Sissyfish

In Search of Captain $10000

2011-01-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

Author of one of the top 5 surf novels ever written, Allan Weisbecker is looking for some money to finish his movie on Kickstarter. Feel like funding his film/adventure/psychotherapy?

The surf I'm missing.

2010-12-20T13:22:00.001-08:00

Pic by the gun-slinging Mark Mekenas.

I need a surfboard in Honolulu...

2010-12-11T22:21:00.000-08:00

Can anybody help me out?

I'm going to be in Oahu for work from Sunday to Wednesday and was hoping to rent a board while I'm there. Would love to get some dawn patrols and evening sessions in. Honestly, I don't even know where I'll be surfing but it'll probably be within walking/paddling distance from the Embassy Suites Beach Walk in Waikiki, where I'm staying.

If anyone in Honolulu would like to hook up and make $50-$100 by lending me a board, I'd be incredibly stoked and grateful.

Thanks and happy holidays,
Rick

BACK TO THE VAQ

2010-11-15T22:19:00.001-08:00

I finally got out again a couple weeks ago and went for it on my 7'0 Vaquero De Las Olas. It's pretty much a perfect surfboard for The C*ve. Just point it in the right direction and it does most of the work. I'd love to ask Andreini why it seems to go the exact right speed for the wave. Like a magnet to the pocket. Perfect for a lazy daddio like me.

When I was out there, a nice chum named J.J. paddled over and we chatted a while. He mentioned that Andreini was making a line of less expensive sticks called "Poor Boys." That would explain the clear board I was jonesing for on the rack in Santa Barbara several months ago with the pricetag of $575, new. Yippee kai yay!

Tacklebusters

2010-11-03T11:38:00.001-07:00

The Neslcott Reef contest went off yesterday—paddle only. Sounds like an amazing event and I'm glad they decided to forgo the jetskis (except to get to the lineup). I'm hoping to see better pictures and videos soon! Full report HERE. Thanks, Slim.

Now I wonder what went down at the Yeti...

RIP, ANDY IRONS

2010-11-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

Crisis Machine

2010-10-25T11:02:00.001-07:00

For some guys it's a red Hummer or a convertible Corvette. Should I ever have a midlife crisis, my whip of choice would look something like this.

Baptized Again

2010-10-20T15:08:00.001-07:00

I don't know how I pulled it off. But there I was, sitting in crystal clear water, feeling the swells pass underneath me. Me and a few friends sitting on the glass-like ocean. The surf wasn't huge, but it was perfect for the state I was in. My first wave was the best. Shoulder-high, leftward reeling, fast, long, forgiving. I could just go from top to bottom to top to bottom until it let me out.

When I kicked out and paddled back to where the guys were sitting I looked down through the clear water at the ocean floor eight feet below, dunked my face in and wished I could drink it all.

Disney Girls

2010-10-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'M BLUE

2010-10-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

A year ago, some very nice people from the Japanese surf magazine Blue visited my home and studio. They asked me lots of nice questions and took some pictures of my artwork and my surfboards. I can't really remember what I said and I can't read the article, but the result looks pretty cool. The article also features Northern Oregon artist/surfers Giles Neale, Yasmina Dedijer-Small, and Alberto Cuadros (who is sadly back in Frisco).

If you blow up the second page, you can see Family 1.0, hanging on the front porch at a time when I could actually claim to be a surfer. Watch out Oregon surf. I'll be back.

Many Rivers to Cross

2010-09-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

But I can't seem to find my way over. So I made these with chopstick wrappers as I waited for my hamachi kama to arrive.

Tess

2010-09-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

Here she is.

Hard not to be inspired by this...

2010-09-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

Feels like "Go Forth" meets The Streets, with amazing, amazing waves and camera work. Check out the moment when he touches the dolphin...

I.O.U. an Explanation

2010-09-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

My posts have really dropped off. Suffice to say, circumstances the last couple months have made it tough to surf, let alone write about surfing.

And now I have a baby due next week, so I'm staying close to home.

My stoke is still as strong as ever, but really breaking down the whole surf experience without actually doing it is nothing short of torturous. Maybe it works for some people, but for me it just feels like being starved and looking at a menu all day.

But I'm still going to keep Sissyfish alive. I'm going to try and post something, anything, a few times a week. I have tons of old drawings and pics that I can just throw up here, so at least you won't continue to arrive at a blog with the same stupid Beer post again and again.

Please, keep me on your blogroll.

Rick

COLD BEER

2010-08-17T12:51:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite bits of copywriting. Two words that when placed side-by-side are pretty hard to resist.

Don't Give Up...

2010-08-10T15:24:00.001-07:00

July was one hell of a month.
The seas of life got pretty rough.
But August started with some waves.
A sign that things are moving in a much better way.

Don't give up the ship.

Not Your Mama's Volvo

2010-08-03T10:47:00.001-07:00

Why schlep it to Spot X when you can drive it? Save your calories for the paddle-out.

Good News/Bad News

2010-07-27T13:59:00.001-07:00

The good news is that we found your phone. The bad news is—and let me refresh your memory—that it was on the floor of the Sandy Hut at 3am.

I love the chipper "Have a great day!" at the end, as if there was some possibility that the recipient in question wouldn't be completely destroyed. Proof that there are still decent people in Portland. Thank you, reifink, wherever you are.

Captain America

2010-07-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

Rainbow

2010-06-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Turn up the volume. This is pure, unfiltered rainbow stoke.

RIDE 'EM COWBOY.

2010-06-22T20:47:00.001-07:00

A while ago I posted about getting this 4'11 Mabile "White Pony" for those small days when the only other option would be to ride a longboard. You can see the post, and the red-hot comment thread it inspired HERE.

I took it out in waist to shoulder high waves last weekend and had an absolute blast on it. It went well frontside and, surprisingly, it worked really great on some speedy backside Gas Chambers rights as well. My wave of the day was backside actually, which is completely out of character for me. Well done, my trusty little steed.

When I brought it in on Father's Day evening/International Surf Day, I ran into Gaz and his gal who were scoping the waves. After we discovered a big gouge on the rail (from the leash) he gave the little pony approval and joked, "But Tony said these would never work in Oregon..."

Guess what Tony? It does. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

I suck.

2010-06-19T02:00:00.000-07:00

Seriousy, I do. Hope to remedy that soon.

Picture of a Picture: Troncones Beachbreak Firing

2010-06-08T14:41:00.001-07:00

Salt Creek Shootaround with Kolohe Andino

2010-06-03T21:50:00.000-07:00

A month ago I had the chance to work on a video with Kolohe Andino, wunderkind shredder and son of the ever-cool dad shredder Dino Andino. It was a project for Nike 6.0 introducing their new Full Court Boardshort, one of first surf innovations for the brand. When the brief landed on my desk at Swift Collective, I was pretty stoked, not only because this was a surf video, but also because the shorts bear a striking resemblance to the uniform of my favorite basketball team. Purple and gold. The colors of champions. And do you know how hard it is to get any Laker love in Portland, Oregon?

Anyway, another thing that made this exciting was that I'd be able to work with my childhood chums, The Hoffman Brothers, who would lend their writing and directing chops to the job. Unfortunately they are Blazer fans, but they have done some amazing projects including this Paul Rodriguez banger and a little piece we put together in middle school called "Incident at the Farting Post"—which still only exists in VHS.

So with 30 seconds to tell our story, we spent the day with Kolohe at Salt Creek and and forced him to do a bunch of stuff that most teenagers (not to mention teenage surf proteges) would not take kindly to. But he was a trooper. And his whole family was amazing. Brother even paddled out at sunset in his boardshorts and proceeded to boost an air and snag a barrel. Check my pics and stay tuned for more from the day from Nike 6.0.

Big ups to Dino, who was a great help, Brother, who was great sport, the Hoffman Brothers, who went above and beyond, and the Lakers, who just won the first game of the NBA Finals tonight.

Huevos Rancheros

2010-05-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

Or is it Wave-os Rancheros? A couple weeks ago I finally got a chance to visit a wave I've always wanted to surf: The Ranch in Guerrero, Mexico. It's a lefthand pointbreak that can hold up for more than 200 yards, and can hold some serious size to boot. We got it pretty good.

The pics above are from a day that I almost opted out of (see previous post), but decided to paddle out at around 11, right when the wind started blowing. Thanks to Ebb for putting together this little photo collage a typical day. When the swell really started cracking later in the week, seems like shooting photos took a backseat to actually shooting the curl... I can't believe I actually just wrote that.

But you know one of the best things about surfing the Ranch? Getting a breakfast of huevos rancheros, cooked over an open fire, served to you in front of the waves after a 3-hour session. The most pressing question of the day? Cafe con leche or a cold cerveza? Or a second session?

More pics to come...

Signs of the Times

2010-05-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a two-week trip to Troncones, Mexico. Reviewing the pictures, this one really stood out. The one on the left is the sign I duct-taped to the fence outside our house early in the morning after my little boy struggled through a sleepless night, letting the other surfers in our "band of bachelor partiers" know that I'd have to take a morning off. I honestly think the reason he couldn't sleep was because the swell spiked that night and the explosions of the crashing waves kept him awake. I know those bombs going off made me a little restless.

The one on the right is the painting we worked on together that day. Sort of says a lot about how my life has changed from the old surfari days. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Reno 411 (The Rest of the Story)

2010-05-15T06:24:00.000-07:00

My previous post about running into Reno Abellira on the beach at Trestles left me with a few questions. Among them: Was he really wearing one of those H-Bomb wetsuits with the batteries taken out? What happened to his choppers? Did I almost just get my ass kicked for saying "That's cool?" And was he really claiming to have designed the Bonzer center fin?

A week later I had the rare opportunity to do some fact-checking. A job put me on Oahu for a few days, where I took a morning to drive out to Cafe Haleiwa on the North Shore and speak to Duncan Campbell, one of the two brothers behind the Bonzer.

When I described my run-in with Reno, Duncan laughed hard and told me this story: He said that as crazy as Reno seems, he's one of the most important innovators of the modern surfboard. Back in the '70s, Reno was one of the few people experimenting with putting three fins on a board, along with the Campbell Brothers. But Reno's version of the tri had the fin cluster arranged in reverse, with the center fin placed in front of the two side fins. Duncan said that whenever Reno claims to have invented the thruster, he always tells him, "If that's true, then why aren't you still making surfboards with two fins in the back?"

But Duncan went on to say that Reno's designs for the board's center fin had a huge influence on the current Bonzer center fin. In fact, he wasn't lying on the beach at Trestles. It actually was his creation that he was about to ride on those speedy rights.

"And you can blog that," said Duncan.

His Name Was Reno...

2010-04-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

...and he sat upon the sand.
I walked up to him and asked
about the board in his hand...

But actually, I didn't know it was Reno when I approached this skinny leather-skinned man sitting on the beach alone at Trestles, frantically rubbing sand all over the bottom of a single fin Pavel. The board looked pretty mean, so I crouched down and asked about it:

Me: That's an amazing board you have there!

(Long pause, looking up at me...)

Dude: How do you know?

(His front teeth were missing...)

Me: Because it's a Pavel. And it looks like it would work great here.

(Long pause. Hard stare.)

Dude: How do you know about Pavel?

Me: I've read about him a lot.

Dude: You read about him? Well, at least you read.

Me: And I ride a Mandala, which was shaped by a guy who learned from Pavel. It has a similar template I think.

Dude: Never heard of it. Toby's a friend of mine. You got a single fin?

Me: No. It's a quad.

(Longer, harder stare at me.)

Dude: Quad, huh? Where are you from, anyway?

Me: Portland.

Dude: Portland, huh? Ever heard of Gerry Lopez?

Me: Yeah. Of course. I've seen him out surfing in Pacific City.

Dude: Ever heard of Reno Abellira?

Me: Yeah. He's a legend.

Dude: (something inaudible)

Me: Sorry?

Dude: I said—YOU'RE TALKING TO HIM, dude.

Me: Really? That's cool! Sorry, I didn't recognize you.

(Long pause. Hard stare. Sizing me up.)

Reno: Anyway. I'm pretty excited to check out this fin. I designed it and now I finally am getting a chance to give it a try. It's my fin and the guys at the company finally gave me one.

I looked down at the fin. It was a 6-inch True Ames fin. It said "BONZER" on it.

Me: That's cool. It's a Bonzer, huh?

(Long, incredulous stare.)

Me: ...The fin, not the board...

Reno: Dude. I SAID this is my fin.

Me: That's cool.

Reno: Dude. If you say "that's cool" one more time...

Me: Okay. Well. I better get going.

Reno: What's your name?

Me: Rick Albano.

Reno: Italian, huh? Is that why you're wearing Persols?

Me: Um ... I guess?

Reno: If you give me your glasses I'll forgive you.

Me: Uh. That's cool... I mean, that's pretty funny. I'm going to take off. Have a great session.

Reno: Alright.

We shook hands and he walked off toward a right that had been peeling at Middles as we'd been talking. It was really weird. He had be grilling me, that's obvious, but in a strangely friendly way. I wish I could have stayed around to watch him surf, but I had to go to work. More on that later...

For a great recent Reno intervista, check out the Hydrodynamica Blog... (Thanks, Kirk.)

The Hard Body Blues

2010-04-10T14:59:00.001-07:00

Fish by Mabile
Wetsuit by Axxe
Log by Junod
Shorts by Birdwell
Body by Bowflex®

Wow. The New York Times seems to be in love with surfing lately. This story just takes things a bit too close to the Meat Packing District.

Saucecrotch.

2010-04-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

What's up with MGMT and surfing?

2010-03-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago I posted a link to the MGMT video for "Time to Pretend," which featured the lead singer surfing on green screen ala Frankie Avalon (with decent drop-knee style). I think we can all agree that was a pretty great album. Now that the newest release by these debauched Brooklynites has officially leaked, like a surfboard with an unknown gash in the glass, it raises the proverbial eyebrows again to see all kinds of surf imagery in the mix. The album cover has a crazy Sonic-the-Hedgehog-like fox, throwing double shakas under the curl of a menacing wave shaped like his own head. Trippy.

In a recent interview with Spin, MGMT member Andrew Vanwyngarden talked story about the new album: “There’s a surfing thread throughout the record,” he said. “When you’re surfing, there’s a specific break you’re paddling to. And when the waves are really good you say, ‘It’s working.’ The song ["It's Working"] kind of has a surf-y vibe. It’s like surfing on ecstasy!”

Surfing on ecstasy? Seems like a lot of bands are taking to the wild waves with their influences lately. I've asked this before, but is this a coincidence? Are we headed to an era of Gidget-esque surf worship similar to the '60s? Are we already in the middle of it? Does it even matter?

As I write this, the album is playing in the background and it's totally tubular.

Check it for yourself. You can stream the whole new MGMT album, Congratulations, at NPR.org's First Listen.

2010-03-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

TO DO A DULL THING WITH STYLE IS PREFERABLE TO DOING A DANGEROUS THING WITHOUT IT. —CHARLES BUKOWSKI

PAPER WAITS... AND WAITS... AND WAITS...

2010-03-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

Please read me.

Is it safe?

2010-03-12T10:07:00.000-08:00

Sometimes getting out the door for a run is a bit like pulling my own teeth. It's painful and without music, there's no way I'd be able to do it. In my other life, I actually write about this subject. It's a good gig because it actually forces me to run 3 times a week, keeping my cardio up for those precious times I get to surf. As a byproduct, I've also started to pay more attention to music and its power to inspire. For me, a solid 160-200 BPMs is critical for getting me on pace. I actually nerd out on a beat-counting application for my phone to determine which songs have the right cadence for my stride.

This is the playlist I currently run to.

What Would Wolves Do? _ Les Savy Fav
Madder Red _ Yeasayer
Two Weeks _ Grizzly Bear
Just One Second (Apex Remix) _ London Electricity
Gold Guns Girls _ Metric
The New Wu _ Raekwon
Fools _ The Dodos
Let's Go Surfing _ The Drums
Follow the Light _ Sub Focus
Cousins _ Vampire Weekend
Fancy Claps _ Wolf Parade
Cheerleadeer (Neon Indian Studio 6669 Remix) _ Grizzly Bear

Hear it all right here:

See the inspiration here:

Multiple Bonzer Sighting in Oregon

2010-03-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

As seen on Craigslist...

7'7 x 20 3/4 x 3, Pintail, Bonzer 5, Contemporary semi-gun
7'7 x 20 5/8 x 2 3/4, Pintail, Bonzer 3, Retro semi-gun

$450 ea.

503.739.1207
503.717.1110

Looks like there are some swells worthy of these boards on the horizon, so act fast!

BNW

2010-03-04T11:07:00.001-08:00

You are the color.

Searching for Evan Dando

2010-03-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

The first time I heard Evan Dando was when I was in middle school. I was visiting my grandparents in San Luis Obispo, where I would spend whole afternoons tape recording radio shows off KCPR. The song that struck me was a track from the album Creator called “Your Home is Where You’re Happy,” written by Charles Manson. I promptly took some of my paper route money to Boo Boo Records and bought the full-length cassette. The album, which was more Boston punk than acoustic ballad, became the soundtrack to my transition into high school.

When I went away to university, the Lemonheads had transformed themselves into a post punk phenomenon, recording the college radio classic, It’s a Shame About Ray, featuring guest vocals by Juliana Hatfield and a video starring a brooding Johnny Depp. The track that ended up getting the most airtime was a cover of “Mrs. Robinson,” which was no doubt the weakest song on the release. The standout for me was the sparse, desperate “Drug Buddy.” From there, Dando became an indie rock sex symbol, appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone shirtless and picking up a crack cocaine habit that would plague him for several years.

During that era, I drove up from Eugene, Oregon to watch the Lemonheads open for Hole at La Luna (as a side note, it seemed like Dando was pretty chummy with Courtney Love, which was pretty disappointing). But what stood out for me as a fan was Dando’s ability to craft a pop song and strip it down to its essentials. Vocals echoing from his chest and power chords that translated perfectly to an acoustic encore.

Flash forward 15 years to last night, when I heard Evan Dando was playing at a little Porltand venue called Doug Fir. On my way out the door of a meeting earlier, I mentioned to a 30-year-old girl if she had ever heard of Evan Dando. No. How about the Lemonheads? Blank stare.

The show was nearly empty. Maybe 20 people standing near the stage. But the sound was the same as ever. Straightforward. Clean. Honest. Resonant. Nostalgic. Good.

The movie projected behind him (see video above) was shot from the front seat of a car, first going through a car wash, then driving up I-5 through Oregon. During the set, which was filled with songs that triggered some pretty intense memories for me, the car actually drove by the exit to my hometown at dusk, then Eugene with rain hitting the windshield, then into Portland at night. Finally, as the show ended, the car exited the freeway and drove up Burnside, slowing down in front of the venue where we were standing at that moment.

NSFW

2010-02-22T21:53:00.000-08:00

These pics aren't safe for work because looking at them makes you want to quit your job and devote your life to getting tubed.

Venice Pier Bungee Jumper

2010-02-18T12:57:00.001-08:00

What happens when you attach your leash while sitting on the edge of the Venice pier and don't happen to notice it getting wrapped around the railing before taking the plunge?

Find out in the complete sequence at The Blue Shack.

I don't know what's worse: the pain, the embarrassment, or the fact that this dude is wearing a hood in 70-degree SoCal weather. And not just paddling straight out.

Thanks, Adrian!

VALENTINES NITE

2010-02-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

Stoke yourself this Wednesday (that's tomorrow).

Sometimes

2010-02-14T14:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes
Against better judgment
You gotta make it happen.

Sometimes
Your pocket book says no
But your instincts scream yes.

Sometimes
You have to make sacrifices
In order to create unforgettable memories.

Because sometimes doesn't happen all the time.

Other Day Spray

2010-02-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

From the Cannon Beach Surf Blog.

GREAT

2010-02-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

Eight @ twelve
Felt like twelve @ eight.
Whatever it was,
It sure felt great.

Coffee Review: Buttons' Brew

2010-02-05T16:47:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine brought back a half-pound of da kine from Oahu over the holidays. Seven teaspoons in the flat-bottom filter to four cups of water provides a nutty little cup with a slightly acidic finish. I've grabbed coffee souvenirs from most surf spots I've visited (Nica, El Sal, Mex) and I have to say that this is the best of the bunch. I give it two shakas and a peace-sign up.

Pictures of People I Don't Know

2010-02-04T10:52:00.001-08:00

Todd

Swim to reach the end.

2010-01-27T09:42:00.000-08:00

Astro Coast - Surfer Blood
As much as you want to hate on it because of the whole "hipsterizing of surf culture" BS, you just can't—because it's actually good.

Yakety-yak.

2010-01-24T20:14:00.000-08:00

It was a great first day back.
A couple guys got the shack.
The lefts made my lips go smack.
And as you can see, the rights didn't lack.
But it was a full-on walrus attack.
And those old dudes weren't afraid to hack.
And my wetsuit's zipper breaking was wack.
Ack.

Half of me's the gasoline, but the other half’s the surf.

2010-01-24T20:06:00.000-08:00

Holiday - Vampire Weekend
I'm guilty of drinking the kool-aid on this one. Great album. Great lyric. Listen to it above.

Dear Surf,

2010-01-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

I still love you.
More than ever, actually.
I've just been so busy.
Which is a good thing I guess.
And thanks for putting out a little last week,
Despite my lack of visits recently.

I hardly ever write.
I never send flowers.

But I'll make it up to you come Valentine's Day.
Promise.

DECK THE WALLS

2009-12-23T12:42:00.000-08:00

...with logs and hullies. falalalalalala.

"You can't shred on a hull."

2009-12-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

And they're next to impossible to get tubed on as well, not to mention ride backside...

(Do yourself a favor and mute the youtube player, then add your own soundtrack.)

ALL THAT WE CAN (NOT) SEE

2009-12-14T16:55:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER ROADSIDE ATTRACTON

2009-12-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

Friday was cold. Air temps were in the teens when I woke up and packed my boards on top of Rye's veg-mobile. On the drive out, there was some ice on the roads so we took it easy. That may have been why I had a better chance to look a little closer at the landscape I normally would just blow by, blinded by stokey anticipation. Down a ravine on the right side of the road was a blue sheet-metal barn and through the trees the morning sun hit it, illuminating an old surfboard. I told Rye and he slammed on the breaks (carefully) and u-turned back to see if we could get a closer look.

Down a dirt driveway there were a couple of these blue sheds and three trailers that had tarps and other add-ons. Not many windows. There was ice covering everything. Three dogs ran up to the car and we wondered if maybe we shouldn't be down on somebody's property this early in the AM. Then an old woman walked out of one of the trailers with a cigarette hanging from her lips. We asked if we could take a picture of the surfboard and she said ask her daughter-in-law in the other trailer. We walked to the other trailer, which, with all it's windows covered with blue plastic, looked more like two big shoeboxes attached together perpendicularly. Knocked softly.

Before you read any further. This is not a farmer's daughter story. There is no cow milking machine or buttered popcorn coming. No. The young woman answered the door. Peered at us suspiciously from beneath some huge elk antlers. Then she just motioned back to the other trailer and said, "If she says it's alright then it's alright."

No. Her husband's board, which had massive rotten holes in the sides and crusty ivy hanging off the back where it leaned against the wall, wasn't for sale.

Not that exciting of a story, really. And no, I can't refund the last 50 seconds you lost reading it. When we got to the spot, though, the waves looked pretty good. Not as good as the last session where the winds groomed the lines perfectly, but not too shabby either. Mostly rights. I took out my newly-repaired Andreini, but probably should have stuck with something a little more suited to shifty beach break. But I still caught a few and coaxed it into a few bumpy rights. Did I mention it was cold? There was ice on the beach when we arrived and the water was somewhere around 44 degrees.

GOTTAGOTOKNOW

2009-12-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

So many factors that might make you opt to pull the covers back over your head and surf some other time: sub-zero temps, icy roads, 29 mph offshores, bouys giving wacky information (due to those offshores). But that old saying eggs you on. Gotta go to know.

Glad I did.

SMELLS LIKE ROSES.

2009-12-04T08:59:00.001-08:00

Donald going for the layback barrel, Greenough style.
See you in Pasadena.

Good news for people who like bad news.

2009-12-02T23:56:00.000-08:00

In the meantime, the 5 other spots within spitting distance of the Point are working.

KEVIN LYONS

2009-12-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

See more here.

Bad breath too...

2009-11-30T21:27:00.001-08:00

I think I prefer the kind of sharks with 5 rows of razor-sharp teeth to these freaks of nature. If I got attacked by one I'd make sure to have some floss on hand and maybe a tongue scraper to tame the gnarly halitosis.

Thanks, Rye.

Webcam Love

2009-11-26T19:52:00.001-08:00

If you were there yesterday, you're probably pretty thankful. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

I WON THE PISSING CONTEST

2009-11-25T13:07:00.001-08:00

Drawing I made a while ago. As relevant to surfing, I guess, as any other activity that a bunch of guys are involved in.

P.S. I've never run into the pissing contest mentality with girls. At least not in surfing.

What guys who don't surf much do in their spare time. Besides blogging.

2009-11-20T17:03:00.000-08:00

For those who don't know, there's a colossal circle jerk online called the Oregon Surf Pages (mentioned in this video) where a bunch of doods sit around bragging about how "sick" the surf was yesterday and dissing anything that isn't wrapped in buffalo check flannel and Carharts. Rumor has it that a couple of the wannabe bro-brahs that hang there actually do other kinds of surfing than the internet variety.

But even the Pacific Gyre has a gem floating in it once in a while. Someone told me about this video and I had to actually brave the high fecal chloroform levels there to check it. I'm glad I did.

By the way, ~~I think the bespectacled guy in this video might be partially based on yours truly~~. I love Mollusk and all kinds of impractical equipment... but I don't wear horn rims.

Gigantic

2009-11-18T10:47:00.000-08:00

El Niño, el shmiño...

TRIM MACHINES

2009-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

...AND THE DAMAGE DONE.

Thanks to Marc Andreini, trimming's now constantly on my brain too. Let's just hope he gets better real soon from his recent injury so he can make enough boards for everyone to experience some quality trim.

LOOK INTO MY THIRD EYE...

2009-11-09T13:16:00.001-08:00

...and your brown eye will pucker up. The mysto slab known as The Yeti was firing while the contest at Oregon's other big wave was underway a couple weeks ago. I shudder to think what this sucker was doing yesterday.

Pics of people actually surfing it at the Wend Blog.

The Loneliest Little Wave

2009-11-05T12:58:00.001-08:00

Please wait for me little wave.
Blink and you're gone.

Monday Monday

2009-11-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

How do I describe my first day on the Vaqueros de las Olas? Do I start with the first wave I paddled into, where I belly-flopped when the board tilted unpredictably as I tried to pop up? Nah.

Let's start with the next wave, where I made the drop, banked off the bottom and hooked into the high line of a screaming left. I was so intensely focused on the feeling that I saw little more than the lip feathering above my head and the nose of the board sailing along the steep face. I couldn't even really figure out how long the wave was when I turned to paddle back out. It seemed like a long way. When I got back out a kneeboarder paddled over to me and said he had an amazing view of my wave, and had the lip thrown more I would have been barreled. Then he just said, "You were goin' so fast!"

My next wave was even better.

I can only describe the ride of the Andreini as surfing with the wave versus against it. The paddle-in was a little slower than I imagined a 7' board would be, but once it got up to speed, the thing just glided. I felt like I was coaxing the board to go where I wanted, rather than forcing it around the face of the wave. At the risk of sounding new-agey, it was a zen-like experience, following the fall line of the wave and letting the board do the work. Something tells me this board would just naturally go as fast as the wave goes. Slow peeler? Cadillac. Racetrack? Lamborghini. On the flipside, if you tried to do anything drastic, like crank a hard bottom turn or cutback from the tail, you'd fall. At least I would, anyway.

Those first couple good waves weren't a fluke. With each left I caught, I got more comfortable, taking off deeper and crouching lower in the pocket. My final ride was the best: Drop in, turn with my hand dragging in the face, rise up to the pocket where the wave was almost vertical, crouch super low and just hold that stance. I seriously didn't have to move at all for probably 100 yards. When the wave would flatten, I'd assess my situation and see a section way ahead and just park myself in the groove as the wave stood up again. It was crazy. Mind boggling, really.

And I hear those full-rail cutbacks are even more intense.

This cowboy can't wait to ride again.

Howdy Pardner

2009-10-26T19:53:00.001-07:00

Ever since I rode my first hull waaaaay back in the oh-seven, I've been intrigued by those voluptuous, organically-shaped little (liddle) vixens. The brahman who lent me his personal 7' Liddle then — the inimitable Festus Porkmeyer — laid a compliment on me when he saw me riding his in Crescent City. He said I was "made for" one of those boards. I think he was referring to the fact that I'm hopeless when it comes to riding a surfboard off the tail, but anyway... My interest was further piqued when Manny Caro said my next board should be an Andreini after I ordered my last custom from him.

Then, last summer, I met a American fireman in El Salvador who was sliding his blue 8'0 Andreini across some pretty challenging point waves and we started to talk about his quiver as we waited between sets. When he mentioned that he had one in particular that was too small for him — I pounced. Three months later and here it is: My new 7'0 Vaquero de las Olas. Made from EPS with an opaque cream resin tint, it's super light weight and in amazing condition. Dig the old OWL logo in the first pic!

I only wish I had it for the two amazing days I got earlier this month. At least now I know exactly where to take it when the conditions come together again.

Special thanks to Hank for the bro-bro-bro deal and Jeremy and Giles for bringing it home to papa.

The Myth of Sissyfish

2009-10-22T16:32:00.001-07:00

This brings me back to my first blog post ever.
Available at Nationale in Portland, Orygun.

TERRIFIC TUESDAY

2009-10-20T20:36:00.001-07:00

Today was terrific. Big sets, glassy water, sunshine, and — oh yeah — a boozy-smelling old dood in the parking lot insisted on giving me a cannabis bud. Who says the locals aren't friendly?

The dood in the second picture looks like he's calling his bro for directions: "Hey Steve, where'd you say that right was again?"

Dear Diary...

2009-10-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is the first entry in my sketchbook/journal from El Salvador. I was scribbling down notes for a forthcoming Wend Magazine piece. Stay tuned.

HAPPY MONDAYS

2009-10-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

I'm so sore today.

Conversation with a Drifter

2009-10-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Joe Conway, North American editor of Drift Magazine, drifted into Portland from Portland, Maine a couple days ago and we had the chance to drink some porters talk about surfing, writing and art, then actually go surfing Wednesday. As has been my fate lately, the surf at PC started out pretty junky and improved just as we had to hightail it home.

Joe wasn't too disappointed. Having lived in Portland (Oregon) from 1998-2006, he knew the drill. The valley curse is to surf when we get the window — not necessarily when the conditions are most favorable. We ended up switching off on the White Pony though and I think I made some breakthroughs...

The drive out and back in my stereo-less car gave us ample time to chat. It was pretty damn inspiring to talk to somebody who's pouring his energy into a passion, especially this salty one we're all so obsessed with. The guys at Drift are making it happen on little more than stoke and elbow grease. Here are a few of the subjects our conversation drifted to on the trip:

Stumptown Coffee (7:30 am)
Ken's Artisan Bakery (7:32 am)
Grain Surfboards (7:40 am)
Corduroy Art Gallery (8:14 am)
Korduroy TV (8:20 am)
Nat Russell (8:31 am)
Kyle Field (8:35 am)
Alberto Cuadros (8:40 am)
Mollusk (8:43 am)
Josh Hall (8:45 am)
Dear & Yonder (8:50 am)
Yasmina Dedijer-Small (9:02 am)
Mandala (9:04 am)
Santos Surf Art (9:08 am)
Mattson 2 (9:11 am)
Eric Mast (9:15 am)
Audio Dregs (9:15 am)

SURF BREAK!

Barry McGee (1:03 pm)
Margaret Kilgallen (1:10 pm)
Agnes B (1:17 pm)
Mission Burritos (1:21 pm)
Ty Williams (1:25 pm)
Ryan Tatar (1:27 pm)
Vice (1:35 pm)
The New Yorker (1:36 pm)
Salon (1:37 pm)
New York Surf Film Festival (1:39 pm)
Ed Fladung (1:44 pm)
Geoff McFetridge (1:50 pm)
Michael Leon (1:57 pm)
Fecal Face (1:59 pm)
Nike (2:07 pm)
Target (2:21 pm)
Red Bull (2:23 pm)
Hurricane Bill (2:24 pm)
Nau (2:30 pm)
Skinny Jeans (2:35 pm)
Black Diamond (2:37 pm)
Patagonia (2:46 pm)
Malloy Brothers (2:52 pm)
Malloy/G. Love Coke Commercial (2:57 pm)
180º South (3:01 pm)
Jeff Canham (3:02 pm)
University of Oregon Art School (3:04 pm)
Argyle Pinot Noir (3:10 pm)

Portland to Portland, sea to sea, artist to athlete, writer to designer, baker to shaper to clothesmaker. We're all pretty interrelated, when you look a little deeper at things. Catch my drift?

Subscribe to the free Drift newsletter HERE.

Big Wave Rider

2009-10-08T09:54:00.001-07:00

There is some hot action within. Download this track by Olympia's Rainbow Bridge here.

Surprisingly Funtastic

2009-10-05T10:42:00.001-07:00

The waves just never really cleaned up over the weekend, but yesterday we caught an hour-long window where the wind shifted offshore and the bumps transformed into hollow, waist high peelers when they hit the inside bars. The air temp was freezing, but the quantity of little wedges we paddled into kept us nice and warm in the water. For a couple hours anyway...

SWIFT MOVEMENT...

2009-10-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

...of a different kind. Mural for Swift Collective completed yesterday based on the amazing Vaux Swifts of Chapman Elementarty School here in Portland, Oregon.

My iPhone didn't do the greatest job picking up these little guys as they swooped into the chimney, but I liked the way Horse Feathers' music sounded with it. You can see a better video of the phenomenon here.

Gringo Mask, El Salvador 2009

2009-09-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

A drawing I did in Las Flores between sessions. Stranger in a strange and wonderful land.

DOUBLE DOWN

2009-09-28T10:47:00.001-07:00

Always a good sign when I have two wetsuits hanging on the rail. It means I got two sessions in two days. It's a nice luxury to have two suits, but I have to say that the old O'Neill is losing it's appeal. After wearing a front-zip suit regularly, the back-zip seems totally obsolete. It leaked so much on my first couple duck dives that I had to stop and make sure I'd actually zipped the thing up all the way.

Despite the dropping water temps, it was a fantastic weekend at the beach: Bluebird skies (yesterday), a nice pulse, family time, hot tub and cold Stellas, a big Ducks win, and a growing optimism for a great autumn. Hope you got some too.

9.5 Minutes Well Spent

2009-09-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

This is the loop that John Smart recently showed at Tyler Warren's opening at Surf Indian. I must confess I slept on it until today. The Tyler Warren Experiments looks like it's going to be a great movie with some great surfing, some great music, some great art and some great surfboards. There's even a White Pony in the trailer. Great!

Single-Wave Session

2009-09-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning was pretty sloppy. Seemed like the ocean was having a hard time simmering down. After scouring the North Coast we settled on the above spot, where we battled a Sisyphean paddle-out only to have to do it all over again when we'd misjudge the line-up and get caught inside. After a couple hours, I finally scratched into a hefty left, at a moment when I was ready to give up, and rode it all the way to the sand. Done and done. Yes it was worth it, and no I wasn't on the Pony.

Backyard Beauty

2009-09-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

Staying with this week's surfboard theme, engineer, Kiwi transplant, and witness to my largest wave ever, Mark "Hendo" Henderson completed his wooden fish last month and it's an absolute work of art. But you won't find this hanging on a wall unless it's green and glassy. He's gotten it out into some decent waves and is happy with the results.

I highly recommend visiting his blog for more photos and info. His little "shaping shack" looks more like the control room of the Starship Enterprise. The logo is pretty damn awesome too. Watch out Mr. Hess!

"Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" at Lifeswells

2009-09-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

I love the title of the classic surf film "The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun." Those words just pop into my head sometimes when I'm surfing and get stuck there. I've never even seen the movie. All that will change tonight when Lifeswells will be projecting George Greenough's masterpiece, along with Andrew Kidman's new flick "Last Hope."

And there will be some twangy tunes as always, courtesy of DJ Zach Reno. Grab a few cold ones and enjoy one of the last few warm evenings of summer with some good people who love surfing almost as much as you do.

I think it starts around 8pm...

4'11" X 22 1/2" X 2 5/8"

2009-09-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

Hey, here's my new board from Larry Mabile. It came in a couple weeks ago and let me tell you — there's nothing more frustrating than having a brand new surfboard that you can't get out and ride. My work situation has been double overhead since I got back from El Salvador. I gotta ride it out.

Anyway, I'd been hearing so many great things about these little Simfish that I pulled the trigger during one of the summer's agonizing flat spells. Larmo sold me on the "White Pony" when he assured me about the versatility of this shape. An email from the man himself:

"The best thing about the White Pony is you can ride it reaaaallly small. The board is very wide and full which allows it to paddle very well in the smaller sizes. I put a small swallow tail (about 4 inches) on it to make it turn better. I also have been putting a lot of effort into redesigning the fins, as the standard half-moon shaped fins which come on many Simmons-style boards, don't have enough drive. I have also added more curve in the outline, as well as belly towards the nose, making a very fun ride which works in punchy beach breaks as well as funky slop........."

Very small. Larry convinced me that these are the right dims for me: 4'11" X 22 1/2" X 2 5/8"

I got the board a couple weeks ago and took it to Shorties. The waves were a little sloppy, but with more punch than I'd seen in Oregon for awhile. It took me a little while to get used to it, but my first ride was pretty amazing. It rides almost exactly like I'd imagined. Paddles into waves really easy and then just squirts down the line once you stand up. I was flying around broken sections on it and just hauling ass, really. It feels almost disc-like under the feet. I'm definitely stoked on it. Skatey is a perfect description.

One of the things that I can tell will take some getting used to (besides not being able to carry it under my arm at it's wide point) is the shortness causing me to pop up with my back foot off the tail. That happened a couple times during the session, which had me doing the "water-splits" as I blew the drop-in on some decent waves. More than anything, I'm just hoping to get out again on it before the conditions dictate more predictable equipment. Fall's around the corner...

Oh yeah. Larry got the board to Seaside Surfshop quick. I think it took less than a month from when I ordered it. Thanks, guys!

Counter Point (Punta Roca, Pt. 2)

2009-09-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, on our last day of the El Salvador trip we weren't so lucky. Our luck, in this case, had less to do with bodily harm or broken boards than the plain fact that we couldn't get waves. The swell we'd been watching for weeks had finally moved in — and so did every local Salvadorian shredder, as well as a group of traveling American pros we'd been trying to avoid all week. They happened to be traveling through the same tour outfit as ours, but our guides were doing their best to keep us out of each others' way. We'd been assured that the pros were going to surf somewhere else Saturday morning, but the gravitational pull of Punta Roca proved too strong and they paddled out at the point minutes after us under the watchful eyes of their photographer's and videographer's telephoto lenses.

With the six professionals and the 30+ locals and other traveling surfers in the lineup (Saturday draws surfers from around the country), the scene was pretty hectic. The "rules" we'd learned from our guide didn't seem to apply anymore, with the American pros sitting deeper than anyone and taking off on anything. I remember set waves coming through with three guys dropping in, their white wakes trailing like jetstreams behind, threatening to cross as they streaked back up the face and under the lip.

The chief local — the dude in the top picture above — wasn't having it at first. He blatantly dropped in on guys one after another, picking them off like an assassin, forcing them to straighten out and bail with their tiny boards flicked out ahead to keep them away from the maelstrom. But the pros got their waves, as did the locals, who made up for any lack of acrobatic trickery with flowing power turns and critical drops that exhibited years of experience at Punta Roca.

And there were barrels to be had. Plenty. I saw one wave were the same local pictured stood straight up inside the gut of a bomb and dragged his fingers along the roof, smiling and hooting the whole way. To be sitting in such close proximity to these massive, perfectly shaped waves – sometimes just catchting a glimpse over the ledge at a rider speeding under a thick lip — was a rare treat. It was a ringside seat at a world-class sporting event. But I couldn't help but dream about breaks in El Salvador's East, where the waves may have been less perfect, but where it was just me and my two friends alone on an exotic coast.

In the end, we just paddled in after a couple hours, back down along the point to where it turns into a second break called La Paz. Our motel overlooked this break and for the previous four days and it was always mushy — a great option for longboarders, but we had no incentive to try it. This day though, the increase in swell gave it some size and punch. Waves would wrap from the outside rocks (the end of Punta Roca) all the way into the bay to the sand. We rode as many of these shoulder-high peelers as our arms would allow, before the 200 yard paddle became too much. Then we exited on the black sand, negociated the cobblestones, climbed the stairs, and walked back through the village to our motel where we packed our bags for home.

Above: My last wave of the trip, trying to make it all the way to the pier at La Paz. Special thanks to our guide (and friend) Joaquin Aragon for shooting the awesome photos above (and many more of us that won't make his portfolio).

Intermission...

2009-08-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last night as I was watching this amazing little Horse Feathers show at the Together Gallery in Portland this fact struck my like a ton of bricks: On any given night in this city — or in this world for that matter — some really amazing artists are creating beautiful art. It could be only in front of twenty or thirty people, or it could be in a stadium, or it could be in some kid's basement. It was truly inspiring.

Now let's get back to some surf stories.

Counter Point (Punta Roca, Pt. 1)

2009-08-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Punta Roca is a right-hand point break that can deliver long, spoke-like bombs that explode over a shoreline of cobblestones and jagged lava rocks. Along the 400-yard walk to the point, you pass a wall sprayed with local graffiti (behind which lies an ominous graveyard) and tiptoe through debris scattered among the wobbly stones. When you finally reach the jumpoff spot, you get a court-side view of the wave, which at times seems to be breaking right on the boulders. On a good day, the sight of the swells lining up and falling like dominoes — precisely spaced with razor-sharp edges — is nothing short of "perfecto."

Perfecto. That's what our guide Joaquin called it over the last couple days of our El Salvador trip, when the long-awaited swell finally started filling in. The first time we surfed it was Friday morning. The photo on top is my first wave, on a board I'd never ridden, after having just been thrown backwards across the rocks on my shaky entry. The sun hadn't even risen yet. It was 6am.

The reason we were out so early was because when this place works, it gets crowded fast. As you can imagine, the local surfers and bodyboarders aren't so fond of alien invasions, as is the case with any other world-class wave. Joaquin briefed us the night before, drawing a map on his hand: "The main peak is here," he said, pointing to a spot near his fingertip, "but we'll be sitting here." He tapped a spot closer to his palm. "Anyway, if you sit out there and you don't know this wave at low tide, you won't make the section and you WILL end up on the rocks."

So we followed his directions carefully the next day: how to time the entry (kind of), where to be, where not to be. For the first hour, we were among only 5 other surfers and our trio got quite a few waves. It was only a matter of time before the number of surfers doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled. And the locals did what locals do anywhere: they paddled around the new faces and got any waves they wanted. And we behaved ourselves, sat where we were told, and got some wide-swinging rights that felt as if there were 10,000 horses sprinting shoulder-to-shoulder behind the 8-foot green faces.

One of our boards was snapped like a toothpick, but we all paddled in three hours later with good rides under our belts and smiles on our faces. The next day we weren't so lucky.

GREETINGS FROM EL SALVADOR

2009-08-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

We´ve been in Las Flores and La Libertad for the past six days. Lots of fun right point breaks everywhere. Big swell is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Much more to come...

WISH YOU WERE HERE...
(But maybe not in the lineup)

Borrowed from Steve McQueen

2009-08-11T15:21:00.000-07:00

Warm Water, Cold Blood

2009-08-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful weekend at the beach, with higher sea temperatures making thick wetsuits, booties and gloves unnecessary. Saturday night I surfed waist-high lefts at low tide until I was the last person out and I couldn't see the waves anymore. It was nice to surf barefoot and wiggle my piggies freely under the water again.

Of course, it seems like the warm currents might have a few drawbacks. Biologists are blaming Sunday's shark sightings at Seaside, OR on those toasty temps, which bring more marine life close to shore. Come to think of it, I wasn't the only one out at 9pm — There was a sea lion messing around on the next peak over. The video above is from Depoe Bay, OR Sunday, where a great white was entangled in a crab pot line 80 miles south of Seaside. Sharks here, sharks there, sharks everywhere. Will somebody tell them that Shark Week ended last week?

Woman: Je T'aime, Wave: Mois Non Plus

2009-08-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

Size: 11" X 15"
Medium: Crayons, Water, Graphite, No. 2 Pencil
Price: $300 or trade for 6' Bonzer Egg

Translation of "Je T'aime, Mois Non Plus"
I love you, I love you, Oh yes I love you
Nor do I
Oh my love
Like the wave, irresolute
I go, I go and I come, Inside you my love
I go and I come, Inside you my love
And then I hold on...

I love you, I love you, Oh Yes I love you
Nor do I
You are the wave, And I the naked island
You go, you go and you come, inside me me love
you go and you come inside me my love
and then we are one...

I love you, I love you, Oh yes I love you
Nor do I
Oh my love
Like the wave, irresolute
I go, i go and I come, Inside you my love
I go and I come, Inside you my love
And then I hold on...

I love, I love you my love, Inside me my love
I love you my love, Deep inside me my love
And then we are one...

I love you, I love you, Oh yes I love
Nor do I
Oh my love
Physical love is a dead end
I go, I go and I come, Inside you my love
I go and I come
And I hold on...

No. Now ... Come.
— Serge Gainsbourg/Jane Birkin, 1968

My framed drawing on paper, along with the others pictured below (except for the Nat Russsel, which is now mine) are available for purchase at the Vancouver, BC stop of the Dear & Yonder movie tour August 6. If you're interested, talk to Andrea at the show, or contact me directly on this blog. A percentage of the profits go to financing the movie.

Dear & Yonder Movie, Music, Art and Tacos

2009-07-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight! I'm really stoked to have my artwork included in a couple stops on the Dear & Yonder surf movie tour. Mine's the one on the left side of the flyer above (Nat Russell is on the right). The show takes place at Holocene, where good people will be chowing street tacos, checking out a great surf film, drinking cold beverages, and listening to the sweet sounds of Tara Jane O'neil. Rumor has it that Kassia Meador will be here to give away some stuff. Thanks to Alberto and Jeremy for making it happen and asking me to be involved.

The Details:

Tuesday August 4th

Holocene

1001 SE Morrison St.

Portland, OR 97214

Doors at 7pm

$10.00

21+

And another great poster by Alberto Cuadros...

And the official flyer (where my name is parked in the tube):

South Swell Meet Up

2009-07-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

The south swell traveled such a long way to finally arrive in Oregon, I thought it was only fair to meet it a little closer to the source. So early Saturday morning we drove Rye's vegetarian sedan down to Newport (OR), leaving the succulent smell of vintage French fries and tempura in our wake.

It was foggy when we hit the shore, but from what we could see through the pea soup, the waves looked pretty enticing. Every 20 minutes or so, a big set would march in and form powerful peaks, as if the south was combining with the predominant NW swell. We paddled out and it was really much bigger than we thought in the water. I was glad to be riding my 6'6 and I think Rye was happy to have pulled his 6'10 CI single fin out of hiatus. He got some bombs. It was really cold, which made waiting 20 minutes between sets a little harder, but when you'd spin for a big one, drop in late and slingshot off the bottom into pocket where the light north wind was opening up the faces, it was all worth while.

I couldn't get any pictures of the spot we surfed — it was just a little too foggy — but I snapped this one as we drove up the coast and back toward a different kind of wave: a heat wave that continues to swelter the city.

LET'S HAVE SOME FUN

2009-07-22T22:22:00.000-07:00

This coming Saturday, July 25 @ 7pm
Miami Specialists Front Room Gallery
(2324 SE Belmont @ 23rd, Portland,Or)

Good Movies:
Beach Blanket Burnout (PDX Premier)
Tubular Swells
Blood Surf

Good Times:
Bring your own brews and meat and something to cook on the BBQ too.

VINTAGE MINI PLANK

2009-07-21T09:51:00.001-07:00

Just spotted this amazing wooden surfboard at Astoria's Green Room gallery. It's 3'11" tall and circa 1950. You can buy it HERE for $550...

Cold Bites

2009-07-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

After almost a month without surf, the ocean finally showed a faint pulse. It was unorganized, warbly, shifty and colder than a coal miner's crack, but if you feed a starving man a grain of rice, he'll swear it tastes just like caviar.

Thanks to OS for the picture.

Sketchy

2009-07-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

This one's called Pulse. I'm not sure if it's really done yet.

Who's that gay surfer?

2009-07-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

Is that who I think it is?

High School Surf Art

2009-07-08T21:36:00.001-07:00

I've been hanging out in my hometown of Ashland, Oregon for the past week, celebrating the 4th and chilling with my family. It's been a great time. Tonight I uncovered some artwork from my freshman year in high school. As you can probably tell by who my heroes were — and the color of their wetsuits — this stuff's about 20 years old. Most everything I created that year were detailed reproductions of what I saw in surf mags. I studied each magazine meticulously and dreamed of the day when I could surf more often. I guess I haven't changed all that much.

MAJOR LAZER ROCKS THE MINI-SIMMONS

2009-07-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

The Silver Surfer's got nothin' on Major Lazer, who appears in this video riding a jet-powered Casper type stick. This track — the whole album, actually — has all the makings of my Summer 2009 soundtrack.

MATTSON FAMILY ART BENEFIT FRIDAY

2009-06-24T21:07:00.001-07:00

A few months ago I posted about this art show coming up to help the Mattson family with some heavy-duty medical bills. Well, the big night's finally here. I didn't really know who was going to be involved when Jair Bortoleto asked me to hook up with Jamie "Pinapple Luv" Watson to donate something, but because my family's been through similar circumstances, I really wanted to help out. Now I look at the list below and am totally blown away by all the cool people that gave a piece of their artwork to the cause.

Featured Artists:
Alberto Cuadros, Andrew Paynter, Andy Davis, Candace Anderson, Chivo, Ciro Bicudo, David Hanson, Droog79, Dustin Ortiz, Ed Fladung, Frank Cubillos, Heather Brown, Jair Bortoleto, Jamie Watson, Jay Watson, Jenny McGee Dougherty, Jessica Nichols, John Zane Zappas, Joseph Conway, Julie Goldstein, Justin Furniss, Kassia Meador, Katrine Hildebrandt, Kieron ‘Seamouse’ Lewis, Kim Nguyen, Kyle Lightner, Lindsay Preston, Liz Cockrum, Luke Taaffe, Maggie Marsek, Meegan Feori, Michael Singman-Aste, Peter Jackson Hussey, Peter McBride, Renata Morrone, Rick Albano, Ryan Tatar, Serena Mitnik-Miller, Scott Massey, Scott Szegeski, Ted ‘Clayfin’ Gallup, Theo Hetherington, Thomas Campbell, Tiffany Campbell, Todd Stewart, Troy Dockins, Ty Williams and Yusuke Hanai.

Mattson Family Art Benefit 
Friday, June 26 - one night only! 
Surfindian
4658 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach, California
858.412.5334

Music by the Mattson 2   with special guest Ray Barbee!

Silent Auction 7pm - 9pm 
Art to be "in hand" to winning bidder by 9:30pm  
100% of the proceeds will go to the Mattson family.
 $5 suggested donation at the door    

Surfindian is a constantly evolving art project and retail store focused on the art of surfing. Surfindian features surf-themed art, apparel, film, books, and jewelry, as well as fine hand-shaped surfboards, fins and other surfing accessories. Surfindian is located at 4658 Mission Boulevard, in the heart of Pacific Beach, California. The store phone number is 858.412.5334. For directions and other information, please visit www.surfindian.com, and follow the link to the blog.

Wanna see what I donated (and some more of my scribbles)?

R.A.D!

KOOKS GONE WILD

2009-06-22T19:39:00.001-07:00

Summertime is all about shredding some swells with your friends. Uh-oh. Looks like there's a big overhead set out back.