Surf Report 10/9/2014

Small day - but the tide drained out far (due to the full moon). We were able to see a part of the beach that doesn't get dry all that often. That changed the breaking wave pattern a lot - but the waves were small anyways. Super fun day!!!

Random Surf Pictures from this Past Week

Here they are - smiles abound!!!

Surf Report 9/21/2014

La and the kids have actually surfed a spot that I haven't - the south end of Little Talbot Island. In actuality, the surf mat is one of the most fun, yet most technical ways of surfing. La is obviously a natural!!!

Surf Report 9/18/2014

We went surfing again hoping to pick up some of the leftovers from Edouard. The wind was onshore, the surface choppy and the surf was bigger. We went a high tide so the kids wouldn't be wrecked for the rest of the day (we're home schooling this year - easier while we are in the trailer, and better for the kids). So what happens when you talk smack about a hurricane swell from the previous day??? You get SPANKED! I got SPANKED! Edouard did have some power after all. But the waves were harder to ride because of the chop (or that's my story and I'm sticking to it). I spent the majority of the time doing this... takeoff, beef the bottom turn or pearl the nose, do an epic front flip and blow bubbles. Good thing I don't have an ego that is fragile or needy... I did catch a few good ones (emphasis on "few") The kids and La had more sense and played on the inside. Despite the spanking - a great day!

Hooked SUP Arrived, Part 4

Despite it's dimensions - 11'8" x 36" x 5" (I need to double check the thickness dim), the volume is carried very well across the board. As I am getting older and further away from the physical ocean (3.5 hours is the farthest inland I've lived - except for my year in Baghdad but I'm not going to dredge that up), I am rapidly losing my board snobbery. In my 20's all I wanted to surf were high performance shortboards. My attitude was "shoot me and put me out of my misery if you ever see me on a boogie board". I got into windsurfing in my late 20s and more into kiting in my 30's - again high performance. But now that Marlon and Noe are getting comfortable with being in the surf and the ocean (long drives to the salt are treasured times despite the monkey butt from sitting too long), I am cemented in the idea of going unconventional to extract the maximum stoke out of any situation. My Fourth Gear Flyer surfmat, ULI Fat Ass Quad and now this Hooked SUP are the primary examples of looking beyond mainstream and into the enlightened. It is a big board - huge in fact, but it also looks very well proportioned (again despite the XL numbers). We're going to have tons of fun with this thing!!! Stay tuned!!!

Mat Surfing

And this is my Sunday afternoon.

I used the mat to surf at Lani's.

I got a ton of great waves and didn't fight one bit (like I would have to on a shortboard)!!!

This thing is AWESOME!!!

I used it at Leftovers Saturday morning, but I used less air in it on Sunday and it worked way better.

I love my inflatable surf equipment (toys) - surfmat, FAQ SUP, kites!!! Perfect traveling stoke generators!!!