offshores... waves here and there.
Family, friends, travel, mirth.
Music, exploration, reading, growth.
Conversation, food, sport, beauty.
These are the things that sustain us.
On the hunt for softer sensations this morning i voyaged to neighboring P-town. Shin-high but smooth at everyone's favorite toxic runoff lagoon. Two helmeted 7 yr. olds ruled the peak on their little shortboards. Dad pushing them into many long, slow, well-ridden waves. That dad kicks ass! Those kids had skills too. A green-logger also scored some slank-time and styled it well, shuffling to the nose, then back to the tail for some fluid arcs. Great conditions for the beginner crew. I opted for donut but then saw a few attractive corners on my way back over the hill... too little too late. Now i'm regretting.
Surfable near home too.. bigger and burly. doable.
Mentally rehearsing rides of the last few days last night. Thinking about the steep drops. Suckout drops. Seeing the peak rise up. Excitement welling. Observing the bottom drop out and then taking off quick and tight. Trying to hold the line and stay balanced. Immediate speed rush and consequential dealings. Lots of mis-timed bottom-turn/top-turn combos for me but a few moments that stoke reflection. One drop yesterday on a thick suckout. Threw myself over the ledge and fins/rail barely caught as i felt my edge side-slipping down the face.. then engage and propel. pump along the smooth, vibrant profundity and carve a turn as the wave slows. Nice thick powerful wave. Also had one on Sunday morning where i took off backdoorish on a chunky, overhead inside-bar gulper, then raced and ducked and sped along the enveloping wall.. narrelled.. maybe briefly covered.. seeing potential barrel opportunities down the line but dodging around the lip like a pussy... but maybe the right move?? back around to a gulping/wedging end-section and diving over the back.. airing like a kook without my board but so fun anyway.. just to make that wave and see that vision of the conical power. Some serious wipeouts the last few days too.. One yesterday where i prepared for a steep backside drop but the whole thing just emptied from beneath me.. and i ditched board and just toppled end over-end with the lip.. then got sucked back and around and just hammered into the shallow sandbar.. sand and water all up my nose. Or a heavy wipeout last friday, took off on a large wave.. made the drop backside but then the whole wave closed out on me. big wave.. i jumped off and my shoulder smacked really hard against the water surface and my head whipped into my shoulder.. came out and my ear was bleeding and all cut and is still swollen and cut right now. Another good wipeout Sunday morning where i tried to spin-and-go on a beautiful right.. Spun and went and almost made it but pearled just as i started to set my line... got slingshot into a nasty rinse-cycle. came up choking and spitting water and then got creamed by the rest of the set. So many wipeouts.. oh yeah.. another one where i lip-dove and then smacked super hard into the water and my eye-lid got flipped inside out! that felt weird. Came up looking all mutated.
Bernie Baker interview from surfermag.com
Sub-zero Jersey Juice... is it worth it?
whack!
yup
heavy
reeling
sweet pics keepin the pipe dream alive.
Posted by: at January 25, 2005 10:43 AMAhh..the surf at home dad. That's what I wanna be when I grow up. I just need to marry rich.
Posted by: Andrew on 57th at January 25, 2005 11:16 AMso any of you ny city surfers? is the pre morning session a possiblity out there? what are the waves like/consistency factor?
thanks for any help.
Posted by: bird at January 25, 2005 11:23 AMbird.. you moving? thinking about it?
it's tough if you live in Manhattan... long subway ride. But if you're out in Brooklyn or Queens it's closer. I think it takes about 45 minutes from Manhattan to Rockaway beach??
Closest i've surfed to there is Belmar NJ.. ROCK!
Posted by: e at January 25, 2005 11:34 AMHowdy - if the rain holds off gonna jump on it at lunch time - but question for you...
I am mulling over an opportunity to move to Seattle - one of the things that's in the con column is the lack of nearby waves. (at least I wouldn't loose my skiing!)
Does anyone have any perspective on how the surf opportunities are up there? I know Westport is a spot? How is it and any others?
Any advice / info would be greatly appreciated. It's one thing to read about spots on the web - another to hear the skinny from real folks who've been there....
Thanks guys!
Posted by: ankors at January 25, 2005 11:43 AMRam Adnil was dishing up 2-3 footers this morning. Insane number of surfers for mid-morning on an unspectacular day. Baby humpback whale, though, right in the lineup!
Posted by: kloo at January 25, 2005 11:51 AM"Engineered and tested for 2+ years at heavy Ocean Beach, San Francisco, the Hero camera performs well in all situations."
http://store.surfline.com/store/index.cfm?parentcategoryid=&productID=356&showDetail=1&categoryID=0|Accessories&vendoridtodisplay=0&filterFor=&collection=
Anyone got the skinny on this local little guy? I'll probably stick to the Holga but...
Posted by: kookdom at January 25, 2005 11:56 AMhey ankors....
i knew a few dudes that lived in the emerald city
and surfed....3+ hours from seattle though.
washington is good, at times...but you think
OB is fickle. it IS POSSIBLE but you will definitely
become one of those weekend warriors, fer shure.
there are countless, countless breaks. i surfed a few
times on the olympic peninsula...hang a left at forks
and pick a point.
you'll need a 6-4 or a 5-4-3 with a hood.
positive side of NW surfing...when you see someone,
ANYONE else in the water...you are stoked. 10 dudes
at a spot, spread out, is a crowd in that neck of the
woods.
mt. baker is a good cure for surf jones......
Posted by: korewin at January 25, 2005 11:57 AMKookdom, hook one up! They are pretty cool little gadgets and the guy that is making it happen is a local surfer in the area.
I have used mine several times and they are pretty cool to get water shots. You can also use standard film so that you can swap out different speed film and get some sweet shots. It is pretty secure on the paddle at OB as well.
Ankors, J is pretty well versed on up north as well. He has the k-nowledge.
Anyone surf the beach today?
Posted by: Kaiser at January 25, 2005 12:01 PMankors - nitsuj at gmail dot com and i can give you a 30,000 ft view
Posted by: j at January 25, 2005 12:04 PMSounds like a fun addition to my already too large camera collection. Thanks for the skinny Kaiser.
Posted by: kookdom at January 25, 2005 12:06 PM0h one more Q: Anywhere to hook one of the little guys up locally? Like Aqua or something?
Thanks again
Posted by: kookdom at January 25, 2005 12:09 PMkookdom - i picked one up at aqua for an Xmas gift, i'd start your search there.
Posted by: j at January 25, 2005 12:16 PMthanks Korewin + co.
J - have shot you an email.
Kookdom - saw the other day they also have them for sale in Lombardi sports.
Posted by: ankors at January 25, 2005 12:42 PMFun whale watching w/ya Kloo...that humpback definitely was the alpha surfer of the day. And that pod of dolphins?!
OB is FICKLE but not raining yet. Foggy/cloudy threatening though. Like someone else mentioned, bring lottery ticket for your peak. Super warbly, and tons of water sloshing around the inside...expect lots of travelling during paddle out. Strong stuff, as proven by 2 peeps coming in after chasing somewhat OH warblers. Whitewater mowing surfers down, sucking them backwards, then hitting again as they paddle in. Very few takers today, but...doable, of course! It is always doable! Yes! No such thing as bad conditions! Enjoy the paddling...
Posted by: s.s. sharkbait at January 25, 2005 12:44 PMDavo-send me an email and I'll get back to you tonight with the exact dimensions on the Minami.
Posted by: Dennis at January 25, 2005 12:49 PMHmmm. The email link didn't work. It's jdmcquoid at msn.com
Posted by: Dennis at January 25, 2005 12:50 PMyes please
Posted by: e at January 25, 2005 01:22 PMDamn, I am with E on that! I'll shoot water shots with my Go:Pro Hero camera from the shoulder.
Kookdom, you can hook them up at both Aqua and Wise. You can also order it off the site as well. Send me an email at lanceea at yahoo dot com and I will send you some picks I just got from them this morning. Pretty cool shots.
Posted by: Kaiser at January 25, 2005 02:20 PMankors - sent u a response
Posted by: j at January 25, 2005 02:34 PManyone have any thoughts on sciatica??? and how to treat it??? My left leg has been doing some weird numb/burning/tingling thing lately. I am falling apart...
Posted by: jdz at January 25, 2005 02:39 PMgot out again last night at ob, and size and intensity had increased a bit from sunday. one right was especially notable: it broke next to me and then rolled inward and i watched from the back. it wasn't particularly larger/more powerful than others, but as it crashed the energy seemed to bounce right back off the bottom and create a whole new wave off the shoulder. from the back it looked like the shoulder actually accelerated upward & outward (as opposed to a more mellow tapering). the propulsion was reminiscent of spray coming out of a tube, and the upward motion reminded me of a snapping whip. i would love to have seen a 3d model of the sandbars & channels that cause those kind of dynamics...
Posted by: loon at January 25, 2005 02:45 PMnew issue of allaboutsurf.com
Posted by: e at January 25, 2005 02:48 PMKaiser / Kookdom - I too am a friend of the guy making it happen and have some nice shots to share. Kaiser...just sent you some pics from the November time-frame.
Fun piece of equipment.
-c
Posted by: Q at January 25, 2005 03:02 PMhmmm.... allaboutsurf is cool, hadn't seen it before.
but i'm more excited about this:
A-Frame Magazine
boogie woogie
Posted by: bbr at January 25, 2005 03:05 PM
Posted by: at January 25, 2005 03:19 PMI was stalked by a seal today at Rockaway!!! He bumbed me twice and pulled on my leash a few times. Then he would resurface right next to me. I could have hit he/she on the nose. People on the beach saw what was happpening and when I got out after being harrased I turn around and there he is right on the shorebreak staring at me. FUCK??? Was he in love with me??? Did he want a bite out of me??? Not a very fun encounter. This man on the beach said "i was sure he was going to bite you"
what gives, just wanted a few small waves to my lonesome and I get harrased by a seal...
Posted by: phil at January 25, 2005 03:32 PMmust have learned from the pacifica surfers...
Posted by: phil at January 25, 2005 03:33 PMEvery time a pinniped starts doing something funny, it's not the pinniped I'm worried about...
Posted by: hrothbart at January 25, 2005 03:49 PMMy friends in SC tell me seal bites are fairly common. I got bumped hard by one the other day and that sensation is pretty high on the pucker factor.
The best story was the woman on a long board at the Lane on a small day last summer. A sea otter hopped on her board and hung out for like 10 minutes, basking in the sun. True story. . . witnesses and everything. Theory was it had been rescued at one time then released. Damn localism.
Posted by: Bruce at January 25, 2005 04:04 PMe, girlfriend may be transferred to ny, so i am waying my options. checked out wannasurf, etc. needless to say, i am staying...
Posted by: bird at January 25, 2005 04:39 PMexcerpt from a page on the california sea lion aka zalophus californianus
SOCIAL PROBLEM SOLVING
Sea lions are commonly referred to as social animals and the social behavior they display is primarily an interplay between gregariousness and aggressiveness. During the non-breeding season, there appears to be no social structure, although weak, hierarchical dominance relations always exist. These dominance relations become more apparent during the breeding season and the levels of behavior change drastically. Another important social relationship is that between mother and pup.
The category of Social Problem Solving focuses on the behaviors involved in the social interactions within a given group of animals, as well as the social relationship between individuals. This section will take into account the generalized dominance relations, gregariousness, and aggressiveness of animals in a rookery and the development and components of mother-pup ties.
Dominance Relations
Dominance is clearly size-related during the non-breeding season. A smaller sea lion yields when threatened by a larger sea lion and there does not appear to be permanent aggressive behavior throughout the skirmishes (Peterson & Bartholomew 1967). The dominance relationship is shifted more towards the establishment of territories during the breeding season. Territorial bulls maintain a level of dominance over immature males and young breeding bulls without territories (Bonner 1994).
Gregariousness
Zalophus californianus form crowded aggregations on rookeries, not due to shortage of land, but due to the fact that these animals are highly gregarious. Sea lions are thignotactic and tend to keep their bodies tightly pressed together. This presents a selective advantage because it provides a greater opportunity for detecting and fleeing possible danger. The gregarious behaviors decline, however, during the breeding season. The tight aggregations breakup into smaller clusters of females closely packed around a breeding bull. Breeding bulls distance themselves from other mature males during this period (Peterson & Bartholomew 1967).
Aggressiveness
Aggressive behavior is an expected component of animals exhibiting gregarious behaviors because of the continual contact, although aggressive interactions in Zalophus californianus heighten during the breeding season. Breeding females act rather aggressively towards all other sea lions on the rookery (males, juvenile males and females, and pups as well), whereas breeding males restrict their aggressive behavior towards other males instead. Another difference between the males and females on the rookery is the fact that the males tend to act with more intensity. All aggressive interactions, however, follow ritualized movements whether they be threats or actual fights (Peterson & Bartholomew 1967).
Threats
When a sea lion, whether male or female, young or old, is disturbed, it threatens the perpetrator. The intruder may then follow with a counter threat. The most common form of this ritualized threat is an open-mouth head thrust, during which the sea lion gives a loud vocalization. This is usually the extent of the behavior, although the threats may lead to fights during the breeding season (Peterson & Bartholomew 1967).
basically they're a bit territorial and mildly aggressive behaviour is common.
breaching however... that's a sign of being chased. witnessed it once. creepy.
reference link
Posted by: scott free at January 25, 2005 04:42 PMsub zero brings back many happy memories for snrfr.Bro if you live in the northeast NH or Maine especially cold duck dives are the norm.
Posted by: snrfr at January 25, 2005 04:56 PMBut if you lived there you would still be stoked to surf.The water in Jersey used to be toxic but Cape Cod north away from Boston water quality is great but todays water temp is around 35-39.Bird if you move to ny you will need a good longboard as most days are less than waist high.
Bird, Neither love nor money would drag me back to the East Coast. You may want to stay friends though and visit in mid-Sept. The water is 76 and the air is 80. The wind is offshore and you may catch some hurricane surf.
Posted by: Dennis at January 25, 2005 05:07 PMi used to scuba dive on the westside when it was flat after school. once i decided to check out seal rock. as the rock was just coming into clear view of the rock.(15-25 visibility at about 25') I was suddenly surrounded by seals swimming in circles around me FAST. a little spooked i sat on the bottom and just watched for a minute. beautiful. then the seals started getting in my face literally nose to mask. as i type this i can see there different faces almost laughing at me. now i'm scared, breathing hard, i dumped the fat ling cod that i had speared and swam away from the rock pretty farking freaked. four seals followed me until you could not really see the rock any longer, as if i crossed some boundry line, my escorts then dissappeared, like that. none of the seals where the big bubba's. i think they send the little guys after you first. and if you cross that line WATCH OUT.
i've had a few touchy otter encounters above and below the surface. otters are chill.
Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at January 25, 2005 05:13 PM3to5setsof7 is a poser....who dives alone?
Posted by: at January 25, 2005 05:17 PMi cant post pictures..every time i get some error message...what gives? im doing the correct html![]()
Posted by: seth s. at January 25, 2005 05:35 PMthank you anon for considering my safety. actually, i did dive with partners on that day. we often seperated, staying within nearly visible distance cause we where spearfishing. no not the safest method, but i was 17.
Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at January 25, 2005 05:36 PMBig ups to the guy on here that steered us to deepdvddiscount or whatever it was for Second Thoughts.
Only 9 bucks and a week later i got it in the mail. This will stoke me out tonight for the swell i just saw showin' on my drive home from work. Not having second thoughts about burnin' one now and watching crazy toooooobs.
Thanks! Irie and dp!
Posted by: Hb at January 25, 2005 05:40 PMYou sure you're doing:
<img src="http://whatever.com/image.jpg">?
Because the url doesn't show up on your image properties.
Posted by: works for me at January 25, 2005 05:40 PMi'm with you Hb.
Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at January 25, 2005 05:41 PMnug up nughuffers!
good to hear.
New Years resolution has me weed free for all of January.. longest i've gone in 12 years!! feels weird.
Posted by: e at January 25, 2005 05:54 PMHere's some pics from last Wed/Thurs. I was getting errors trying to post images using html as well.
Hey Dennis, give me the scoop on your 6'6" Minami.
Posted by: Davo at January 25, 2005 05:58 PMI'm pretty sure the 3rd/4th photo is Blakestah. Don't know who the white helmet guy is, but he sure got a lot of waves.
Posted by: Davo at January 25, 2005 06:00 PMHey, Davo- great shots! So does anyone know the guy in the white helmet? He's earned a free CD of organic photos!
Posted by: Bruce at January 25, 2005 06:30 PMtest
Posted by: seth s. at January 25, 2005 07:22 PMtest again
Posted by: seth s. at January 25, 2005 07:26 PMThink that is me. The wave near the bottom is my neighbor Jason, I think. There were only four standups out at that time.
In this pic, I didn't quite push over the ledge yet, its about to get a lot hairier.
Posted by: blakestah at January 25, 2005 07:54 PMWhoa, anybody else reconsidering getting that big "Ocean Beach" belly tatoo?
Posted by: Spider Man at January 25, 2005 09:19 PMOB manana report - tricky paddle out - saw 4 guys get rejected (or was that the same 2 guys twice). Timed it right, got outside, realized the current was smokin towards the gate. Really hurt you inside, like the foam repaddle after a wave. Only managed a couple before it was time to grab some sand while I could. Still, took care of the jones. Pause/wait for quality
Posted by: banjo at January 25, 2005 09:27 PMTo that guy with the green Toyota thundra.
Posted by: R at January 26, 2005 01:22 AMStay at the kelly's cove you fucking barnacle.
The next time you give me some attitud I will trash you so bad, you won't be able to surf again..
fucking kook.
barnacle, sweet..
wow sand spit
Posted by: bagel at January 26, 2005 10:33 AMhttp://www.cisurfboards.com/vid_bobby1.asp