Thursday, March 24, 2011

A couple shots from last summer... the non-summer.

Anybody remember how bleak and gray last June was? As a matter of fact, the whole summer was one big, damp, gray, gym sock tossed over what should be a time of sunshine, bbq's and hot 'n' glassy south swells. Anyways, here's a couple of interesting ones I dug up from the "non-summer" archives.

I was stoked to meet and surf with Sean Poynter. The guy is pretty amazing on his 6'4" stand up board, legitimately ripping on the thing. Even better, let him switch it up for a stock 5'10 potato chip thruster and watch him tear the nutsack out of anything with a rippable wall on it. Here he is finding a little seam and pulling in- just in time for Manny V. to hit the snap button. Good times... but still ridiculously gray.
The summer of fiberglass. That summer I completed my 14' wood, glass and epoxy dory. Honestly, completing that boat has got to be one of the most satisfying things I've ever done. I'm still doing the little bits of finish work on it and am contemplating a journey up to the Pacific North West, wooden boat in tow. I'd like to paddle some pretty lakes and ponds- and maybe even learn how to flycast. I did learn how to lay up yards of fiberglass- it was tough. And, yes, you do get itchy but it's the road calling so you load up and see what's around the bend- at least that's what I do. That's what the boat did to me.
My town is still kind of the wild west... and that's what I like about it. You want to shoot fish with a compound bow? Go for it... this ain't Newport or Laguna. Down here some of your God-given rights still exist... like the right to stand ankle deep in freezing water waiting for a corvina to swim within range.
One guy you can count on to be on it is Kelly Kraus. He's surfed this spot for decades- he's got it wired. When Kelly picks a spot to paddle out, I pay attention. When he shifts to the south- so do I. And when I get a chance I pepper him with questions about how the place works, he always has time for answers- like I said, he's a good guy.




No comments: