HydroFied

2011-11-30T06:49:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

Vintage vdubs and little peelers

80deg. in the middle of November?

Florida winters are gonna make me soft

SS

2011-11-09T18:37:00.000-08:00

Then...

...and now

the name has changed, Still Stylin all the same

Welcome Wagon

2011-11-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

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

Looking Back

2011-09-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-10T17:52:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

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'

2011-04-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-24T18:18:00.001-07:00

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

2011-04-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

was a marvelous night for a moontrance

followed by a sun kissed sunrise

Glass Dust

2011-04-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

sea green walls rush the beach

drowning thoughts in hypnotic rhythm

clearing space for my mind to breathe

Learning to Share

2011-03-10T16:50:00.000-08:00

found photo

Homegrown

2011-03-05T15:08:00.001-08:00

"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

2011-02-25T14:10:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-27T06:18:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

... 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

2011-01-09T15:43:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-05T20:43:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-01-02T07:32:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

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.

Gobble Gobble

2010-11-25T04:53:00.000-08:00

Eating Fresh and Close to Home

Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of holidays. Perhaps the only one not completely hijacked by corporate America but one still steeped in consumerism. The consumption of ridiculous quantities of food and grog that is.

I hope all are stuffing yourselves on faceshots in the backcountry, smearing frosting off the lip at a favorite spot or simply gorging yourselves until comatosed with friends or family close to home. Give thanks

photo: Amy Stein, Domesticated

Color Wheel

2010-10-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

dried out and in need of some heavy saturation

-M-

-C-

-Y-

click fotos for the big picture

_FLATNESS____

2010-10-17T05:46:00.000-07:00

around here flat is FLAT____

Flat spells make me blue...
what's a kid to do???

35mm Views

2010-09-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

two views of summer on film

tropical storm Colin boat trip w/ ET. The (not so secret) Spot

grooming summer bars

Fire in the sky

2010-09-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

Happy full moon-autumnal equinox! This is the first time these two celestial events have shared the sky in a long long time. Unfortunately the stars didn't align quite so nicely for Igor. Sideshore and onshore winds plagued the whole event leaving us a little discombobulated from the churning seas.

Sliding Igor:
No pics, no lined up long period love, no clean faces to draw on. Just pesky onshores, big chunky-junky peaks, fat-ass shoulders, a busted out fin box, lots and lots of humbling rides and a steady stream of nose dribble to carry me through 'till the next swell arrives.

photo: snapped by a friend yesterday @ sunset, nearly fullmoon on the rise.

Earl-ee Friday Morning

2010-09-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

Summer's Fun...
but fall is SWELL.

Paddling out to greet Earl after it lined up and organized itself a couple Friday mornings ago. Turned out to be just Good Clean Fun

Summer Anthem

2010-09-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

Now that the Labor day weekend has come and gone, dragging the kids back to school in it's wake, summer is officially over. Through the years, certain songs have stuck in my head like summer anthems and when I hear them they instantly transport me back to those carefree days when life was much simpler. This year the aptly named "summer holiday" captures that spirit as well as any, not to mention the priceless vintage Oregon footage.

Maybe it's Wild

2010-09-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the 12 @ 16, maybe the pace yourself paddle out. Maybe it's the groppling hold downs, nasal enemas, and rips' like rivers. Or maybe it's the drawn out lines on head and a half faces. It's not the endless sunshine, not the bikini clad girls, and it's not the 80* water. Those things were around all summer long. Whatever it is, I felt it today. Exhilarated, an acute sense of being alive. An energy sent up from the depths of mother ocean that humbles and rejuvenates us. We soak it in and carry it back to land until we can experience it all over again. Thanks Earl.

Stacked

2010-08-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

I SMELL SWELL. Sprouting off the coast of Cape Verde, Earl is nipping at the heals of his big sister Danielle while I wait anxiously to greet them. A few weeks ago tropical storm Collin passed by and delivered mostly clean conditions for several days, yet he generally lacked luster.

This will be my first fall in North Florida. And though the landscape is foreign, it is clear the seasons are changing, waves are on the way, and things are looking up. Hopefully, these are the first signs of things to come.

breakfast buffet

2010-08-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

double over ankle peelers, midweek morning, not a sole in sight,
looks like logging for breakfast.

Waking Life

2010-07-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

it's nice to be up at first light again.
a fleeting moment of clarity and calm
between the dream world and consciousness.
(0.8ft. slack tide, bait fish surface at the inlet)

PRide

2010-07-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

Perhaps a little misguided at times, but no shortage of American pride in these here parts of Nor Fla. Happy fourth.

Wavewise:
A little pulse of storm surf pushed through Sunday. 5 @ 8 crossed up, chop and slop. Enough to get some fun drops and race out onto the face for a few well placed cutties if you happened into the the right peak at the right time while paddling in the mini-maelstrom . Actually, it was the biggest surf I've seen in the short time I've been here. Fast enough to get my rails hissing and my fins whistling so I was a happy camper. Can't ask for much more in the summer doldrums I suppose.

MOOOooooo

2010-06-15T05:19:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that the herding mentality is alive and well on the 1st Coast. A little poking around and a healthy dose of dumb luck put me onto an exposed low tide sand bar at a sharky inlet. The mini peelers were doing their best impression of a sand bottom point down the bar and into the channel. Granted summer is upon us and the only waves of consequence are heat waves. Still, the little summer offerings were glassy and nicely shaped and it was just me and 10 feet of foam while others desperate to get wet congregated like cattle around the pier up the coast.

photo by injun joe

Waves of Change

2010-05-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain's crest;
Theirs is the curse of gypsy blood,
And they don't know how to rest.

-Robert Service-

"Not all who wander are lost"....but many who do are hopelessly so. It's true, I've had more zip codes than I can count on both hands. But I like to think that it is new experiences and opportunities I seek rather than some other reason I can't stay still. My landlubber days have drawn to an end. And though not exactly beach front, my latest address has the sweet smell of the ocean and puts me in easy striking distance of this...

and this...

yet, on any given day it is more likely to look like this...

wave fotos found on the net

Sustainable Design

2010-04-22T05:07:00.000-07:00

Today is as good a day as any to take off you shoes and feel the earth between your toes. Happy Earth Day (everyday).

For those with the time and patience, the following lecture by Michael Pawlyn is one of the most inspiring and hopeful pieces I've seen in a long time. As one of the lead designers and architects behind the Eden Project, Pawlyn's latest work incorporating biomimicry with sustainable design shines a bright light onto our troubled times and is nothing shy of brilliant. (warning: a bit slow to start and nearly 30 mins. in length but truly inspiring when yo have the time...) click below:

Hope through Design

*Top photo fffound on the web*

Childhood Stoke

2010-04-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

I recently unearthed a box of old photos.
My very first water shots (plus one)...

These were taken with the bright yellow Minolta Weathermatic camera I got for my 14th birthday. They must be from the summer of '85, the year I transitioned from a sponge to a surfboard and had my first stand up rides. I love the expressions of pure stoke in the top two. Doesn't really matter that it is waist deep and ankle high. Joy is where you find it.

Samba Cloud

2010-03-29T19:41:00.001-07:00

It has been five years since I passed the torch of my '87 VW Vanagon. A series of circumstances (including a hit and run, a blown motor, and a feral drunk breaking in, passing out and pissing all over himself and my van) forced me to let her go. Like so many of these stories begin, "I bought mine from this old dude"... the original owner, a retired professor from UCB in '99. I lived in it the better part of that first year and on and off thereafter. We had a six year, 150k mile love affair that spanned Baja to BC. And in all that time, she never left me stranded.

Recently, due to a nagging itch, and the request of my wife (she digs van life too!!) we have started to search for and dream of life in a-Vanagon-Again. Certainly not the most efficient, economical, or reliable ride to own, but there is something undeniably addictive about the experience. Thanks to a nostalgic urge and a romantic notion, the search for another Vanagon begins and (hopefully) the journey continues.

photo by: juan b. a fellow sambanista

Full Circle Surf

2010-03-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

Last week I made my way back to the beaches of my childhood. The place I first flew a kite, first felt glide under foot, and the place I first dreamt of being a surfer. The barrier islands of Lower Slower Delaware and OCMD are not necessarily known the world over for their quality of waves. Yet the stoke and dreams of a beachie life are as thriving and rooted here as anywhere. The summer people and boardwalk culture obscure the beauty and potential this place has to offer. But, under the surface there are the people that live and breathe the ocean life, a core of dedicated fishermen and wave sliders that are on it anytime it's good and even when it's not.

As the swell season is winding down, I was grateful for the three days of 60 deg. weather, well groomed bars and the chest to head high conditions. The water was still plenty cold, and the murky run off left me with a sore throat. But a few fresh pints of Dogfish Head and the Maryland Crab soup made it all alright.

Photos from the St. Patrick's day swell 2010 courtesy of Nick Denny.

Home Away from Home

2010-03-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I have slept in my van,
starting to feel a little homesick.

three classics, fffound fotos

Southern Sun

2010-03-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

easy living...

simple pleasures...

southern sun...

Serene Island

2010-03-05T06:10:00.000-08:00

There's a place in my mind I go to check the surf. Usually in the wee hours of the morning just before the dawn while my body rests and my mind is reeling. Some call it REM. I have always dreamed of this place as an island. The physical landscape changes, but always an island. Sometimes it's the inland waterways of the pacific north west, where getting your bearings and spying a view can be a challenge. Other times it's the grassy, fog rolled hills north of the gate where whites outnumber surfers. Mostly I'm on foot, walking fire roads patiently waiting to crest the next ridge or stumbling through soggy paths along moss covered creeks hoping to find the mouth. Almost always, the feeling is one of patient anticipation. There is a calmness in my search that comes from the knowledge that the perfect set up will present it self... when the time is right.

Winter Storming

2010-03-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

Spring may be right around the corner but the north east is still deeply embedded in winter. Last week delivered a proper winter storm with hurricane winds, heavy surf, and buckets of snow. The storm left me hydrofied but not in a surfy kinda way. Instead, my schedule and timing had me seeking submersion in the frozen realm of stellar crystals. Back to back to back powder days had me sore in a good way, topped off with a two pound burrito and some frosty IPA's.

Winter Storage

2010-02-22T05:39:00.000-08:00

A chest of drawers I made this fall for the squirrel in me. A place to store my nuts, or perhaps, keep track of my marbles (through my long dry spells). Actually, my original motivation was a little different, hopefully a little deeper than that, but the above seems most appropriate at the moment.

Fall Fun Ones

2010-02-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

My first fall on the east coast in 18 years proved fruitful....wavewise.
Not that I could be on it every little window of opportunity,
but I was there...when I needed to be.

tweaked film shots from New England

Road Salt

2010-02-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

The sting of road salt on my lips reminds me of the sweet taste of the ocean. I chuckle to myself as I lick it up and dream of being cold and saturated in a more satisfying way. Even so, there's never a dull moment biking with traffic this time of year.

THink SNow

2010-02-09T05:27:00.000-08:00

0.5' @ 14 sec. water 39F. air 16F.
"FLAT WINDY COLD, winds WNW 11mph low tide 2:41pm. Get 20% off all snowboard gear and $20 tunes during the month of February."

You know it's tough when local surf reports are advertising for snowboard tunes. The N.E. has been in a bit of a flat spell. Oh well...when all else fails....think snow!

Is Analog Dead?

2010-01-28T11:15:00.001-08:00

**poached photo

I just bought my first music online, I have really been digging these guys (and they're about to hit the road). I know, I know, I am a little off the back in this regard. To my defense I have been downloading free live music for years here, and more recently here. But like a lot of people, I am slow to change and enjoy the interactive and informative nature of holding something physical in my hand while listening to a new “album” for the first time. Almost embarrassingly I admit, I still have all of my cassettes tapes, mostly bootlegs, something's Phishy and anything Dead. I pull them out from time to time just to hear the crackly white noise and the atmospheric magic that only exists in a good audience recording. But I wonder, is this form of audio slipping away for good...is analog dead?

Winter Warmer

2010-01-19T18:55:00.000-08:00

Mexican color swatch

time slows, air flows, frigget shows

amphibious friend, hopefully headed for cleaner waters in the spirit world

the last of my vitamin D treatment for the winter

As the wind howls and the thermostat out the window reads 19F these shots from last week seem like an eternity has past. I am thankful to have soaked up as much as we did. My skin is brown, the fire inside is rekindled and my heart feels lighter. Sometimes I think all I need are empty waves, warm water and fresh fish. Then responsibility hits me over the head and I remember... "time to make the doughnuts"

A Year Ago Today

2010-01-17T23:22:00.000-08:00

journal entry: Saturday Jan.17th, 2009,

"Oye! checked a south river jetty at dawn. Thick, walled and 2x over head. My head cold and 7-2 left me feeling undergunned ( or I just lack the sack to paddle out at this spot alone today). So I pointed it further south to check a cove I've been eyeing for just such an occasion. Turned out glassy, looooong, headhigh, fishalicious rights. A loc paddled over to introduce himself and thank me for not being a dick and not paddling right to the top of the point (as this spot doesn't exactly regulate itself like up north) he then proceeded to call me into waves. Never experienced that before. We shared the sets w/ 3-4 others until my arms went to jello and the tide filled in. 4 hrs. of strong winter sun and perfect whackable rights passed. I tapped my booties together 3 times to make sure I wasn't dreaming but the S.Ore. coast was reeeeeeel...ing"

This was the 1st day of a spontaneous 5 day solo road trip. One where absolutely everything fell perfectly into place. One that left me dropped jawed and speechless at the sheer beauty and good fortune I have experienced in my life. Though it is impossible and foolish to deem one road trip as "the best", this one surely contained a few of the most memorable go-outs I've had to date. One at a spot "with not a soul in sight, chatting it up with bull kelp between sets, big (enough) and perfect, driving down emerald green faces with VW size boulders inches below the surface"

I guess I reminisce because my current (day to day) life is so far removed from a year ago. And keeping it fresh reminds me how important it is to find my way back. Create my own reality. I guess.

plane and simple

2009-12-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

Sparked by the flurry of interest in hand planes floating about, I recently carved a quiver of hand held wave sliding apparati myself. Truth be known, I am a little afraid they may clutter the purity of the bodysurfing experience as I know it. The simple pleasure of jumping into the shorebreak with nothing more than swim fins and a big child like grin is unmatched and virtually kook-proof. There are few expectations, tons of barrels, and plenty of sand in the ears. Bringing more equipment into the equation seems a bit antithetical to the experience.

That said, I really enjoyed the process of making these planes. A little templating, some bottom contours, banding and blending the rails, all in all, a quick project to tinker away these cold winter nights. The temps are holding in the teens around here, so for now my new quiver waits in anticipation. In a few weeks I head for warm water with friends. Hopefully between stand up sessions we can pass them around and slip into some thumpy shorebreak barrels at a favorite bodysurfing beach. Until then the jury is still out, hand plane or just plain hand...

Winter Missions

2009-12-11T05:58:00.000-08:00

"I don't care if it rains or freezes, long as I got my plastic Jesus,
riding on the dashboard of my car..."

snowy roads @ dawn

1st light on glass

long drive home...

Hope everyone's getting their fill. I have been left to reflect on waves gone by and to day dream about dawn to dusk missions from winters past as these December swells roll through. Trying my best to weather my landlocked holddown at the moment. A few strategic missions have helped fill the void this fall, but all in all coming up short on filling my cold water quota this season.

*top photo: unknown

Vert thru the Ages

2009-12-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

70's stylin': photo Hugh Holland

80's skate and destroy: photo jacked

Red in PDX: reposted via Max

Cali now: photo bowl sk8ter

As the end of each year draws near, it often occurs to me that everything is growing up and growing older. Including vert. Happy thirty something. You feel that?

Bajaliday...

2009-11-24T22:22:00.000-08:00

Bajalidays, always an adventure or misadventure depending on your perspective. These shots are from a trip dating back to the 20th century. Just me and one long lost friend. It contained all of the requisite elements of a memorable adventure . A blood stained mattress, sleeping in the dirt, first response to a MEX 1 car crash, nearly clipping a feral dog, sharing drinks with seemingly friendly locals only to realize later that they slipped us mickeys and tried to rob us blind. And of coarse...pointy peelers, juicy nuggets, and freight trains at dawn. We managed to avoid la mordida but had to push our overheated '84 Vanagon through Tijuana traffic and back across the border.

Nor'easter+Ida=Nor'Ida

2009-11-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

Nor'ida wreaked havoc on Hatteras and much of the Eastern Seaboard last week. Apparently the roads leading off the Cape in NC were closed four days. However, it delivered some cold water gems to New England over the weekend and into the week and Me and "T" were there to greet them. Long period, lined up, offshore, crisp, clear and sweet. All was good, except for the chicken wings...

Cosmic Connection

2009-11-13T05:59:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I surfed a spot (in a state) that I had never been to before. After a few hours of much needed water time, I decided to check the wave up the road before the sun went down. I got in my van, pointed it north, found the pull out I was looking for and grabbed the only parking space available. Not a minute later, the guy parked in front of me walks up to his car dripping wet and calls my name. I couldn't believe it. How random. Or was it? It was my old friend Trevor (the names have been changed to protect the innocent). The last time I ran into Trevor was 12 years ago. I was at a New Years Eve show at some random venue in San Francisco. I was in line to use the men's room and recognized the guy in front of me...it was Trevor. Keep in mind that neither of us lived in CA. at the time and we hadn't seen each other for maybe 4 years before that.

Trevor is an old friend from my "blurry" years. We shared some crazy experiences together. A few that come to mind involved a coast to coast flight with a very large and very stinky suitcase. Another, Texas girls on vacation with their church group and more pitchers of margaritas than anyone can remember. We were young and we were dumb but we had fun. That was another lifetime ago...

So, there we were, once again, cosmically crossing paths. Once the initial shock wore off we went to have a beer and some chowder and some more beers. Trevor informed me it was his birthday in the morning. Instead of parting ways, we called our wives, called into work and decided to ring in his birthday sharing waves together. The last time that happened....Baja Norte, 1990.

Sweet Relief

2009-11-04T22:45:00.000-08:00

swell dying fast but still finding cover

I finally found my way to the sea again! I managed to score a few sessions of a decent little ground swell before it faded away into the night. It's been way too long and drying out is hard to do. Discovering rocky points on the East coast gives me hope. Learning to love a west wind, a little disorienting. Accepting the windows of opportunity are so short lived, a hard pill to swallow. Ahhhh but being wet again, engulfed in the salty embrace of mother ocean, that is all that mattered. The token fuzzy photo was snapped this morning after I got out. Inspired by a salt stained glider.

Duct Tape and Dental Floss

2009-11-02T05:48:00.000-08:00

November in New Hampshire is no time for patching wetsuits. But my limited (foreseeable) water time this winter warranted breaking out the needle and thread in lieu of a new suit. Then there are the glass cracks around a fin box on my favorite board. I've been meaning to patch them since Bill visited back in August. Talk about dry docked. Anyhow a little duct tape will do for now. The forecast is calling for 6.5' @ 12 sec., air 36*, water 44*, and offshore.... Hope it holds.

Pining for a PNW fall

2009-10-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I'll get an intense sense of nostalgia. A yearning for another time and place that has been relegated to the depths of my memory banks (for the time being). I'm not sure what set me off this time. Maybe it's the surf updates from friends, or perhaps it's simply the landlocked predicament I find myself in for the next 6 months. Regardless I have to re-divert my stoke-lessness into something positive and constructive to keep me sane.

I recently rediscovered the Lo-Fi Photo scene, something I have admittedly lost touch with since my days making and using pinhole cameras in art school some years back (read: pre-digital era). The feelings that the less than crisp lo-fi images evoke are often dreamy and nostalgic, feelings I can relate too. I shot the images above with a digital point and shoot on the north coast last fall. However, for me, they have a similar effect.

Sinking @ CJ's

2009-10-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

The fall colors were peaking in my neck of the woods a few weeks back. I spent an afternoon enjoying the leaves swirling all around... underwater

New England Colors

2009-10-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a loooong time since I've experienced a fall in New England. I forgot how breathtaking this part of the country can be. I had a crazy hair (seems all I have left are crazy hairs) to surf and to sink all in the same day. This entailed an early start and a lot of driving. The stars aligned and I woke to small clean surf. Just had to wait a little for the tide to fill in. The day was crisp and the fall colors in full affect. Snapped some photos along the way...the sinking to follow.

Criss Cross Country

2009-10-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

I recently made a solo drive coast to coast with a few random stops along the way. Before my journey I discovered my last pack of Polariod 600 film amongst my things. I had 10 shots for over 3000 miles, the pressure was on. A bit ironic considering the carefree approach and shoot from the hip mentality normally associated with instant film. I'll never forget the "kachinnnngk" of the print rolling out the end of the camera or that moment of magic while the image morphs out of nothingness onto the paper. I did hear murmurings of a Belgium company with plans of producing instant film in the future. Until then, Polaroids will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.

Vintage Rides

2009-10-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

Got to sample some vintage rides at a craggy headland on the eastern seaboard this September. There's something strangely wonderful about tapping into the life of things, things that have been around the block a time or two and still possess the magic.

Like this '58 woody that's been in my buddy's family since day one. Four generations of fishing from this boat and still running strong. Then there was the mid-80's Shaun Tomson twinny collecting dust in the shed. My buddy got it at a garage sale for $15 bucks 10 yrs. back. Beak nose, fat and friendly foil, and plenty 'o VVVVeeeeee

The surf was nothing to write home about but the fish was fresh, the beer was cold, and catching up with old friends, way over due.