The wave really wanted to be somebody.  They could have been a contender, instead of a bummer, which is what they were.  They had the shape, and nearly the strength, but there was just no size.  Board choice didn’t even come into it today.  Granted, I was way over-shooting it with the Electric, but there [...]

Ever wanted to try your hand at building your own surfboard?  It actually not too hard.  All you need is the will and a few materials to get going.  (Granted, building a good surfboard is up to you.)  Foam E-Z, owned by Brad Nadell, is a one-stop surfboard supply shop in Westminster, CA.  (You can [...]

One of the paradoxes of surfing is that surfers tend to be more aware of environmental responsibility than the average citizen, yet the sport of surfing itself is terribly destructive in terms of materials used for boards, wetsuits, travel and so on.  But take heart, there are some emerging pioneers in the surf industry who [...]

An 8.0 earthquake in American Samoa this morning prompted a tsunami watch in Hawaii and a tsunami advisory for coastal areas of Southern California, including Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. From weather.gov: TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE IMMEDIATE COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA… THIS IS NOT A TSUNAMI WARNING [...]

Whitewash is a documentary by directory Ted Woods on the history of black surfers.  Talk about a great subject!  It recently showed at the NY Surf Film Festival.  Narrated by Ben Harper, this movie explores the stereotypes, struggles and triumphs of black surfers in America.  I’d read an article in The Surfer’s Path some years [...]

Another subpar surf session.  I went out during my lunch break for a quick one, but there wasn’t much there.  (Still no reason not to go out though.)  The wind is really taking its toll on the waves.  Surface texture is giving way to plain ol’ chop and the waves couldn’t have been more sectiony.  [...]

By the end of the work day yesterday both my eyes were twitching and my back was burning with a searing pain.  I was heading out for sure no matter what the conditions.  I’d been watching the wind pick up all day and figure there would be some significant chop out there.  And boy, was [...]

Brandon called me again on Friday and asked if I wanted to head out with him on Saturday morning for some surf surfing.  “Of course!  Duh!” I said.  We actually paddled out around 17th Street, but the current was such that we wound up at Dog Beach by the time we got out of the [...]

It was a great day at El Porto.  The sun was out and the water warm, glassy and clearer than I’ve ever seen it.  (Although there was a funky smell in the air.)  The water was so clear we could see 15 feet down if we could see a foot.  We even spotted a few [...]

My buddy Duane lives on Oahu.  We exchange emails about great surf sessions regularly, and I often use him as my surf guru when I need advice.  He’s been surfing for 20 years or more and in Hawaii, so I trust his knowledge.  This past winter when things rockin’ here I emailed him and said, [...]

Another quick surf session at Beach Bowls.  The sets tended to come frequently and provide a few decent rides, both rights and lefts.  But when the high tide came in the sets got mushed out a bit.  If you are planning to go out tonight though, should be good if the wind stays down. I [...]

Work had me at the desk all day today. Mrs. Jeff had a meeting to go to in the evening, so I went to the garage to see her off. Once she driven away, I stood there surrounded by my surfboards trying to motivate myself to get back to work. It didn’t happen. The ocean [...]

I saw this on Foam E-Z today and though it was quite interesting.  Very broadly, this film covers the topic of surfers during the Vietnam War.  Between the Lines follows two surfers during the Vietnam War.  One surfer, Pat Farley, enlists in the army and goes over to fight in the war; the other, Brant [...]

Taking my own advice, I rode down to Bolsa Chica early today (near the main tower), and man, oh man, what a difference from last evening.  The waves were lovely little a-frames in the thigh-to-chest high region.  There were a few steep take offs, but nothing the Quatro wasn’t ready to handle.  (The rider goofed [...]

If I didn’t alreayd know that tomorrow is the official first day of fall, I’d have said it arrived today.  Jack Lordy were those winds howling and churning up the ocean this afternoon. I’ve been riding my bike to Bolsa Chica and back, preparing myself for an upcoming backpack trip.  It was windy as all [...]