strange commonalities

what do horror, fitness, and glen danzig have in common?

trim

I love thinking about board design. there is so much that goes into the planning aspects of a surfboard. however I’m also certain that the most important aspect of any board’s performance is the ability and fitness of the person riding it. but then that’s another post.

recently I’ve been riding my noserider a lot, partly out of necessity as my new EPS fish is in the works and partly because I want to. the longboard experience is completely different than riding a shortboard and it requires a less physical and more refined approach.

on the log trim is king. and trim happens due to the rail length and shape of the board's rail. on a speedy steep face the board will move super fast without my input whereas on a shortboard I’d need to generate my own speed. turning a log is also completely different from a shortboard. on a shortboard turn you slide your rear foot over the fins and transition your weight so that the wave facing edge is buried into the face of the wave as it changes direction. turning a shortboard is a very physical thing whereas the longboard is about fineness.

my 9’6” has one fin and is quite heavy. there is absolutely no way to turn the board with a wide shortboard stance while burying the rail. well I suppose some big heavy cats could do that but it’s not necessary. instead I simply step back to the tail, and with feet less than shoulder width apart, I weigh down the back of the board and pivot the front end around bringing the rail down back onto the face to engage trim again. once the board is in trim in the pocket I can walk up to the nose as the water from the lip sucks over the egg shaped rails holding the tail in the face.

Dora, style king.

the longboard seems to be marketed as a beginner board quite often. and while it is much easier to catch a wave on a longboard due to its large planning area and volume, it doesn’t really prepare the beginner to surf a shortboard. that is often a misconception that can be clearly seen in the lineup. aspiring shortboarders catch a shoulder high wave on their 9’0” “performance” longboard and with a wide as Texas stance try fruitlessly to turn nine feet of rail like a shortboard and end up either getting hit by the lip or falling over like deadwood in a forest. some like to call this stance the stink butt stance – sorta gives a squatty image eh. now we just need some swell so I can stop thinking about it and just go surf.

Boricua

not really but this shit is funny

Mad Clips - Travis Ajay as "Manuel" from josh coville on Vimeo.

weak heart

my friend Evil E was going through some old photos and found these of me -I think they are from fall/winter of 2007. the board was a Tom Neilson 6'6" biofoam thruster. I got rid of it soon after that as it was a bit too big for me.

I'd like to think I've improved my surfing since these shots were taken but who knows.

self critique: the bottom turn mid-face and standing almost straight up is weak hearted at best. I also won't have any speed going into the top turn. it's funny though I have the Andy Downs front hand stylee. I'll have to tell that story another time though.



the same weak heart goes for the top turn here. it looks as if I backed off instead of really pushing off the top.



this is my favourite shot because you can see how beautiful it is here. sure the water at this time of year is O C. and the air often way bellow that. but the beauty of the landscapes and the generous people are like no where else I've ever lived. thanks Evil!

Monday morning board meeting

5am wave and weather check:

7.2' @ 10 seconds
west wind 7 knots
air temp 16C
water temp 16C

first light 6:22 am

will report actual conditions after 10am

9:18am update:

score

offshores, golden light at sunrise, overhead sets and warm water. as good as it gets.

Open Letter to America: on sloth and gluttony

Dear fellow Americans,

I am writing in the hopes that my words will perhaps trigger a slight sense of self preservation within your psyche as well as release within you the once famous American pragmatism that created the nation. You must be aware that there are two major issues plaguing our long term well being; two issues that are really quite embarrassing when you think about it and yet not so inordinate in many a literary tale about human failure. I am talking about gluttony and sloth.

First of all I'll address the current state of the educational system. We are failing our youth with the current educational system, and for those who finish high school and choose to pursue a higher education the price to pay is more often than not grotesque. Now I am not a specialist in education nor do I have an answer as to how to fix the problem (I'm sure there are plenty of people who could do that). However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that an undereducated population will not be economically successful. And at this time in our great country people are our greatest assets. So if you think a little ahead you may note that there may be a looming disaster in the making.

The other issue which is obvious to any foreigner landing on our great shores for the first time is the state of our health. Our gluttony and sloth has created a ticking time bomb of ill health. Some studies state that over 64% of the population is over weight or obese. Don’t get me wrong here; I am not talking about matters of self image or narcissism. I am referring to the basic need for a living organism to maintain a balanced health system in order to function properly and avoid disease. This is not some esoteric idea. What we consume defines our makeup, just as we are defined by how we spend our time. If we spend our time sitting then our bodies are not able to run. Simple. If we consume unhealthy foods and too much of them then our bodies will be unhealthy and big.

This is really not a matter of ethics or religion or even politics. It is a matter of economics and self preservation. Imagine if you will 20 years from now –70% of the population suffering from preventable diseases like diabetes and heart disease because they wouldn’t eat healthy. Imagine an entire nation of under educated people, to unhealthy to be productive in the labor force and too illiterate to be productive in technology and finance. What would such a nation look like? How will the books balance? Who will take care of you?

I merely pose the problem. It is up to all to individually and collectively tackle the issues. Sure government can create policies, etc. But ultimately each individual has the major stake in their own well being. What will you do?

Sincerely

Ricardo

nervousness

is like butterflies fluttering
like erratic,
victory at sea surf
like something in my throat
like an old foe,
whom I never defeat
is like weight pushing
down on my arms and shoulders
like a swell passing through my chest,
in waves of heat and cold
like a trigger to end my focus
a distraction that lasts
hours, days, months
then it fades and things
are normal
I forget it
until it's triumphant return
and I'm reminded of it
again in my throat
my gut
my shoulders
and the back of my knees
it is like an uncertainty
like hunger
like a post youth -
existential hangover
it is anarchist
and sly
faceless and with no scruples
it is effervescent yet invisible
it is always there
beneath the surface
like a razor sharp reef
ready to cut
when you least expect

cholos + heavy metal

high school flashbacks ese

we care a lot

just struck me that things are unstuck
men eat men
figuratively
literally
fires burn as
in Gabon and
California
people never come first
in America where
no one wants health services
for ALL

what are you fucking kidding me?

stuff
I need stuff
we need stuff
and in Mexico
drug gangs kill 17
in the rehab
die
or die
the sun shines
one way or another
no wonder
Cormack McCarthy
refuses to interview
don’t matter one way
or the other
things are unstuck

this is a value added post

seaweed, logs and boulders

after Dan passed through on Saturday we were left with some swell and a stormy sea. I paddled out yesterday to a semi-undisclosed spot. a long walk and you can see them peeling down towards you. I took out the 'ol yeller single fin. I could have made a better choice as the 9'6" is best suited for under chest high clean mellow waves. but in the end it handled the bigger waves beautifully. there's no feeling like standing on the tip of your board in the lip of a fast moving head high wave. I took a few beatings but it was all well worth it. the boys in the lineup were having a blast too as it's been a while since we'd had some fun waves.

it seems like a long time since I scored sunrise surf before work. but I got out of bed at five this morning and did a few chores as I waited for the kettle. I made coffee and checked the buoy. the swell seemed to be holding and the period had bumped up a bit so I decided to take my 6'1" thruster out for a change even though it would be dead high tide.

the sun hadn't come up yet when I paddle out so it was hard to see what the action was. this particular spot always provides its bounty with today's conditions. mostly there are rights -fast and steep and once inna while if the swell is just right they'll barrel. today they were backing off a little, I reckon due to too much water. but I did manage to snag a few deadly ones and a bunch of mellow ones too.

after two hours I looked at my watch and realized that I'd run out of time so I belly boarded one in quite a ways down the point and crawled out over the slippery rocks. I started jogging down the point, trying hard to land each step on the bigger smooth faced rocks so as not to bruise my soles. about 10 yards from the exit I landed with me left foot on a slippery ass wide piece of seaweed and I went down. I smashed my left knee and shin pretty bad. dammit! I checked my board for damage. once nasty little ding on the rail that I'll have to fix. maybe running over seaweed covered boulders with a six foot something under arm isn't the best idea eh.

I hear a lot of people say that we have world class waves here. and I'm sure I've said it too. it's true, there are days when if the swell and wind cooperate the points light up with perfectly shaped waves for 200 yards. on those days it is world class. but really the only people that enjoy those days are the ones who live here, and dedicate their lives to surfing every swell in hopes that on that one day it will be world class. but mostly it's not world class, the tide too high, the swell too weak, the wind all wrong. it is the fickle east coast after all. but don't misunderstand me. I am not at all complaining. in fact I couldn't be happier.

style: Tyler Warren

Churches from Charlie Waite on Vimeo.

RIP axolotl

another one gone. our turn will come too.

login

pre-storm swell this mornin with good friends, foggy and the biggest seal I've seen waiting just out side the peak for somethin

billy oh billy

for those who've not had the chance to surf in the Pacific -Mexico, Central America, Hawaii, etc., the power of a long wave period is something that we east coasters are only slightly familiar with.

16 second period waves have a lot more power than our usual 10 to 12 second swells. a head high wave at 10 seconds is not like a head high wave at 16. perhaps tomorrow we will get a taste of what a thundering long period swell feels like. get out your you pintails and ditch the comp leashes. billy is comin to town.

EDIT:

just realized that I've caught myself in the hurricane hype. dammit.

bill hype

as Bill makes it's way out of the Caribbean and up the eastern seaboard everyone from South Beach to Nova Scotia is freaking out in anticipation. there's some sort of mystique around hurricane swells that is probably based more in fiction than fact.

out of all the hurricane swells I've surfed in Florida and here in Nova Scotia over the years only one or two are memorable. most of the time the storms would be too close, or not close enough. howling onshore winds would ensure shit conditions and rip out all of the sandbars -trashing the bottoms for months to come.

I remember one year, working on a lawn crew with my friend Troy, we emerged out of the morning fog and a big four hour job to find the U.S.1 slammed with traffic and the gas stations with 100 yard line-ups. we phoned our boss Glenn to see what the deal was.

"Hey Glen it's Troy. Looks like they are evacuating."

"yep. Did you guys finish today's accounts?"

suddenly I see Troy's face twist in consternation.

"whatever man we're bringing the truck in now" he snapped in annoyance.

we grabbed our boards and paddled out in front of the old crab restaurant. I never made it out past the inside and by the time I got out of the water I'd drifted a mile south. it was victory at sea and you couldn't see how far out the back the sets were breaking. I think Troy snagged a wave but it's not like anyone would have seen him.

meantime the entire beach-side was evacuating. I went back to the Cape Canaveral house and I'm sure D$ and I made dinner as usual and watched Friday for 113th time -ignoring the evacuation warning.

there was one hurricane swell I remember well. and it was one of the few where the winds were favourable and the swell not so maxed out that it was closing out everywhere. I got home from a long day of mowing lawns and just headed out back with the old and yellowed 8'6" Natural Art single fin that T-Bone had left behind -no leash.

usually it never broke out back as we were north of the Cocoa Beach pier and it was either too deep or not in the swell window. but that afternoon I scored perfect glassy head high waves to myself. I'm sure it was quite bigger down at 2nd light or further south but I didn't want to drive. there are very few surfs that I remember clearly and that is definitely one of the best. perfect sunset nose rides and trimming with no one else on the beach except for a couple of old fishermen casting into the surf for their dinner.

most of the hurricane swells I've experienced here over the past three seasons have been much of the same. days of hype leading up to the storm -with the surf forecasting sites giving the swell a record reading (as I write this a certain site is giving the Sunday swell 5 stars -ooooohhhhh)and then post hype depression sets in.

surely there will be some spots with the right orientation to the wind somewhere on the coast. those who know where to go will return with tales of glory. for me, I'll stay close to home and see how it goes, maybe if the track stays true I'll score some clean surf but most likely I'll be reliving the old Florida days -padlding out in way overheard closeouts and paddling against the drift without gaining on it.

not to worry though winter's nor-eaters will be here soon and then we'll get what we're waiting for.

if you wanna keep track fo yoself click here

careta & siblings

my Dad recently got a slide scanner. there's gotta be some jewels in there since he was an avid photographer in the 80's. here's the 3 siblings with our white boxer named Careta circa 84-85.

Cape Breton

Cape Breton is as beautiful as any island I've ever seen. we drove through a few Acadian villages. this house flying the Acadian flag was interesting.

saturday to tuesday

photos and story: Baldiri

surfboards

sometime I wonder about my obsession with surfing - perhaps this wise bumper sticker will shine a light.



bunus Skip Frye clip from '69

the return

been two years now since my primo Baldiri visited. he arrives tomorrow from Iceland where he's spent the last week treking mountians and glaciers. we'll have a good time no doubt -as we have a backcountry canoe trip planned and hopefully get some surf in as well.


for those of you who've never been here I'd like to show you what our coast often looks like in the summer. I'm not sure what the meteorological explanation is for our summer fog but I can say that it's plentiful and sometimes so thick that you can't see the shoreline from the line-up -nor can you see the waves 'till they are mere feet away. here's Baldiri with the knowledge that out there on that day it was head high.


somewhere out here is secret sandbar plain sight number 7's.