it's been said it takes imagination and patience to surf the 1st coast.

rarely do all the elements come together to burn an indelible sesh into your head.

  murky waters, strong offshores, and cold steel skies are atypical around here.

more clean peaks than people and well groomed walls are even more  so.

a tiny window

photo from monday night by David Macri

Myron, waiting for the tide to fill in and this little reef to come to life.

Vintage vdubs and little peelers

80deg. in the middle of November?

Florida winters are gonna make me soft

SS

Then...

...and now

the name has changed, Still Stylin all the same

Welcome Wagon

A five month work/vacation spent looking for summer bumps in the pacific was long overdue but poor timing wavewise. One day back in FLA. and JOJ, this is what the Atlantic was dishing up on the 1st coast.

photos by David M. @ BlueSky

'68 Bolbo

1997 Mendo>>Mainland Mexico, 1968 Volvo.
The open road, a few boards, an old bro, and nowhere to go.

Looking Back

The first Honey Crisps have fallen from the tree, the north wind has died down for the season, and swell lines are stacked on the horizon as far as the eye can see. Fall is certainly in the air, making many a happy camper. Unfortunately, my days in this part of the country are numbered for this year...and just as things are getting good. But I'll take what I can get and be grateful. A few parting shots of a sun drenched summer on the north coast.

when the north wind blows.

let your sea flag fly.

smelly love.

Washed Ashore

Plastic "is for the birds".

In Southern Oregon, art education meets environmental education @ The Washed Ashore project. Avery the giant bird towers some 20 feet into the air and is made completely from trash washed up on the beach. Some of Avery's friends will be on exhibit @ The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Ca. through mid October. If you are around, check it.

Bounty

in the ebb and flow of life,
this summer has been flowing....over.

On a recent long weekend to the land of white capes we stopped for breakfast from the bush. The Umpqua River Marionberries were going off... the waves were not. Still, nice to share some bowly drops with old timer Terry on the first long period wnw in a good while. It's great to be back in our old neck of the woods, even if only for the summer.

Full Circuital

MMJ has been building momentum for years. keeping fans on their toes with their smoking live shows and by refusing to be pigeon holed creatively. born into a tradition of southern rockers their sheer talent has helped them evolve into so much more. to see and feel their raw emotional energy live is like a 220 volt shock to the gut. if you have the opportunity check 'em. looking forward to tonight!!!

-poached photo and video-
denise and pooch lay down some vocals---my morning jacket meets fantasia

No Van Left Behind

deep in the woods of Washington state, a collection of abandoned buses was recently unearthed in hopes of salvaging parts and bringing these relics back to life. a worthy endeavor (with a high level of cool) in this disposable economy we currently inhabit. no van left behind.

found photos

80's Posing

Stumbled upon some more old photos. While Corey Hart, The Thompson Twins, and Prince's Purple Rain were polluting the airwaves, my brother and I were tackling our first construction project, customizing footwear and trying our damndest to snap decks. This time of year always has me pining for the carefree, (painfree) pleasures of youth. Yet, leaving responsibility in the dust in the name of summer just won't fly at my ripe age. Sometimes it's best just to reminisce.

homemade 1/4 pipe

custom skate shoes

the death of my cherished Bevel Deck

This mornin'

a nice little clip of the bump around here this morning
captures the elusive mellow vibe that lingers just under the surface
of the circus that the first coast can become
come summer time

bring your sunscreen, leave your (wave) expectations behind
and you may just have a real good time

video borrowed from the surfstation who are always on top of it

Ohm @ sea

Pencil to foam on number five.
So I can look down during lulls,
and remind myself where I am,
how to breathe and how to be...Ohm @ sea.

Feet-n-Flow

Barefootin' a long long way from home,
somewhere on the tail end of CentroAmerica,
trying our best to keep it low-pro,
and finding places to dig our toes in.

Moontrance

was a marvelous night for a moontrance

followed by a sun kissed sunrise

Glass Dust

Local shaper, mad glasser, and musician by night, K. Mileski putting the finishing touches on my 4th backyard board. The guy is for real, approachable, and passionate about what he does. The 1st time I met him he offered up his shaping room for my future mowing projects. The 2nd time, we shared frosty beverages and I soaked up as much as I could while he rambled on about board design, resin pin lines, imagination, and Florida surf.

number 4

foam, fins n color work by me

glass work by MSF

a place i sea calm and free

sea green walls rush the beach

drowning thoughts in hypnotic rhythm

clearing space for my mind to breathe

Learning to Share

found photo

Homegrown

"there is not a surf experience in this crazy, fucked up world that can compare to riding a wave on a craft shaped with your own hands, driven by your own desire." -KV

Foiled

a while back, twelve years to be exact, I scavenged some redwood scrap from a friends' shack in Occidental. just a few foot long offcuts collecting dust since the early 80's. in my mind they were as good as gold and needed to be treated to a proper project to honor the tree that was felled for this lumber. it has taken me longer than expected, but finally some of this scrap is getting it's due.

resawn

laid out
foiled

my first set of fins, still a ways to go, got to give them future bases, glass and bead them properly. but my new drive-line is well on its way...

Staying Rooted

before the internet...there was fire

Recently, a friend abandoned the EtheR for more earthly pursuits of face to face contact and real world experience. I guess ultimately his virtual community proved unfulfilling. In a world more detached from the natural environment than ever I can hardly blame him. Lately my wife has been going online each morning to check the weather, I keep suggesting she go outside, breathe in the air, and look up at the sky. It seems many of us have reached a place where it is necessary to reassess both the benefits and pitfalls of relying so much on technology and all the connections we are leaving behind in the name of "progress".

analog, self-timed photo, set on a stump, close to the earth.

From the Window

a warm water left starting to show signs of lighting up

From the window I saw the horses...

...Like waves of fire, they flared forward

and to my eyes filled the whole world,

empty till then. Perfect, ablaze,

they were like ten gods with pure white hoofs,

with manes like a dream of salt....

...There, in silence, at mid-day,

in that dirty, disordered winter,

those intense horses were the blood

the rhythm, the inciting treasure of life.

-P.Neruda-

travelin' light

... is the only way to fly

My wife with the $10 air mat. Her adventurous spirit and natural ability never cease to amaze. It's a special occasion when we share a session together as she isn't driven by the glide.

Shot with my '70's rangefinder camera with a busted light meter on Velvia 100. As unforgiving as slide film is regarding exposure, this image is a happy accident and a cherished gift.

Points South

four right points, two local surfers, one weathered expat,

barely a road to get there, no power, no phone, no hot water,
just seven days of pure, unadulterated bliss.

a snap from the hip of my guides and their trusted furry friend

Cambute

Cambute, aka the giant conch has been overfished to near extinction from Baja to the Galapagos. Now banned commercially in many countries, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty when my new friends invited me to go diving for Christmas dinner. But conch ceviche, how could I say no? I convinced myself that boys on a balsa raft with leaky masks and mismatched swim fins certainly weren't responsible for the demise of cambute. For them, this is sustenance in it's purest form. At least as long as it lasts. And I can't imagine I'll forget the meal or the experiences they shared with me anytime soon.

Bad Roads...

Seems the old adage "bad roads bring good people..." works both ways. On our recent travels looking for adventure at the tail end of Centro America we encountered nothing but brazos abiertos from the rural people. A healthy dose of curiosity and warm smiles paved our way to the Pacific over hours of bumpy road and creek bottom. We shared this local collectivo with a weed wacker, a dog in a bag, and eighteen hearty locals.

Travel Partner

I love to hear you smile.
Celebrating sixteen years of bliss and shit.
My muse, my wife, my travel partner on this earth through life.

Next week we are off to puntas del sur to celebrate our crazy life together (thus far). Three weeks to meld into the landscape and experience a place we've never been before. Hoping to catch some swell, some fish and just leave it all behind this holiday season.