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Another beautiful morning

The first 30 minutes of daylight were magical. Nary a soul in the water ‘cept Lerm and I. Solid lines cruising in and bowling/peeling/closing/pounding/etc. My first ride, in the barely visable pre-dawn, proved my best. I took off deep and hugged the wall… then just basically stood there in the pocket, in the mouth of the pit, scraping my hand along the glassy wall. Felt good. But then a strange thing began occurring. Surfer after surfer could be seen walking down the beach, getting ready to paddle out. By 7:30 is was unusually populated and by 7:45 it was as crowded as I’ve ever experienced this spot during a mid-week dawn-patrol. Lerm and I looked at each other and just shrugged our shoulders. It felt like the loss of a little secret garden or something. We knew it would happen eventually, but we were still a little sad. People just kept paddling right up to us. It looked like there were plenty of empty peaks up and down the beach but it was too late to get out and walk down to any of them. As the crowd thickened and the waves got a tad more wobbly a larger bloke paddled right up to our zone. I was alreally a bit frustrated by the crowd so i think i put my head down and tried to paddle away or something but then he asked if my name was e. It was 3to5, havin’ a go at the dawnie. I then saw him take off on a nice left and work it down the line. Sorry we didn’t get to chill in the lineup 3to5, but.. work beckoned. Sooo.. I guess this morning was pretty much a sure bet at OB, making it crowded up and down the whole beach? Or maybe the bars were just randomly best where we surfed this morning, unbeknownst to Lerm and I? Regardless there were barrels on hand. Powerful, suck-out, cavernous, roaring barrels, cracking and snarling along the shallow sandbars. Beautiful barrels. The sea-surface was relatively glassy. The biggest waves were a tad larger than head-high. A few ledging, no-joke double-ups moved through and unleashed violent fury on unsuspecting surfers caught inside. Good times out there in surf land. And… everyone surfing spread the good vibes… its just.. you know how it gets when it’s tight out there.

Yesterday evening witnessed some guillotine-like barrels, along with massive crowds. After the million duckdives to get out, if you could pick off a peeling corner, you’d be very very psyched!! On the way out i saw someone charge into a deep closeout barrel. I could see his body riding down the line behind the curtain. Totally, utterly in the barrel!! Good on ya whoever that was. Not to toot my own horn.. because my whimpy-ass surfing didn't score any barrel time.. but.. I one-upped my “best ride of the season” from yesterday morning with an even better ride last night. Super-steep, uber-ledge drop.. no bottom turn just pump and sprint down the line, trying to beat the sections.. bank off-the-top with tons of speed, not really turning.. just banking off the lip.. then more pumps and a more lip-clicks… finally a little floater at the end.. Long-ass ride on a head-high, barrelly, glassy wave. But then, of course, I payed the price for taking a wave all the way in. The ocean just pulverized my skinny arse trying to get back out. I felt like a gang of villains tied me up in a sack and just beat me with slightly-padded baseball bats. OB!!

Probably more of the same all day today.. Get on it and enjoy!! If you see an empty peak next to a peak with a few heads on it, paddle out at the empty peak!

Also cool to see Trout out there for the super-mega dawn patrol. What happened to you man?

this has been posted before.. but.. it's nice..
Art Brewer shot of Curren

Padang market, Sumatra

Indo

Maccas

Indian Ocean

Few takers out front. Doof and I had it to ourselves for a long time, and it was pretty good. It deteriorated with the tide, and that last wave took a half hour to find.

After picking up trash from a beach party with one other dude, I looked it over from the top of the stairs.
From the promenade it looked like crap.

Posted by: friend #1 at October 13, 2004 10:06 AM

Big-up to the kneeboarder that got this (left) small, but incredibly thick barrel just as I was paddling out yesterday. I yelled a hoot bcuz it was so picturesque. It was a crazy thick, but clear/transparent, double-up with sidebar action, all rolling over itself like a burrito with a kneeboarder filling. Half-man gets a thumbs-up!

Posted by: as at October 13, 2004 10:08 AM

e,

definitely crowded on the north end of OB this morning, when I was leaving it looked more like a weekend than a Wednesday morning. However, doing the drive to work after, the middle and south ends looked really empty by comparison

Posted by: d looose at October 13, 2004 10:21 AM

GREAT pics today E.

Will be up in SF crowding up your spots this weekend. Looking forward to some clear, nice cold water. Maybe I will be right next to some niceness? Hope the Indian summer Oct weather holds. I love Oct. in the City.

Any cool art shows/music shows/GG park shows this weekend?

Get some!

Posted by: Hb at October 13, 2004 10:21 AM

hb.. hit me up if ya want to do the dawnie.. cranial_bulge@yahoo.com

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 10:23 AM

Bit more chunky between Stinkin' Lincoln and the Chalet. On the way South, there were some nice empty opportunities... kinda wish I went that route.
There were tubes today, but not as open and predictable as yesterday.

Posted by: SFKneelo at October 13, 2004 10:25 AM

I dunno e, there must have been something in the air, because I almost paddled out to your neck of the woods for some morning company.

Coulda/shoulda/wanna surf more rides, but can CLAIM the BEST wipeout ever! Winner for sheer suprise and spectacle. Paddling into a sure-thing rib high peeler - yipee! -
[ actually paddling in the correct direction I must add ] and the next thing I know, not one iota of either my board or my body are remotely touching any water molecules. Classic Wile E. Coyote moment while I'm suspended in space for what seems like eons. What the? I'm completely splayed out head to foot vertically and can feel the wind whistling 360 degrees. All this time for thought. Then comes the plummet. Missed a good one, Bruce.

If anyone finds my easy sure-thing wave, please return. I have no idea where it went!

Also shoutout to friendly surfer in the area...would have said hello but went in after wipeout, it'd been the end of the session. Cheers!

Posted by: s.s. sharkbait at October 13, 2004 10:25 AM

I went out to second lot sloat this morning and it wasn't nearly as good as where e describes. Hardly anyone out and it was clean with good size, but hard to catch waves and too mushy. The reason people go out where there are other people is that at least they won't get completely shut down. There is usually a reason that some areas are uncrowded. I am usually disapponted when I go out to an uncrowded area.

Last night was much better at sloat. Lots of people but still plenty of waves to go around.

Posted by: Joe O at October 13, 2004 10:28 AM

ended up trying out berkeley skate park yesterday pm. after years away from it, boy, am i a goofgirl on skateboard, but rolling around is fun. also was reminded of the age-old lesson that flying down a hill toward an unmarked intersection is scary as shit.
korewin, i'm down to send rashe a letter that i won't buy his boards 'cause collins acts like an ass. also, where are you from on the east coast? i love that stretch of florida coastline. i was raised dorkily trying to shortboard the coast of sc: garden city, pawleys, isle of palms, sullivan's, folly, and hilton head (yeah, burke's fires!).

Posted by: steamwand at October 13, 2004 10:32 AM

Yesterday I posted about how nice and barrelicious my morning surf was.

Today was a little smaller and ten times more crowded.

I wonder why the crowds came...

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 10:36 AM

could be, blakestah??... but.. The coconut connection has many channels.

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 10:38 AM

Let us all aspire to be more like our savior Blakestah and follow him unto the ends of the beach.

Posted by: friend #1 at October 13, 2004 10:49 AM

blakestah,

Actually, I dp'ed today because this was the first day this week that the bouys were indicating waves I could handle. But that's just me.

Posted by: d looose at October 13, 2004 10:50 AM

It is definately related-

When everyone is going off about how they scored the best waves of the season- and how good it was...

what do you expect?

Please try and control/ underestimate the description of the waves/ conditions when you post

Also don't post street names
thanks

Posted by: too crowded at October 13, 2004 10:56 AM

Quote from the line up yesterday: "I've been here 15 years. I can't tell you the number of times I've been the first one out, at dawn, on 15 foot days".

Posted by: T.W. at October 13, 2004 10:57 AM

i got empty perfect barrels.. ha ha!!!


just kidding didnt surf..maybe yunch

Posted by: bagel at October 13, 2004 10:59 AM

adding my $0.02 that the crowds today were thick! though...can't really fault 'em given the warm weather and clear skies. despite the crowd, i managed to find a few nice waves...that i (unfortunately) rode in lackluster fashion as i struggled a bit to find my groove. still, good times and fun to share the water with an amigo i hadn't seen in ages.

Posted by: ck at October 13, 2004 11:02 AM

i think its crowded cause its FALL and THE WAVES ARE GOOD there are OFFSHORE WINDS and the swell is NOT TOO HUGE. this city is 7 MILES WIDE...wo sorry

Posted by: bagel at October 13, 2004 11:03 AM

It always happens in October. Some spots are better than others. Everyone migrates to the better spots. As e says, the coconut connection has many channels.

I scored this awesome sand bar this morning just north of San Pedro Creek. Spitting barrels, I musta gotten a dozen of them in 30 minutes! Totally awesome, with only a handful sampling the goods.

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 11:04 AM

yo e, I got pushed south after catching a puny wave to the inside section. Sucks when that happens. Ended up surfing a couple peaks south of you for the rest of the morning. Thought about paddling over but by that time there were loads of dudes in your area, as you pointed out.

HB- Albino, which is made up of ex-Fela Kuti and Spearhead guys are going to jam at Elbo Room on Friday night in celebration of Fela's b-day. More details can be found on jambase.com (http://www.jambase.com/search.asp?eventID=240766)
Get a hold of me if you wanted to meet up there.

Posted by: Traut at October 13, 2004 11:09 AM

In by 6:30, out by 8:30.

Many rides, couple good falls.

Time to do the lunch session now.

By the way SS Sharkbait, was that you at Sloat yesterday morning who drove away in your car while still wearing your wet wetsuit?

If not, who as that woman who desided to turn her car seat into a salty sponge?

Posted by: Mr Doof at October 13, 2004 11:15 AM

hb- my email address didn't show up. its trautster@hotmail.com.

e - you going to the show??

Posted by: at October 13, 2004 11:16 AM

i'm with bagel. miles of surfable coast next to a densely populated city, it's sunny outside, the waves aren't guaranteed ass whoopin' big and it's dark out post-work. oh, and the news reports have been mentioning OFFSHORE OFFSHORE OFFSHORE all week (i guess offshores lead to greater fire hazard, but obviously when they have big red letters on screen and the weather guy is doing jumping jacks yelling OFFSHORE OFFSHORE OFFSHORE ears perk up)

Posted by: j at October 13, 2004 11:16 AM

hb- my email address didn't show up. its trautster@hotmail.com.

e - you going to the show??

Posted by: traut at October 13, 2004 11:16 AM

It cracks me up how day after day some people talk about the crowd like they are not a part of it. YOU **are** the crowd. Whether you got up at 4am or noon, whether you surf today or Saturday -- whatever the crowd "is" is also your fault. When you complain about it, you complain about yourself. I know people need to vent their random frustrations (like me, right here), but I get tired of hearing people going "Yeah everything was great until those other people came, until "the crowd" came. WTF? You are the problem you're posting/whining about. I gave up trying to remove myself from the crowd around me long ago.

We may be "luminous beings" on some level, but on another level we are merely bacteria multiplying in the water.

-MM

Posted by: MONKEY MILK at October 13, 2004 11:16 AM

the thing is, there are miles of beach. There were only two spots that had anything resembling a crowd. One was the north end, the other where e was. Miles and miles of nearly empty peaks followed.

Sure, it's prime time, that time of year. It was not the crowding per se that interested me, but the highly focussed nature of it.

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 11:19 AM

good point MM.

I guess it's time to retire.

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 11:22 AM

e, didn't intend to cloud your sunshine. 16 yrs ago when i actually lived in the city, your spot was my usual spot too. like any native who has entitlements due to a long standing relationship with the ocean, i'm dialed in without cams, blogs, and cell phones.(they do make it easy tho) right place right time is in my soul. being able to be there, that's my challenge.

i've been out of OB shape for the last few years. been lazy, surfing reefs and piddly beach break. i made a excercise commitment that is working. i'm closer to my goal of getting back into thicker, heavier water. hopefully by the end of the season i'll have reason for a 7'10 round pin. it felt fantastic to take a few on the head before my first wave. i got a nice double up toward the end, late on the drop, coming off the bottom felt really goood! any of you who have lost a little snap due to the bulge. FIGHT BACK!

Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at October 13, 2004 11:32 AM

Humans are social animals. Sometimes, despite the logic of going to someplace where others are not (to ride more waves), that primal subconscious group/herd feeding mentality has its way.

Posted by: steve-o at October 13, 2004 11:32 AM

why worry about the crowds? who cares? thats life surfing near a big city. we all know head high fall days breed big crowds. it mid december when its 10-15'+ when the average SF surfer decides to go to linda mar or the jetty....i know there are about a dozen or so of you who post here and surf it when its solid 2nd bar. to all the others, enjoy it with the crowds cuz you dont have the sack to surf when the beach thins out the crowd for you.

Posted by: dsx at October 13, 2004 11:37 AM

yeah.. sorry if i sounded bitter 3to5. In the report i was just commenting on what happened this morning... it was crazy to watch 20 surfers paddle right out to one spot where we were sitting, with emptiness to either side. I'm curious if you saw things differently? Maybe i was just overly sensitive? Or maybe it was the only attractive-looking peak?? You had nothin' but stoke out there and it was cool to see ya take off on one.

also.. I'll be the first to say that i'm a kook tranny barney newbie who has absolutely NO entitlement to the ocean or waves, here or anywhere else. It's really a bummer that rideable waves are in limited quantities.

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 11:40 AM

i surfed a peak by myself or with one other
guy this a.m. west of where i sit now. it was
a BLAST!

>just look a little bit folks!

steamwand...i's from north carolina originally
but am very, very familiar with the space coast...
sebastian, spanish house, rc's, monster hole...all the
way to palm beach even miami area.....we used to
drive down there in high school and escape old man
winter. these were the days of matt kechele and during
kelly's rise/ run through the esa. sebastian is the WORST
most crowded spot on the florida coast and i HAVE NEVER
seen or heard the kind of garbage and trash talk that
i hear in santa cruz half the time out there. hence my rant
the other day.....

i miss the east coast sometimes but not this week.
AT ALL.

people OB is a beach break and beach breaks change DAILY.
if your favorite sandbar is serving nuggets, then keep it quiet. BUT if it can be seen from the highway...
well it's gonna get found.

blakestah...no offense but after 4 days of no wind,
wilbur kookmeyer knows we have surf. there ain't that
many folks that you personally affect. it is the WHOLE of the
coconut connection all over this weather....and surf.
good on you for getting out of town. i had to teach
again today. if you really think that way go BACK to
the spot you described today, tomorrow....then you'll
know for sure.


but honestly, it is surfing and that should be FUN!

just have FUN ya'll there are plenty waves.

sorry for the long post...still buzzing from the surf..

Posted by: korewin at October 13, 2004 11:55 AM

Well, all this talk of crowding is making me a little bit concerned. I live at the beach, and seem to have few troubles getting the sessions in. A flexy work schedule helps. But for three and a half hours yesterday afternoon into the eve there were empty peaks all over the place in the MOB. take your pick.
I think its time to stop whinging about people. As a few have rightly pointed out, ya gotta realise that we live in the most densely populated city on the west coast, with everybody within seven miles of the beach. Add the offshore and of course your gunna get people in the water. Any other expectation is ridiculous. If you want empty waves, travel. be that an hour or two up and down the coast, or a day or two in an aeroplane. if you want to enjoy your waves at your doorstep, carry a good vibe into the water and share it around.
Stop stressing over crowds. the more you stress, the more you carry agro into the water (myself included...).
On that note, everybody steer clear of the MOB this arvo!!

Posted by: jonno at October 13, 2004 11:58 AM

jonno, good attitude. I think any stress I've shown in the past is more due to me not having time to explore (since I share the car with my wife). I spend a lot of time planning a DP, watching buoys, etc. and usually choose the right peak. I don't even have time to drive the beach so I go straight to the spot and suit up and get in, no matter how it looks. So I get annoyed when people paddle out right on the same peak I'm at, especially when it's a group of 4 or more. The upside, which many people don't seem to recognize, is that most people out there are poor at choosing waves, even if they're at the same peak. A few weeks ago, I was near 3 guys but on my own peak. 20 people paddled out in the next hour. They kept doing the "grass is greener" thing though and paddling to a better looking peak, just when all the waves would shift to mine. Even in a paddle battle, they read the peak wrong and end up too far on the shoulder.

So just relax and ignore and focus on your own surfing. I'm sad to say that due to life problems, I can't surf this week or weekend. One less person in the crowd, enjoy! :)

Posted by: Nate at October 13, 2004 12:17 PM

No, Mr. Doof, my car is not the salty sponge. Look for the woman tripping over her leash, that's me. ;)

Posted by: s.s. sharkbait at October 13, 2004 12:19 PM

I went out after work last night and had my pick of waves even with the "crowd". After surfing SC last weekend I will state again, "crowd? what crowd?" I was a bit surprised to see so many in the water this morning but still... After all, the weather is perfect and the waves are good. Fun, fun, fun...

Posted by: Dennis at October 13, 2004 12:20 PM

E- you may be a tranny newbie like most of us but I've seen you surf and you ain't no kook, that's for sure.

Also, on your encounter with 3to5 is the 99th reason that civility in the line up is the call. You never know if the peep next to you is a blog pal or a friend of a friend.

Out of curiosity I scanned some of the less clean photos from Saturday. Wondering if this is another one of Baron Von Bagel. With the color saturation, the board looks a bit blue but it was white/clear. Et Tu, Bagus? Autograph, please!

Posted by: Lizard at October 13, 2004 12:24 PM

i was surprised myself when i ran over the dune. i aimed for a certain peak but drifted on the way out. i saw you get a wave. (a dumpy pigdogged left) so i thought it would be good to meet ya finally.

when i lived within walking distance from the beach i always stressed on the invaders. there is no way around that. the vibe was totally nice today. i expect worse as i'm not familar to the new locals or even old ones anymore up here. usually i get some stink eye or shitty comment thrown. but i try and let my surfing speak. (i'm not sure what it says)

i go surfing alone mostly. i promised my family that i would surf within proximity to others when i do. this was after i saved a guy with a nice gash surfing a peak by himself that i had been surfing by myself the previous days. i can totally relate to your feelings. i didn't take em personally. i hope we can share a peak, and after a bowl in the future.

Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at October 13, 2004 12:25 PM

e - I also shot some video of your spot from the dune this morning....not much, maybe have something later.

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 12:45 PM

yeah 3to5.. I was stoked to meet you.. you just caught me right at a strange moment where it felt like was being swarmed or something.

definitely down with peak and bowl sharage.. though i prefer bowls beforehand!!

deep pits to ya.

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 12:46 PM

speaking of barrels..

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 01:03 PM

blakestah do you think lindy will be closen out at low tide later today? I don't want to crowd the ob crowd

Posted by: crystal at October 13, 2004 01:03 PM

I highly recommend Kaiser's bathtub as a place to surf. Don't bogart the rubber ducky!

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 01:16 PM

Nate and Bagel said it all. I feel the same way about Flyshackers as 3to5 feels about the middle of the beach.

I told some guys to beat it yesterday and they deserved it. Paddling over sweet makable waves, ditchin thier boards in a crowd and paddling out to the horizon when sets came only to turn and paddle back to the take off zone. Got dropped in on and the guy didnt pull out so I was loud at him. This definitly cleared some room. I'm such a bastard ass. I did holla for the dudes that caught waves around me and encouraged peeps to dig for waves. I also gave some waves to folks. This is a ggod strategy as they will be gone for a moment and if they have a clue they wont interfere with you on the next set. Its give and take with crowds.
Its so nice out and there is no sacrifice to get out so everyone is an OB local this month. Last year about this time it was epic. 4ft barrels for like a week.

Sharbait-

I think I may have you on best wipe out. Last year, while surfing the middle of Rockaway, I did a summersault to cartwheel on the face of the wave. Got smashed and then did two full summersualts under the water. Though I was gonna drown. Black all over I was in deep. Weird though I really was relaxed and just popped back up like a bobber. Paddled right back out and caught one of the best waves of my life. Word was the crowd watching was very worried about me and supper stoked when I paddled back out.

Thats a sweet shot of Bagel!!!

Posted by: pez at October 13, 2004 01:22 PM

this cracks me up

Posted by: j at October 13, 2004 01:51 PM

(fyi, i do have the maturity level of a 17 year old)

Posted by: j at October 13, 2004 01:54 PM

shred - it cures what ails ya.

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 02:04 PM

Pez, a winner is you, that Rockayway tumble had all the classic elements. Oof! I really meant my wipeout was a personal best. Heh. So much room to grow.

Of course the best falls have plenty of onlookers. Preferably tourists with cameras.

Posted by: s.s. sharkbait at October 13, 2004 02:08 PM

if these outfits were really camouflage we wouldn't see them

she was a little unclear of what body surfing was...although i applaud the interpretation

welp, that's one less burning question that needs answering

"roger that one-sixniner, the runway is clear for landing"

Posted by: kaiser's spirit at October 13, 2004 02:11 PM

predictions for the after-work session?

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 02:48 PM

e, i'll send you an email today or tomorrow. would love to DP'it.

reason i am coming up is a weddng on friday or else that fela band sounds sweeeet. thanks for the info trauter

Posted by: Hb at October 13, 2004 02:56 PM

We live in an area that has hundreds of miles to surf. Why are people getting bent about crowds? Go to SC if you want to see crowds. Guarantee party waves EVERY set. The funny thing is, people complain about crowds in OR, BC, AK, and they're talking about 6 people in the water. It's all relative, I think SF surfers have a small population to surfer ratio, compared to any city south. Also, like someone said before, the weather only makes people want to be in the water. Even if it was really tiny, it would probably still be crowded. BBR, were you South this morning? Saw a guy a la red board. Someone asked me if a particular spot gets this good often? I said it's a rare occurance, happens like this maybe twice a year. I bet that is a shot of bagel at the lane, look at that stylish form.

By the way, it was already blown and closing out when I surfed at 10.

Posted by: Ian at October 13, 2004 02:57 PM

I appriciate my presence helping you all out....

I thought by me being absent, you guys would have more waves. I guess I have to come back and regulate.

But, in my absence, you didn't have to deal with the pizza line last night around 12:00 midnight when the Yanks knocked off the BoSox. Brutal. I had to go veggie as all the cheese was gone. No Pep either. I was pissed.

So, move on, eat the veggie and be stoked you are not somewhere where there either is no surf or the surf sucks.

Smile and prey that my spirit blesses you some more today.....

Posted by: Kaiser at October 13, 2004 03:02 PM

*STEREOTYPE*
I bet half those chicks are coked out

Posted by: Ian at October 13, 2004 03:03 PM

nice on the pizza philosophizing Kaiser-stah.

theblissclub.com is no joke! damn.

ian - is that a good thing or a bad thing (the slutty ladies on C-train)?

Ian - you're the man for saying it's blown-out and shitty.. that's what i want to hear while behind the desk!

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 03:06 PM

Awww, "group hug" -- today's posts are going in the right direction after all. I feel the love. Jonno, Bagel, etc. on point. e, word up.

-MM (much mellower after yoga and a session)

Posted by: MONKEY MILK at October 13, 2004 03:08 PM

First day of good swell/conditions is always the least crowded. Word of mouth, raving on e's blog, etc. -- it all adds to the crowds the next day(s).

This morning near the north end of the beach some bald-headed dude was yelling after someone dropped in on him. Someone else in the lineup yelled "there's a direct correlation between anger and hair loss". Cracked me up.

Was the middle of the beach as hollow as the north end this morning? I was at the north end and it was good but crowded. I might hit up the dunes if there's just as many barrels to be had...

Posted by: Davo at October 13, 2004 03:09 PM

pez, good on ya for regulating. that bailing board stuff in a crowd is such a no-no. people should not be surfing in a crowd if they can't hold on to thier boards. that is one of my biggest gripes. if you can't swim without your board or hold on during a set, then surf somewhere where you can. please.

e, i'd rather surf with a happy, smiling, trannie over a grouchy, angry, local anyday. before or after a fresh bowl is nice!!

blakestah, i think i saw you on a wave this morning. that rfs turns noticeably different. interesting.......

Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at October 13, 2004 03:11 PM

Seek and you will know, Davo. Seek and you will know.

Its 3 PM and the UCSF flag is pointing at the beach, and all the smog smoke and general crud is heavy at the beach. That means the wind factor is AOK. I give my personal 100% guarantee that winds will be OK though sunset unless you are an asshole in which case it will be onshore and totally blown to shreds. Have a niceness day.

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 03:12 PM

3to5 - I wasn't surfing this morning! Loon and/or elias maybe, or Dave Alexander (who has a test board). If it had a single white fin that looked like the organics, it was one of mine. I'm blowing this taco stand in about an hour.

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 03:14 PM

Its 3 PM and the UCSF flag is pointing up my ass and all the smog smoke and general crud is heavy at the beach. That means the wind factor is AOK. I give my personal 100% guarantee that winds will continue to blow up my ass though sunset unless you are my asshole in which case it will be onshore and totally blown to shreds. Have a niceness day.

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 03:17 PM

Pls check the IP address from the last forgery and/or delete it.

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 03:21 PM

I think I was surfing with Bulldog yesterday. The guy looks like Grant Washburn just about 1.5 ft. shorter. Does Grant still surf OB?

Posted by: Ian at October 13, 2004 03:21 PM

BTW, my old high school buddy, The Colonel, has a blog about surfing life in Huntington Beach. He calls it "Charlie Don't Surf -- Musings on life as a surfer in Orange County". Pretty hilarious stuff.

http://colparker.blogspot.com

Posted by: Davo at October 13, 2004 03:21 PM

Last October 12th we had this:

too bad it hasnt done that yet this year......

Posted by: dsx at October 13, 2004 03:23 PM

Davo, thank you kindly for that website. That shit is hilarious!

Posted by: Ian at October 13, 2004 03:32 PM

whoa snap!

http://colparker.blogspot.com/2004/08/kelly-slater-dirtbag.html

Posted by: bbr at October 13, 2004 03:34 PM

Why do you think his nickname is The Colonel? He likes to rant like a maniac, on occasion. But in a fairly eloquent fashion, I would argue.

He does have a point about Slater. Personally, being a relatively new father, I can't fathom not being in contact with my child for 3 years. Pretty unbelievable.

Posted by: Davo at October 13, 2004 03:44 PM

Waves aren't worth fighting over unless they are big enough to kill you.

Posted by: laird hamilton at October 13, 2004 03:46 PM

Bwahahahaha!


Sports Illustrated and the LA Times, two very different publications, but two of the best sources for great journalism you'll find anywhere, both scored interviews with our beloved hero last month. And, surprise, surprise, in a tiny quarter-page article in the LA Times, I learned more about Mr. Slater in 30 lines of copy than I've learned in almost 20 years of surf media fluff.

Amongst other things I learned that:

1. His father was a drunk who left him and his brother and his mom when he was very young.
2. He got married when he was in his early 20's.
3. He got divorced not long thereafter.
4. He has a daughter whom he once went 3 years without contacting.

Huh? Say that again...

4. He has a daughter whom he once went 3 years without contacting.

Are you fucking kidding me? 3 YEARS??? Think about that for a minute. This wasn't some high school girl he knocked up when he was 14 and her parents whisked her away to an undisclosed location in Mormon Reformist territory in Northern Utah. This is a girl he MARRIED when he was in his 20's, AFTER he became a wealthy surf star, and whom he CHOSE to have kids with.

3 YEARS.

I don't have the exact quote with me, but I'll paraphrase with a certain amount of spirited accuracy here:

"Um, yeah, I haven't exactly been the best father over the years...I'm trying to do better...I once went 3 years without contacting my daughter."

I'm just going to get this out in the open, right now, right here...

Kelly Slater, you are a FUCKING DIRTBAG. You are WHITE TRASH from Cocoa Beach. I don't care if you're the best competitive surfer EVER. I think every kid who buys boardshorts or a wetsuit because of you should know that IF YOU WERE HIS DAD, YOU WOULDN'T FUCKING CALL HIM FOR 3 FUCKING YEARS.

Dirtbag.

Posted by: at October 13, 2004 03:48 PM

more goodness, he kinda reminds me of The Sports Guy from ESPN...
"Surfing might be the most non-uniting sport on Earth. Every time you paddle out, you are essentially walking into a bar crowded with dudes, and attempting to cock block each and every one of them in order to hook up with the one or two hot chicks that showed up that night. Unless you find yourself in that rare situation of paddling out at a spot with more waves than people, surfing is the antithesis of a sport that unites people. "

Posted by: bbr at October 13, 2004 03:49 PM

agreed Davo...as a father it kinda puts slates in a whole new light for me as well. that was some refreshing writing by the Colonel, thanks for the link.

Posted by: jdz at October 13, 2004 03:51 PM

classic.

its still good. go surf.

thats not me in that pic bruce..i wish. nice one.

Posted by: bagel at October 13, 2004 03:53 PM

i surfed the south end early morning - a bit more people than yesterday but then everybody drifted north with the current while i paddled south. found some reeling sections to carve away (you can carve away, all day).

figure by saturday, everybody will be surfed out and the entire beach will be empty...

Posted by: caveman at October 13, 2004 03:59 PM

i wish this was me too it was so fun that day!

Posted by: bagel at October 13, 2004 04:06 PM

I dont feel proud about regulating. Thats probably why I drank a bit last night. Guilty feelings for being mean despite being "in the right". That photo of Oct 12th last year is niceness. I surfed like 6-8hrs everyday that week or two even. Peeps were commin down from half moon bay and sc to rip it up here. Barrels o plenty. It will come again soon.

Posted by: pez at October 13, 2004 04:06 PM

doh, i was trying to get the medium sized one but i got the small one..huh?

Posted by: bagel at October 13, 2004 04:06 PM

I've noticed the charges who post here RARELY do so much as even mention crowding at beaches. I suppose they know, come D/TOH time, they'll be the only ones out. I wish I could hold my breath for more than 3 seconds without flailing my arms and legs under water, freaking out trying to reach the surface. I'm probbaly never more than 3 feet below the surface anyway. Does anyone know why fly's like shit so much? Do they eat it? They should teach these things in elementary school.

Posted by: Ian at October 13, 2004 04:07 PM

Uh, I meant chargERS, not charges.

Posted by: Ian at October 13, 2004 04:12 PM

i wonder if the col. surfs an 8'6 Yader spoon?

Posted by: ggvg at October 13, 2004 04:14 PM

I was out at the north end this a.m. and was the recipient of the "bald guy" yelling his head off. It was the second time in 20 years of surfing that someone has yelled at me. Here's what happened: I dropped in on sort of a crappy, warbly right, and realizing it was closing out, I pulled out off the back. As i did so, i noticed someone on the inside down the wave in front of me. So, with my foot i grabbed my board and held it back from going over the falls. Otherwise, it *might* have gone down and hit this guy. Anyway, a nice, well executed, gesture on my part. *He* was the one caught inside. Not my problem.

Anyway, to my amazement this guy starts barking at me! Unbelievable. He is yelling that I shouldn't go for waves like that. Just absolutely insane. Who is he to tell me what I should / shouldn't go for?? I paddled away. Hard to even attempt to argue with an irrational asshole like that. I felt sorry for him and the others in the lineup who had to listen to that bullshit. That kind of behavior is just ridiculous. I can see it if someone drops in on you and burns you or if you are blatantly reckless etc. but in this case the guy had no reason to yell other than he is an unhappy and insecure guy.

Otherwise, a beautiful morning.

Posted by: Darkstar at October 13, 2004 04:16 PM

"If you surf, you need Surfline. But don't take our word for it. Just ask Mike Parsons, Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian, Brad Gerlach, or most of the other top pros in the world about why they subscribe to Surfline Premium, so they can be in the right place, at the right time… "

Yes, just ask them. Like we're best friends. Do they use it because they get paid to say they use it? is it because they're lazy? Maybe they don't know how to do their own work. If you read Surfline's ad page, it's funny how they describe the surfers "living-legend, free-surfing wizard, hellman." Kinda funny stuff. OK, I think I've posted WAY too much today, time to actually be productive.

Posted by: Ian at October 13, 2004 04:19 PM

that sucks darkstar. Thanks for telling us about it.

Posted by: e at October 13, 2004 04:26 PM

ggvg,

Not a Yater. When it's below chest-high he surfs a 9'4" Dewey Weber that I gave him as a thank-you for hooking me up with my current job. Otherwise he surfs all manner of shortboards. Why do you ask?

Posted by: Davo at October 13, 2004 04:28 PM

that fly thing is a good question actually...i think they just lay their eggs in it.

re: you think the girls are coked out...umm...SO? they are probably gold diggers, too, but i still admire them from afar!

Posted by: j at October 13, 2004 04:28 PM

Davo,

That's cool info. A bit sarcastically, I was just wondering how far he was taking the Apocalypes Now theme, since the Col in the movie surfed an 8'6 Yader... (i think that was after the "Charlie don't surf" statement)

Posted by: ggvg at October 13, 2004 04:38 PM

still can't imagine bailing on my child...even if born out of wedlock...and not finding out about her for 3 months...which doesn't justify not contacting YOUR KID for 3 years. we all make choices i suppose. I know there are two sides to every story and blah, blah, blah...And please know that my opinions are completely biased due to the fact that I have a 3 year old and a 5 month old that I would gladly give my left you know what for.

Anyway...i slurfed some fun stuff up in noggland today...at one point with only 1 other surfer out...who knew.

Posted by: jdz at October 13, 2004 05:13 PM

just to finish my train of thought on slater...that's one more little girl who gets to grow up with an estranged/ or no daddy...and probably one day finds herself in "Blissland" where j admires her from afar. alright...i know, very pessimistic...no excuse. but fuck I want to be in the water again right now!!!

Posted by: jdz at October 13, 2004 05:17 PM

anyone that calls themselves "The Colonel" without actually earning that military designation is a bit tacky if ya ask me. did he serve Davo? since he's in technology he could change to "the kernel" that would be at least clever. too many ranting anger blogs anyway.

as a divorced parent myself that fought hard for a equal joint custody deal. slates made some bad decisions fo sure. BUT i still want him to kick AI ass for the title.
props to niceness. for being mostly niceness

Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at October 13, 2004 05:19 PM

REMINDER:

not all hot women with great bodies and wear small quantities of clothing while going out were touched by their father, grew up without a father, or do drugs. some of them are just blessed with good genes.

well, at least that's what i hope, although i could be wrong. like i've ever seen a chick like that, let alone talk to one.

Posted by: j at October 13, 2004 05:36 PM

i know, shame on me for making a gross generalization. Now, why aren't we all surfing right now????

Posted by: jdz at October 13, 2004 05:39 PM

Other peoples lives are so much fun to talk about.

Posted by: at October 13, 2004 05:49 PM

speaking of talking about other people, from what i can see on the surfpulse cam there are quite a few lucky people in the water right now...

Posted by: j at October 13, 2004 05:57 PM

the sun looked craaaazy from soma about 20 mins ago with all that haze..howd it look in the water? i could imagine everyone in sf surfing looking at the sun or getting pitted all up and down the beach. this is when you forget about all that spring and summer shit.

Posted by: bagel at October 13, 2004 06:50 PM

Colonel, dude, you rip the words from their sockets.

Posted by: cadaver at October 13, 2004 07:51 PM

Colonel. Thanks for clarifying. Props to your site.

Posted by: ggvg at October 13, 2004 08:50 PM

The sun looked crazy for about an hour before sunset. It actually was a lot nicer in the water b/c it lost most of the late afternoon glare that makes it tougher to read incoming sets.

Posted by: blakestah at October 13, 2004 09:33 PM

e

It was unreal crowded this morning. Never seen so many guys putting on wetsuits in the predawn dark. Managed to find a relatively uncrowded area, but the haze made it harder to stay lined up than yesterday. Still gotta say - yadda hey!

Posted by: banjo at October 13, 2004 09:51 PM

Davo and The Colonel are exploiters. LA style go home.

Posted by: at October 14, 2004 07:44 AM

To the guys posting the Slater comments -- not everything is as it seems, especially when quotes are taken out of context.

The mother of Slater's child is not the same woman he married. The mother of Slater's child is a ho who told KS she was on the pill etc etc and he ended up getting her pregnant.

He wasn't notified of the pregnancy until the child was born, and in a rage, opted not to communicate with mother or child for 3 years. There is no excuse for a 3 year non-communication with a kid, but you gotta get your facts straight before you start judging someone else.

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