UNKNOWN PLEASURES

I missed the "epic" day Saturday and was stressed that Sunday would suck. Our setups in Oregon seem so fickle that if someone farts out of the south, things will get blown out for a week. Sure enough, despite heaps of good stoke karma being projected at our planned destination, the SW winds were flatulating when we arrived, making PC look like bumpy old road. Not to be deterred, Ebb, OS and yours flu-ly scoured the coastline until we found a wind shadow. I swear it was bigger than these pictures suggest, but our stealthy lensman snagged these snaps at the end of the day when the tide had changed, the swell had dropped, and the wind crept into our wee wave haven. Anyone who knows this spot knows how quickly it can change. Imagine it bigger and glassier and you'll have an inkling of our unknown pleasures.

Joy Division - Shadowplay

Shades of Nicaragua

Nicaragua is an amazingly colorful country. We took a lot of pictures between surf sessions. Dogs, crabs, pasture baseball games, kids fishing in their underwear. A trip to Granada during one of the lulls provided so much inspiration. The colonial city reminds me of how Havana must be: old open air markets on the streets, rusty bikes and old cars, Cuban cigars, and no matter how shanty the storefront, a layer of bright paint would provide a festive feeling that belies the country's current economic struggles. The rolling blackouts seemed to get longer in the days before we left. Thanks to my wife for the pics, who has an amazing eye, and to Tom of ptfotos.net for the unforgettable sunset on this page and the action photos from my previous posts.

More Like It

Attempting to surf huge winter swell (see last post) is like swinging two bats in the hole before going to the plate in baseball. When you finally step into the box on a day like yesterday, surfing summery waves seems all too easy.

It was a near-perfect day: gentle offshore breezes, consistent sets, long lefts, sunshine. I surfed with one other guy for most of my three-hour session, the owner of a surf shop in Seaside. I also ran into Foul Pete, who had already been out there several hours before I arrived.

It was a good day for a quad. As a matter of fact, I found myself wishing for a little more size as the tide quickly drained out of cove. So soon we forget the winter's wrath when given gentle gifts like these...

Now that's more like it.

Professor Murder - Mountain

Scenes from a Snowy Surf Weekend

It was an amazing weekend. White knuckle rides over icy roads. Bourbons and beer backs. Wining ourselves to sleep. Swell that tested sand bars. Long intervals and speedy walls. Moth-like snowflakes falling in the lineup. Clear turquoise water. Chilled Pinot Gris. Home cooked dinners and breakfasts. A last second victory by the Oregon Ducks over Arizona.

What more could we ask for?

How about a final session under clear skies at Oregon's most mystifying mysto spot? And a final wave, fifteen minutes before we had to leave, that was redemption for 15 thick lips to the head, 11 trips over the falls, 6 slams against the ocean floor, and 20 numb toes and fingers from 3 days in sub-zero air temps.

I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Jose Gonzales - Heartbeats