E's Surf Report

I surfed. It sucked. I was happy I went out.

Damn, those are amazing pictures. Where is the one with the power plant in the background?

Firin'!

Was thinking about that bvb/inokea/whatever post awhile back where he said the real locals will paddle out everyday, sit through the flat spells, the cold days, windy days. Very true. I am guilty of not paddling out much for the last month. Weak of me. Surf!

at least it's glassy HB! looks fun for a few bodysurfing waves.

KT that photo is from Iceland.

SCHHWAAACK!!

i'm riffing off another killer skate session before work, some good office coffee, and radioparadise.com. shred your day niceness!

went out last night, no sun burning out on the horizon, no clean, steep sets rolling through. that was all there tuesday night.

tuesday i surfed smart, waiting for just the right wave in a set. yesterday, acted desperately, dropping in and getting eaten by the thigh-high close-outs or, if i hung back just enough, floating on the falling wall for that 'whoo, weightless' feeling.

That geothermal is Reykjavic, Iceland. They call it the blue lagoon. One of the places I need to get to before I die.

Holy crap, you'll never guess this spot. Found it while looking for Blue Lagoon pics. So does not fit my image of this place.

Man, nice pics, all. I know I posted this yesterday night, but with the update, I just want this to get out to everyone.

Hey folks,

I need some help here. I'm looking for a waterproof digital camera that's rugged for surf, but portable and small enough so I can strap it around my arm and it won't get in the way of my surfing. Also, it would be cool if I could easily take pictures with it too and not have to worry about a big set taking me out. A bonus would be if I could just take a picture from my wrist, or something. Like a watch camera.

Anyone know of such a device? Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

@ V70T5: Hey man, I looked into that Pentax Optio WP, but it doesn't look very rugged for high impact surf. I think it'll crack under pressure. Check this review out on it:

http://reviews.cnet.com/4864-6501_7-31272471.html?messageSiteID=7&messageID=1273475&tag=uolst&cval=1273475&ctype=msgid

@ rza: Yeah, I would like a camera like the older 2MP Sony cams, the only thing is, I heard they no longer make them. Something to do with loss on high returns. I guess the cameras were leaking.

At least it's sunny today! I count on 6 more days of Flatgust left.

Surf! Iceland looks sweet waaaay out there though-Some hot inbred ladies too!

Here's a show bound to make some of you happy. Might have to make the journey myself!

http://www.vegoose.com/index.htm

vegoose should be insane. day shows at the silver bowl and night shows all over. can't wait to see DMB again, they draw such a great crowd...

3to5setsof7, a pic for ya. I just left a message with Goin for a new one for this year.

Detailed internet surf reports suck. I am staring to get really sour on the surf report technology. It takes away any effort needed to figure things out on our own. I was at a break the other day that in my own mind I felt that I have paid dues on over a period of several decades plus to really figure it out, and is basically in my backyard. When some guy from Castro Valley (I asked him where he lived)starts telling me that the waves are not that good because of the "angular spreading decay" or some bullshit. And that "tomorrow will be better at 10 am or so". Fucking depressing. Years of hard earned knowledge has become useless as far as getting a jump on things.It is really changing my attitude to surf reports and those that provide them. I wish I did not get that feeling. The negative energy is a bummer to be feeling. The worst part is there is no solution. I am loosing respect for those that all of a sudden show up on the coast on a "good report day" when the coast has been empty for days because the surf has been shitty and the reports say so. Not like how I feel will change anything. Maybe those that provide the reports will rethink things as they evolve... Maybe they won't.

yo andrew,
i'm guessing salmon creek

Web, I had a kind of set-up dinner with a gal the other day... a pure business-school type. Anyway, her company that she was involved in was into adventure travel or some such thing. When she mentioned that the company had a "surf product" I almost hurled. Next.

I'm going paddling for lunch. Just so I can remember how.

dano, it was good to see you last saturday. whatchya goin-g to have Mark shape you?

Andrew- Pomponio HWY 1 me thinks...

image guess = highway 1, just north of pescadero and south of pomponio

web = yea, sucks. but it's won't get better, if a service can be provided by technology [and make profits (banner ads)], SOMEONE will provide it. i agree, you lose that feeling of earning your stripes through accumulated knowledge... do you think sailors got pissed when they developed the sextant? the seas used to be so empty - now every tom, dick and harry is out there....i used to get my spices cheap man, cheap.... now any idiot can sail with the help of polaris

the ocean is for everybody.

The role of technology in surfing is a favortie topic of mine, being both an engineer and someone who gets in the water under any conditions. I'm sure each time an innovation came out (nav charts, weather radio, surfline, FNMOC, dialabuoy), it took a bite out of those sailors/surfers whose local knowledge gave them an edge, but I justify it in my mind as the goal of science to demystify the world to everybody. I'm sure alchemists hated the periodic table, but I wouldn't want to do without.

Unlike nicely labeled chemicals, the ocean is much less static, and the powers of prediction between combining swell a with wind b tide c and partially known bathymetry d will always be less reliable than mixing h202 and baking soda. When I lived 4 blocks from the ocean, I always tried to look at all the reports, buoy data, cams and whatever, and I probably had a half-dozen sessions a year that turned out like I expected. I find that if I stay in the water for 3 hours, I almost always get a change of conditions. The people that have the greater number of good sessions will always be those that suit up the most, not those who do the most homework. I mostly use surfline to predict the crowd; I don't find good reports corresponding to my best days...just the days I head down to the corner of Hwy 1 and Empty Street.
Also, I think Sponsler from Stormsurf lives in Castro Valley.

awesome photos from virginia.

the newest detailed surf report is wavewatch and it's completely free. but better than that is that it's sponsored not by surfers trying to make some cash, but by a non-profit, public policy group working to educate youth on the dangers of smoking and the benefits of positive, healthy activities. so yeah, some breaks may be a bit more crowded these days, but surfing has a way of bringing out positive qualities in people - and these people will hopefully become more conscious of what's going on in the world today and help change it! or maybe not...whatever....

Image from Lake Superior.

Agreed jp. Very good analogy. They can take back the GPS also. Jesus, I am getting old and grumpy. BVB, please email me. I am moving next door.

if it makes you feel any better i dont understand any of that crap, i barely just started to figure out what the "at 7 seconds" means. i just know when its south wind go to that one place and when its too big go to santa cruz and surf ano every once in a while. but im sure everyone here scores more than i do. wa wa.

get inspired

I don't know who the Alchemists are, Andrew,(neighbors of yours?) but I like the table also. My wife always bitches at me for eating in bed. All I can say is, I hope you are right. It does boost my spirts that it is all still good.

Sunny?! OKKKkkkkkk?
*%^&^&*^&*^^*! My Audi! Fk!in-a man!
I am the latest victim... parked at spot P to surf for one hour only to come back and find my right side window smashed to pieces with a fat beach rock. All my stuff was gone; like they loaded their car up with everything that is mine - working now on calling my bank and credit card co's - fk! Cash in my wallet were 10 crisp 20's -200.00 -that was going towards a new pro bag!
The plus is that I saw the guys leaving the scene as I came over the rise. Description: White Asians! 5'-8 +- 6'-2. Dressed in preppy clothes, no tats, polo hats, blue, backwards, tennis shoes in that skater style - black bubble sunglasses! Never mind mis-trusting the Beaners - it's the White Asians!

MSG, I have a Sony DSC U-60 waterproof camera and I love it. It's a bombproof point snd shoot waterproof digital camera. I've taken it in the surf a few times and gotten some decent shots. When you have a camera while surfing you quickly discover that it's a pain in the ass.

web, as a fellow idingenous over 40 surfer i feel your comments are spot on.
i'll add that the ancillary knowledge that came with the original expereinces will never be replaced by technology.
technology redefines process, but can't replace soul or a solid bottom turn. keep the faith!

i meant to type: INDIGENOUS

vigilante-ism...

damn i am getting so depressed reading all these
breakin stories. i hope that chile peppered is not fibbing
or pointing blame where it does not need to go...
BUT...everyone that reads this here blog should email
the cops at taraval and give them the heads up. not
only a heads up but a, "look we are pissed and please
stake this out before someone gets hurt."

it would suck for someone to take the law in their
own hands and it would really suck to get capped
after a surf by some punk window smasher.

this morning i ventured down to the beach and
all i could say was (think fred willard in "MIGHTY WIND")
"WHA HAPPEN?"

shortest damn wind swell ever. but yesterday was
fun and the donut holes rocked this a.m.

Chile peppered, I hope a real mexican dude breaks into your car and smashes all your windows and steals all your shit, than beats you up. I know you probably cant afford a car though. So hey, maybe curate another art show.

Web, how many waves did Senor Castro Valley catch?

I only ask as because clearly 2 decades of surfing should give one favorable knowledge of such a surf break. I imagine you scored your fair share. Yeah, technology is all around us and there are a lot smart motherf*ckers around these parts to talk shop in the line up but what can you do?

Just think, every day on the news in Oahu they give the swell forecast for the next day for the 4 main sides of the island. I can only imagine what they broadcast in OZ.

Can't kill your TV, so don't try! Just show up when you know its gonna be good and express what you know.

I find the surf reports are often wrong. You still have to know where to go for the best session by reading swell direction, size, wind direction, and tide - then matching the data with the location.

Flat surf is good for fishing. Get a big hook and let the line in one window of yer car window--attach the other to a crisp $20. When the thief comes, give it a good yank. A la, screaming thief. Use one of 'em big hooks with the barb. Everyone got their fishing license? Flat surf = fishing fun. Sounds like the dude's been buying some new duds.

"Chile peppered, I hope a real mexican dude breaks into your car and smashes all your windows and steals all your shit, than beats you up. I know you probably cant afford a car though. So hey, maybe curate another art show.

Posted by: Kook on August 25, 2005 11:58 AM"

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

I would agree with web about the report thing, but maybe that particular person has a strong interest in "angular spreading decay," appenrently he felt as though he had to show how smart he was. Myself, I am more interested in catching and riding waves no matter what angle they eminate from, couldn't give a shit what others think. In a related note, anyone heard about the proposed Senate bill 786 making all weather data a commercial product. Looks like their may be an end to those good old handheld weather radios and an increase in the surfline type shit!

Wow, here we go again.

Seriously, someone is gonna get hurt but I think the second person in line will be the guy breaking into cars.

Yeah Web, I wish we could all revert to the old weather radios, no more cams or reports. I liked the mystery of having a suprise when you showed up to the beach. Those sneaky swells that just showed up when you showed up, it was good and empty, no anticipation or forecasting obsessions. But it's not going away, so I just deal w/ it

When you travel- make friends w/ locals, no internet site will have better beta than they do! But beta helps when you have limited time.

I lost my cell for a couple of weeks, at first I was like "Oh Shit what the hell am I gonna do" Then it was OK, actually pretty damn nice!

larry winget need to get some hair and lose the attitude.

i really like rob halford's new name and new career.

Kaiser-I guess that is what really bugged me..I had already surfed and gotten out of the water and he was was just watching, and he walked up to me with his comments and basically deflated my high. I wanted to punch him I was so pissed. I felt like screaming at him to get out of my space. In reality I did nothing except kept it internalized and am now venting.Funny how a stupid little thing has such an impact...But I state again, surf reports of such excellence have taken a little piece out of the adventure and rawnwss out of the surf experience.They suck. So be it.

3to5... a 6'6" rounded pin for the bigger days.

web: i feel you on the surf report thing. but here's the rub: tuesday, a certain surf report says the wind's gonna be on it. in fact, so does my housemate, who checks the entire length of OB around 6pm. i get home from work, try to convince my housemate to come down anyway, run down a couple blocks and have a super session with a clean swells, a peak all to myself and a beautiful sunset to boot.

wednesday, when that same report says it should be better than any other days this week and my housemate leaves a note on my door to tell me where he's heading out (i asked him to let me know, he gets home earlier from work), i run down and am greeted by choppier swell, much more sectiony than the day before, and ... six to eight guys right around me compared to the two one hundred yards or more to either side of me the previous day.

more people. in much crappier conditions. just coincidence, or were they following some sage internet advice? for the first time i thought to myself: !*#$$@*@ surf report.

but you know what? there are no shortcuts: you put in the time, you reap the reward. i commute an hour each way to work so i can live right next to the beach. i run down before dawn, before the reports come out, before you can see anything on the cams, and sometimes, i get skunked, like two days ago when i was praying for decent shape despite the gale-force S-SW moving the sky right past me. other times, like this past tuesday night, i am rewarded for going despite the report, despite the cams.

i feel for the guy in castro valley, too. he can't run down to the beach like i can. i'm glad there are reports out there for him, so when he has to make the trek out to the beach, he doesn't go away empty-handed. but will he reap the same rewards as the guy putting in the time and effort (whether he lives close to the beach or not)? most likely not. just the same, if the people went out yesterday based on a report and declined to go out tuesday, they cheated themselves of a great session.

sure, it can be the other way around: go despite the report, and get skunked, like i did. but, like Dennis said: "I surfed. It sucked. I was happy I went out."

"c [small C]urate another art show" - ha ha h ha ha ha. So not funny.
J - p.s. I LOVE YOU.
Plus it's like the namer guy wants to butt fuck Bad Viber -; weird readin'- weird scene...
Funny tee hee funny beaner slide show side show.
I saw the best minds of my generation befuddled...
Like it ever be gunna good...
"real mexican?," is that like a burrito?

YOUR so not funny

Hey C is for Closeout,

Yeah, i've been looking at that cam before. Thanks for the info. I think it would be cool to have a camera that is mounted like a watch, but you take pictures by just pointing it in a direction, and being able to snap photos by the command of your voice, or mind -- if that's even possible. I wonder if there's a market for that.

By the way, what the fuck is a White Asian? And if it's a mixed White/Asian, how can you even tell? They all look Mexican to me.

white asian: equal parts kaluha, cream, and sake?

i want yesterday back, please.

You can always buy an inboard motorboat, move to a lake and take up wakesurfing

Check out the video!
http://www.wakesurfinghotline.com

Take no. 2 on the surf reports: all those people living in Castro Valley who keep their boards in their 2 car garages until it the surf report says "it's good" go out and have a good time. No shit. Surfing is fun. Luckily, the surf report for OB says we crap 358 days a year. So if the surf report drags these people to the beach 1 week a year, all the better it keeps them away the other 51.

Spot from this morning was Salmon Creek, on a rare sunny day. When I saw it I figured Baja, but the reflectors on the road give it away as a US road.

Hey there MSG.
Yep, the pentax optio WP does look a little non-bomber but when yer out there, you are not pitching that thing around-you should be taking care of it just like you would with a camera in a water-case. I talked to my buddy at pentax and he takes the thing climbing and MTB riding with him and puts two big rubber bands around it as bumpers just in case. Said nothing has happend so far.
I had one of those 2 MP sony DC-U60s waterproof cams and they are OK. But you have to be super close b/c the zoom sucks also you have to have a lotta light to get those things looking good (don't mean to dis Closeout)Eventually the thing flooded on me.
my .02

That reminds me, now that I'm back on my normal schedule, I won't be seeing the naked lady accross the street. Every day between 7 and 8 am she would parade back and forth past the almost floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Hyde at Geary often pausing right in front of the window while talking on the phone or dancing to music.

surfed salmon creek this morning and actually got in a few good sets(enough to keep me sane for another few days)Checked the surf report and it said 1-2 weak but figured I would go anyway.Got in the water caught a few nice shoulder high waves and after an hour the wind picked up and it got choppy,so I came home and low and behold the surf report now said the conditions were good. Seems like everyone is suffering from cabin fever!

Dennis - thats reason 1201 for setting up a webcam at your office.

ya dennis, more details would be cool too.

Just for you perv. She's about 30 yo, fairly busty and clean shaven. Short blond hair and a little overweight. I couldn't see if her teeth were straight or not. And I don't know what color her eyes were. But, I guess a true perv wouldn't really care about such details ;^)

@V70T5

Thanks for the info! By the way, what was the biggest day you took the Pentax out? Just curious, because the camera is rated for only 5 feet of depth, and i'm sure I penetrate farther down in double OH surf at O.B.

Ali G thrown into ocean

sorry for the non-surf related query.. but.. does anyone out there know the best way to cheaply set up streaming audio for a few files so that the audio plays immediately but doesn't get downloaded? I'm sure that real, windows, apple, etc. offer to host files on their streaming servers?? is there also a way to set this up on our server? We're windows-based here at the sierra club : (

thanks!!!

E, Are you streaming elk-porn?

Wow, banana pops. Confession: I bought those as a joke for a friend. When we opened the box it had 11 popsicle sticks instead of 12. Our saying for something that's screwed up is
" One stick short of a full bunch. "

I'm guilty of specific surf reporting. 'Twas fun to share this incredible resource, but I naively thought it was only for a small group of SF cube dwellers. When I heard the real #'s I did a double take and quit. Still, imho who surfs, why, from where, how often, what they ride, how good they are, how bad they are, etc...is completely boring and irrelevent. To me it's attitude and safety. And no smelling. Smelly surfers are bad. heh

Don't know E but i have an audio mp3 question too.

Is there a, preferably free, program where you can slice up your mp3s wherever you like. Such as 30 seconds of some song and then 45 of another and so on? Kinda splce them together or at least "take out" the great jamming part of a song? I use i-tunes.

HB. you can do that with Acid. I think they have a free version?? Not sure if you can import mp3s but you can definitely import and then splice wav files.

Hey, it's 4:32 pm PDT where I am right now. How are you guys posting from the future?

use flash for the streaming audio

Oh never mind I can do it too.

yipee

Is there any surf there in the future?

I WANT WAVES!!!!!!

No Surf ever

ill accept some of this type of shit

oh i guess i couldnt post that photo..sad

here it is

double poop

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dnsf/2709931/in/set-68284/

MSG,
Am trying to get ne ordered from a freind. Heard they are comming out with a WPI 6 megapixel! also they have a skin that goes over it to ad to the protection ( http://www.h20camera.com/index.jsp
ad to that the main marketing guy there is a surfer and takes the thing out all the time. Its rated at 6 feet (site says five but my boy says tested at 6) for over a half hour. so its sea worthy.

That was Labor Day. Glassy 3-4 footers all weekend.

http://www.niceness.org/new_surf/archives/000780.html#000780

I remembered that I loved this girl.

we need someone to post some nice Christy Canyon pics. I love you Christy!

we need someone to post some nice Christy Canyon pics. I love you Christy!

thanks 3to5, going to skate now.

i like rza's idea, a bright side to more people in the water is the potential for more cool people (lovers) in this world, stoked from the ocean.

I saw SpiderMans naked ass! Towel drop in the parking lot, but I have keen red eyes and a whippet like neck! Heh!

my prediction: this summer is so miserable that fall is going to ROCK!! Alltime crowds too. Mebbe the crew can agree to not froth online within 24 hours of a ripper go out - surfweakpulse is one thing, a bunch of satiated bloggers is another. I think it really impacts OB

Surfed again. It was fun. I'm happy I went out..

Right on. I'm thinking about get the Pentax now. I read a review on DPreview, and it sounds pretty good. I will be so bummed if I lose my camera in the surf, or if the damn thing leaks.

Christy Canyon has some yummy tits. Although Christy Canyon herself is a worn out ho-bag that got bologna like vagina lips.

My all time favorite girl:

rza -- Wavewatch is run by Primedia, the massive media company that owns Surfing, Surfer, Surfing Girl, Snowboarder, etc. thetruth.com is just their main advertiser. Wavewatch definitely exists to make money and came about when Surfline's partnership with Surfer/ing soured.

"WaveWatch is part of PRIMEDIA's Action Sports Group (ASG) and is the dominant force in board sport and the network reaches more than 5.1 million enthusiasts. In addition to a cutting-edge network of online properties, PRIMEDIA's ASG is a leading publisher of lifestyle publications such as Surfer, Surfing, SG, Snowboarder, Skateboarder, Bike, Powder and Canoe & Kayak."

"PRIMEDIA (NYSE: PRM) is the leading targeted media company in the United States. With 2004 revenue of $1.3 billion, our properties comprise more than 200 brands that connect buyers and sellers in more markets than any other media company through our print publications, Web sites, events, newsletters and video programs in four business segments: Enthusiast Media, Consumer Guides, Business Information, and Education. PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Media includes more than 120 consumer magazines, with well-known brands such as Motor Trend, Automobile, Creating Keepsakes, In-Fisherman, Power & Motoryacht, Hot Rod, Snowboarder, Stereophile and Surfer. PRIMEDIA Consumer Guides is the #1 publisher and distributor of free consumer guides, with Apartment Guide, Auto Guide and New Home Guide. PRIMEDIA Business Information has more than 60 publications in 18 market sectors. PRIMEDIA Education includes Channel One and other educational products. "

is that good or bad mwsf?

take the stand.....

Is there a, preferably free, program where you can slice up your mp3s wherever you like.

Audacity. Google it. Free. Does everything.

mwsf, thanks for correcting me. i obviously didn't dig very deep. i work with a doctor who's on the Truth board so i guess i wanted to think he had something to do with it. but then this morning I spoke to him and told him about how i liked the new surf stuff he was doing....he wasn't even aware of it.

oh yeah, Shellac ROCKED!!