Thank you Veterans!

Happy Veteran's Day we honor and value your service and sacrifice.

SUP Contest Photos: The Dempsey 2010

Here's a bunch of photos from this year's Dempsey Contest (all photo credits to Jeff Wallis):

Photo: Kristy Murphy posted up on the nose... that's five legit toes over.

Photo: Art Curtis surfed his way into the Finals.

 

Photo: Kiwi launching into the lip in a sketchy spot. The southswell was pushing through the pier all morning, if you blew the landing there you might end up wrapped around a piling- he pulled it. 

Photo: Ross McBride, the eventual winner of the SUP division, on the end section of a nice, north side left-hander. Evidently, these guys scored killer, head high left hand peaks for their heat.

Photo: Hey, that's me! I was happy to hit the lip- even if it was a micro-lip. We had pretty dismal conditions on the south side.

Photo: Matt Bagby, scoring a fun north side wave... how fun does that look! Matt made it into the Finals and did really well.

Photo: Junk in the trunk.... that's K-junk, north side.

Photo: Kristy Murphy again- not on the stando but killing it nonetheless. Rad.

More surf shots...go ahead, click on 'em!

It really was cranking these last couple of days:

Photo: Somebody is about to get poached...

Photo: The inside tweeners were the real gems out there.

Photo: You had to dodge the thumpers...

Photo: ... if you wanted to get the good ones.

Photo: These guys got a few good ones. 

Photo: Super fun out there.

Surf Week: Solid swell + offshore winds

Check 'em out:

Photo: When the winds blow north-easterly in Southern California it means one thing: Santa Ana conditions. Get ready for hard offshore winds holding up the faces of whatever happens to be hitting the beach. Lucky for us we comboed up the winds and some solid surf, when that happens... things get interesting!

Photo: The air's clear (check out Point Loma- it looks touchable), the surf's cracking now all you have to do is find a corner. And if that's impossible, just pull in and enjoy the view.

Photo: Dr. John knows what to do when the doors open up a little bit...

Photo: ... you pull in!

Photo: Even if it means you're going to get beat!

ToolBox: Part II

What else is in there? Funny you should ask...

D. Folding chair: Good for many purposes, useful for hanging out, napping, waiting- shooting photos and drinking coffee. Everyone will act like they don't want to use it- but they do, trust me.

E. 9'1 Stand Up board- my bread and butter, go-to, multipurpose board. The 9'1 x 30" set up is versatile- enough foam to get you out and about but not so much that you can't throw it around. This is a full time tool box dweller- it just fits in there.

F. Boogey board fins: go body surfing, go boogey boarding- rescue a tourist, flip a pancake. Good for many purposes and fun to have around.

G. 2mm O'neil Guru long sleeve spring suit. The perfect stando wetty- easy to get into (short legs), warm (long arms) and super gooey flexible. Toolbox status? Perm.

H. Mix it up, get back to your roots- turn it like you mean it for God's sake: 6'4 Stamps Fish in a quad set up... pump for the light, fly through sections, changing it up now and then is fun.

I. My new favorite stick: Mike Stewart body board... it's six foot, offshore, closing out and breaking in two feet of water. You want to pull in but the idea of impaling yourself on your paddle isn't too appealing, is it? This thing makes it easy- now you can just break your neck impacting the sand bar. Ain't too proud to get barreled.

This is what's killing me...

Check this out: 

Do you see what's being called for Wednesday? That's a "Very Good" rating- rarely seen around these parts. Unfortunately, I'll be somewhere horribly surfless.

That's SurfLine's call for Wednesday, it's a heart breaker. I'll be on the leeward (surfless) side of an island, hanging out with forty high school kids at a science camp. Perfect timing. I'm sure I'll hear all about it later. Snag a couple for me.

The ToolBox

If you're going to do the job correctly, you need the right tool. Here's what I carry in the back of my truck- it's my surf tool box. Check it out:

 

A. Big ol' sombrero, a.k.a Lifeguard Hat. I've always got this with me- this one has a neoprene headband so it sucks down against your head and won't blow off (there is a chinstrap but that's like wearing a belt with suspenders). Nothing keeps you cooler than shading your peanut- keep it covered! 

B. Paddle Quiver: 75" Kialoa Methane, this is my go-to surfing paddle. Anything longer than 75 - 76" (I'm 5'10) feels way too long and cumbersome. I like the small blade it feels fast and clean. My back up surf paddle is a 76" Quickblade Kanaha with a 9" blade. The Quickblade is feather light and very strong. I carry two racing paddles: a 81" Kialoa Shaka Pu'u and a 83" Quickblade Elite racer with the 8.75" blade. The Shaka Pu'u has a much more comfortable shaft while the Quickblade seems to pull a little nicer- I haven't raced with the Quickblade yet but I've got a four miler coming up and I'll keep you posted.

C. Goody box: Basically this thing carries all the extras that I might need. I've got my fin bag in there (stocked full of fins from Future fins... thanks guys!), an extra longsleeved wetsuit jacket, a bunch of bungies, a gross towel and a couple of extra leashes.

Check back - we're gonna dig deeper into the ToolBox!

Typically true.

Here's a universal truth courtesy of my friend, El Capitan: "The more a person has to tell you that they're bitchen, the less they are."

This kind of extends to the line up, doesn't it? Typically the person who throws the most stink-eye, cops the most attitude or claims it the hardest isn't the most skilled guy out there. Tonight I surfed some surprisingly fun, low tide wedges. Nothing consistent, actually it was pretty fickle- but every so often a jewel would come barging through and if you were in the right spot you'd snag a cobalt blue, silky smooth, head high runner. The cosmic surf lottery happened to smile on me for an instant and I was perfectly positioned for the gem of the session- a doubling up, left hand power wedge with a thick shoulder perfectly tapering down into a long buttery wall.

Man, this was going to be good. I knew exactly how I'd come off the bottom. I could see where I'd stall for the cover up then I'd rip the guts out of that wall up ahead. There was only one problem, paddling hard to intersect that sweet little section was the best guy in the water. He was definitely the alpha male out there- popping airs, wrapping big cutbacks and styling through hairball inside sections like it was the kindergarten playground. It suddenly dawned on me- I was going to get stuffed. Big Papa was going to feed.  

 

Photo: Lilly's got nothing to prove. 

But then something funny happened, the guy spun around at the last second, he was perfectly positioned to drop in on but that's not what he did. At the last second he pulled up short, sat up, looked right at me and busted out a giant whoop! As I flashed by, I could see the smile on his face. He screamed out at me- wagging his head and just letting that yell linger. I know that hoot was no verification of my ability (believe me, I was barely holding it together), this was something else. It was a connection, an insider's knowledge of how good that wave was going to be- something from the gut, something pure... and it wanted out. Aaaahhhhh! Just like that.

It's typically true: The real rippers don't need to tell you how bitchen they are, their actions speak for them. Even if it's just a hoot.

Whoa... some good ones out there today! Photo heavy post.

High pressure, northeasterly winds and a nice mixed swell... wow- what a fun day of surf!

 

Photo: Art, if you see this- you should have gone- this wave was epic!

Photo: Pinch yourself...

Photo: for missing...

 

Photo: this wave.

Photo: The thing just kept peeling! 

Photo: To be fair, he did snag a couple of good ones...

Photo: pArt II

Photo: Grinding rights and lefts.

Photos: There were barrels up and down the beach. Check out Manny Vargas on the inside with his double camera set up getting the shot (and HD video?) of some unknown ripper.

Photo: Another shot of Manny from way up the beach (I like to get an angle on the wave I'm shooting- makes the shot a bit more interesting).

Photo: Pete in his usual spot. This photo is kind of Mondrian-ish in a distorted kind of way, eh?

Photo: It was a great morning to get out on the beach. Sunny warm days always bring out the cute girls- ain't life grand? 

Photo: Parting shot... wow.

Funny to me...

In The Know: Are Tests Biased Against Students Who Don't Give A Shit?

"We need to test these students on what they know, not what we want them to know".

It always happens about now...

It doesn't take much to make me start dreaming about my annual southern migration. Especially when it's started raining again and our winter run of cold water is right around the corner. I find myself dreaming about the grainy white sand and gin clear water of my favorite southern Baja surfspot. I'm even looking forward to the twenty hour drive down to it- that's an adventure worth doing at least once in a lifetime.

Photo: Baja becomes Lowers... with better parking.

Photo: Wide open- just like we like it. This beach is a hundred miles to the north of our spot a point with a left on the north side and a right on the south- take your pick.

 

Photo: Our little hideaway is filled with killer buildings- locally constructed from brick. It's funny to see the gringo interpretation of Mexican architecture, the homes they build are usually half Alamo set reproduction and half Wiley Coyote cartoon house. To them, that's Mexico.  

Last year we lucked into some serious surf. There were a couple days that were outside of my comfort zone- I ended up shooting photos off the beach, watching guys on prone boards score big right-hand tubes all the way across the point. I also watched luckless surfers on the inside take ten wave sets right on the head- floundering around in the churning impact zone when their cords snapped like dry spaghetti.

Being scared and drowning in comfortably warm water is a whole different version of the surfer's nightmare. It's equally as stomach churning as the lonely, cold water ordeals we occasionally face here in California, it's just a soothing version of drowning. Heavy water preparation is always important- even when it's warm and inviting. Hopefully, my race workouts will pay off when it's my turn in the wash cycle but you never know until you're there in it, by then it's too late for regrets. Actually, it's too late for anything but swimming for your life.

Photo: It's out there, go get it.

We're excited to head south- fired up to load up the rig and eat up some Baja miles, excited for the adventures that lie just down the road. I hope you've got something on your paddle horizon to fire you up- I can't wait to hear all about it!

Covewater Paddle Surf Santa Cruz: Thanks for QuickBlade Elite Racer!

Covewater Paddle Surf up in Santa Cruz is the hub for stand up paddling in Northern California. My brother lives in the area, has checked out the shop and gives it two thumbs up. The place is legit. According to him, the shop is fully stocked with all the latest and greatest paddle surf gear and the employees are both knowledgeable (the guys paddle surf almost daily) and friendly.

They are also heavily involved in the race scene.  Fortunately for me, they've been reading my racing posts this summer.  Even better, they thought I should demo their favorite race paddle, the Quick Blade Elite Racer - so they sent me one!  Thanks guys! I'm stoked on the new paddle!

Look what was waiting for me when I got home from work today... Lilly was stoked on it too. Thanks Covewater!

 If you live in the Santa Cruz area or are just passing through, check out the free Paddle Surf Hawaii demos and Used SUP Board Sale and Swap Meet they've got going on. The Paddle Surf Hawaii board demo is this weekend and the Used SUP Board Sale and Swap Meet will be going on October 30th.

I went with the 8.75" wide blade.

I did get a chance to get in a couple of flatwater miles using the new paddle. I have to say I'm really excited about this blade. In the past, I've used the big 9" wide blades on my QB paddles. Those big spades felt like I was digging into wet cement- you'd plant them and they'd hold like a big old anchor. Some guys have got the horsepower to turn those things over mile after mile. Not me. After a half hour I could feel myself running out of gas and getting slower by the minute. This newer, smaller paddle was perfect for me- I never got that "blown out" feeling.

 The blade, coupled to a featherlight prepreg shaft is the perfect size for me. It's 8.75" wide and has a 100 square inch footprint. I cranked out four miles and felt like the blade was super positive in the water, tracked nicely down the rail and slipped into the water so cleanly on the catch it felt like I was using a scalpel. I've got a race coming up in mid-November, I'm excited to give this paddle a shot at it.

 Thanks to Covewater Stand Up Paddle Santa Cruz for the paddle and I hope to get some waves with you up in Santa Cruz soon!

Paddle Sale: 2 Quick Blade full carbon surf paddles... $390!

 

Two for the price of one! These are my old surf paddles: QuickBlade Kanaha Blades with upgrade prepreg shafts. The prepreg shafts are stronger, lighter and stiffer than the stock shafts, they are the same shafts found on the new QB Elite Racer paddles which retail for $400/paddle. The paddles are cut at 76" so they're perfect if you're 5'10" and under. Short paddles are the way to go for surfing- allowing you to move the paddle across the board faster for blistering cutback action...yeowww get some!

The paddles are in excellent condition. The one on the right is practically brand new and is a travel paddle meaning that it has been cut in half and had a carbon fiber ferrule inserted. This was done at the QuickBlade factory as a special order for me- the paddle slides together and is held in place with electrical tape. Sounds crazy but this is how Jim Terrell set it up for me and it works great. The travel paddle has the soft, velour handle. Using that paddle is like cruising your grandpa's El Dorado- it's that plush... plush deluxe if you will.

I'd prefer a local sale (Southern California) but will box and ship at your expense. Great deal on a couple of excellent paddles.

Contact me at john@paddlesurf.net

Rain List

 I miss global warming. It's pouring rain right now here in San Diego in what is typically one of our most beautiful months. Here's my rain list.

1. Free lawn irrigation.
2. Sewage runoff. 
3. Bookstore perfection.
4. Is this the year my roof leaks?
5. Time to make potato soup.
6. You can still paddle (flatwater).
7. Bike ride to work? Bummer.
8. Mid-day nap promoter.
9. Late morning paper with a cup of coffee and a pastry? Perfect.
10. May produce glassy surf conditions (keep an eye on it).
11. Beach puddle crashing in the 4x4.
12. New Zealand dreaming (24 long hours in a tent blown sideways on the Wairarapa coast).
13. Wet dog.
14. Internet time warp.
15. Surf trip day dreams. 

What's on your list?

Contest Wrap Up: The Dempsey Holder Ocean Festival in Imperial Beach

The Dempsey went down this weekend here in Imperial Beach. The contest is our annual, small town, home-grown surf competition and it's the one paddle surfing event that I enter every year. I dig it because it's more of a chance to catch up with friends than it is full-blown surf contest. Don't get me wrong, the competitiveness is there- and the rippers do crawl out of the woodwork, but in the end it's more about having fun than anything else. Some highlights (to see contest photos be sure to check out Liza's Surf: Zero to Sixty Blog):

The Final Results for the Stand Up Paddle Division.

• Kristy Murphy: She should've won the "Most Stoked Competitor" award- this Ironwoman took second in Stand Up Paddle (see, I called it!), second in Open Women's (riding a tiny egg she calls the Biscuit) and fourth in Longboard. I saw her as she got out of the water after her third and last final and she was cashed out... laughing and exhausted. I challenge you to find me any other thirty-something gal surfing three finals in one contest. That girl is an inspiration and I was happy to be able to surf with her in the stand up paddle final. Watch out girls- this one's a ripper!

• North Side of the Pier: Going off all day long- most notably during the second stand up paddle heat. Local Legend Jeff Knox who scored that heat was frothing about some of the hundred yard long lefts pouring through. Jeff and his brother Jim predate I.B's current pier- they've seen and surfed it all- so when this guy is that excited you know it's legit. Unfortunately, the SUP final was held on the southside (unluck of the draw) which was at it's crumbly, thumpy, closed out, south wind worst.

• Dave Parra: So is this guy in his late fifties or mid-thirties? I glanced over to the northside and saw the big natural foot go upside down twice on his 6'1 Carbon Fiber Stu Kenson then wrap a big round up for a whitewash rebound. Are you kidding me? Big Dave's surfing was on point and he was just handling dudes ten to fifteen years younger than him. Yeah Dave!

• Ross McBride: Like I said before- the stand up paddle final was held in horrible conditions; big, thumpy, lowtide, southwind closeouts. I couldn't even find a wave to bottom turn out of- it was dismal. Still, winners find a way to get it done and in this heat (similar to last year's final) Ross found corners where there were none and put together enough of a score to smoke us all. I remember seeing him come off the lip cleanly and ride the move out to the beach. It was deja vu- I swear I saw that last year too. And just like last year, I knew he had us beat. Good job Ross.

• Cash: Nelz and his hot girlfriend Lara brought their little buddy Cash to the beach with them. Man, if I wasn't all messed up on Westies, I am sure I'd have a French Bulldog. Cash was one cool character-  Lilly dug him too.

It was, in all, a super fun event and I'm definitely looking forward to it again for next year. Thanks Serge Dedina and the whole WildCoast crew for putting on another slick event- this one was better than ever!

It's on m#$%###%%ers... Dempsey Contest Ready to Go!

Bring your "A" game people. My call: Watch out for Kristy Murphy- that woman has got skills. If it's thick and juicy- Ross and Nelz look tough to beat. Reigning champs Kelly Kraus and Mike Gillard are curiously absent... are we seeing mind games at work here? Anybody predicting a last minute entry by one of these two warrior/poets (probably the most overused cliche out there... except for the word uber... which, when used by some turtlenecked hipster, makes me want to impale my own eyeball with an olive fork)?

Top three advance- which means one of us is going to get the ol' Nancy Kerrigan kneecap treatment on the way to the water.

Go K-junk! 

Surf was super fun tonight- supposed to build tomorrow. Let's hope it throws us a corner or two for Sunday.

Anybody Remember SUPer Dave?

If you do, you'll remember a guy totally fired up on stand up surfing- kind of a wildman. Dave posted some of the first photos I'd seen of stand up surfing mainland Mexico, gave me tips on fishing gear for my trip down there (white, 1/4 oz. jigs with wire leaders) and was always putting up photos of his latest stand up boards (which, three years ago, were shrinking in size while I still thought 10' was the bottom end of my board range).

Dave even made a trip all the way out here to California- packed up his big 'ol diesel 4x4 with stand up boards, large caliber handguns, compound bows and camo gear. Dave was just as stoked about the giant wild pigs he'd hunt on his way out west as he was about surfing Cardiff Reef or the 'Patch. The guy was a true character and I always checked out his crazy posts on the stand up forums. The last I heard, he stuffed a couple of short standos into a board bag and bailed for Bali... and then I didn't hear much from him at all.

I was stoked when, out of the blue, I received an email from the SUPer man himself. Turns out he scored in Bali- in a big, big way. I tried to convince him to send me the photographic goods but it seems that they may be published soon (don't worry, I haven't given up) so they were off limits. He did, however, send me these shots from the Montauk surf season.

Thanks Dave and we're going to be looking forward to other "out there" SUPer Dave contributions... right?