E's Surf Report

lets get things rolling, I always wanted to be the first on the post but now I cant think of anything creative to say....how about....BOB WISE SUCKS

Reading that article in Happy Magazine was more excruciating than any angst I've experienced from being typecast as a surfer.

jav,
holding breath in an underwater cave while waiting for the black tip to swim by ...cajones

I think the reason people put down surfers and pidgeon hole them in the slacker stoner category is that they are jealous, surfing can't be bought or faked and is not a privledge of the elite. It gives meaning to life that many people don't have and they can't buy.

Scored some fun waves this weekend, just me and my surf BRO way up south in the eastern part of the west-side just south of Humbolt near Del Norte County. MAn we were baked.

right on Mexi.

Perhaps we should just focus on the activity and not who it is engaging in that activity. The self only exists as a result of our need to give a name to our being. It is an illusion.

Lets try not to continue that falacy by giving a name to ourselves as "Surfer". It is bad enough that we have to try and quantify our experience in the ocean by giving it the name "Surfing." Does it capture all that it is?

How do you expect "Surfer" to capture what you are?

How about Punker?

American?

I just like to surf. That's all.

how about a Summer Niceness Expression Session Contest with a keg and guitars at sundown.....

Surfers ride waves with surfboards. That is what we all have in common. From there, it is anyone's guess how we are connected.

Trucker hats and NorCal anything are lame. Bottomline. Sorry if you own one, or even 10. But the OC is the best show on TV because it is one of the cheesiest. I'm sticking to it.....

Come on CHOPES! Save me this week.......

Mexi,

Was the south swell hitting up there? I can thinking of only one really nice longboarding spot that faces due south that would have been oh-so nice this weekend. But it is in Del Norte for sure.

Ok, I am spamming the board but check out the first photo here of CJ.....

http://www.surfline.com/surfnews/2005_05_05_cj_chopes.cfm

Not a chance in hell!

I didn't really go to Del Norte, but I did catch a fun right point alone with a friend. Left after three hours and 3 others showed up.

That was me...

surfed some fun little high tide rights north of the golden gate this weekend. called it a sesh when i realized i cut my foot open and had been chumming for who knows how long. growler of IPA and a nap post-sesh, ahhhhh.

e, this one is for you. NORCAL!

fun waves on saturday. sunday sucked. looked pretty good down south though.

i like the sounds of the expression session summerfun, although, i would probably be on the beach playing guitar to spare everyone my kooky style.

now you are getting it--Brigade Style!
DEATH METAL SURFERS (DMS) are a bunch of poser anti-posers posing as surfers who are against posing yet posing in a different way.The Brigade has always bitterly opposed all that is "surf bro".But The Brigade will not stop short of severe beating to those who disrespect. You can have your crunchy reggae-listening, puka-shell-wearing, shaka-throwing, longboard-skating, hippy-trippy-spirituality-feeling, surfing-as-religion, Spiccoli/Bodhi surf image kooks while The Brigade throws buckets, throws punches, and proves that there is no other way to do it,
Doing It Brigade Style!

the Brigade rules!

That drop of CJ at Chopes makes me realize what a wuss I am. I woulda backed out of that faster than I coulda paddled into it!

That surfboard above reminds me so much of my first shortboard Rick Surfboards circa 1969. Color it white, make the bottom flat, and just a single fin and that's it. It looked like an ironing board with rocker.

I surfed the beach on Sat. Sloppy morning except for about 1/2 hour. The waves started breaking out further and looked like they were going to shape up. Then all of a sudden, it turned to pure crap. Almost unrideable. Sunday I passed.

The boonville beer festival was a blast (30 to 40 brewers, 1,500 people, 4 hours of buffet style drinking). Lots of heady people. Definately going back next year. Unfortunately I cut my finger open and didn't manage to get the stiches needed so I opted not to surf while checking the rainy conditions on my way south from Pt. A (not to say that I would have risked infection etc had I found some rippable waves).

Kaiser,

Enlighten us with more info on the board. Looks like just what I needed.

"I wonder if I have what it takes
to join The Brigade?"

Oh my god that board looks just like my first kneeboard circa 1973! Except the side fins said "Bonzer" on them and I think the center fin was blue too. I might have ordered it at Rick Surfboards, though, I forget.

Blakestah
why is the Aleutian Buoy showing 17.7 ft every 11 seconds?

Friend #1, I pulled it from SurferMag forum. The headline "For big guys who are tired of longboards and don't like slidey fishes.." caught my eye.

The guy on there, TFAD, posted it. I think he is the moderator of the forum and he and his father run Moonlight Glassing near San Diego. They do some good work as far as I have seen. I requested to have them glass my Hobie Egg that I bought last year but Hobie decided to send it to someone else.

Anyway, I think the board is shaped by one of the Campbell Bros. Here are more pics and the link to the thread:

http://forum.surfermag.com/forum/showflat.php?Number=732575

Friend #1,

The board is from Walmart, it's the new housewife model. Designed for the ripper Blue Crush MILF, who must divide her time between between pressing pants and hitting lips. While most look at and see surfboard, it's actually a cleverly disquised ironing board manufactured by Surftech, and comes with a solar powered Sunbeam iron w/ steam.

Saturday around 1:30 ob looked pretty crap so I meandered down to Montara, ended up surfing GWC with a few others. The waves were thick, shoulder to head high, and mostly shitty close outs in shallow water. Was bounced off the bottom a few times. On the plus side, the few others in the water were friendly and there were a couple of younger ladies enjoying the "clothing optional" nature of the beach, in addition to your more standard hairy, out of shape elderly male nudists. I'd like to encourage more of that. Ladies, I swear, I didn't stare and I maintained a respectful distance on my way out of the water and up to the road.

On the drive home around 4:30 OB was actually looking cleaned up and like it had some shape in places, anyone surf it saturday evening?

question for you all. my girl and i are thinking about moving out of the area and are looking for suggestions. we are both "professionals" so a location with job opportunities would be ideal. we are looking to move to a surf-centric, laid back beach style town. any suggestions? can be anywhere - we are willing to travel. where would you guys love to live? thanks for your thoughts.

places to live/surf:
Hanelei Bay
SLO
Capetown
Melbourne
San Diego
Puerto Vallarta?
SF
Bali
Sydney
Rio
Lima
Aukland?
Goa
Basque coast
Welsh coast
Oahu
Jersey Shore
Ventura/Oxnard

No surf in Aukland and PV is at best OK, south of there is good.

Looking at E's list shows that there aren't too many options in the world for big/ good city good surf.

Saturday, eeeeeasy waves, long rides when the fat, sorta crumbly outside connected to the inside. Surfed until I was a quivering, useless lump of neoprene. Even more so then normal, I mean.

Damn e, talk about naming spots! At least you didn't include S** Fr*******.

Isn't that Brigade wannabe Eddie Munster grown up?

Made it down to Big Sur Thurs - Sun. Hiked into a favorite waterfall, it had rained heavily and the water was pumpin. Worked my way up under the fall and it was as close to what it must look/feel like to get barrelled by a 20 foot wave as I'll most likely ever get. Thick, Loud detonating lip, nice place to "mind surf" the 30 minute Barrell. Hit every move in the book and made it out clean.

There is some really great surf on the Southwest Welsh Coast (particluarly on the Gower) but the nearest "big" city is Swansea with a population of around 175,000. And it's at least 30 mins. away from any decent spots. Cardiff, the capital, has around 300k people and is even further away. So unless you're OK with living in the country, SW Wales might not meet all your needs........

That Aleutian buoy reading is swell moving away from us, a good E/SE gale...

Saturday at OB, a wave came in and someone paddled so that he was in front of me as I faced the wave, then bailed his board. I duck dived, but his board smacked me in my foot. I am just happy that it didn't smack me in the head. The foot seems like a strange place to be hit by someone elses board.

e forgot pv
formally - palos verdes
formerly - hamburger hill ('cause it was the only thing people who initially bought houses there could afford to eat)
lunada bay locals are some of the best people to hang with, generous with their waves, make kelly's cove boys seem like real ogres

Bob Wise says "Sorry, you don't look like you want to buy a board so I'm not gonna talk to you"

http://www.drewbrophy.com/images/bobwisecopy.gif

off-topic follow-up: our offer on that green victorian was not accepted. our bid was competitive and maybe even the clear winner on price, but we lacked a 3rd party, so the sellers took the highest bid on the whole property. tough one to swallow, but the olas & cervezas down in mainland later this week should help me get over it.

if anyone else out there is looking for TIC partners, please let me know - we want to be ready next time... pnmcs at comcast dot net.

baynewbie: i would add Gijon, Spain to e's list. good-sized city but pretty chill, with surf right in town and lots more nearby.

Lisbon too..
maybe Wellington NZ?
Santa Cruz
San Juan, Puerto Rico?

Byron Bay
Casa Blanca
Drakar
Swakopmund
Florinopolis
Salinas, Ecuador

Someone give me some ideas for a surf trip in June. 7-10 days max. Wife, me and my boards. No camping allowed. Wife needs pampering.

Sheboygan Wisconsin, shit is oof the hook and there is a beer festival. Go Kaiser

Kaiser, you could go find a hotel in Santa Cruz, and then head down to San Luis Obispo and stay in a hotel there, maybe hit Pismo Beach too? Thats what I plan on doing this summer.

Brian, thanks for the thought. I was thinking more like Bali, Fiji, Mainland Mex, etc.

Quess who?

Kaiser-
Hit up Costa Rica...Just got back a few weeks ago and have some good betta if you want it let me know. My lady was the same, no camping but she chilled on the beaches and read as I surfed. Also went have so good spots in Baja...

spam alert.

for sale: '94 ford ranger, 180,000 miles, 4 cylinder, 2wd, green with a white shell. needs a new transmission, otherwise in decent condition. good tires, solid engine, and it's set up for towing. one small fender dent and a few minor external issues here and there, but a good solid truck. $700 or best offer, all offers will be considered. it's currently at a shop in the south bay near san jose, the tranny busted over the weekend. if you want it, let me know asap, otherwise i'm donating it and writing it off my taxes. thanks.

http://www.craigslist.org/sby/car/72432859.html

Kaiser,
Try Cabo, stay in a nice cozy resort. Wife sleeps in. You surfy surf. She is waiting for you by pool already into the margaritas at 11 am. A little lunch, swim in the pool, walk on the beach.

Geez, it's 3pm, time for the late afternoon session. Bring the wife, the beach chair and umbrella you rented from Costa Azul. Plant her stuff in the sand on the beach of that nice left reef you drove the crappy road 90 minutes to get to. Kiss her bye and surf. Eat dinner in town, back at the resort, a little nightcap in the hot-tub....oh yeah.

yeah, i think flying over about 10 hours for anything under a two week holiday is busted. especially with a baby. i'd hit mex or costa or south shore hawaii, but if i remember, you've done the islands a fair amount already?

on that bro's article: seems like the heavy metal author is pretty f-n image obsessed and i really don't think the surf world is lacking in punk rock boys who wanna tear shit up. if you are looking for them, just head to the westside santa cruz. anyway most "soul" surfers i have met could give a fuck what they look like or what other people think. i've never worn puka shells or gone out with my shirt off (no free shows, not that anyone would pay), but i do think there is spirituality in surfing. the ocean and wave riding can be a pretty amazing manifestation of the mystery of grace and love and interconnectedness. shaka bra!

kaiser, mainland mex is a pretty good fit...Cabo and CR not bad either. Pampering can be bought at any of these. Flying is not so bad with a newborn...I think it is worst with a kid from 18 months to 3 years, can't sit still, can't watch TV on the plane, overstimulated to meltdown, just plain ugly. But a newborn will be lulled to sleep. By the time the kid is 3-4 just put a DVD player in front of them, and you won't hear them for hours.

First time poster, long time reader! Hit up S.C. yesterday, and as always, had a great sesh. Pleasure Pt. was where I found myself yesterday. It's always a hoot watching groms a third of your age rip it up and make you look like an ass! A friend asked me last night how I could go surfing in the rain and get all wet... uh yeah, I think he hit the bong too many times yesterday!

Kaiser- I am taking the wife and daughter (11 months) to Costa Azul in August. Daycare at your villa for $10 an hour, spa and pool and horses for wife. I really looked into it, it is perfect (I HOPE) for family.

No baby, no Hawaii. Been to Hawaii too much.

Cabo is interesting. Surf potential versus NZ, Fiji, Tahiti, Costa?

I have never been to Mexico other then a trip to Baja last year.

Bali would be sweet if I can ship a container of shit back.

Kaiser, sorry for the lack of info- Costa Azul is Mainland Mex. Nayarit, really beautiful and in summer the waves could be exceptional

If you only got a week, you don't want to bother shopping and shipping. Fiji is actually a good call, they have an overnight flight that follows the night, leave at 11pm and be in the morning boat to Frigates at 6am. LA, I mean Cabo is crowded. Puerto can be plush, and with a renta-car you can find some lonely peaks and points. Email me if you go to Costa, I'll be there all summer.

MJS...My wife needs comfortable pampering while on vacation.I need a beach with surf nearby. We would like to go to Costa Rica. Where did you stay? Did you drive to the coast or fly from San Jose CR to smaller coastal airstrips? Any info would be helpful.
E... this site provides many fun and entertaining comments...Thanks

Fiji

Damn, decisions....

Que es?

what up niceness...

with all this travel talk, i thought i'd drop my first post in, oh yea, 9 months. i'll be in Kyoto for 8 weeks this summer and am looking to hit the water whenever possible, typhoons and train connections permitting. but i haven't hunted typhoon swells before. any advice?

anyone ever surf in Japan?

cheers, one and all....e, i feel like i should also say thanks, because niceness has gotten me through plenty of hellish and very dry weeks during these past few semesters. blakestah, too, for his long-range reports. grazie mille! and hiya to all the rest of you yokels.

and, um, kaiser, something tells me you're in for a good trip.

kooks.

Kaiser

Mex- Puerto? Stay at la Punta. This place (Big Island off Fiji) was pretty sweet with the lady. Way off the beaten path, a little rustic but nice, everyone super cool- great waves, no crowds, fresh fish every day www.fijisurf.com email me if you want more details- You can see the waves there everyday photo update(check jul21-me kooking out ha!)- pretty cool

All the places that access Frigs are full on surf camps including the ones on the mainland- your wife will be bummed (mine was). It's also getting crowded as 3+ camps use it as thier primary spot. Sick wave though

The wave I posted isn't Frigs, and is usually pretty empty, I think Waidroka (SP) has the sole (No SOUL) rights to that wave.

That was my concern on Fiji, seems like if you are not on Namotu or Tavarua, you aren't getting the best waves. I am sure that really isn't the case but it is marketed that way. Artifact, nice work on the photos! Reef booties really needed there? I hate those things.

Anyone more k-nowledge is useful....

Hey Mexi,
I know which wave you posted- we stayed a Waidroka too. I wouldn't recommend it. People were pretty bummed on it when we were there, new management- food sucked. There were like 20 surfers in one boat, they could have taken 2 boats to 2 spots but wanted to save gas. The spots they access have tight zones. Plus they only can access stuff on high tide due to their harbor, but yes they have exclusive rights to 5 breaks or something (most of which are pretty fickle). Check out the wannasurf board for Frigs there's some funny stuff about Waidroka. The Aussie surf guide Clark is super cool and rips. Looks like you got it good though, stoked!

Fabulous LINDA MAR

HIS & HER VACATION GETAWAY

ask for the E's blogmember discount!

Artifact, I think that is clarks (older Ausie guy fighting over rights to the wave LIVES ABOVE WAIDROKA) foot in the pic, I hitched a ride out there with him and a boat driver from Tavarua, they both rip. I hate all the exclusive we own this wave shit. Fact is that if a fisherman or local boats you out and is not getting paid to do so it's fair game.

Kais-
Yeah you kind of need them there (at least I do)- Since you go out off the island sometimes- or if you break your leash and have to get your board off the reef- I met some guy with reefcuts on 80% of his body the day we arrived- so I wore the kooky reef gear. Plus there's no hospital on the island and you're in the middle of nowhere... but that means your surfing with the people you're staying with.

http://www.pbase.com/artifact/image/39534858
http://www.pbase.com/artifact/image/39341594

Yeah Mexi, I don't get it either ownership to a reef and wave but I guess those villages can't resist all the cash they get paid. Imagine how much Tavi pays. But you got the right idea try and hookup with a local fishman.

toeman-
We stayed in Nosara, fun beach breek, it will be more of the "rainy" season but less crowded and you will almost for sure see sun every day. Rains for an hour or two and then is nice. We flew to SJ and drove to Nosara, best to have 4x4 in the rainy season as alot of the roads in this area are not paved. email me at mschoony at hotmail dot com if you want more info

Oi I am thinking about hitting up Bolinas on Sunday, possibly rain with 3-5 foot swell from the WEST. Does the western swell wrap around good enough for a few nice sets for Bolinas? A few days ago it seemed like a good Bolinas day with 2-3 feet southern swell rollin in.

Dont go to Waidroka w/wife. Double-plus ungood. Mostly nasty, non-Fijian vibe. If ya got the budget, Marlin Bay good for family vacation (it's a dive resort, but they take a boat to Frigs for surfers).

Frigs gets windy in June (the wind is "offshore", but by lunchtime you can be fighting serious side-shop) and packed with excellent, excellent Aussie surfers. Can be great, but can be a bummer to take the time, spend the money, take a bumpy 40 minute boatride and then fight for waves against super-fit, super-good Oz lads.

The crap about who "owns" the wave is really silly. The Fijians do. The boatmen earn $40 a week taking guys (mostly guys) to the wave that they own. The guys typically have two boards, each, rashguards, leashes, shorts, video camera, oakleys, ipods etc etc. - thousands of dollars worth of stuff. Surfing is pure. But getting there can be kind of well, elitist, no?

The Fijians should charge each surfer $100 a day so they can (for example), pay for medical care, maybe get books for the school in the village etc. Enough surfers would pay it. And many wouldnt, and would go somewhere else. Fijians might get a decent living out of it, and a bunch of Aussie dudes would be pissed as hell. Seems like a fair trade.

The Fijians have a resource that's valuable to white-boys who work in high-tech from San Francisco. What the white-boys (yes, including me) spend on boards and wetsuits a year keeps a family of five going in the village. And the dudes who run Waidroika and the other resorts spend their time trying to basically make sure that they get exclusive access to the resource for more or less free (maybe a little kick-back here and there to the chiefs), and sell it to the white-boys. Yuck.

Anyway. End of semi-socialist scribble. Or maybe hyper-capitalist market-driven scribble.

Have a great trip wherever you end up.

Joe

What kind of advertising is this? This woman is clearly not going surfing nor riding a bicycle.

Do it for the kids, Bring books and clothes for the kids they'll be stoked!

Brian, go to Linda Mar if it looks like rain

ok thanks. If I can get a ride that far, i live in sonoma county so I usually sure at salmon creek. but i wanted to longboard at bolinas so ill see if i can drive to linda mar

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