pointsurfbaja

2008-04-15T07:24:00.001-07:00

A man's best friends, his dog and his lady. These are some sweet photos of both of mine from one of our surf excursions down south.

Daniel Thompson Quad

2008-04-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is a board that came through Moonbase last year sometime. Everytime I see this photo I think about what I want my boards to be. Thanks for the inspiration.

To my Bro.

2008-04-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Hey Aaron,

Thanks for a great whirlwind trip down south. Someday we'll get the mirror image of the point so you can surf frontside and I backside for a change

Tickle My Face.? Please.?

2008-04-10T02:48:00.000-07:00

This little wave was so sweet I just couldn't say no. The Octafish is a wonderful board.

Knock off

2008-03-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

Everyone is always jumpin someone elses train. I saw this guy in line at Fryes and just had to have the pic. He said that make windows and other glass things.

My camera is broken again and I've been in Mex. I'll get back in the game now.

Cleaned up!

2008-01-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

Bummer! This board has no chance.

Why didn't this air last night?

2008-01-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

The networks must be afraid. But the internet is powerful. No need to be on the network when you can put it on the net.

2008-01-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

The above is for the below. Glassing soon. Report later.

This is tight.

2007-12-21T17:52:00.000-08:00

Live performance completely in sync!

Government needs to take the power back!

2007-12-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

"If the U.S. can issue a dollar bond it can issue a dollar bill."

Thomas Edison

2007-12-16T14:47:00.000-08:00

I love wedges!

Ron Paul Tea Party! Viva La Revolucion!

2007-11-23T11:00:00.001-08:00

Fun surf and demo/board sale

2007-11-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

I got a call last night off the ad on craigslist for my 5'7" that was for sale. We met up today at Tamarack. The surf was pretty small but the kid got out there and tried out the board and he liked it. I got this shot of him dropping in on the shorebreak. We had a blast and he went home stoked with a new board at a great price. I will miss it but I got a lot more to replace it. Now I can pay to glass the next one out at moonlight.

5'10" Quad Ready!

2007-11-21T18:57:00.000-08:00

New 5'10" performance quad just finished tonight. The swallowtail is a deep cut out that will give a substantial amount of flex in tight carves. This one is on craigslist. It has a 12 and 1/4 inch nose and a 14 and 1/4 inch tail. The width is 19 inches and it's 2 and 3/8 inches thick. This is a good size board for surfer for surfers between 5'6" and 6' tall and 140 to 170 lbs depending on skill level.

2007-11-18T05:15:00.000-08:00

They showed up with the basic outline already cut out of an unkinned blank. So we skinned it and retraced the template on the skinned blank and trued up the outline. Dylan made a few skinning passes with the planer. The blank was a Clark that Mitch had in storage so it was way cured and it had a pretty thick skin so it was pretty hard for Dylan to cut through it. He got a bit more of a work out with the shurform and sandpaper when I had him make some passes at the deck and bottom to true them up. From there I turned the rails and foiled out the tail and tip, giving a little more sanding and shurform time to Dylan. Then Tom couldn't resist and got in on the act and worked the shurform a bit to help Dylan to true up the deck All in all it came out pretty nice. This father son duo were super stoked to be in the shaping and actually cutting on a personal board. The kid has been riding a 5'10" and he's only 5' tall by 90 lbs. So this board was taken from an outline they traced off of his 5'10". The 5'10' Was just barely over 2" thick. Since he went shorter he wanted to put more thickness in it to keep it paddling well. He want a mellow nose rocker so it didn't plow paddling into waves. I put a slight V in the first 12" and double to single concave through the rest of the bottom. In the end the finished product looks like a breakthrough board for this kid.

Picasa Web Albums - Dustin - Breakthrough ... - breakthroughb...

2007-11-18T05:11:00.000-08:00

Picasa Web Albums - Dustin - Breakthrough ... - breakthroughb...

So stoked!

My 15 seconds of surf fame.

2007-11-10T08:31:00.000-08:00

At 2minutes :18 seconds on the video I get one wave at south swell closing out Swamis and after you see me hobble up the beach on my injured ankle(previously injured by same board at Georges).

Oktoberfest! Last and best swell of the fall.

2007-11-08T21:51:00.000-08:00

I'm so stoked my brother asked me to jam down with him. Even though my leg was hurt, we scored great waves and great diving conditions. Maybe next time we'll score some big fish too.

Aaron ripping on his Joel Tudor Twin Fin.

Mateo Laying down some speed on the Mike Perry sixi channel.

Revchem knows

2007-11-08T15:59:00.001-08:00

The Revchem truck that delivers all the resin to Moonbase is plastered with all types of surfing stickers. It is a regular surf history lesson. Well this sticker says alot about surfers patience and some shapers and manufacturers customer service. It reminded me of some of the stories I've heard about guru shapers.

COLOR WORKS

2007-10-10T07:47:00.000-07:00

Working with color is tricky but it leaves such a beautiful mess.

QUAD FISH FIJI STYLE

2007-10-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

I have no idea who this is, but he's having a super fun looking sesh on a quad fish. I wish I had some lefts like this to try out my new self-shaped, self-glassed quad fish. I rode it at some mushy beacons and had a blast. There were some fun lefts and the board rides great backside.

I will ride my quad a couple more times and then it's up for sale. Check out this link for more info on how to get ahold of my super-fun, affordable, rode thrice fish.

OCEANS RISING SURFBOARDS

FIRST SURF/NEW BOARD

2007-10-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

Here is my new Octafish. I can't wait to ride it. It is a 5 fin bamboo glass on Bonzer setup. I think it's gonna fly. Every time I pick it up I'm blown away at how light the tail is.

This is my own shape. It's number 8. I glassed it all my self. It has a quad setup and with. The bottom contour is double concave under the front foot and single concave through the fins. I rode it this morning and it went well. I hope there's some surf this weekend. After I ride once more it will be up for sale cheap. Check it out at my surfboard blog Oceans Rising Surfboards

Inventive Brains and Restless Minds

2007-09-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

What a great way to pass the time! Surf eternal.

Bummer

2007-08-28T09:25:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the guys at Baltierra Surfboards. This is happening too often. Check your plugs and wires. Maintenance

"John Swedlund, owner of the manufacturing building housing Baltierra Custom Surfboards, surmised that an electrical short might have started the fire in the Terminal Way shop near Newport Boulevard and 17th Street."

Be Afraid, Very Afraid

2007-08-26T22:31:00.000-07:00

IDIOCRACY REALIZED

Japanese Wave Games

2007-08-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Some people are just smarter than others. These thought they had a real smart way to catch a thrill. Here comes the big one.... ooopss ..... aaaaahahhhhhh...

The family that builds together..... builds together?

2007-08-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

My dad John fixing up the cafe and trying to give himself heatstroke.

My very preggos sis Yvonne and my brother Aaron after a hard day putting up the new addtion to accomodate Yvonne's new familial addition.

My nephew Conner keeps the cafe running for a few hours.

Ethan keeps a family presence in the water at second point.

Sara helps pick out the new Michoacan style ice cream

2007-08-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Yeah the truck was a bummer of a loss. Well sometimes no matter how much you plan the odds are just stacked against ya. I'll get some photos up when I get back down to the cafe. Now I'm just focusing on the replacement truck and getting back down to the cafe. Sara will be going with me for a little over 2 weeks. I think this will be her breakthrough surf tour. We have had alot of progress at the cafe. Here are some of the pictures of the place.

My Dad's granite counter top. That thing made it on the dirt roads without cracking thanks to John's homemade crate and cradle. The lumber for the crate and cradle was used to build the base.

This is the meager shade we have now, but I am going back with a new truck and will build a rustic cardon and palo seco shade out in front of the whole place.

I keep praying for a good tropical late summer/fall to send us some waves. Clouds like these in the morning could mean tropical activity.

The year of the CAT

2007-08-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many lives I have left. I just got back from Mexico to buy another truck and head back down and finish the season at the cafe. My truck was totalled in an accident that should have erased me from the planet. I didn't follow my own best advice while driving in Baja and I drove at night while tired. I fell asleep at the wheel and went off the road across the oncoming lane of traffic out into the desert for just under a football field and ran into a security wall around a Telmex microwave communications tower. If you were to see the scene of the accident you would think I was aiming for the tower. I came out unscathed but my 95 dodge ram manual 4x4 with the 5.9 cummins diesel 12 valve engine was a total loss.

I am buying Josh Tudor Toyota 4x4 as a bandaid and will get back down to finish up the season and pray for some tropical weather to send us some waves. It has been a dismal year for surf down there. Yet, in the light of other instances, I'm stoked to be surfing 1 foot slop anywhere.

LEUCADIA

2007-06-30T23:04:00.001-07:00

My dad was raised in Leucadia. My grandparents moved there sometime back in the middle of the 20th century. I lived there for the first few years of my life. My dad's first business was started there. During my last year in high school I got to live there again and then a little while post high school. Now my sister married one the most laid back and funky guy from my graduating class who was born and bred in Leucadia. He is the hard core Leucadia local. Now she is pregnant with the next generation of Leucadians. My brother has a house there with his wife and their daughter, Magdalena, a 3rd generation Leucadian. I get to be an honorary Leucadian when I show up and help my JP set up the Funky surf films for the Funky Leucadia Nights.

Original Rootsy Leucadians St. Pierres

2nd Generation Leucadians

Funky Imports

Music and Mood are serious business for Captain Ambience

2007-06-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

May was fun! We are looking forward to a great summer. Business is going great, thanks to John and Becky! My nephews are coming down and they're going to catch a fun little swell.

2007-06-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

Well my last trip down to my biz at the bay was awesome as far as work goes and great as far as company goes. The surf was fun. Not all time but fun. Caroline and Justin kept the good food and good vibes flowing.

They made this awesome chocolate rum cake that we rationed out over the whole trip. One night they made a rad carne asada dinner and fed like 8 people. Caroline caught the longest waves of her life and Just got noserides literally all the way across second.

The morning we left to get back to the states for the AB3 the sunrise was like this. The swell had picked up a little and we went for one last surf. I gashed my heel pretty bad on the rocks but surfed anyway. Justin said it was kinda Spartan of me.

Justin scored killer surf and was threading the needle with dexterity. I'm supposed to be down there right now but the project here on the homefront has me all tied up. I'll leave today probably

Absence Is Sodden

2007-06-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

Yes I have been absent from my blogging ritual. Life caught up with me and put my nose to the grindstone. I am working hard on my own home remodeling

Here is the hole I ripped in the drywall to make sure there is no electrical to move before I put in the exterior door. Basically I am tired of this houses financial drain. It's time for it to work for us. We are converting a room downstairs into a studio apt. It will have it's own entrance and will be completely isolated from the main house.

Here is the hole in the exterior wall ready to have the door jamb framed in

Here is the frame for the door jamb with the header.

Here is the door in and ready to open up a new cash flow into our bank account.

In between all the construction and some trips to baja. I will reconstruct as we go along.

FOUR POINT POWER SLIDING

2007-05-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

I have seen several videos like this and they all look so fun. Four point and three point power slides while sidewalk surfing.

Surf Cafe Facelift

2007-05-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

My dad and mom are coming back from a week and a half trip down to our surfshop/internet cafe down in Baja. They made some progress on improvements of the property. We have alot to go but they made some great headway. I leave next week to pick up where they left off. Right now I am busily trying to get done my anything but 3 boards I shaped in my room. I will post some pics soon.

Thanks Mom.

2007-05-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

I think I haven't said it enough. Tonight I was on the beach reflecting on mom's day. I stopped and said hi to my sister Yvonne who is an expecting mother. We talked about our mom while I was there. She's down in Mexico right now with dad working hard on our mutual investment. Our business down there has alot of potential but has lacked what only mom can give. That woman's touch that takes the edge off of all that's rough in the world is so important and sublimely present in her. Her mind and the way she brings order while life's myriad processes appear as pending chaos is not mentioned enough. I chatted with mom online for a brief few seconds before she was called to mother dad. As she typed "your dad just hit his head I better get him home and take care of it." I remembered the many times I scraped, cut, threw down, and generally abused my body and she was there to nurse me. Even to this day when we are together in Mexico and I get a surf wound she fixes me. Without mom I wouldn't know what it is to love. I thought while sitting on the sand, all the wonder of this world would never be worth a thought were it not for her. She taught to experience, interpret, and harvest all the mystery that is life. Who better than the one who is the portal to life. Thanks mom.

$$$$FOR SALE SUGAR SHACK SHAPES$$$$$

2007-05-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

$$DIRTY DOZEN DONE DIRT CHEAP$$

OCEANS RISING SURFBOARDS

I have finished shaping about a dozen boards mostly quad or twin fing fish. I am systematically glassing, riding and selling these. The whole idea is to get the experience and learn about the shapes and recuperate enough money to buy another blank and shape another board.

OCEANS RISING SURFBOARDS

Check this site for all the details and prices of each board as they are finished and ridden and put up for sale

OCEANS RISING SURFBOARDS

Special thanks to 6ft&perfect/clayfin Ted for help building the racks. Bill Porter for help with the electrical. Eric Monroe for donating the paint. To my dad John Smith for helping to finish the electrical and drywall. To TFAD and family for keeping me inspired and motivated. It may seem like I am making a big deal of this, but if you knew me and my spaztic A.D.D. moments you would understand how merited the thanks are to helping me finish the Sugar Shack. My goal is to shape and glass and ride my own anything but 3 at the event at Cardiff on June 3rd.

Morroco Point Barrel Heaven.

2007-05-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

This wave is amazing! Oh I would sacrifice valuable internal organs to surf it. Wait I don't have to. I surf Baja. Still, would be a killer experience.

src='http://actionsportsgroup.net/asgplayer/asg-player-live.swf?urlforflash=http%3A%2F%2Frelease.theplatform.com%2Fcontent.select%3Fpid%3DKBSHVvmEw19tbhiA8qmacxbNRCQRsxRe%26UserName%3DUnknown%0D%0A&adaddress=/_av_flash;sect=/;subs=av;subss=flash;page=morocco_gadausk¤tmag=surfer' quality='high' width='460' height='340' name='string-query' align='middle' allowScriptAccess='always' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' onClick='javascript:this.focus();this.select();'
More surfing videos on SurferMag.com

2007-05-06T07:11:00.001-07:00

Dude, this stuff is crazy! Grab a caucasian and enjoy this shit, man.

glumbert.com - Kinetic Sculpture

2007-05-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

A pretty fun go out yesterday. There was a hint of south wind in the am so I went to the only place around where those conditions can be favorable.

There were some fun size sets out there.

This one looks a little biggere than it really is because the kid surfing it is all of 4 foot tall. Still you get an idea.

Caught inside real quick

All in all a fun surf.

I surfed with my bro Steve

There are some strange people getting into surfing. Yes that is a huge Roxy sticker on that bearded speedo touting guys board.

Last lip bash.

The Art of Surf

2007-05-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

JP, AKA TFAD, has always been an impressive artsy doodler. His true art is building beautiful boards and making them sparkle. Here he put the both together in a special order for a special customer. I think that his surfer labor icon needs to be the poster of a new underground surfing movement. The surfing seems to be surrounded with rad art. Even when guys are doodling, the product is on the cusp of originality.

The art is sometimes in the eye of the beholder and serendipitous. Gary Stuber is a master of the acid splash tinted lamination process on surfboards. His designs generate some awesome images, although most are unplanned. This perfect looking little right just appeared in this acid splash while I was having a lunchbreak flashback

I don't know much about this artist but I love his stuff. Chris Pedersen is his name and his round heavy yet bubbly waves are packed with life. The perfect caricature of the perfect wave. You can witness more of his stuff here. Chris Pedersen Art

Peter from Moonbase, TFAD's dad, is awesome artist as well. Over 3 decades of using surfboards as his canvas is a feat that very few others can tout. His pinlines are unequalled in the surf world and even his doodles are timeless like the surf ghoul below.

Mateo Howard is a retro ripper and talented artist. His etchingesque pencil drawings of Baja pointbreaks are featured in his tide calendars. These will definitely become collectors items. Each month is just as great as Mayo.

The Gloss Nest Monster

2007-05-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

A rarely seen footage of the elusive gloss nest monster at the Moonbase. I trekked far and through uncharted territory to discover this camera wary artisan realizing his craft.

Rusty ModFish Rippin

2007-05-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

I like the modern take on the fish that Rusty did here. I think that Daniel Thompson has done more to refine his ultra performance quads. But you can't deny that fishin is fun.

2007-05-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

Found this great surf art through a post by Rob70 on his 70percent.org blog. It's killer to see this type of stoke mixed with this type of talent.

Check more of his great art at ForeverStoked for the surfing comic.

Your Bonzer Encyclopedia

2007-05-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

Last Friday a series of calls came into Moonbase on the bonzer hotline. I was near the showroom and I heard the messages left by eager potential buyers. These were guys who wanted to buy out of the showroom or order a custom Campbell Bros. Bonzer. After the last call hung up JP came in and I told him how the hotline was kinda goin off. It was past 5:00 pm and we were both getting ready to go when the hotline rang again. JP said oh I'll answer it. Sure enough another bonzer buyer. The guy was in town for the week from New York and wanted to buy an Octafish or a Bumble Bee. JP took ten minutes on the phone with this customer answering all kinds of questions about which of those two boards would be best for him. The customer started leaning toward the Octafish and JP recalled that there were some stock Octafish going through. He took another 10 minutes pouring through the base to locate where they were in production. Sure enough there was one just about the size this customer wanted and just about to be glossed. It was quality checked this weekend and might possibly be sold this week. Dedication to an ideal and a labor of the heart. JP the bonzer "super hero".

BREAKIN OUT OF THE SHELLS

2007-04-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

I think that the third guy on this video

Has a lot in common with this guy

Hey Buds Let's Party!

2007-04-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago a guy came into moonbase with this classic T-shirt on. Jeff Spicoli the quintessential stoner. "All I need are some tasty waves and a cool buzz and I'll be fine." I think these shirts might have something to do with Manny Caro from Mandala Surfboards since the guy that had this on came in with him. I thought it was hot since I did win the trapped in the Eighties award at the San Dieguito Alumni contest.

2007-04-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

My dad has been asking me, " Have you thought about what type of boards you want to shape?". The first board I explained to him he balked and suggested I try something a little more basic. This board came through the factory and I just knew that it is something I have been looking for. Daniel Thompson from Australia shaped this one while he was over here hanging around the green room. There are a few things I might change in the bottom contour, but for the most part the outline is very tight. This board has some serious potential and I think the guy that shaped it is setting the curve for future board shapers.

2007-04-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Someone posted this on youtube.com. It's from the movie free ride and it has as background music a killer cover of Hendrix's Red House.

Wardo Surfing Better On A Twinnie

2007-04-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

I like to watch this guy surf a twinnie way more than a tri fin.

J-BAY PROS ON TWINNIES

2007-04-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

Killer twinnies footie at J-Bay circa 2003 from www.seven-films.com. It's nice to see pro's including slats riding what a wave asks for. That Malloy guys takes it apart in this vid. I wish I could embed it but I'm not that advanced yet. Click the image of the first Twinnie world champ or the link and sit back and enjoy the fishy fun.

TWIN FIN PROS

Stop Complaining, Start Competing!

2007-04-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

I stumbled on this killer blog that had a story about a surfboard mfg. in the central CA coast and how it survived the Clark Foam shutdown. This is another interesting entry that I think the whole surf industry could learn a few lessons from.

Below is just one of many killer stories of surviving today's volatile business environment. Check them all out at Evolving Excellence Blog

14 April 2007

Stop Complaining and Start Competing

Many of us read the biweekly Manufacturing and Technology News for an inside scoop on American manufacturers and the political and regulatory struggles they face. Richard McCormack does a great job of finding a wealth of stories every couple weeks, and in my opinion it is well worth the subscription price.

But lately I've started to almost fear the day it arrives in my inbox... because it almost invariably creates a feeling of doom and gloom. All of the recent articles have been about manufacturers in trouble... those that somehow can't compete with China, can't deal with regulatory and tax burdens, and are closing down. Regular readers know there's another side of the story, and that's what I pointed out to Richard in an email the other day, part of which I'll reprint here:

As Pat [Cleary, NAM Blog] and I have discussed several times, I completely agree that "competitiveness burdens" are very real, and I believe that attention needs to focused on those burdens as NAM and others do.

But what I take issue with is the continuous stream of drivel from companies that claim they "simply can't make it." Quite bluntly I think that's a cop-out for pathetic leadership in those companies. Your previous issue described a couple furniture companies that have given up and blamed foreign competition.

Guess what... there are many furniture companies that are thriving and competing globally from U.S.-based factories. The difference is that they're looking internally instead of complaining externally, have reduced waste and cycle times, and found that they can deliver value, faster, to their growing customer bases. They look beyond simple hourly labor cost and look at processes and methods. A couple of those companies, along with a well-known motorcycle company and others, will be on a panel discussion I'm moderating at a manufacturing conference at Kellogg next month. The topic: creating competitive advantage through onshoring.

There's a t-shirt company in Los Angeles (American Apparel) that employs 4,000 workers (in LA) at significantly above minimum wage, with full benefits. Basic t-shirts and underwear. Nothing special. They are growing rapidly and command margins greater than those of companies that import from Asian sweatshops. If they can do it with a product line in a typically miniscule margin industry, anyone can.

I support NAM's efforts to improve the political and regulatory landscape for manufacturers. But at the same time we need to be promoting the leadership, methods, and actual capability of American companies of all types to compete globally from the U.S. today.

It's time to stop complaining and start competing.

You'll note that I said some kind words about NAM. That organization has had some issues, and we've at times taken issue with them, but they are fulfilling their mission of pointing out the political and regulatory burdens facing U.S. manufacturers and working to minimize them. While we don't believe those burdens create unscalable barriers, we don't disagree that they are real and often greater than similar burdens other countries place on our foreign competitors.

NAM has also told some good stories of successful American manufacturers, including this recent post on Cummins just a couple days ago. I ran into a contingent of Cummins folks at last year's Lean Accounting Summit, so it is no surprise that they understand real manufacturing cost and the benefit and value domestic manufacturing can create instead of chasing low labor cost around the globe. As the NAM blog post put it,

[CEO] Mr. Loughrey discusses the innovative steps the company is taking in its home state of Indiana to build a skilled, robust workforce. Cummins has so much confidence in these workforce initiatives that it has announced the location of a new light-duty diesel engine plant in Indiana when it could have been located elsewhere. He also announced that Cummins will be investing $22 million in its Rocky Mount [NC] plant this year, with about half of it dedicated to increasing the assembly line operations to increase engine production. And who says nothing is made in America any more?

It won't be easy, and Mr. Loughrey is very concerned about finding workers with the right skills. That is a recognition of the value of people: factory workers aren't simply a set of hands that cost a set number of dollars per hour, they are an asset with knowledge, creativity, and experience.

As a final note getting back to Manufacturing News, the "quote of note" in the latest issue was intriguing:

"Our current tax system discriminates in favor of lower value-added jobs such as flipping burgers rather than making semiconductors. The multiple taxation on income through the supply chain makes this even worse. The higher the job skill, the higher the tax."

-- Brian O'Shaughnessy, President and CEO of Revere Copper

That's an interesting one to try to get your arms around. The higher the value of the person, the higher their pay and therefore the higher their tax rate. Is that bad or unexpected? Is the opposite the taxing of the unskilled? The taxing of value as it progresses through the supply chain is real, and has a compounding effect. In effect it adds to the cost of intermediates. Guess what one solution is: become more vertically integrated with captured facilities instead of outsourcing, especially offshore. The subject of the impact of the U.S. tax system, especially when compared to most other countries actually reducing taxes, is the subject of a post in a day or two.

But the bottom line remains that it is possible to compete globally from U.S. factories. If you don't think you can, then you simply aren't looking inward hard enough to find waste. You can learn and get help... go to an AME event or workshop, call your local MEP office. The methods are proven and there are innumerable examples of success ranging from low-tech American Apparel to high tech Cummins.

Stop complaining and start competing.

SOCIETAL METAMORPHOSIS

2007-04-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what used to be considered acceptable and is now banned. This cartoon to support the war effort was up on google video. I got a kick out of it. I see it for what it is, demographically pointed propaganda used to entice enrollment in the armed forces. Just like Virginia Slims "You've come a long way baby."

2007-04-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

My RSS feed fed me this little tidbit that The Central Shaft blog had up. It is time to change our paradigm.

2007-04-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

I found this post on Boing Boing

I think it's a pretty hot idea. Seems like Marlin at 101 is more of a trendsetter than he imagined.

For more info check out the whole story here at treehugger.com

2007-04-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

Australians giving a go at making a feature length surf themed film. I wonder if this will be the one to capture a more real image of how surfers live and what surfing is? Or will this just turn out to be Australia's version of North Shore? Watch out "Rick Kane" and "Lance Burkhart", the aussies might be showing you up.

The Sydney Morning Herald

Newcastle and its people are stars as cameras roll
Chad Watson
April 15, 2007

"Newcastle is a coming-of-age story that revolves around three mates, brothers Jesse (Lachlan Buchanan), Fergus (Xavier Samuel) and Andy (Kirk Jenkins), trying to break into professional surfing. Jacobson, best known for his Australian Film Institute award-winning title role in the portaloo "mockumentary" Kenny, plays the father of the brothers.

Fellow AFI award-winner Anthony Hayes, who made Suburban Mayhem in the Hunter last year, and TV drama veteran Joy Smithers are other notables in the cast. The creative team includes executive producer Charles Hannah (The World's Fastest Indian), producer Naomi Wenck (Ten Empty) and writer/director Dan Castle.

Beachley and Johns, as themselves, will play judges in a junior surfing contest at Newcastle Beach."

LINK WHOLE STORY

2007-04-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

This is one radical looking board on a really cool blog Last Trip To Tulsa. Check it out.

2007-04-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

Too Funny! Beware the Shakstika.

September '05

2007-04-08T07:11:00.000-07:00

This is what it was. This photo courtesy of Cinnamon Rainbows Website, submitted to that site by Christos Valhouli. Leaving at midnight tonight. I doubt we'll get it this good, but we will definitely score.

UPDATE: SAN MIGUEL RIP???!!!???

2007-04-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

This is from the Baja Nomad Forum. It appears that this project already has lots of steam and dollars backing it. Somehow it seems to have slipped past all the wave defenders radar. I can't believe that this could happen while I'm still alive. This isn't just the potential of destroying a beach access like at K38. THIS IS THE POTENTIAL DEATH OF THE SURF SPOT ALTOGETHER!

When will this "ALL ABOUT ME BABYBOOMER MENTALITY" ever end?

from the post linked above.
"Puerto Hussong

Maybe this is what pointsurfbaja was referring to:

Porto Hussong Plans Unveiled
John Freeman - thelog.com

More Than Fish Tacos - A new resort and marina is coming to Ensenada. Porto Hussong's marina will be designed to accommodate mega-yachs up to 200 feet long. Up to 250 spaces are planned for the end-tie-style docks. Construction is scheduled to begin in November, with an estimated completion date of early 2009.
The Baja resort, scheduled for completion in 2009, will include a 250-slip mega-yacht marina.

Ensenada - When Doug Bowers was in college, going to Baja meant camping, surfing, scarfing down fish tacos and downing more than a few beers at Hussong's raucous cantina in Ensenada.

Times have changed.

"Now that I'm older, my tastes have become more refined and expensive," said Bowers, director of marketing for Merida Development Group, developer of Porto Hussong, a $350 million planned resort and marina just north of Ensenada along the toll road. "These days, I can't imagine a better Baja experience than what this resort is going to be - a world-class, five-star luxury destination, on par with some of the world's best resorts."

The grandiose plans for Porto Hussong were recently unveiled by the developer. They include 200 oceanfront condominiums, a five-star boutique-style hotel, six high-end private villas, a collection of upscale shops and spa services, several cafes and restaurants and a first-class, 250-slip marina (end-tie-style docks) and yacht club designed to accommodate yachts up to 200 feet in length.

Land for the project has been cleared, with construction expe-cted to start in November. Completion is scheduled for early 2009. The chief architect is Arthur Valdes, whose past projects include the Palmilla Resort in Cabo San Lucas and Las Hadas Resort in Manzanillo, as well as resorts in Puerto Vallarta and along the Italian Riviera in Portofino. He's also aligned with current design projects at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

For now, the official name for the project's marina and yacht club is undecided, but Bowers said its target is clear: Southern California boaters and sailors.

"This is fast becoming a baby-boomer's paradise," he said. "Ensenada is the next phase for those of us who have enjoyed the Baja experience and now have the means and desire to live the good life."

Porto Hussong will be located next to Hotel Coral and Marina, which has become a prominent Ensenada stop for boaters heading both north and south. Until just recently, the site was occupied by Hotel Quintas Papagayo, owned and operated by the Hussong family.

"The demand for large-yacht slips has been so great that we've just increased the number from 10 to 20 and maybe more," Bowers said. "With the yacht club, we intend to form guest alliances with all the finest yacht clubs up and down the West Coast."

The developers are banking on the cachet of the Hussong name, the Baja-based family that founded Hussong's Cantina in downtown Ensenada, the legendary, peanut-shells-on-the-floor bar that dates back to 1892.

"They have a highly favorable multiple-generation recognition for anyone who's ever gone to Baja," Bowers said. "The family has been waiting for the right time and the right opportunity for years. They felt this was the first concept worthy of going into a deal."

This guy "Doug" is not even a hypocrite. He is an out and out spoiler. In one breath he mentions how much he loved to surf in baja. In the next he's so hyped about destroying a world class wave to satisfy his changing lusts.

OOOOHhhh I'm sick! Throwing up in my mouth. Excuse me I have to run to the bathroom.

Anyway, time to talk to the activists and find out what is up. Will this really happen unchecked? We need a hero, Where is he?

2007-04-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

Wow thanks to Ted of
6ftnperfect for the stands. I let him know the height and he whipped them out and brought them over the same day, SICK! Hey, Ted as soon as the rooms ready and you got boards you want to shape let me know you got time reserved. A couple days of no work in the room. I went up to pick up my new twinzy tools. I call them "The Sisters Skil"

Not much more to go, yet there is more surf coming and I feel the need to get barreled. How about a big sign on my life.

Well I'm off to work since I got lots to do before the goods arrive on our coast.

2007-04-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

I've heard alot about this boat, but have yet to hear of a test run in large seas. I think someone will be in trouble and losing alot of money the first time they try to take this boat into anything more than 20ft seas. Read all about this boat here
Sail World's review of the MarySlim

Dick Dale Quote, Boing Boing Blog

2007-04-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

I believe custom surfboard shapers could learn alot from this guy. The legendary surf guitarist shares his two cents. Click the link in my shared items to read more

Dick Dale's advice to artists: stay the hell away from labels
from Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow
Cory Doctorow: Derek sez, "Legendary guitarist Dick Dale provides some free advice to up-and-coming artists in this video interview." In a nutshell, Dale says, "Don't sign with a label, they'll get every penny, screw you over and you won't see anything -- in fact, if you make them $14,000,000, you'll end up owing them $2,000,000 more." He advises artists to go indie, make their own CDs, sell them out of the trunks of their cars, stop trying to make the cover of Rolling Stone, be a business person instead. Link (Thanks, Derek!)

2007-04-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kelly Slater ,the Hollywood crossover King, People like this are blasting surf all over the gossip rags. Now we'll have more flotsam in the water.

2007-04-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

Will Surfing Rules signs really make a difference. In a place as crowded as where these signs are to be posted, or even in North San Diego, I really think no. Kooks will be kooks. Even when a surfer starts to be able to surf well, if he didn't learn the etiquette in the beginning he will still be a snake and a back paddler. But oh well at least they're trying.
Print Email
Last Update: Wednesday, April 4, 2007. 10:35am (AEST)
New signs explain rules of surfing
A Sunshine Coast council will erect Queensland's first "surfing etiquette" signs at Coolum today.

The signs explain the rules of surfing such as "right of way" and will be placed at Coolum's two most popular surfing beaches.

Maroochy Shire councillor Bruce Dunne says he would like to see the signs erected at all Queensland beaches.

"There's the same number of waves on the beaches but increasingly higher number of boardriders, bodyboard riders, surf ski riders out in the water," he said.

"So to have some sort of courtesy message I think is a good thing, just to let people know who has right of way and just to respect each other."

"Hopefully these signs will roll out across the whole Sunshine Coast and across Queensland where the surf is."

2007-04-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

This is a cool looking company. I love these photos on this gallery. Grain Surfboards Photo Gallery

2007-04-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

Core Rock! Just plain good by the White Stripes. There are alot of other cool vids on this blog,Every Grain of Film. It is dedicated to experimental film and music, and surf. Today a new shaper came by the Moonbase to pick up an experimental shape. I don't know how long he has been shaping but his boards are definitely distinct. They are very much like the biscuit boards I remember seeing Rusty, Ronnie, and Rob surf down at Cardiff. What I mean is they are wide all the way through and very short. They look like they would be super fun super small wave boards. Each time I see stuff like this it just makes me want to start going on shaping. Tomorrow Bill's going to fix the lights, hopefully. I've got a note out to Ted(Clayfin, 6ftnglassy) offering time in the shack in exchange for a rack. Ted, if you take me up on the offer, call me to get the specs for the height, for optimum contrast on the rails with the side lights.

Oh and to all my bro's that I sent a text message about this bro deal. It's over! Someone called up and bought the thing today. But we still have those other killer deals that I sent out to you guys on the Marlin boards and the used boards. Don't miss out on scoring, or helping out one of your bros. The deals are so good. I just bought today a 6'8" gently used step up 5 fin bonzer for $300. I'll post pics after I get it home.

Sooo Tired!

2007-04-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

I surfed three times this weekend. Yesterday I had a marathon session with my bro-inlaw JP of SurfySurfy fame at this little out of the way secret spot.

I also met up with my friend and favorite work companion from my mission Steve. After the surf I went back home and worked on the shed some more. The drywall on the roof is soo hard to get up there solo. Especially the next piece I got to get up. It has a few cuts in it and some wiring that is getting in the way. Now I have to get my buddy Bill back over here because my lights just went out. I don't know what happened but the just stopped working. Maybe they need to be wired differently. I wanted to have it all done and painted, but surf showed up and friends called, so now a few mored days.

2007-04-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

When the Dogtown Z went vert this is what they left behind. These guys pick up the Bertleman meets the concrete torch with Flair!

OMG! It's Mine!

2007-04-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

So the bidding got crazy in the last hour. This guy just ramped it up! I was winning this thing at $350 until Bidder #5 just couldn't control himself. Something tells me it was Grubby Clark trying to add another one of these to his collection. So now I have the tool. I'll get my dad in the finished shaping room with some foam and start making boards.

2007-03-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

More progress

2007-03-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

Got alot of cleaning done at the moonbase today. After the fire at Just Foam, surfboard factories will probably be high on the radar for the fire marshalls. So we will be putting in extra time making sure that the moonbase is looking clean and tight. While working on boards John Cherry dropped off his latest balsa wood phil edwards inspired gun. The thing looks so fun. On top of that it is super light for a wood board.

Got home and was stoked to get to work on the Shack. Noone was available to help me with it today so I henny penny'd. I got the center lights back in their place. I installed the bulbs on the side lights. And I hung walls of drywall. I called my friend Eric Monroe and he had a line on some paint for me so I should be painting by the weekend. I can't wait to mow foam.

2007-03-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

ROCK CLIMBERS TAKE ON LOCALISM Rob70 of 70percent.org got aggro on Surfshot and the ripple are crossing sports ethereal boundaries. Way to go Rob70! Check out the whole post on my shared items, "When Surfers Attack!"

L.U.R.A.P. LIVES

2007-03-28T04:29:00.000-07:00

LOCAL UNDERGROUND REVOLUTION ANTI-POPOUT LIVES! Yesterday, Bill came over and we got alot done on the sugar shack. All the insulation and sound proofing is in. Bill works on pools and fidgits with pump wiring and what not, so our 8' side lights were mounted and wired.

This is a shopvac donated to the houshold by the guys at moonlight via GT. It blows tons of dust around the seal and out the blow hole. But I think it will serve our purpose. At moonlight they can't have dust blowing all over the place. Our shack is just going to be foam so as long as it grabs the big stuff we're ok.

Here is the shopvac with an old pool cleaning hose. This we will hook onto the planes to suck up the foam straight into the shopvac while shaping.

We will just build racks out of lumber and cement them into two old tires as a base. Super stoked on yesterday's progress! Today I see drywall going up and paint.
After work at Moonbase we'll get the Shack to lift off.

2007-03-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

This is a classic photo from 70percent.org. It's an ad for chinese popout boards with stickers that say no popouts on them plastered on the boards. Their is a guy that is going to call me from Carlsbad that wants to help build the shack. Another guy. A family friend Bill Porter will be coming over today at 2:30pm. Tonight new pictures of the progress. The underground no popout revolution lives.

2007-03-26T05:53:00.000-07:00

Here it is! The sugar shack in the making. This shed was here when we bought the house. The man we bought from, Mr. Herman Krynen, was quite an avid tinkerer. He had this place all wired and with a thermostatically controlled ventilation cieling fan.

Now I am finishing what I had threatened to do last year. I have all these ideas that I want to try in surfboards. So I am changing it into a shaping den. Any suggestions or comments will be greatly appreciated.

I also am working on recruiting some volunteer labor and skill in the mfg. of the shed. Wiring and drywall and paint and racks are all things I can do, but 2 heads are better then 1.

To all my friends I invite you to come on over and check it out. I might even get to where I can shape a decent board and could maybe even customize them. Wouldn't that be Hot!

These are pictures of the inside with foil backed foam insulation and sound board to keep the planer noise from bugging the neighbors. I want to get it done this week if I can.

2007-03-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

Hot twin fin footage. It is an ad for Todd Proctor surfboards, but look past that and look at how much fun this guy is having riding this board. Not only is he ripping he is enjoying 2' "bu" mush. Right on him!

Here is the same guy same board. The first half is the same but the second half gets way better. A little bigger waves and less people at a beach I think is a little north of Malibu. I think I was filmed in an M&M's commercial at this beach. Let me know what the name of it is if you recognize it. I think it's initials are
L C .

2007-03-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

This video is killer for those that are interested in how a hand shaped custom surfboard is made. I found it on google video. I am sooooo stoked now on trying my hand at building boards. I have my shed roof all insulated and sound proofed and the south wall partially insulated. I just need to finish insulating and sound proofing the whole thing then I will drywall and paint. I bought the drywall today for 8 bucks a sheet at Lowes. I hope to be done with the whole thing some time next week. While I watch this video my mind is spinning over and over about different board designs I want to try and make. I will post some pics of the progress of the shaping shed as it progresses. The only bummer is that my pics will be crappy quality from my phone because my pentax is broken. I still have to get over to Ritz camera where Rob70's girlfriend works to get the thing fixed. Oh well another month of crappy camera phone pics.

OMG! WAVES!

2007-03-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

My phone buddies know where I have been surfing the past few days and it has been SupaFun! Today, no exception. The sand bars are sooooo good. I finished my surf then jammed home to work on my shaping shed. I got it all cleaned out and ready to close in the walls. After that I am just racks and lights and paint away from shaping my own sticks. If I am not too much of a hack I might even be able to make a few for some of my friends like Nate Treto in the photo above. Hey, make sure you take time to check out some of the shared stuff. I have the internet scoured by Google Reader to find interesting stuff for surfers and revolutionaries. Paz to you my PlataPez.

2007-03-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

Surftech has got a good idea but they've gotta be joking. They say their customer base are the core surfers. No, my bro. my bro-inlaw above, my dad, my whole family, the majority of my friends are the core surfers. Friends don't let friends ride a surftech.

2007-03-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

I saw this a few years ago. It blew my mind. I worked in Florida on my mission with Cory Chapman. He was into climbing. I think this would blow his mind. It blows my mind that this guy is 400 feet up with no safety gear.

2007-03-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

I would like to suggest that this man "The Campaigner" should be contacted by surfing La Jolla residents to stop the fee parking that their city council is trying to enact. Here is the story. La Jolla fee parking scare

'Guru' can't convince the critics at meeting
By Chet Barfield
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 22, 2007

LA JOLLA – An expert they call “the parking guru” came to La Jolla last night with an impressive multimedia presentation based on his book, “The High Cost of Free Parking.”

Advertisement But despite all his charts, figures and case studies of what other cities have done, UCLA professor Donald Shoup couldn't convince many of the skeptics in the crowd that charging for parking at La Jolla's beaches and businesses is the way to go.
“Housing is wildly expensive in La Jolla but it's rent-free for cars. I think you've got it the wrong way,” Shoup told an audience of more than 100 at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art.

The nationally recognized parking expert spoke at the invitation of the La Jolla Community Parking District Advisory Board, a nine-member panel that has been heavily influenced by his research.

The board this month began circulating a draft “parking management plan” that proposes creating more turnover of spaces by charging for parking at La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Shores, the Prospect Street retail village and the Bird Rock business zone along La Jolla Boulevard.

To deter spillover parking into surrounding neighborhoods, the plan proposes setting time limits there and having residents buy permits.

The draft proposal, expected to be debated for months, is drawing plenty of opposition. If the plan is approved, La Jolla would become the first San Diego community to charge for coastal parking.

Shoup said the main problem in areas such as La Jolla is people circling the blocks looking for free spaces while paid parking is available in garages and lots.

“When a car pulls out of one of the diagonal spots on Prospect Street, often the very next car pulls in,” he said. “A lot of the (drivers) that you see on the streets aren't going anywhere. They've already arrived, and they're looking for a place to park.”

He said an optimum 15 percent vacancy rate could be achieved through new high-tech pay stations with rates that could fluctuate up or down, depending on demand.

After his 45-minute presentation, Shoup had time to answer only eight of the dozens of questions submitted on index cards and drawn from a fishbowl by a parking board member.

One was from surfer Ken David, who asked about restricting public beach access. (Shoup's answer: More turnover means more access for more people.)

“I just think this will have a negative, limiting affect,” David said afterward. “I don't think I can bring my surfboard on the bus.”

Also not convinced was Gina Phillips, a La Jolla native who employs 48 workers in her Girard Avenue florist shop.

“The only way this is going to work is if the (parking) money stays in La Jolla” rather than feeding San Diego's coffers, she said. “I just think it needs to be looked into a lot more.”

2007-03-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

Net Neutrality and a thinking not so priviledged lower socioeconomic lower class is the scariest thing to our government and the Corporate banks that own the Federal Reserve Bank and the world credit organizations. The watchdogs are in our computers and trying to stop us from speaking. I posted a shared site that I found on boingboing. New York Social Diary is a look into the bizarre world of the Ultra Rich owners of the worlds media businesses and governments. Here is a link to a film by Aaron Russo about the buyout of our Government by corporate banking establishments and their undermining of the most liberating documents in the world " The Constitution of The United States of America".Freedom to Fascism

2007-03-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

I posted about a drowning at Grandview a few days ago. I came off a bit harsh because I assumed that the surfer died because of his kookability. Well I hear now from my bro-inlaw that he heard from lifeguard sources that the guy may have suffered an aneurysm. I realize that anything can happen out there and I apologize to anyone that may have been offended by using this unfortunate story with less than all the details for slinging my angst at kooks. I still have angst for kooks, just the ones that know enough to know better. I feel bad that this person and his family suffered because of uncontrollable health condition.

2007-03-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

A new board for Rob70
70percent.org The tint job is definitely one of a kind. I have seen Gary Stubers tints on lots of boards and they are genius. This one broke the mold. Usually you have lots of colors bleeding together. This one isolated the the tint to form these overlapping circles and then blended the swirling colors on the rails. Then Pinliner from Moonlight did his custom hand painted by brush killer accenting pinlines and just made the thing pop. Stoked for Rob70. That GH fish is going to fly.

Sea Lion Surfboard

This board's art is pretty cool to. I wish I knew the name of the artist. Manny from Mandala surfboards is the shaper. A super fun shape it looks to be too.

Lobo and I and some friends are off to take care of some biz and fun south of the border. We'll be doing a quick trip down to The bay. Hopefully we'll get some fun waves. I have to repair a couple of boards and pick up some stuff from my dad and bro. before I go. Lobo and I will have company as we will be accompanied by both laminators from Moonlight. Pinliner said to make sure we come back. Don't worry I promise I will stay away from all immigration officials after we get Gary's tourist card.

Well off to pack and run around.

Hawaii Schools Sanction Surfing as a High School Team Sport

2007-03-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

Maybe the California High Schools will be next. I wonder if the High Schools in Hawaii will be using the Gerr Game Format for their competitions. It's a great stride for the youth.

2007-03-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

Taxes went pretty smooth. After Sara and I went to Newport and walked down by the pier and had some soup to go from the Crab Catcher. We watched the sunset and soaked up the ultra-urban feel at the highway 55's occidental end. We watched some super stoked people frolic in the 50 something degree water with no wetsuits. I'm pretty sure they were from Michigan or someplace cold like that.

Cracked it yesterday with my bro and some bro's at an O'side runoff beachbreak setup. Sooo fun. Small but those south nugs came through to dish up some super fun lefts to fish on the south side of the runoff. The rights to the north were a good end to the sesh. The water in O'side was pretty cold yesterday am. Today surfed late, right past dark. In Leucadia on such a beautiful day, I surfed a magic little 2' to 3' foot left all alone. I was amazed at my luck. Beacons was full of noseriders and novices. The tide pushed up and put the little waves right over this little hidden sand bar and it was left after left and just me and two guys fishing. I was fishing too since I rode the keel fin fish that TFAD has passed on to me. Leucadia was my own little fantasy island tonight.

After surfing walked Lobo down Neptune to past Stone Steps and back to Leucadia Blvd. He was in Heaven and I got a little more needed exercise. As I walked the beast I thought how much fun and extra carving practice I am missing by not having a good skate with soft wheels and some flex. I'll be looking into buying one of those soon.

Today was downright inspiring and invigorating. I hope the rest of the week is the same.

2007-03-10T05:53:00.000-08:00

Today is tax day for us. I got to surf before I drive all the way up to LA and talk all those numbers.

Sundown on another surfless day.

2007-03-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

I had all planned to surf. I decided I would surf. Then my wife comes home from work and says your still here. I thought you were going surfing. I said I was but I just wanted to take some time to make a blog entry. She says well get ready I'll drop you off at work on my way to yoga. I think the surf is small, there is work to do, I can laminate the other half of my didgeridoo, o.k. let's go. I hung out in the shop and got lots done. Now to rest and maybe surf with natebike tomorrow.

To Surf Or Not To Surf?

2007-03-09T07:03:00.000-08:00

It's 7:00 am and I can't decide. I know it's small. I know it's cold. I know there is work at the shop. But I gotta stretch my arms and legs and get some salt on me. Oh well I guess I'll surf

Didgeridoo Mfg.

2007-03-08T18:32:00.000-08:00

I don't even know how to play one yet, but I won't let that stop me. I am following in Justin's footsteps to make my own and play it. Today I glassed half of the one that is on the chair in the photo below. Tomorrow I will finish laminating it. Then to teach myself how to make it sound good.

2007-02-09T08:34:00.000-08:00

A modern-day warrior
Mean mean stride,
Todays tom sawyer
Mean mean pride.

Though his mind is not for rent,
Dont put him down as arrogant.
His reserve, a quiet defense,
Riding out the days events.
The river

And what you say about his company
Is what you say about society.
Catch the mist, catch the myth
Catch the mystery, catch the drift.

The world is, the world is,
Love and life are deep,
Maybe as his eyes are wide.

Todays tom sawyer,
He gets high on you,
And the space he invades
He gets by on you.

No, his mind is not for rent
To any God or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent,
He knows changes arent permanent,
But change is.

And what you say about his company
Is what you say about society.
Catch the witness, catch the wit,
Catch the spirit, catch the spit.

The world is, the world is,
Love and life are deep,
Maybe as his skies are wide.

Exit the warrior,
Todays tom sawyer,
He gets high on you,
And the energy you trade,
He gets right on to the friction of the day.

2007-02-08T05:47:00.000-08:00

Posting And You...

Boy how about an education.

2007-02-08T04:33:00.000-08:00

You say it's your birthday?

My brotherinlaw (TFAD)and I have our birthdays this week. This little fun swell is on the way. I think we'll have pretty good birthdays from the looks of the swell direction and size. As long as we can find someplace to surf without the crowd.

Some friends surfing.

2007-02-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

Some good video of a couple friends surfing a pretty good wave. Hi Matt and Brittany. I haven't figured out who shot this yet, but you both have a wave at the end.

2006-12-13T23:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks Greg for the great video! I hope that we get to see you in January down at "The Laughin Place" south of the border. I spoke with Catastro guy and he's working on your papers. Cowabunga!

Ponto Surf Check

2006-12-08T16:00:00.000-08:00

It didn't look like very good surf at Ponto. I got a call from a friend to drive to the airport for a trip to Brazil. So off to the airport then down to the cliffs for some more dissapointment. Deteriorating conditions and high tide. Oh well maybe this weekend will be salvageable or after the storm passes through.

All I Got Before The Cam Went Pop!

2006-12-08T15:44:00.000-08:00

OK this wasn't the biggest there was but it was the average at Sunset Cliffs. The largest sets were about 8 foot. I took off on a bigger set wave with my camera in my wetsuit. When the thing closed out I punched through the face. After that the battery died and I went in. I still have alot to learn about shooting from the water.

2006-12-07T23:10:00.000-08:00

I have been going crazy with my camera! I love to look at things a little differently. I have been experimenting with the settings at sunset and dusk. In this shot the sun was already set for about 20 minutes. I set the camera(Pentax Optio w10 waterproof digital camera)to the sunset setting with flash and held the camera real still. It captured the waves rolling into this little sand pool and still shows the beautiful glow of the sunset.

I wish I could claim the artistic talent of the drawing, but alas I only freeze framed what another created. This is taken from the bluff at beacons just before the sun set.

Here is a wave at Ponto this morning. It was only two feet. But the conditions were perfect. The tide was high and I shot from the jetty zooming in on the wave and using the high speed drive. This dramatic capture makes a two foot wave appear to be a board breaker.

Here I stuck the camera down in the water and shot an underwater pic.

This is a shot taken at 5:30 pm. It was dark. No sun. I used the night shot function and balanced the camera on the handrail of the pier. It looks so eerie.

Soft subtle colors.

Today I thought I was going to work drywalling, but they didn't have enough work for me right now. I hope that this isn't a permanent situation. I do like to do that type of work. Fortunately, Moonlight has plenty of work to keep me busy. Thank goodness! I can honestly say will work for surfboards. I just hope that J.P. will let me use one of his bonzers or his thumb one of these days.

Mexico arrested the the mouthpiece of the Oaxacan uprising. That's what he gets for opening his big mouth. It is a shame that Mexicans can't get paid enough to live the abstract value capitalistic utopian lifestyle that the television dreams up for us. They want it now daddy tio sam.

If those leftists want to force everyone to give them what they want they will end up getting more than they bargained for. To give is something that must be born in one's own soul. To tell someone to give or else will always lead to blood and loss for all sides.

I don't know where that came from. Just thinking about what is going on south of the border. I will be going south this weekend to get my car worked on. I will be going to Scorpion Bay right before Christmas. As I get more and more involved in Mexico I hope more and more that the powerful and comfortable will open up there hearts and bank accounts and let some of their good fortune to trickle down into the masses that have given them their power and wealth. It would solve alot of problems on both sides of the borders. In the same breath I hope that the poor and powerless will remain humble and perservering and allow the democratic process to let the good power prevail in their government. After the PRI had power for centuries it is unreasonable to expect PAN to come in and make life better for everyone in one president's term. Let your power, which has been revealed in the last two presidential elections and in various local elections, evolve blossom and bring to fruition your aspirations.

The end.

2006-12-05T16:27:00.000-08:00

Today I worked drywalling. The mud we used for patching the seams read my mind and threw out this killer left. I jumped right in and mindsurfed it for a little while until the boss said " Hey what are you doing with that camera?" "Oh uh nothing just you know getting some great stuff for the blog" . Nah just kidding. My boss is a super cool guy that surfs and he was just about as stoked as I was with this serendipitous artstic wave form. Now I'm back home working on the blog and the Baja Back Trails website and stuff. Tomorrow I'll be working at the Moonlight surfboard factory. We'll see what lovely types of photos I can bring in from there.