Kai Otton is classic in this one.

Very entertaining fast right hander.  Can you tell I’m jonesin?

Thomas Campbell’s new film ‘The Present’ is showing this evening at the Victoria Theatre at 2961 16th St. with special musical guest The Mattson 2 and tomorrow at the Rio in Santa Cruz.

So I was at Other Avenues a couple weeks back to pick up some Kale or something and glanced over to the bookshelf to see a book peering out at me.  Surfing…Spirituality…Quest….sounds interesting.  I read a lot on my way to and from work on the N Judah and was near completion of one of my more business focused reads…The Art of Woo.  I like to rotate a book like that with something that nourishes the soul.  I’ll go from something by Tom Robbins to Krishnamurti back to some book that’ll be skill development oriented.  

Anyway, I walked out of the store with a shiny copy of Jaimal Yogis book Saltwater Buddha.  I am about 3/4’s of the way through and plan on finishing it up on my ride home tonight on the train.  There is a Book Benefit for Jaimal at the RipTide on Taraval tonight so the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.  I just learned about the event last week in my ZunaSurf Newsletter….they are way more together and up on local happenings than I am.  

My father is a bit of a metaphysician who has always gently introduced me to alternative more basic forms of being and awareness/realization.  Much of it I couldn’t appreciate at a younger age, but regardless it was absorbed.  I can relate to a lot of what Jaimal covers due to my upbringing with perhaps generational similarities in parental units, as well as of course being a surfer and individual who surfs.  I think anyone reading the book will appreciate the reflections on Water and it’s ‘magical’ qualities as the universal solvent, holder of immense power ‘crushing rocks to sand’, but yet completely fluid nourisher.

There is a short film about the book below:

As I watched the short film I realized that we are,or at least, were neighbors.  Who knew?  I pass by that house every time I go running out to catch a session.  

Life is an interesting journey and through this easy read I think it may help a lot of people to think about themselves, others, surfing and life differently.  You may even have a renewed appreciation for the magic that we experience every time we paddle out.

Inspiring movie about the adventures of chasing big dead of winter swells over super shallow rock shelfs in Ireland.  Beautifully shot and worth watching here.

Thanks to Dean of YouSurfTubes.com for posting a link.

Saw some Nooks and Crannies breaking the past few days that I have yet to explore and it got me thinking of all the possibilities. Check out the above video for a sampling of some of what’s out there at the right time and if you want it.

When the fog rolls in, with it, arrives a certain peace.  A nourishing embrace that quiets and calms.  

The past few weeks has brought fairly extreme weather as we went from heat waves with light offshores to days where the 40 knot winds literally closed roads and peeled paint from houses to cool and calm days like this weekend where the fog seeps over the hills and the rain comes and goes.  Its nice to have so much variety and for me it is essential.  I see it as natures way of making me more aware of our connection and how it is always in charge.  When the fog rolls we may sleep a little later, take care of our domestic duties a bit more, and overall pay more attention to the little things that oft pass us by as we speed through life.

Sometimes I find myself revolting against the natural cycles of the sea here and hightailing it a bit North or South to experience a different perspective.  Living near the Ocean here it often doesn’t take much to escape the elements.  Just a short drive can bring you to an altogether different micro climate.  That is exactly what happened to me last weekend when I ventured out of the fog.

A short drive led me to some fun little waves just out of the fog bank and into what felt like a little taste of summer time.  People out and about, bbq’s on the beach, traffic, and bikinis were all waiting just outside the foggy cocoon I had been in.  The sun was beaming and if it weren’t for the occasional cool misty wind to remind me of where I had just come from, it might not have been so enjoyable.

There were some fun little waves to be had.  Some little peaks that broke left and right with a zippy exuberance that entertained a small group of both beginners and more advanced sliders that seemed to enjoy the challenge of navigating the flailing bodies.

My boyz came along for the trip and had a blast doing the boogie in the shorebreak.  I joined them for a bit of laydown action and found myself chuckling at their pure joy and enthusiasm as we raced toward shore together.  As they played inside I was able to catch a few standing up as well…which always feels good.  Three to the beach at least.  

We bodysurfed, boogied (as they like to call it), surfed, scaled rocks on the beach, lounged around taking in the sights, and when it was time to go we all had to drag ourselves away.  The only motivator was the rumble in our bellies.  After a short pitstop for some grub and a cool beer for me we were off headed back into our misty cocoon that soothed our sunburned faces.

The trees on our way back home seemed to be peering out at us showing more of themselves as we neared.  It was invigorating and at the same time quieting and comforting to be entering back into the weather. 

This weekend was more of the same as we faded between fog, wind and rain with various combinations of the three.  This time there was no escape, but I didn’t need it either.  I managed to get a little paddle in yesterday and was literally the only guy out.  Got three to the beach…a couple fun lefts and one smaller right before drifting enough to make for a healthy jog back to where I started.  

Looking at all the crooked trees and weathered houses made me realize just how much the elements shape us both inside and out.  Be always thankful for our connectedness through gifts the ocean brings.

Uncharacteristic offshore conditions this past weekend.  Saturday looked good in the morning, but then wind shifted and it got a bit funky.  Sunday was back in good form, but much smaller.  These shots were taken Sunday before the swell picked back up.

Yesterday was the day.  Check out StokeReport.com to see some of the goods.  He got some nice ones.  I didn’t get out until the evening and it was a bit bigger but not nearly as clean.  Got to be on it.

Windy days have come.  Went longboarding in the morning before the wind took over, then landboarding in the afternoon followed up with Yoga all before the really stormy weather hit.  Today it must be blowing about 30 knots out there.  Checked the surf this morning and nearly got sand blasted…surf is supposed to spike up this afternoon but I think I may head north to find the low tide hot spring in Marin.  Will be good to go on a little adventure.  Looking forward to evolving into riding the wind and waves as opposed to just the wind and sand.  There was one lone kiter out beyond the surf…I don’t know how he was staying in the ocean and not just flying away.

I hooked up the GoPro to the handle of my kite yesterday facing it up thinking it would provide the best view of riding and the kite…but it didn’t.  All you can see for the most part is my kite going up and down.  Didn’t capture me catching air on the start and my powerslides that I’m perfecting so that I can do a sliding carve into a reverse then popping it around 180 to be back on track.  Have to get someone down on the beach with me next time.  Such a cool feeling, a good mixture of skating, surfing, snowboarding, and maybe even wake.    The shift from gravity pulling on you to the wind pulling you is a new sensation for me.  With this new pursuit, I now have less conditions to wait for.  Wind or no wind, swell or no swell, low tide or high tide…it’s all about the right combination.

Came across this artist the other day and was struck by the beauty in her images, the underwater shots initially, but then as I delved into her site a bit more found some other unique gems as well.

Had to share.

Check our her work here.

and here.

http://www.elenakalisphoto.com
http://sugarock99.deviantart.com
http://www.pbase.com/elena_kalis
http://photo.net/photos/kalis

Well a bit pessimistic, but feeling a bit like the sun is setting on the surf season.  With this being the last week of the Eddie waiting period and only another month for the Mavericks Contest the lack of fair conditions is already apparent at my local break.  

Rain, yes, which is good, but also wind and just wrong conditions.  Such is life this time of year.  March rolls around and its more common to see waves in the sand than in the Ocean.  Hope there is still some love left in that big ole’ North Pacific.