West Coast Weekend

I timed my visit to the West Coast perfectly. Good friends, truly epic surf and beauty beyond breathtaking. Images span three days along the coast from LA, through Big Sur and up to Monterey.

Parting shot from the Vienna...

Hope Sweet Hope

57 consecutive days. Most days there were waves of some sort but everyday I saw, heard, smelled and touched the ocean.

It was wonderful, beautiful, at times painful, but mostly just wonderful. Making new friends and reuniting with others; volunteering at the local Surfrider Chapter; surfing all kinds of waves in warm water.

I arrived home to spring, to lilacs, to leftover swell, and to new waves from a surprise swell south of the border. The winter wettie is a training tool unto itself and I appreciate the strength it gives us rather than lamenting over lost agility. The long drives to the surf? Well, they feel longer than ever. The isolation of not being surrounded by surfers and close to the ocean? That is the part that hurts the most - but at least this year I was ready for it.

Today was my first day out of the water in 57 days and I am not complaining but I can already feel my gills drying out - that old familiar feeling. So what's next?

Surfrider MA at OBX East Coast Conference

Over Colombus Day weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to travel with my good friend and fellow volunteer/activist, Andrew, to the Outer Banks in NC for the East Coast Surfrider Conference. We learned about how to get new members and keep existing ones; we learned about the Rise Above Plastics Campaign and Ocean Friendly Gardens; we learned how to make better use of social media; how to engage the younger generation; we met a bunch of really cool people; and yeah... we surfed!

Just off the jet and about to sample VA Beach surf... Andrew waxing up his new stick for the first time. The water was warm and we did not wear wetsuits. There were thousands of dolphins out there. Super unexpected!

Cruising through the tobacco fields of the south.

After a day of inspiring conference lectures we had fun exploring a bit and then surfing Jeanette's Pier until the sun went down.

Originally opened in 1939, Jeanette's was the first fishing pier in Nag's Head. In 2003 it was sold to the Aquarium and in September of the same year, incurred major damage from hurricane Isabel. It was rebuilt under the guidance of the Aquarium and reopened in 2009 as an "educational ocean pier".

Designed to be "Green & Clean". The most obvious of the many environmentally-friendly features of the rebuild are the wind turbines that generate stored power to light the pier at night.

Moonrise meets another sunrise through a vintage half-frame camera.

Morning pelicans in flight.

Nag's Head Sunrise Appreciation Club. One more before beginning the journey home.

We stopped in at Barrier Island Surf Shop along the way.

Over the Wright Memorial Bridge...

Back in VA Beach. On our way to get one more pre-flight session in when Andrew spotted this lil guy.

Please check out Surfrider.org. Consider becoming a member (or renewing a lapsed membership!). Find a campaign that interests you whether it is reducing your plastic footprint or making your garden more ocean-friendly. Help create strength in numbers. Know that there is a place for you and that you are needed in whatever capacity you have available. Hope to see you at the next chapter meeting!

Surf Report: Puerto Rico 2011

Ahhh... where to begin?

Northwestern Puerto Rico is a place where you can find good surf everyday from October thru April, and I would venture to bet that you can find at least a longboardable wave somewhere, on any given day, year-round.

During my stay, I was fortunate enough to surf Rincón's local breaks and a bunch of the spots further north in Aguadilla and Isabela. In general, it is usually a foot or two (or more) bigger up north so these places were great to know about when it was small in Rincón. The key is to get on them early, before the wind.

Back in action. Thanks Tony!

At each new place I would read up on the break as much as possible, watch for a while and ask someone if there were any major hazards and best way in and out. People were friendly and helpful.

Of course, it was on a small day at Maria's that I broke the fin box on my longboard. Luckily, Bobby from Mar Azul Surf Shop hooked me up with a new fin box and Tony from Rapid Ding Repair. Tony had my board fixed in 3 days as promised and did a beautiful job.

Depending on what spots you are at, the crowds can be slightly unnerving, especially upon first arrival. There are so many amazing surfers here; everything is faster; waves are more powerful and people take off deep.



All that said, it's actually surprisingly easy to get a less crowded session in if you go super early because locals think it is cold and other people just sleep late.



Speaking of early morning sessions, next time I will bring a micro wetsuit or a seriously awesome vest or rashguard because the locals are right. Before the sun rises up over the hills, it can actually be QUITE chilly, especially if it is breezy.

Two days before leaving, I was blessed to see the "big wave spot", Trés Palmas, going off. Though everyone was saying that it was not nearly as big as it can get (this spot can hold 40 foot faces), it was still a treat. And it still looked pretty big to me. Trés had not truly been "on" since Dec 25th. I witnessed many people emerging from the beast with bloody feet and missing fins. A calmer day spent snorkeling will reveal that what lies beneath the ocean's surface here is as gnarly as it is beautiful.

There were so many cool people that I met while I was there. Some folks just learning to surf and others with skills that I only dream of attaining one day. The fact that I allowed myself to bond with people (and their pets!) made it all the more difficult to say goodbye. I suppose that is part of being a silly human.



I can see myself coming back for a couple of months next year if life allows. In the meantime, the homecoming swell we got on Saturday makes being home a little bit sweeter. Not gonna lie though - that first duckdive HURT.

Surfrider: Rincón, PR

During my trip to Rincón, PR, I was stoked to meet this group of like-minded folks from the local Surfrider Chapter. Their crew consists of an awesome mix of surfers, ocean protectors, animal lovers, and other environmental and community oriented people of all ages. I was warmly welcomed in as a volunteer. I helped out at a couple of beach cleanups, attended a chapter meeting and even found a few super mega awesome surf buddies!

Current Projects

Surfrider Rincón is busy with multiple projects and initiatives so I am touching on just a few highlights from my visit. Please check out their web site to learn more about everything that is going on here now, what will be happening in the near future and to see all of the hard work that this group has already done to honor and protect this beautiful place.

Rise Above Plastics

During tourist season, Rincón is the kind of fun and happening place where drinking of multiple rum bevvies is as natural as surfing all day and getting sunburned. Working with local businesses to eliminate single use plastic cups and straws is one of their primary goals, as is eliminating plastic bags. Perhaps one day in the near future, everyone will travel with their own little sippy cups and get 10 cent discounts for rum punch refills but until that day, it is necessary to continue bringing awareness to plastic waste in our oceans so that we can break the cycle.


Blue Water Task Force
Surfrider Fundacion, Rincón has a strong ethic regarding their water quality testing. Testing the water on a regular basis provides water quality results and helps to pinpoint problems. With numbers in hand, this provides leverage and heightens public awareness for potential improvement projects as needed.

Because the BWTF is a totally volunteer driven project, they are always looking for willing recruits and what better place to start than with the younger generation? A 2-day field trip was set up to teach the fine art of water testing to a great crew of students from MAS Integrated School. Day one was a real life science project and was spent taking samples and learning the process for collecting, packaging and testing. Day two was finding out the results. Day two also included a viewing of Surfrider's epic animation: "Know Your H20" followed by a pizza party. Great kids and an awesome job of Wes, Sandy, Steve and the whole surfrider team for putting this together.



Protecting the Beaches (and Other Good Stuff!)
Ongoing projects include planting trees and other native plants around major surf spots. In anticipation of big events, walkways are installed to reduce foot traffic through fragile areas and lessen impact on the ecosystem. Surfrider Rincón works closely with event vendors to keep these amazing surfspots clean and to ensure that litter stays out of the ocean.

The most recent big event was the Rip Curl Pro Tour held at Middles near Isabela - about a 30 minute drive north of Rincón (if you can drive Puerto Rican-style). All of the pros were here and many more spectators. The alternate location was a spot called Wilderness so preparations needed to be made for both.

In the near future there will be a major surf competition held at Domes, right in Rincón. It will be a crazy event. You can count on it!

Upcoming Surfrider Event

If you are in Rincón on March 11th 2011, you will most certainly want to stop by The Rum Shack at The Lazy Parrot for what is sure to be a fun-filled event with live music by The Supertones. There will also be a complimentary buffet, raffle, surf slideshows and more!

Come spend happy hour with Surfrider Rincón and meet a few of the awesome folks who work to protect this little piece of heaven. Be a part of the community, have fun and support a great cause. Sounds good to me!

Super extra special thanks to Jim, Angela, Justin, Steve, Shannon, James, Jason, Roger, Rina, Wes, CC and the ENTIRE Rincón crew for being so welcoming. It sure was swell. You have a new friend in Boston should you ever decide to venture out of paradise. Just remember to bring a wetsuit!



Additional Information can be found here:
Surfrider, Rincón »
Rise Above Plastics »
Plastic Free Ocean »
Blue Water Task Force, Rincón »
Surfrider's Blue Water Task Force »
Know Your H20 »