up, what) and I'm fascinated. It is fun to think of telephone poles as individuals, far from static they take on the evolving identity of their street, their hood. There are hipster telephone poles in Brooklyn, moss-covered fleece wearing green telephone poles in the Pacific Northwest and of course surfer telephone poles here in Santa Barbara. I especially love how this surfer is perfectly positioned above the void...he's literally ripping.
I need to get wet but the home breaks are double-over-ankle at best and so I contemplate a drive south while dreaming of empty southern coves...
Today's dawn patrolmen were two locals and me and my brother Ruben. Complete glass, water warm as apple pie and the sets were consistently head high. My first wave was a screamer! After breakfast we packed up the rental and headed to the east cape for some size and diversity. It was empty wave after empty wave, empty point after empty point and empty cove after empty cove...you could have taken an epic-day Rincon crowd and each person would have had his or her own break. We checked out the local favorites and settled on a double overhead pointbreak. Much faster and more hollow than La Roca, it kept me on my toes...kooked out a couple good ones, and nailed another handful. I hadn't seen size like this in a while...of course in all my excitement I did not photograph that wave--but maybe that's how secret spots stay secret. Some fish tacos for lunch and back home for the third session. Just got out of the water and wanted to share. La vida es buena.
Surfed rincon this morning...nice and glassy, waist high and super fun...then went home and met up with the SD folk, we loaded up the Number Two (of Siestas y Olas fame) and headed north to find surf. They left SD yesterday but were slowed by a flat tire...and sure enough, an hour up the road, blow-out number two. Having no spare tire we were stuck, called AAA and hung out on this country road for a while just shootin' the shit. The adventure was off to a splendid start.
