smooth
Up late last night playing music and then watched an amazing classical guitarist rip it up at the Starry Plough on Shattuck in Berkeley. Back home around 1:15am and the flags are snapping hard in the offshore breeze. Holy snacks it's gonna be fuego in the morning. What seemed like 2 minutes later it's 6:45am, time to go surf. Shimmering thoughts of rumbling 12-foot Haleiwa swept through my mind. Should i take the gun? Is it firing? What's happening? Is Kamcatchka here? Kaiser calls and says it's less than large.
Grab the shorty and run down. Wetsuit totally dry from the indian-summer warmth. The ocean looking absolutely incredible from my house (can't see the waves, just the outer-water). Smooth, soft, inviting, magical. offshores i love you. Over the dunes and there are waves. Most of em' backing off and mushy. A few spinning and peeling and looking quite nice. Whispy fans of spindrift. More people than any midweek dawn-patrol of the last 2 months.. still not insanely crowded like saturdays at 10am or anything.
Some long long lulls. Some spots working better than others. northbound current. A few money sections if you could lock into the mysterious rhythms of the sets. A few fortunate souls lucked (skilled?) into some magazine-style waves. Plate glass, overhead, offshore-groomed, long, tapering walls with a little barrel-pit at the start... but.. there weren't a lot of those to go around.
I'm a bit saddened to admit that i really didn't lock into any of the super-picturesque insanso waves. I paddled all over friggin creation trying to get in the right spot but they eluded me. I took off on a few set waves but never quite put everything together for a multi-carving brain melder.
Some days the waves come to you. Some days they don't.
Want to give thanks for the relative physical and emotional health that i enjoy. I feel very grateful to be able to swim and surf in the ocean every day. My neighbor (lifelong surfer from Hermosa) went back to the hospital this morning with a relapse of a malignant brain tumor. He's 60 and had his first brain tumor at 38. He loves to surf and was out there a few months ago on his 10foot super-log. hope you're back out there soon Dave!!
fist probst
Posted by: aw yeah at November 18, 2005 10:32 AMniceness! glad you got some good ones. had to be to work early again. grrrr.
Posted by: lerm at November 18, 2005 10:36 AMoops i posted before you wrote the last little bit. bummer! tomorrow.
Posted by: lerm at November 18, 2005 10:41 AMdamned high tide, this afternoon is gonna be sick i bet
Posted by: bbr at November 18, 2005 10:47 AMim working on a plan right for early removal of this place..
my session was quite like yours e lots of fighting the current for not much payback of course as im taking my wetsuit off it looks perfect. great week though great week.
Posted by: bagel at November 18, 2005 10:51 AMClassical guitarist at the Starry Plough? Did you catch his name? I didn't know they had recitals out at the Starry Plough. Went to a spoken word thing out there earlier this year.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 10:54 AMNice comments e. Very similar situation this morning. Lots of paddling, a few memorable gems, but seemed like I was always working to get to the sweet spot and it kept eluding me.
And yes...thank goodness for health. I hit a real rough patch late-spring, early summer in terms of a bad physical injury and am more grateful than ever that I've recovered relatively quickly. Not quite surfing (or doing any other sport) as well as I was before the injury, but stoked to be able to surf.
Posted by: Q at November 18, 2005 10:59 AME - I had the same problem this am. Wave repellant. If it wasn't so beautiful out there this am I'd have been pissed. One hour fifteen minutes. Two waves.
Woke up at 4 am stoked to surf. The Doors song kept ringing through my head, Waiting For The Sun. Finally I saw a break in the darkness over the eastern horizon. Ran down to the garage and suited up. Ran across the GH in the near dark. paddled out. Waiting For The Waves started to ring through my head. Now it's Waiting To Get Out Of The Office. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting to get back... to the surf.
Posted by: Dennis at November 18, 2005 10:59 AMjeez....what a beautiful week this has been. how different would sf be if the weather/waves were always like this!?
i leave tomorrow for a week of camping/surfing with the wife. first stop big sur, next stop montana, beyond that we'll just wing it. maybe getting down to north san diego. any suggestions out there for sweet camping w/surf spots down the coast?
mexi, that first photo is soo nice.
Posted by: rza at November 18, 2005 11:02 AMrza - i'll be at carlsbad state park til wednesday. tall goofy looking dude on a green LB, swing by and say hi if you're in the area.
Posted by: j at November 18, 2005 11:09 AMI get super cold when I DP. I usually don't get cold in the water, but in the early morning I think my body temperature is low so I really feel it. I wanted to go in after about a 1/2 hour. The wave repellant was in full effect too.
Posted by: Joe O at November 18, 2005 11:10 AMi second or third that this week has been ridicluous.
know well the "off" out of sync feeling.
5th session in a month this a.m. and faced with
a sick drop i just did not go. timing is everything
and i feel 7/8 in a 4/4. fark.
but damn every session has been amazing.
oh and dennis, good to see you wed morning.
with you Q.
stoked.
Posted by: korewin at November 18, 2005 11:11 AMVery sparse sets, and tons of people out.
Lulls are so long that anyone can make it out.
Got quite a few, but had to back out of several so as not to drop on folks.
Type of day where they paddle back to you and you ask them if they made it around just to make sure you didn't blow it by not going.
Blakestah's final report/prediction overestimated the size, and was a day late on arrival. At least he got the Sparseness of the sets right.
I think he had other things on his mind, getting ready for the move.
Note: It will be super-duper crowded this afternoon and not enough setwaves to go around.
Please be patient and generous out there.
Posted by: friend #1 at November 18, 2005 11:11 AMThanks E for posting my pics....
I had a Great sesh with Art last night on my fresh homemade board, kind of a dog.
RZA, I'll be in BS this weekend too, with 15 of my students. We're hiking the coast between Molera and Pfieffer. Kind of bummed to miss this swell.
Posted by: Mexi at November 18, 2005 11:14 AMWould've been a solid Grade A if there were more and larger sets for everyone. Hooked into one backside insta-barrel on a set wave. Slapped me on the head and shoulders as I slipped through the door. Good to meet you Kaiser. Good to see the ubiquitous friend #1 and Doof in the lineup.
Starry Plough...nostalgia sets in... I was lead guitar in the house band Deakin '78-79. Played at least two weekends a month there. Lots of dancing on the floor andof turmoil in the back room as money was funneled to the IRA.
Posted by: kdalle at November 18, 2005 11:14 AMTook out the funboard this morning. More foam = easier access. Caught some long-@ss rides. Good stuff. Picked up a six-pack's worth of broken glass and some rusty nails. That sh*t bums me out.
Posted by: amigoism at November 18, 2005 11:22 AMWell, I think we all know what the conditions were like out there. Lots of waiting, lots of floating, lots of people meandering about. Some really, REALLY nice set waves. First time I have seen those at OB in a long time! This week has been a steller one.
Today, I learned that a Bonzer is a very fast board. So, my wave count might not have been as high as I wished but I think I found what they call the "5th gear"!
Bonzer riders, quick question: coming off a bottom turn with lots of speed, what is the proper technique to power through the forthcoming top turn? Weighting the tail more then usual?
Drop some knowledge!
Also, love seeing some Mexi shots on a glorious Friday morning!
Posted by: Kaiser at November 18, 2005 11:24 AMHere's some knowledge; 11:30 am and it is onshore!
Sorry.
Posted by: Local 415 at November 18, 2005 11:31 AMI'm tired, the tide is high, so I am paddling out the Longboard.
All your set waves are belong to me!
Posted by: friend #1 at November 18, 2005 11:35 AMDamn, I hate when the winds turns like that. Thanks for the sweet info. I guess I will cancel my plans for lunch.
Posted by: Kaiser at November 18, 2005 11:42 AMKdalle - I was looking around for you this am. I figured you'd be out there. As I was having breakfast, I saw you drive by my house just about 8 am'ish.
Posted by: Dennis at November 18, 2005 11:43 AMKaiser,
I never took delivery of my MC Bonzer, but everything I have read says you absolutely gotta drive the Bonzer off the rear foot.
Good times yesterday afternoon, until the low tide killed it.
Posted by: steve at November 18, 2005 11:43 AMWhoever called Hackey a liar can bring it. We got so barreled yesterday. Even the Brigade was taking notice and pulling back when Hackey went deep.
Some of the Brigade came over after to congratulate us while Smiley played them some Slayer tunes. Fucking good times and tubes at the Beach.
Posted by: Sackey at November 18, 2005 11:45 AMkeep your brigade hairy ass monkey sex pile homo doings to your self
Posted by: geez at November 18, 2005 11:49 AMwas that hackey or shackey?
Posted by: Q at November 18, 2005 11:54 AMJust a quick heads up to the northern Nor-Cal's,the brigade was spotted not long ago carpooling through Eureka honking horns and screaming about taking over crecent city.
Posted by: cosmo at November 18, 2005 11:55 AMTHIEF STRIKES AGAIN
Not to beat a dead horse to death, but a friend of mine had her car broken into on Wednesday. She was parked at Ortega on the GH, and the same suspect broke her window and stole her purse. Apparently he watched her paddle out and then broke in. A guy living across the street saw an "Arab Gangster" with shaved head lurking around her car, but when he went down to investigate, the suss cunt had already broken in and was gone.
Keep your eyes peeled for this guy!!
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 11:55 AMnot happy with my surfing or my equipment this morning. ended my session by putting my knee through the top of my board on my sixth or seventh botched drop. knee breaking 6 oz of glass hurts, in case you were curious. noticed when i got out that the rfs fin box had come halfway out of the board. maybe that explains why the board stayed behind while i got barreled when i was in perfect position. i think i am done with that board. anyone want it? 6'6" single fin rfs with a big hole in the top.
Posted by: steamwand at November 18, 2005 11:59 AMDon't tread on Humboldt, my family will fuck the Brigade up if they starting fucking with the family tree, the pot plants and everything inbetween! Sacred land...
You want to see some incredible shit, Bethany Hamilton is surfing her heat right now: www.triplecrownofsurfing.com
She is in 2nd in her heat to Carissa Moore (the 12-year old).
Posted by: Kaiser at November 18, 2005 12:01 PMi think that this is him
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 12:01 PMI am having a huge yardsale with all the goods I have stolen from cars parked by the beach.Wallets,clothes,wetsuits..lot's of cool stuff.Locals get a discount.
Posted by: bvb at November 18, 2005 12:04 PMBlakestah's stock is hitting rock bottom today.....
And I am posting too much.
Over and out, but before I go....How 'bout some more of #8!
Posted by: Kaiser at November 18, 2005 12:04 PMLove those Mexi pics. Damn!
Korwin, glad you is back in the saltiness.
Nice ass.
Great words all this week E. Really good stuff.
Get some!!!
Posted by: Hb at November 18, 2005 12:13 PMman, it went from looking all time clean, to slop fest in the matter of a few hours... this is so depressing. I hate getting amped all morning for nothing.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 12:16 PMyuk the curse of san francisco
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 12:22 PMMark Alfaro - good guy, good surfer, stoked individual. But c'mon dude, as someone that surfed both yesterday and today in the AM, this is not this AM's surf report...
"Friday 11-18-05 at 6:36 AM PST
Posted by: Is Surfpulse still relevant? at November 18, 2005 12:25 PMVery similar to yesterday. Surf came up a little ... Maybe. Still in the waist-to-chest range, with the occasional shoulder-to-head set. Clean conditions and plenty rideable."
who was that longboard hottie getting interviewed? yummy.
Posted by: roxy pro viewer at November 18, 2005 12:28 PMIt was still pretty nice when I left about 45min ago. Yep, waiting, sparse, hard to get into, moderate crowds, snakes. One really long, solid right yesterday---too fast for me to play around on---and one great left today, peeling just right for turns. Throw in a few unspectacular rides, several where I couldn't keep up, and some botching.
Also, maybe my eyesight isn't so good out there, but I think I was surfing with one of these guys:
Posted by: kloo at November 18, 2005 12:57 PMthat dudes surf reports alwayse seem a bit pompus..
Posted by: surfpulse critic at November 18, 2005 12:59 PMif you are a kook from the val....dude.
Posted by: Surfpulse is relevant at November 18, 2005 01:00 PMLOL kloo!
Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at November 18, 2005 01:01 PMMexi, Great pics as always- Buenas olas anoche! The homemade board looked pretty sweet, maybe you're referring to a mix between a greyhound and a pitbull from some of the long, beautiful rides I saw!
Yeah E, health is key. We all have shit we gotta deal with, but I count my blessings everyday I can get out of bed (and surf)! You never know when the stuff we take for granted can be taken away. Too many dead friends to live life passively. Don't sweat the small stuff & prayers out to your neighboor.
Posted by: artifact at November 18, 2005 01:05 PMSenate Bill 994 and Health and Safety Code 115800 has turned skateboarders into criminals in their own skateparks they helped build. It must be repealed (deleted) and skateboarding added to the Hazardous Recreational Activity List (GC 831.7) to provide public skateparks immunity from injury lawsuits. SKATEBOARDING IS NOT ON THE HRA LIST AS WE WERE DECIEVED INTO BELIEVING!
Posted by: traut at November 18, 2005 01:14 PMIf you agree, sign the pention at:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/904394343
awesome album
Posted by: bagel at November 18, 2005 01:15 PMI don't think Mark does the surf report for OB everyday anymore. That being said why don't you critics spend your free time putting together a site that is FREE for your local beach. The only thing you people have brought to the table is a bad attitude.
Posted by: surfpulse is free fools at November 18, 2005 01:16 PMBring the JOY bitches.
Posted by: PNW at November 18, 2005 01:22 PMI was just saying, geez. Some of the time I enjoy his surf reports, pretty humorous.
Posted by: surfpulse critic at November 18, 2005 01:25 PMit's getting blown to bits out here at the beach. i wouldnt bother with it today.
Posted by: jonno at November 18, 2005 01:26 PMTake that offshore
Posted by: NW Wind at November 18, 2005 01:33 PMGet outta my hood
I'm back for good
this is the guy i saw last night.
Posted by: e at November 18, 2005 01:34 PMGyan Riley (his dad is Terry Riley
i haven't signed the petition yet. it's not that i don't think it's stupid getting hassled by the police. and i totally think skateboarding should be included in the Hazardous Recreational Activity List (GC 831.7)
i just think it's far stupider NOT wearing a helmet when skating in parks.
Steamwand, I could use that board. There's a killa rib shop open and the owner wants a beater to put on the wall with his logo on it. Doesn't care about the kneehole. Let me know if you're serious..... jimandnancy_1997@yahoo.com Thanks.
Posted by: Dr. Dawn at November 18, 2005 01:39 PMI like when people give the false reports before I go out, but you just killed it anon with too many. I don't care I'm outa here in 30 minutes... PEACE
Posted by: Mexi at November 18, 2005 01:39 PMsick turtleneck
Posted by: bbr at November 18, 2005 01:42 PMFriend Ryan is in Kauai working on his rental house. I'll forward his message with spot naming edits...hate to see the poor guy get "owned".
"Thought you might like to hear about the surf conditions. Woke up to High Surf Warning, bigger than yesterday, 25' at xxxxx. Worked until noon, drove to xxxxx to check it out. Solid and clean 25' at the Bowl, offshores blowing. Guys were just shredding these perfect waves on 10' guns. Strictly paddle-in & world class. There was one tow crew at yyyyyyyy; zzzzzzz was breaking 15+' and nobody was out. The whole bay was closed off; Pine Trees, nothing. Too big. I drove to @@@@@@ and checked out %%%%%%%. Too big, no one out. I drove to &&&&&&&. Two guys out, perfect 8-10' peeling left barrels from the outside break, center of beach. Sun shining. Uhm, it was reeeeally good. How was the surf in niceness land?"
Posted by: otf at November 18, 2005 01:45 PMhttp://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2005/11/18/carollloyd.DTL
Guess the secret is out...
Carol Lloyd....NAMER!
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 01:47 PMooo, shes going to get so OWNED
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 01:53 PMonly dumb gringos will pay 275,000 for property in nicaragua.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 01:56 PMThis guy is just another american trying to take advantage of people. He is old and has a wrinkly dick and uses his money to get laid. I have quite a bit of stories on these supposedly "responsible tourists escapists".
Posted by: dale dagger is a retard at November 18, 2005 02:00 PMI know Mark (still see him around from time to time since he moved) and live in Outer Richmond. Just cause it's free does make make it any better if it is wrong. Funny how you tried to make it a east bay thing. Wrong guy, loser.
Posted by: Surfpulse still relevant? at November 18, 2005 02:06 PMYou think SF is turning "blue crush", it's got nothing on Costa Rica. If you go to the Nicoya peninsula, it's all surf camps and gringos. You have to go into Ostional or Nicoya just to see Ticos actually living there. It's very sad. The Liberian airport taking intl flights made it so much worse.
Posted by: Nate at November 18, 2005 02:12 PMi just checked the surfpulse cam there are 9 people in view bobbing around, a new record. i will be adding to the crowd in 1.5 hours.
Posted by: vons at November 18, 2005 02:23 PMit's wrong?
Posted by: surfpulse at November 18, 2005 02:33 PMI put my property up for sale in Costa last month, it doubled in price in one year. It is literally a small shack, just the basic needs. i bought it from an old friend who split the property because he needed cash, he is second generation Costa Rican and moving away from the area and selling his side of the land too. Over the summer I was shocked at the developement. One developer from South Carlina said my place would be a good location for a 7-11. Fuck that.
I feel bad about the whole situation.
Mexico? Alaska?
Posted by: Mexi at November 18, 2005 02:38 PMKamchatka.... is....... HERE!
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 02:40 PMahh crap, mexi just named alaska!
mexi, first pic w/ the yellowish glow, is that how it looked to the eye or were there filters involved? i'm guessing just right place right time, but curious.
Posted by: j at November 18, 2005 02:43 PMA positive side of American ex-pat land grabs in Costa, Some ex pats have purchased Huge (1000s of acres) plots of coastal property that they won't sell or develope and don't have restricted access, some of these areas have great surf and are accessable only by boat or horse. Cool people.
Posted by: Mexi at November 18, 2005 02:46 PMI rarely use filters.. natural.
Posted by: Mexi at November 18, 2005 02:47 PMIs that Fairfax-Bolinas Ridge?
Don't own me please.
Posted by: tucker at November 18, 2005 03:14 PMhills above san gregorio?
Posted by: obro at November 18, 2005 03:18 PMCAR THEIF---sorry to here that your friend's car got broken into. Remember, the last time that I seen this scumbag his car was spray painted black and he had changed his license plate to 5PSM617. That was in late October (2005). It's possible it's a different color by now. Who knows? But it's like an '82 or '82 Toyota Celica. Someone needs to set this punk up. Have a friend park their car and have someone else be hiding around the corner and catch this piece of crap
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 03:22 PMhey Hb...
yeah it is good to be back.
Posted by: korewin at November 18, 2005 03:46 PMsee YOU next week for a soCal surf.
Couple of shots of yesterday by a friend...
Posted by: kdalle at November 18, 2005 03:52 PMtalk about cheesy filters
Posted by: sure it's an epic wave at November 18, 2005 04:00 PMstupid work! i cant get out in tiiiime!!!!well its probably too crowded and im sure the onshores are on it and waaaaa
Posted by: bagel at November 18, 2005 04:08 PMit's too hot!!! i hate computers.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 04:14 PMNope, still perfect. Gonna be a beautiful sunset session.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 04:14 PMwhatever no name
Posted by: bagel at November 18, 2005 04:17 PMbagel. i just heard that it's super crowded with loooooonnnng waits for waves. most waves aren't working that good. It's basically shitty. You're not missing squat.
Posted by: e at November 18, 2005 04:20 PMi hope the sunset burns you eyeballs out..
just kidding i guess
Posted by: bagel at November 18, 2005 04:20 PMyour probably right e
Posted by: bagel at November 18, 2005 04:21 PMmy buddy went out to check the waves and never got back to me....so i'm pretty sure i'm not missing much. anyways, i LOVE being so productive at work!!
j, if i make it carlsbad i'll look for ya.
Posted by: rza at November 18, 2005 04:32 PMlemme outta here!
Posted by: lerm at November 18, 2005 04:32 PMnothing left to do 'cept grab a coffee and smoke one while i finish this crap..take that responsibility!
Posted by: bagel at November 18, 2005 04:33 PMhard to find the right spot out there today, have a beer, smoke a bowl, get up early but don't stress
Posted by: super shifty at November 18, 2005 04:33 PMkdalle, you know Neal? Small world.
Got back... agh, looked better than it actually was. It's still pretty clean out there, but small and real inconsistent. The water was REAL cold though, for me: ice cream headaches, and numb feet and hands.
I'm gonna check out Gyan Riley now. Peace.
Posted by: MSG at November 18, 2005 04:35 PMWhat's a matter Kaiser? Can't surf your new board? Can't figure out what to do with a little speed and drive? It's too bad Blakestah ain't around to hold you dick while you post more sexploitation shots of women anymore.
Posted by: Hef at November 18, 2005 04:44 PMHef, here's a big meaty one in your face!
Yeah, can't surf my board smart guy. I wonder why I even buy new boards. You know, I guess I just have nothin better to do with all this money I have laying around. I got an SUV cause I figured I would just waste a little of it on gas.
Hope to see you in the water tomorrow. Better yet, on the beach. Come and say hi if you will. Don't mind if I bend your nose a little bit. Look for me on the bonzer, trying to figure out how to ride it so I can be as cool as you. See ya at the fort when I get the hang of it. Is the Agnes Surf School still in operation? Maybe I could enroll. I heard it does wonders for teaching little guys how to ride big boards. Kinda like the little guy that buys the big truck!
Truck on brother, truck on!
Remember, where it with pride....
Posted by: Kaiser at November 18, 2005 04:57 PMYeah MSG... less than six degrees of separation in most cases. Neal is an old buddy from the internet who I eventually got to surf with (and Bud Williams). Very good guy, big aloha spirit. I miss surfing Lani's with those guys. Oops, does that count as naming?
Posted by: kdalle at November 18, 2005 05:09 PMmsg - nice on checking out gyan. he's a master on the nylon strings. his dad is a complete legend.
gyan used to give my boss guitar lessons over in berkeley.. now he has a full-time gig teaching classical guitar up in Arcata.
peace out everybody. have a fun weekend.
my friend sent me this email about a performance she saw at the guggenheim (sp?) in NYC.. pretty freaky..
Subject: seeing marina
the artist [marina abramovic] walks onstage naked and seats herself at a
small square table near the back of the stage. the table is draped with a
white cloth to the floor. she looks about 45; her brown hair is pulled
back in a ponytail and she wears no makeup. a large five-pointed star has
been drawn on her belly with a marker.
the stage is white and circular, 15-20 ft across, set up in the middle of
the rotunda in the guggenheim museum in new york. much of the audience
stood all around the spiral walkways which rise around the rotunda, which
gave a nice view of the whole stage, while other people sat on the floor
in a semicircle around the stage, looking up at her. the middle of the
stage was dominated by a cross made of 4 huuuuuge blocks of ice, such that
a person could lie down on it as if crucified. it was a beautiful cross,
several cubic feet of ice slowly melting imperceptibly through the whole 7
hrs duration of the show. you could see the melty drops shimmering in the
light the whole time.
sitting at the table, she is calm, focused, still, for 5-10 minutes
without moving. then she starts up a metronome (which is on the table)
at a very slow speed. its the kind that tick-tocks the arm back and
forth. having started it slowly ticking, she sits at the table stock-still
for a few more minutes. then very slowly she begins to eat a spoonful of
honey from a large jar, licking the spoon, appearing to savor or otherwise
prolong the honey. she then slowly pours a small glass of red wine and
takes a sip.
eventually she unwraps a razorblade and walks calmly to the front of the
stage. the only sound is the metronome, slowly and kind of unevenly
ticking. she stands, naked, holding up the razorblade, looking out over
the audience, not moving, for several minutes. then she slowly cuts
herself along one of the star-lines on her belly. the cutting only takes
about 15 seconds or so. after, she again stands still, looking over the
audience. you can tell the cut isn't very deep, but a few trickles of
blood are starting to flow down her belly.
she picks up a white folded cloth and blots her belly once, placing the
cloth blood-up on the floor and putting the razor blade next to it. every
action is deliberate, not slo-mo but utterly unrushed. she walks a
few feet to her left where a pair of hiking boots are waiting and steps
silently into them. next to them is a small green cloth which turns out to
be an army cap with a red (russian?) star on the front, and she puts the
cap on. she also picks up a sort of walking stick which was next to the
boots, and holds it in one hand, the other fist clenched at her side.
again she stands still, not having moved her feet from the spot the boots
were already in, still and erect like a soldier. she looks out over
the audience, the bleeding already starting to crust up a bit now.
after a few minutes of standing there, singing begins to fills the room
over the hidden loudspeakers. it is a woman's voice, deep and sorrowful. i
can tell that it is a recording of a russian-language folksong, possibly
the artist herself, or who knows. it is about two minutes long, very
tragic, minor, anguished, mournful, slow. marina begins to cry
silently as she listens to the song. when it is done, she continues
to stand there with the stick in her right hand and her left
fist clenched, very still, looking over the audience, regaining her
composure. she turns her head a bit from side to side, gazing at us,
looking at everyone who is looking at her.
she steps out of the boots, puts the stick down, removes the hat, and
walks a few steps over to the ice. she lies naked on the ice in a crucifix
posture for about 30 seconds, moaning or sort of crying out once. its the
only sound she's made so far, and approximately half an hour has passed
since the performance began. when she rises, as slowly and calmly as
everything else, she walks back to the table and picks up a whip which is
lying there next to the honey and the wine. its one of those ones with
many leather strips (about 2-ft long) bundled together into a handle. she
kneels, her back toward the audience, pauses a few more seconds, and then
whips herself over the shoulders, rapidly, for about 5 seconds. i think
she cried out / yelled out once or twice during this.
after, she rises, returns the whip to the table, and sits back down.
throughout the performance, which lasted 7 hrs in total, these same 5
actions are repeated with persistent deliberation, in whatever order seems
to occur to her: sitting at the table drinking a little bit of wine or
eating a little bit of honey; cutting the star into her belly line by
line with a fresh razorblade each time; wearing the army hat/boots in a
frozen posture while crying during the tragic singing (always the same
recording); kneeling and whipping herself for longer increments; lying on
the ice cross. the time spent on the ice grows longer and longer: she is
lying there naked for 5 or 10 minutes at a stretch, hardly moving, hardly
making a sound. (sometimes after she gets up you can see her body
straining not to shiver.) the ice is getting slippery, so it is a little
bit harder each time for her to get her balance, but always she lies on
her back and spreads her arms wide over the ice.
at one point, after she blots the third star-line belly-cut, she
unfolds the white cloth, which turns out to be a rectangle with little
ties on two corners. she ties it to the stick, then steps into her
boots, and this time when the song plays is the only time she moves: she
slowly waves the bloody white flag back and forth.
throughout the night the whippings also become more and more ferocious,
sometimes facing the audinece, sometimes facing away, and her back is
getting red and welty. she yells out during these flagellations, its sort
of sexual, sort of angry, very intense and passionate "oh!" sounds. she
appears to sort of collapse after the whippings, but always when she
rises, you can read nothing on her face. i dont mean that her face was
blank, but it is calm, focused, inward i guess. HOWEVER, during the
performance, the metronome runs out of steam at least twice, and she is
apparently so 'present' that she rewinds it slowly and carefully, and sets
it going again whenever it runs out. and i realize that until i see her
rewinding it, i hadnt even noticed that it had stopped ticking, although
it is practically the only sound at all. this is all the more amazing as
none of the audience murmuring, or the few comments that get yelled to her
during the performance (like "you dont have to do this!"), or the
occasional noise of one of the many cameramen dropping something, seem to
distract her at all. she never even flinches, she is so focused and in control.
i left after about 4-5 hrs and i regret a little bit not staying to see
how it ended (like, did she just walk off stage? did the audience pull her
off the ice, as happened during the original performance of this work?
does one clap at the end of this kind of performance? etc. kind of
mundane questions i guess, which is part of why i felt ok about
leaving).
this work was number six of a week-long series of solo performances by
her, named Seven Easy Pieces (ha!), meaning that marina spent every
evening for the past week in the guggenheim rotunda on the round white
stage. pieces 1-5 were reenactments of other performance artists' works,
mostly dating from the 1970s. (generally performance art is a one-time
deal, as you probably know, so to "recreate" these works for SEP she
mostly had only descriptions to rely on.) piece 6 which i described above
is one of her own works, originally performed for 2 hrs in germany, also
dating from the 70s i believe. piece 7, which i witnessed the next night,
was a new work by her, also on the theme of endurance. obviously endurance
is a central theme of the whole week; not only did she perform 7 nights in
a row, but each performance lasted for 7 hrs, from 5pm til midnight. the
works she was recreating/interpreting were not of course all conceived
as 7-hr works; one of them was originally only 10 minutes long. but in
SEP the audience also must endure for 7 hrs (or not), mentally and
physically.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 05:13 PMmarina abramovic lives in new york city and amsterdam (ahhhh...). she is
russian and will turn 60 next year, tho like i say she looked to be in her
40s. i will just end by telling you about her most beautiful piece that
ive read about: a while back she and her lover of 12 years decided to
break up. he is an artist too. so they went to the great wall of china,
and starting at opposite ends, they walked the length of the wall (4000
miles) from one end to the other, for 8 months. so they walked endlessly
toward one another, passed one another, and walked endlessly away
I've been listening to Gyan's samples on his website. Man, I'm so jaded on professional classical guitarists (i've been playing for 12 years) that play the standard repertoire: Albeniz, Bach, Barrios, etc... Some of them have phenomenal technique, but it gets boring, because you hear that kinda stuff so many times. But Gyan is awesome, because he writes his own stuff and from what I can tell so far, plays outside the classical repertoire. I love that song he has on his site, Sinspiration. It's like new age gypsy flamenco; it ROCKS. I think i'm gonna get his CD. He's a great guitarist.
Marina sounds real deep. Argh... 4000 miles? Isn't that longer than the length of the US?? I used to know a girl that deep, and talking to her would make my head sore.
Kdalle, that's real cool you know Neal. He's a super nice guy. I used to bodysurf out at Sandy's during the summers and would run into him all the time. We just started talking to each other, and sometimes go bodyboard out there too. I haven't talked to him in a long time though. That would be something if we all went surfing Lani's together sometime.
Posted by: MSG at November 18, 2005 05:34 PMstinkeye photos
Posted by: e at November 18, 2005 05:39 PME, check your email.
Posted by: Kaiser at November 18, 2005 05:43 PME, thanks for the posts...miss the sf power. Pretty weak down in s.d. today.
Posted by: sd rider at November 18, 2005 07:10 PMI see many peoples.
Posted by: The Guru at November 18, 2005 08:09 PMPeolple floating.
Seas angree.
High tide a flubbling.
I see THE BRIGADE DOMINATING.
Wake from your dogmatic slumber.
Peoples.
surfed the middle with a bunch of faggots again. Too all you middle of the beach faggots who ride 7'6s in 5 foot surf and think you rip look in the mirror. Come down to the cove and we'll fuck you in the ass. I guess why you like surfing in the middle is so when your done you can go in the dunes and suck each other off. Wouldn't be surprised if all you guys are part of a secret organization devoted to fisting each other while your buddy pours hot java beach coffee on your rectals.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 08:35 PMya i agree, however, you got any info on that fisting club, I having been getting mine down at Sutro, you know chasing dudes down on the trail, and on Sundays been going in those woods by the chalet for some action, heard there is crew that hangs by the windmill. They all surf and when there done they put on overalls with one strap.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 08:38 PMhey kellyz boy! just cause we're fags doesn't mean we enjoy cock in the ass! you do know it's not good for the rectal. sounds like you need to get your cock outta the ass and into the mouth - you're welcome to cum into the dunes the anytime!!
Posted by: mid-beach sucker at November 18, 2005 08:45 PMTook it good! Thanks!
Posted by: Slick-Er at November 18, 2005 08:56 PMThe GSA Dominates!
Thats Gay Surfing Association!
Once you take it in the BACK, you never go back.
So tell your girl.
Jesus crist,
I thought this shit only happened when the surf was bad.
Posted by: friend #1 at November 18, 2005 09:49 PMFSG lives motha fucka. in case you don't know, thats Faggot Surf Gang. Were cumin for you middle of the beach fags. Your not hard to find, your either in the water talking about getting buttfucked, up in the dunes getting buttfucked or at SF surf shop having a suck off. Instead of your gay ass slopfest, your next contest should be suckfest. Then you guys will finally know who gives the best head at the beach.
Posted by: at November 18, 2005 10:07 PMholy shit! the waves are decent and this is what we get. fuck i was hoping to read some stoke at this hour.
kaiser, turn the other cheek and tear it up manana amigo.
Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at November 18, 2005 10:25 PMwear booties
Posted by: at November 19, 2005 09:14 AMThat Marina chick sounds insane, the audience is part of the Art.
All you heads ripping on southern california are semi-right, but not on days like today. It's 90 out, offshore glassiness still at noon, and a decent swell leaking in. I know a classic spot that is gonna fire this sunset tonight on the low. On the quiet. Keep talkin' nonsense on the computer or go score, your choice.
Posted by: Hb at November 19, 2005 11:23 AMdamn i want to surrrrf and I think i am gonna
Posted by: Brian at November 19, 2005 12:27 PMI've had eight sessions since tuesday. Spent 4 hours in the water this morning. My last ride was the best of the season. It came after about one hour without a wave cuz my arms are whooped. A 1.5 oh'er came right to me. Four strokes and I was flying down the face on a racing backside drop. The wave walled up on the inside and I just kept accelerating. I could see that the face of the wave next to me was vertical. I looked to my right and all I saw was a curtain of water. I got barreled and stayed barreled for nearly 5 seconds. Yeah, I got stoke.
Posted by: Dennis at November 19, 2005 01:00 PMlucky
Posted by: Brian at November 19, 2005 01:30 PMMy arms are noodles after this week.
Nosara is already a zoo, can you say Bro-sta Rica?
Posted by: MxRxHx at November 19, 2005 02:09 PMMissed yesterday afternoon but got out this morning. Didn't get barreled but had some good rides. Now I'm off to Disneyland with the family for a few days. I might try and sneak down to Surfride and pick up a new board :-)
Posted by: steve at November 19, 2005 04:02 PMenough stoke from the past few sessions to last a long while...and it's not done yet. these are the days...many thanks
Posted by: jfo at November 19, 2005 05:02 PMNosara is a zoo already because wanker learner kooks like you (and other realtor doofuses) name it on worldwide wanker blogs like this one.
Posted by: wannabe-CR-linda-mar-to-be at November 19, 2005 05:35 PMI just tied my shoelaces and gosh do I feel that rush of satisfaction. I think I'll have a glass of water now.
Posted by: let's share at November 19, 2005 05:39 PMWho is that guy that was paddle surfing out at Pacheco yesterday? Very impressive.
E has such a good positive vibe here it must be confusing to those that think negative or gay stuff is interesting. There is a place for posts like that. Go to Aggroville and join your like minded friends.
Posted by: rockysurf at November 19, 2005 08:57 PMi am the paddle surfer, bow down to me
Posted by: at November 19, 2005 09:54 PMi wish i was as cool as the paddle surfer
Posted by: bvb at November 19, 2005 09:55 PMIt was really nice out there today. Not nearly as crowded as yesterday, surprisingly, and I talked with several guys out in the water that were equally surprised by that too. Session started off semi-weird, but nice conditions, and progressed to really clean overhead peaks breaking in the middle. Went to SF to get a new guitar humidifier afterwards, ate dinner, and met up with someone in the Mission. All this and I was wearing shorts, t-shirt, and slippers the whole time. Another great effin' day to be alive. Hope tomorrow shapes up to be another awesome day.
Posted by: MSG at November 19, 2005 10:17 PMGo Bears!
Posted by: MCC at November 19, 2005 10:54 PMNosara is a zoo because of expat "wankers" who relocated to Costa but brought good old U.S.A., mas cervesa, sports bars, Huntington beach, real estate speculation, and "extreme" with them.
Posted by: Dick at November 20, 2005 12:17 AMHaiku of the day
November again
Overhead gifts from the gods
From my heart, thank you.
Yesterday and today I enjoyed the Sloat glass festival, really, really fun. Finally a good swell with good waves...some wait in between, but very worthwhile.
Posted by: onthebus at November 20, 2005 06:55 PMoh and I forgot to mention, tell them UGLYASSBOARDS.COM sent you!
Posted by: brain dead artists=big savings at November 20, 2005 08:30 PMi like the one on the left
Posted by: Brian at November 20, 2005 10:16 PM"Posts from the past" should be re-named "Eternal post by our lord and saviour Pez"
Posted by: Zippy the tapeworm at November 21, 2005 09:41 AM