a few good surf related links

http://www.wblivesurf.com/index.asp

http://www.swellinfo.com/

http://www.surfersteve.com/introduction.htm

http://www.swaylocks.com/

http://www.banditobooks.com/ezine/home

I spend a little time at these spots.... worth checking out in my humble opinion

too late

I waited too long and by the time I paddled out on "the best day in June" I was struggling to be in the perfect , elusive spots in windy, choppy surf. I got a few rides and the water felt great. A few others were out near me, all women actually. Chicks with Sticks! I would rather watch women surf any day, much more grace and style.....

best day in june

The online forum says its the best surf of June today. I say its only good if you get to surf it! So, now as I eat my lunch from my desk, checking surf reports and whining, will I be worth anything for the rest of the day? Maybe I should just cash in some vacation time and go...

I may get the best of both worlds and head out right after work. I need to start leaving a board here at the office. Which reminds me, I got a new surf rack for the Deep (Jeep) from Inno. The Inno Boardlocker is uber cool....but...again...only if it has your board locked in it and ready to go surfing on a tuesday at 1pm!!!! They are available from Costco online at a good savings if you can't find one at the local surf shop.

reprieve

Weeks on end of knee high or less waves was broken on Sunday. The distinction, for me, on those larger days comes in the ratio of thrill to time and effort expended catching a wave. On bigger days, the waves that I catch and ride are fewer but when I do, the "wow" factor is higher. I have most of my most fun days on waist high clean waves, but my most memorable rides generally are on chest, head or even higher waves. So, yesterday getting that "drop"down a big face really fuels the surfing fire within.

Saturday was a wash, literally. I tried to surf with some friends but the lightning kept us at bay. Still, it was good to have the little group together...bound in time and place for the common purpose in what we call the "board meetings".

Today is International Go Surfing Day

.....so GO SURF, or at least do something related, maybe wear a surf shirt, ride your indo board, go watch someone surf, whatever. I am going to try to make it into the water though it may be a little flat here. Google Surfing Day to learn more.

First Heat

On May 17th I surfed my first surf competition heat. About a year before at the same WBLA competition I watched and made a goal to enter the next year. I really wasn't as good as I had hoped but I entered anyway. The waves were small and I was nervous, but in the end I had a lot of satisfaction having surfed that day. The best part was watching all of the others, surfers of all ages really show their stuff.

I always wondered what I looked like surfing, now I know!...not so graceful. I know I am more or a "soul surfer" but this was fun and it pushed me. It also helped connect me to something bigger and I have a new goal for 2009...to advance to the second heat. We shall see.

its all relative

I spent a long weekend in Myrtle Beach seeing family and enjoying the father's day with my kids and wife. I brought one board, a 9 foot "Supersoft" brand soft top board. It floats on top of the water even when I am on it, so it really floats. Other than that, the benefit is its softness, soft top and rails, little soft tri fin set up. All of this adds up to a user friendly, low performance board. Or at least that is what I just told myself.

A few waves later I realize that while I brought this so friends and family might give surfing a shot, I was going to be riding this baby blue board with brick shaped rails for the majority of time it saw water, at least for this trip. There is a video out somewhere of Taj Burrow and Kelly Slater and maybe some others surfing a beautiful wave, on various boards, then they start surfing on things like coffee tables...and they still surf better than my best day. Back to the blue bomber...I decided I was going to get every ounce of fun from this thing that I could. Steadily I figured this board out, I finessed the rails and fins around to turn without the board stalling, and I found myself having a few really good rides. Pop up, bottom turn (OK, its was small mushy myrtle beach wave bottom turns) ride down the line, stall and cut back and ride the other direction, even edge up toward the nose a bit.

Surfing is surfing. If its fun you are looking for, if its the passion of the ride, then it shouldn't matter what you get your kicks from. Now I just want to ride everything I can...well, maybe not a coffee table.

board in the works

I recently interviewed Shawn O'Donnell of Wrightsville Glassing/SOD Surfboards / Dr. Ding and had a chance to see the first board he shaped. That article is in the latest of issue of Local Sessions...so go get your copy today!

I had already started my first "from scratch" board and he really inspired me to get moving to finish mine. I have it shaped about 90 percent with most of the remaining shaping and sanding left on the rails and then a final sanding all over. I picked up a piece of Cape Fear Riverwood to make a noseblock and tailblock. Cool company and 100 year old heart pine recovered from the Cape Fear River will make this board very unique. Currently the nose and tail have been cut off so things look pretty bad right now but my vision of the completed board is still looking very sharp. We shall see if my vision can become reality.

Also, I am now an official member of creativewilmington.com regardless of your creative interest or "bent" its worth a look and a great resource for what is going on in the community that really counts!

And before I sign out for today, I am recommitted to making this a daily blog, or at least several times a week. Focus is still on my surfing thoughts, but I may throw in a few other "found objects" you might enjoy. See you in the water...