Sara Taylor and Ornella Pellizzari rolled down to Trestles on Thursday where they were greeted with the emptiest Lowers lineup they had ever seen. For an hour there was literally only one other person out. It was an all you can eat wave feast. Doesn’t get much better.

Music:
Lana Del Rey – Blue Jeans (PatrickReza Dubstep Remix)

Malia Manuel winds up

Last week I was privileged to witness some of the best up and coming talent on the female side of pro surfing as they competed in the Supergirl Pro Junior that took place in Oceanside, CA.  It’s not often that you get to watch top pros face off in your stomping grounds.  In my case it was a quick run up I-5 from Encinitas to Oceanside where I was able to hang out on the sand in the shadow of the pier with some friends and get a front row seat.

Headlining the athletes featured in this year’s contest were Malia Manuel and Lakey Peterson, Leila Hurst, Kaleigh Gilchrist, Haley Watson and Taylor Pitz, amongst others.  It was also nice to see fellow New Yorker Quincy Davis representing the North East.

The contest got started in 3-4 foot surf with occasional head high sets.  Initially mushy conditions gave way to punchier surf for the final, which ended up as a shootout between Lakey Peterson, Malia Manuel, Leila Hurst, and Nage Melamed.  Lakey came out on top in the end despite a great effort by Malia.

The final round results were:

1. Lakey Peterson 15.54 points

2. Malia Manuel 12.23 points

3. Leila Hurst 9.83 points

4. Nagé Melamed 6.96 points

Lakey Peterson

The contest was really fun to watch, and if you’ve got some groms and want to get them stoked on a surf contest, keep this one in mind next year.  Access is very easy, and as I said before, you can literally have a front row seat on the beach.

I got a chance to talk to two of the competitors, Taylor Pitz and Haley Watson, who were kind enough to do a couple of short interviews.

Haley Watson

Age: 19
Flagler Beach, FL

SH: What age did you start surfing?

Haley: I actually started surfing not that long ago, when I was 14 years old.  So about 5 years ago.

SH: What’s your home break?

Haley: I’m from Flagler Beach, Florida.  That’s central / northern Florida on the East Coast.  A little surf town.  So I surf at the pier up there.

SH: What surfers did you look up to when you started out?

Haley: My biggest inspiration, that I most look up to, is Freida Zamba.  She’s a great friend of our family, and just an amazing person.  [She's] so talented, such a good heart.  I’m fortunate to have her in my life as a mentor.

SH: If you could surf any wave 4-6 foot and perfect, where would you go and why?

Haley: Probably Trestles!  [laughs] It’s my favorite wave ever…being from Florida.  With nobody out of course.  Well, just my friends.  You can come too! [laughing]

SH: [laughing] Thanks! So what is your favorite thing about surfing?

Haley: My favorite thing would probably be this right here…the events, and all the girls that get together, and the friends I have because of surfing.  It’s not so much the sport, it’s just everything that comes along with it; the lifestyle, and all the incredible people that I never would have met if it wasn’t for surfing.

SH: Any funny moments or misadventures on your surfing travels?

Haley: This summer I surfed in an ESA contest, the Eastern Surfing Association, back at home, and I made it to the final of the open division, which is open shortboard.  It’s mostly boys, I was the only girl in it.  And the horn blew, and we were all running out for our heat, and I tripped over my leash and fell flat on my face.  [laughing] And all the boys just laughed at me!  It’s funny now, thank goodness.

SH: What advice would you give to groms that might want to surf competitively?

Haley: Don’t really focus so much on the competitive side; don’t stress it if you don’t have a coach.  Just do the best that you can, just keep surfing, and everything will work out.

SH: Thanks so much!  Any last words?

Haley: I couldn’t be here at the Supergirl Pro Junior this year without my sponsors; NVR swimwear, Cory Whitlock and the boys at Whitlock here in Carlsbad, …Lost, X-Trak, and the Surf Station.

~~~

Taylor Pitz

Age:19
Laguna Beach, CA

SH: What age did you start surfing?

Taylor: I started surfing when I was 10, and really started getting into it when I was 12.

SH: What’s your home break?

Taylor: My home break is Thalia St. in Laguna.

SH: When you started surfing did you have any surfers that you looked up to or tried to imitate?

Taylor: I’ve kind of always looked up to Carissa Moore, even though she’s about my age.  But she’s been ripping for so long, and I used to watch her videos when I was little.  So probably her…Stephanie Gilmore and all the girls…they all surf so good now.

SH: If you could surf any wave 4-6 ft and perfect, where would you go and why?

Taylor: If it was 4-6 foot and perfect…it doesn’t really matter where it is, because then it’s just perfect! [laughing]  But I guess probably somewhere like the Mentawais, it would be pretty cool and different.

SH: What’s your favorite wave to surf?

Taylor: Lowers.  Without the crowd though! That’s the key [laughing]

SH: What’s your favorite thing about surfing?

Taylor: My favorite thing is probably just being in the ocean; I love being in the water.  It’s so beautiful, especially in Laguna.  I love hanging out with all my friends, and it’s just so much fun.  Every single time it’s different.  My favorite thing to do.

SH: Have there been any misadventures or funny moments on your surfing travels?

Taylor: When we were in New Zealand two winters ago for the ISA World Junior Games with the USA team we were all trying to find our way to this parade of nations.  But it was on the other side of the island from where the actual contest was being held.  The driving there is crazy, since it’s on the other side of the road.  We were this big caravan of vans, and we were going the wrong way on freeway onramps, and just absolute chaos! [laughing].  At one point all the vans were  driving on the side of the road, on a grass field, trying to turn around.  People were honking…we didn’t think we’d make it there alive.  We hadn’t even started surfing yet and we were getting killed driving through New Zealand. [laughing]

SH: So did you make it there?

Taylor: We did!  We finally made it just in time.  The parade was just about to start and we’re running through the streets…me and Lakey and Courtney.  It was just really funny.

SH: What advice would you give to groms that might want to surf competitively?

Taylor: I would say just start small and always still have fun with it.  Contests are serious and you get really into it sometimes, and that’s good — that focus is good.  It helps you do well.  But always keep having fun, and love what you’re doing.  That’s the most important thing.

~~~~

Special thanks to Taylor and Haley for the interviews!

For more great stories and photos featuring some of the best female surfers on the planet, check out our friend JettyGirl.com

~~~~~

]]> http://www.surfinghandbook.com/2011/08/2011-supergirl-pro-junior-goes-down-in-oceanside/feed/ 0 http://www.surfinghandbook.com/2011/07/clandestino-surfing-candy/ http://www.surfinghandbook.com/2011/07/clandestino-surfing-candy/#comments Sat, 16 Jul 2011 01:30:18 +0000 Hayley Gordon http://www.surfinghandbook.com/?p=2360

Recently I was contacted by someone representing a company called Clandestino, and she asked me if I wanted to try out some of their surfing candy.  My first reaction was, “what in the world is surfing candy?”  I read a bit further, and it became clear that it was actually a small energy bar made from bananas.  Now, I absolutely love bananas.  They are my favorite pre and post surf snack since they’re packed with good stuff, and are pretty easy to carry around with you.  So, I decided to give these surfing candies a try.  I received several different varieties in the mail, as well as a brochure featuring several surfers with their faces covered wild-west style with bandanas.  The first type of candy comes in a white box, and it’s basically a small bar made from what seems to be dehydrated bananas.  It’s actually pretty tasty – a bit more sweet than a regular banana.  There are also chocolate covered varieties – milk chocolate and dark chocolate.  At first it tasted a bit different – I wasn’t sure.  But after having a few they’ve grown on me quite a bit.

I recently participated in the Revolt Summer Surf Series Pier II Pier Pro Am in Pacific Beach, and I didn’t bring enough food with me to the beach.  After surfing my first heat and making it to the finals, I didn’t have enough time to go back to the car, get money, and go buy a snack.  I also didn’t feel like running around the streets of PB in the hot sun.  After walking around the contest area I noticed a few cartons of Clandestino bars at one of the tables.  I was pretty stoked to find them there, ate two, and surfed my way to a pretty decent result in the Women’s open shortboard – placing 4th overall out of 12.  I don’t know if the bars made me surf better, but they saved my butt big time as I was pretty hungry, and I hate surfing when I’m starving since my blood sugar drops and I bottom out.

I’ll tell you what, the dark chocolate one is pretty damn good, and they are kind of fun and handy to have around.  Bananas just don’t keep very long, and sometimes I don’t have a chance to run to the store before a surf session.  These are fun alternatives, and at only 90-109 calories (for plain and chocolate), they are still pretty healthy.  A typical banana will run you around 110-120 calories.  I’d rather eat one of these things than, say, a Quaker Chewy granola bar, or a handful of pretzels or chips.  Since these are made from actual bananas (according to the company, they are Ecuadorian bananas), they aren’t just empty calories.

If you’re looking to try these out, you can buy them at the retailers listed at their website here.  For more information, you can head to the Clandestino website.

~~~

1.)  When did you start filming and how long did the project take?

I started filming in Spetember of 2010, all in all I shot for 3 months and we are currently editing the final cut.  I began thinking about this project last May so it’s been just over a year all in all.

2.)  Is this your first film?

Yes this is my first, aside from the odd little youtube vid!

3.)  What inspired you to make a film about the orphanage?

Well that’s part of the story.  I had been working in science for years but my heart was never really in it, it was more out of necessity than anything else. Finally, I reached the stage where I had enough, I wanted to do start doing things on my goal list, something more fulfilling.  I wanted to volunteer, to surf more and to make a film.  I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to tell my story and the kids’ stories too, the fact that Mision Mexico runs a surfing programme for the kids really helped to seal the deal!  I hope this film inspires people to volunteer, to understand how surfing changes lives and to follow their dreams.

4.)  How often have you gone to Mision Mexico, and will you be back?

Only once but I’ll definately be back, I still think about those little guys and miss them a lot!  I feel truly lucky that I got to experince life with them for a few months, it opened my eyes, and it’s a dream come true to be able to help them with this film.

5.)  When can we expect your film to be released, and where can we see it?

The film will be released in the fall in the London Surf Film Festival.  I will tour surf film festivals across Europe and the US in 2012, so there will be dates on the east and west coasts.  I’ll keep you posted via my blog togetherwesurf.blog.com/?

6.)  For the techies out there, what camera and editing setup did you use?

A Sony A1U..a hardy little buck it survived the kids, the beach, the weather and the traveling!  I have a fantastic editor who is helping make the dream come alive, he uses Final Cut software.

7.)  What were some challenges that you faced in making this film?

The were two huge challenges in making this film, one was keeping the smaller kids away from the camera, as soon as they saw it they wanted to grab it or eat it!  Also trying to balance the time between your demanding duties as a volunteer and filming was a fairly monumental undertaking.  Often I’d have one of the kids in one arm and the camera in the other and be serving food or doing homework at the same time!

Synopsis: Surf Instructor, Alex Joyce sets out in search of a more meaningful existence to work as a volunteer. Destiny brings him to the Mision Mexico Refuge, an orphanage dedicated to the welfare of Mexican street children, which employs a programme to rehabilitate the kids through surfing. Though the memories of troubled pasts endure, the kids find an outlet to be liberated through surfing; it breathes hope into their lives and futures. Surfing also strengthens the bond between Alex and the kids, transforming their lives.

Re-waxing my board is not really something I look forward to anymore, especially with my longboards.  It’s messy, time consuming, and I’d much rather be  surfing.  However, sometimes you just can’t avoid it.  And, as I was recently reminded, re-waxing will give you the opportunity to examine your board for dings hidden by the months of built up, dirty old wax.  A fresh wax job on your board is the next best thing to getting a new board.  I don’t do it often enough, but when I do take the time to apply a fresh coat my board looks about a thousand times better.  Also, wax gets heavy over time, and can definitely add weight.  Just feel how heavy all the old wax is when you’ve taken it off.  And then of course  is everyone’s favorite reason to re-wax: surf trips.  This means taking off that cold water wax and putting on the tropical.

1.) Choose a location

Outdoors is preferable.  You’re not going to be able to keep all the wax off the floor no matter how neat you try to be, and it’s not that desirable to grind wax into your carpet or hardwood floor.  You’ll also need to leave your board out in the sun for a good 5 minutes to allow the wax to soften enough to the point where removing it is a breeze.  If you don’t let it soften you’ll have a hard time scraping it off.  If you have to do this in winter, you can lay down some newspaper and use a hair dryer (be careful, don’t burn your board).

2.) Protect your board

Lay down a bunch of towels, use a couple of padded sawhorses, or do it on the grass.  Just don’t put your poor board on the concrete and start scraping away at the wax.  No bueno.  Also – try to avoid putting too much pressure on the fins.  I think shortboard fins are a little more sturdy, but the length of longboard skegs makes them extra vulnerable.  Just be safe take them out if you have to lay the board on a flat surface.

Two small wicker end tables make a good stand

3.) Find a wax remover

Sometimes surf shops sell special wax scrapers / combs.  I think one is called a Wax Buddy.  However, you can go super cheap and use an old gift card or similar credit card type piece of plastic.  Don’t use metal scrapers – that will wreck your board.  There’s also something called a Pickle.  Has anyone tried this?

4.) Scrape it down

There’s something very satisfying in taking out a big swathe of old, black wax and revealing that beautiful white board underneath.  Bet you didn’t remember your board looked that good, huh?  I like to put all the wax in an old grocery bag as I work.  Some people like to mash it together and make sculptures.  Whatever floats your boat.

Nothing fancy - I used an old Best Buy gift card from Christmas

5.) Buff it out

I like to take a couple paper towels and buff out the remaining wax that might have been left on.  This really only works if the wax is still pretty soft from sitting in the sun.  Firm pressure will remove most of that leftover wax, especially from out of any pressure dents.  You don’t need to use chemical wax remover (unless you’re trying to affix something adhesive to your board, like a tail pad or Go Pro camera – then you definitely should use it).

6.)  Inspect for dings

I recently took all the wax off of my longboard.  While I was doing so I noticed a tiny water droplet appear near the rail.  I hadn’t used the board in a few days so I knew it should be completely dry.  Upon closer inspection I noticed the water droplet was oozing out of a very small crack in the fiberglass.  So small, in fact, that it would have gone completely unnoticed unless I had been putting pressure on that point.  Any dings that are not watertight will ruin your board over time, allowing it to get waterlogged and eventually delaminate.  I’m so glad I found it when I did, or I may have never noticed it at all.  Unfortunately I don’t know how long it was there, but at least I did find it.  Sometimes you won’t know that you got a ding, especially if it’s covered by wax.  So I learned my lesson: take the time to re-wax even if it’s just so you can find those hidden dings.  In my case, I had left the wax on my longboard since September….that’s 7 months.  Time flies when you’re having fun!

A tiny drop of water seeps out when the ding is pressed. Not good!

7.)  Wax it up

If you haven’t found any dings that need attention, then it’s time to wax it back up.  This is best done in the shade, out of the direct sun.  Apply a basecoat first–this can really help the wax stay on and bead up nicely.  Use firm pressure and alternate rail to rail, tip to tail to get those nice, even bumps.  Once you’ve got a light base coat, apply the proper temperature wax.

8.) Go surf!

~~~

We have a huge wax guide here at Surf Wax 101. However, after re-waxing my board and finding that hidden ding that was obviously letting water in, I decided it was good to remind everyone to check their boards out from time to time.  I think with longboards it’s even more important – they’re expensive and people usually want them around for a long time.  Also, waxing a longboard from tip to tip is a super pain in the neck so I think people are more apt to put it off.

This past month I had the great pleasure of attending the 2011 Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards, where my good friend’s brother Eric Akiskalian was nominated in the ‘Biggest Wave’ category.  If the official retirement age gets pushed back, you might have to blame this man: at 51, Eric is charging harder than men half his age.  Although Eric did not walk away with the win this year, his nomination is another addition to his long list of feats and accomplishments in his surfing career.  Eric has now become the oldest surfer to ever be nominated in the history of the XXL Awards ‘Biggest Wave’ category, and he is now being credited for riding the biggest wave ever surfed in the Pacific Northwest.

Talking with Eric and his friends I have come to learn that once he makes up his mind to do something–no matter how unrealistic or crazy of an idea it is–he gets it done.  This is exactly what happened when he turned 40 in 2000 and decided he wanted to become an extreme big-wave tow-in surfer.  Everyone thought he was crazy, including his friends.   But they also knew that if anyone could pull it off at his age, it would be Eric.

Eric’s surfing journey however began long ago at a very young age on a surfboard his mother purchased from a neighbor for $30 as a Christmas gift.  Ever since that fateful day Eric’s life has been tied to the ocean, and he would surf at every opportunity he had along the Santa Barbara coast.  After a short foray into the competitive scene, Eric decided that the competitive scene wasn’t the direction he wanted to go. Looking for bigger and better challenges he started chasing big waves, starting at T’s Point at Jalama in the late 70′s and eventually paddling out for the first time at Mavericks in 1996 on an 18′-20′ day, undergunned on an 8’10″ Progressive gun shaped by Dave Johnson. It was then when he decided to train harder than ever, and eventually began to follow the huge swells around the world, creating a name for himself in the industry and earning the respect of his peers.  Eric’s journey hasn’t been without pitfalls, however.  He has had his share of near drownings and brutal wipeouts, one of which earned him a nomination for Wipeout of the Year at the 2006 Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards.

Today Eric owns and operates Towsurfer.com a website he created and launched in 2000 and continues to surf and chase swells in his quest for bigger waves.  He is married to his beautiful wife Sharon and has two sons, Evan (10) and Jake (4).  Eric and his family currently live in Gig Harbor, WA.

I had a chance to talk to Eric about his career and this year’s nomination in the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards.

_________

How did you choose Oregon, and how did everything come together as you tracked the swell for the wave that you were nominated for?

I had been talking to a good friend named Mark Sponslor from Stormsurf.com before the swell slammed the Oregon coast.  Mark made it very clear that the swell’s main energy and focus was aiming straight for Oregon, and although other locations would be big, they would not be as big as Oregon.  So then the question of the winds came up, and it was a gamble to stay in Oregon or go to other potential big wave locations in California or Hawaii. The consensus between he and I was pretty clear: it was going to be in the 60’ face height range with some bigger sets, and the winds were forecast to go light on the morning of the swell.

So we rolled the dice and that’s exactly what happened on Nov. 2, 2010.  Subsequently on that same day the Big Wave World Tour (BWWT) held their Nelscott paddle contest.  So, Keith Galbraith who is my tow partner, myself, Dan Hasselschwert and Ollie Richardson did what we do every year during the Nelscott event: we towed South Reef all day.  When the buoys finally maxed out at around 24’ @ 17 seconds the tide started dropping and it was going mental.

South Reef was as tall and vertical of a drop as I had ever seen it, and it was throwing huge gaping top-to-bottom barrels. This swell was the biggest swell I had ever surfed in 7 years of going to Oregon, and produced legit 50’-60’ face heights on Nelscott Reef and UPWARD, with occasional larger sets on South Reef.  There was so much water, current, and swell moving everywhere that you had to really be on your game at all times.  We also witnessed–as others did–the random ROGUE sets breaking every hour or so that could have possibly been in the 65’-70’ face height range on an outer reef which has never broke like that in all the years I’ve been surfing there.  This was without any doubt the swell of the decade for Oregon–30’-35′ plus Hawaiian scale.

How did you feel after your rode that wave?

I knew it was big, but I had no idea how big it was until the photos started surfacing and witnesses from the channel and cliff made their claims of seeing me on a 60′-65′ monster set wave.  Basically that wave landed me my first XXL Biggest Wave nomination at the ripe young age of 51. Man, that is a huge personal accomplishment even though we did not win.  I can honestly say that I’ve earned this nomination after a decade of chasing swells, and that feels really good!

What was the story behind getting the photo that got you nominated?

I had been making some calls a few days prior the swell hitting and trying to get some of the photgs to come up but they all had other plans to go to Maverick’s and other west coast locations.  Then I called a local photographer named Richard Hallman but he said he was already committed to shooting the big-wave paddle contest that was going on that same day about 600 yards up the reef at another spot called Nelscott Reef.  He said he would love to come over and shoot but he was already committed to the contest.  However he said that if he did see anyone riding a giant wave at South Reef he would take the chance, point and shoot his camera and hope for the best seeing that he was going to be 600 some odd yards away or even farther.

Anyway as the session started I got a few solid warm up waves in the 40′-45′ range and then out the back about a mile out we could see this monster fetch building.  When it hit Middle Reef, top to bottom, we knew it was going to be one of the biggest sets of the day. Right then and there I was thinking that if we only had a video guy and photographer right here in our zone this could possibly be the wave that would win the XXL ‘Biggest Wave’ for sure.  I got two massive waves that day in the 60′-65′ range.  As it turned out, Richard Hallman saw someone on a giant wave at South Reef and started firing his camera not knowing who it was and truly hoping it was going to be me.  I also had another tow buddy, Craig Spjut in the water who was taking shots off his PWC in-between driving others and doing water safety.  He basically just had a little handheld and from a distance he also took two shots of me when he saw that wave.

The shot that Craig took I was able to see right away, and although it looked massive and hollow I knew we would have a problem with it being too far away.  Nonetheless, I was super stoked and amped to have had one of my biggest waves that day captured.  I was still unaware that Richard had taken some shots and at 11:00 P.M. that night he calls me and says, “Hey Eric, I think I might have shot your wave”.  Moments later he sent them to me and the rest is history.  Then about two weeks later I found two photographers, Dave Collyer and Scott Blyth, that were on the cliff that same day while shooting the Nelscott Big-Wave paddle contest.  As it turned out they also had shot my wave.  So in total we had four different angles and perspectives from four very different and unique photographers who were all focused on shooting the big-wave paddle event and just so happened to shoot my wave.  Out of the four, Richard Hallman and Dave Collyer both got XXL Photo Nominations with my wave.

The problem with ALL the photos is that although the wave looks massive and you know the bottom is way down there, without seeing how far the bottom goes down you can’t give it an accurate size judgment from just viewing the photos. This is because there is a very large ocean swell right in the foreground of the pictures. If we had just one photo that was taken from the water and right in front of that wave, it is almost certain that the visual size difference would have increased around 15′ or so bigger on the face then what you can actually see.  We know from the swell charts and buoy readings how big the surf was and also from eye witnesses which gives us a fairly strong indication how big the wave really was. Next season, if we get one of those massive swells, it will be a different story for sure!  We will have photogs ready to go shooting both angles of that wave from the water and video guys as well.  That was the only mistake we made this year, not having our own photogs and it could have cost us the possibility of winning the XXL Biggest Wave Award.

Are you going for another nomination next year?  Where will you be hunting for the wave that will get it?

I will continue to chase big waves because this is what I love to do, but I will be very selective and make sure that it’s the right swell.  I would like to hit Tahiti and Chile again this summer for sure and then start right back up with next fall in the Pacific Northwest.  If another nomination comes with that, then great but if not, then I’m not going to even worry about it.  The fact that I am able to do what I love to do and have done as much as I have in the past 10 years at my age is a blessing in itself.  I have already accomplished my personal goal and best of riding a 60 footer and that alone is an amazing accomplishment for any veteran and accomplished big-wave surfer.  That’s not to say I wouldn’t mind breaking my own personal record!

Where else did you travel this past year chasing XXL swells?

I spent most of my season chasing big swells in Oregon and California and I also went to Pe’ahi (JAWS) once for a tow session in January which was only about 15’-18’.  I also went to Chile three times during their winter season and scored solid 12’-15’ paddle and 15’-18’ tow surf!

What is the big-wave paddle scene like where you surf in Oregon?

We focused a lot more this season on paddling when conditions permitted. My tow partner Keith Galbraith has been leading the paddle surge up here since the 2009/10 season and getting us all fired up to paddle as much as possible.  We probably had 5 solid paddle sessions in the 12’-15’ range, nothing too big, but with really clean conditions.  Things are heavy up here with shifty currents, extreme tides, poor weather, hungry sharks, freezing temps, submarine size whales, giant seals, thick wet  soup fog, massive beach break closeouts, and wild wind!  So you have to be on location to catch the windows of opportunity.

What is rewarding to you about surfing big waves?

The reward is personal satisfaction from the challenge and quest of what I love to do while sharing the stoke with friends and my family.  For any true surfer, it’s also a lifestyle and what I call a healthy addiction if there is such a thing.

What is it like to be a big wave surfer at 51?

To me, my age is just a number and I try not to think about it too much!  But when I do, it’s pretty amazing that at this age I’m really pushing myself as hard as I am.  I look and feel like I’m in my early 40′s and I believe that being a surfer and having two young kids at the moment, has kept me young spirited.  I have, however, noticed that my common sense has increased a great deal over the last couple of years and the chances and risks I take are not as bold as they have been.  It is still a great feeling getting out there and experiencing the ocean from 2′-60′!

What is your biggest fear and how do you overcome that fear?

Naturally my biggest fear is drowning and those long, dark, and violent hold downs.  Over the years I have learned how to come to terms with the fact that this is something that you have to deal with as a big-wave surfer.  The only thing you can do is just stay calm, conserve your energy, and shake it off when you finally do make it to the surface.  I realize the dangers involved and I try not to take unnecessary risks and chances.  If my gut tells me today could be a really bad day, I listen to what I am feeling and thus far this has kept me injury free and alive.  Now when I get long hold-downs, I really try not to make a big deal out of it because I do not want to get all tweaked out and lose my focus.  Then again, there are those beatings that make you throw in the towel for the day.

How do you train for big-wave surfing?

I do a lot of cross training and sports that consist of stretching, yoga, stair master, biking, snowboarding, wakeboarding, weight lifting, paddling, breath holding exercises and swimming.  I usually train anywhere from 1-3 hours a day, five to six days a week.

What is Towsurfer.com, and how are you involved with it?

Having created Towsurfer.com has allowed me to get really involved in the sport, the growth of tow surfing, and the current evolution of big wave paddle surfing.  I have helped and continue to promote the elite big-wave riders, their contests, and all the global big-wave sessions that go down via Towsurfer.com.  I was the founder and president of APT, The Association of Professional Towsurfers, which organized a couple of successful tow-in events during its 6 year life span and we took great pride in working towards becoming the organizing body on a global level for all tow surfers.  But due to lack of funding, difficult logistics, and overwhelming amount of work along with the turn for more big-wave paddle surfing, we decided to lay APT to rest.

I have been very active in taking photos of some of the most amazing big-wave sessions in the last 11 years which have also landed me many photographer entries and one photographer nomination in the XXL Awards. I have also been responsible for establishing tow-in clinics and PWC ocean Safety courses in California, along with  organizing  the Hawaii State Tow-In License certification course in California.  I have had the opportunity to provide my own photos and personal information on tow surfing for many articles, stories, posters, calendars and books. I have produced and documented many tow-in missions with some close friends that were very successful.  Towsurfer.com has also sponsored a handful of big-wave videos, some of which I have also been featured in as a rider.

It has been an amazing 11 years, and to really think about all that has happened and all that I have done and witnessed would basically require me to sit down for months and write my own book or do my own documentary.  Hey, there’s an idea!  I have seen, heard, and done it all.  Not bad for a virtually unknown middle age surfer from Santa Barbara, CA that just simply had a dream!  My dream was to become a tow surfer, and the rest is history!

“Keep The Dream Alive!”

The funny thing about fairy tales, is that we forget about them so fast
And we grow up, we buy things, we build up fences
We sell our innocence and forget our dreams
We forget who we are in order to be something we’re not
And we’ll keep believing in this so called truths, until we forget how to live
Or until we open our eyes, and wake up.

Occasionally I browse through the newest material that’s posted on Vimeo, and a few days ago I came across a trailer for a new surf film.  What I saw blew me away.  The visuals, music, and narration blended together well enough to give me goosebumps–and it’s only a 1:30 long surf film trailer.  I had to contact the filmmaker, Loïc Wirth, and ask him about the project, as well as a little bit about himself.

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Where are you from? Where are you based out of now?
I’m from Florianopolis, Brasil. I base myself here for a part of the year, and in a little place in the south of France during the other part.

When did you start making films?
I started when I was about 16 years old stealing my favorite shots of my favorite surfers from different films, and then I would put those together the way I liked it, with the song I liked, just to sit and watch with my friends afterwords. Then in 2009 I got to grab a camera for the first time and start getting passionate for filming.

In your opinion, what makes a good surf film?
That’s a tough question…I don’t think there’s a formula for it. I guess If there was, it wouldn’t be that fun to watch…

What’s the story behind Intentio? How did the project come about?
I don’t think I would be able to put it in words, think I’ll explain better in the edit…
This project came in my mind since the first stolen films I told you about…I always wanted to try to share a message through my videos…Then when I started working with surf films, I was always having to please a brand, or my employer, and I never really liked it.  Now it’s the first time I’m able to express myself honestly, without having to follow rules or trends.

What is the basic theme behind it? Where did the opening dialog on the trailer come from?
The basic theme behind it…the basic goal behind it, is to invite the viewer to question some things that we are so used to in life…and see it from different perspectives.  The narration was read by a good friend of mine, and was written by me.

What locations did you film in? What was your favorite?
New Zealand, France, Uruguay, California, Hawaii, Brasil and Indonesia.  It’s hard to pick a favorite, they all meant a lot to me…But Indo does have good beer and waves so…

When is the planned release?
The second semester of 2011

What camera equipment did you use?
A Panasonic HVX-200

Is this your first film? What other projects have you worked on?
Yes, it’s my first independent film.
I worked on webisodes for Surf Europe Mag, Red Bull.tv, and last year I had the chance to participate along with surfer Marco Giorgi on Taylor Steele’s Innersection Blue.

Loïc In Action

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Song: In a Broken Dream, performed by UNKLE, released on the album End Titles…Stories for Film.

starring
Marco Giorgi, Cristian Muller, Gabriel Medina, Craig Anderson, Fernando Moura,
Jean da Silva, Jeronimo Vargas, Gabriel Muller, Ricardo Santos, Ian Gouveia and Chippa Wilson

Shot in New Zeland, Uruguay, Indonesia, France, Hawaii, Brasil and California

Photography, Editing, Filming, Direction and Story by Loïc Wirth

Narration by Vernon Deck

Production Still From Intentio

BBC Productions has done it again with an astoundingly lavish and jaw dropping production entitled Human Planet.  Following in the footsteps of the hugely popular Planet Earth and Blue Planet, Human Planet turns the camera back on us, framing the human race in various natural environments.

The first episode, Oceans, is one that many surfers might be interested in.  The hour long installment follows groups of people in various locations as they attempt to eke out a living, surviving by doing the most interesting and incredible things.  One of the most amazing parts of the series was the story of the Filipino tube divers.  About 30-40 men dive down with an individual tube that looks like a garden hose, each of which are connected to a single pump generator on the boat that looks like it’s about one step away from breaking down completely.  On deck, men are furiously trying to sort the hoses so they don’t get tangled.  It looks like an absolutely insane practice, but they do it just to earn a meager living.  Another astounding story was of the fishermen who work with dolphins to round up schools of fish, and the diver who free dives and hunts on the seafloor for minutes at a time in one breath.

The inclusion of surfers in this episode ranges from the beginnings of surfing in ancient Hawaii to the modern day sport of big wave riding.  It’s a spectacular display of humans mastering their natural environment.

Some viewers, especially ocean lovers, might be startled at the depiction of various hunting methods, such as the tribe in Indonesia hunting a sperm whale.  However, when put into context, these people absolutely need this food to survive.  They aren’t cruelly hunting whales for monetary gain, and instead overfishing they take what they need and don’t waste a single scrap from whale.  In this case I think it’s an interesting look at how humans survived (and still do) before the industrial food industry took hunting away from the public eye.  Practices such as these are examples of sustainable fishing methods, and should not be attacked.  The major problem facing our oceans is industrial overfishing.

Each episode focuses on a different natural environment; Oceans, Deserts, Rivers, and so on, totaling eight in all.  One thing that must be said about this series is that the imagery and footage is absolutely beautiful.  At the end of each episode you’re taken behind the scenes to see how the filmmakers got their shots.  In some cases it’s just as amazing as the objects they are filming, and the dedication of these crews to get the footage is something to be admired.  If you can get your hands on the Blu Ray version and have the appropriate equipment on which to watch it, I highly recommend it.  Even without the Blue Ray high definition, the series is still crisp and clear on regular DVD.

I was a little skeptical about the series at first, wondering what sort of stance the show would take on how humans interact with their environments.  My concerns were allayed, however, once I saw that the stories the show depicted were some of the most amazing and interesting practices I’d ever seen.  Most of these stories are things that you won’t even know occurred.  In a world of Facebook and Twitter, it’s astounding  to see tribes that still cross miles over the desert just to find water, and gather together for a festival they wait years for–just to put on a dance and win a lover (watch the Deserts episode).  Sometimes it’s good to take a look beyond our own culture to see a simpler way of life, and realize that our worries are so trivial compared to the life or death worries that some people face every day.

I also encourage ocean lovers to check out the Blue Planet series, which explores the amazing diversity of life that’s found in our planet’s oceans and seas.

You can order Human Planet now on Amazon.com, and follow Human Planet on Facebook for a chance to win the series on DVD in their Trivia Challenge

The surfing subculture is something that Hollywood has notoriously had difficulties capturing with authenticity.  Valiant efforts have been made, but tend to cross the line into parody  and caricature.  Shakas are forced, “bro’s” are called one too many times, and people get barreled on their second day surfing.

With Soul Surfer, Hollywood at least has some help.  The film is based on a true story – a story so remarkable that it’s difficult to tell if some things had been fudged for the sake of box office figures.  But fudged they were not – Bethany Hamilton really was a child surfing prodigy, she really did have her arm tragically bitten off by a shark, and she really did bounce back not only to surf, but to compete.  In fact, just yesterday she was surfing in a heat at Bells Beach in Australia at the Rip Curl Pro.  Competing in such a contest is a remarkable feat for a person with two arms, but for a person with one arm it almost seems impossible.  But there she is, paddling away and dropping into waves that would make even seasoned surfers think twice.  Surfing is a sport that is extremely reliant on paddling power and arm strength.  The fact that Bethany is able to surf so well without one of her arms blows my mind.

The movie itself isn’t perfect.  It has it’s moments of schmaltz and gooey sweetness that could make your teeth hurt.  The “villain,” a girl who is perpetually wearing black and making snide remarks to Bethany, is a bit over the top.  Bethany seems almost too good to be true, slaying said villain with a smile and a kind word.  My screenwriting professor would call this “on-the-nose.”  Despite this, however, it has enough emotional impact to make a grown man tear up: I was talking to a guy in the lineup the other day – a man with tattoos on his face, someone you’d definitely think twice before crossing.  “My eyes were watering,” he said.

The thing is, I always knew the story of Bethany Hamilton, but I didn’t really know it.  I didn’t read her book, and I hadn’t really seen her surfing.  I thought it was utterly amazing that she could surf with one arm, but beyond that I didn’t give it much thought.  The movie really drives it home how much of a triumphant comeback she made.

It must have given Hollywood a nervous twitch to release a movie with such a feel good theme. This is an excellent movie not only to bring your kids to, but to bring your parents to as well.  It’s been reported that the Hamiltons fought hard to include a lot of Christian themes in the movie.  As a Christian myself I tend to wince when Christianity is ham-fisted down unwilling throats.  While the movie does include ample bible quoting and youth group going, I feel that it’s not over the top.  It serves as a plot element – after all, Bethany does truly get a lot of strength from her belief in God.  That’s not something you can leave out of the script.  So don’t run the other way because of a supposed religious agenda.  You can take it or leave it, but you can’t exactly leave it out.

Overall I really did like this movie.  I tend to agree with Roger Ebert that there weren’t enough emotional valleys to complement the peaks, but it was extremely refreshing to go to the movies and watch something that made me feel good about life, and going after what you want with all your heart.

I have a tremendous new respect for Bethany, and I’m sure she will be winning many more fans as a result of this movie.

Check out the trailer here, and follow Bethany on twitter!

If you’re in the Southern California area, you can view the board that Bethany was on when the shark attacked her.  It has been donated by the Hamilton family for an unlimited time and is on display at the California Surf Museum in Oceanside.  I’ve seen it, and it’s quite amazing how perfect the bite mark is.

Winter surfing in New York (and the entire East Coast) is part of the local surf culture, and only the most dedicated participate.   It’s a kind of litmus test – if you surf in the winter, then you earn a certain respect.  There’s something both peaceful and exhilarating about surfing in the dead of winter.  Some may think it’s crazy, but for others it’s a way of life.

This is part artist profile, part interview, and part case study of winter surfing at its coldest.  After posting several amazing photographs of recent post-blizzard surf sessions in Montauk, New York on Facebook, I had to ask Dalton Portella for a recap of the events.  A New York based artist and musician whose mediums include photography and painting, Dalton does an amazing job conveying the grandeur of the sea and sky.

Tin And Rick

Stu, John and Andrea - Winter Lines at Ditch Plains

How Cold is that water?

I looked on online yesterday and it’s between 35 and 37 I think now.

Dalton - Self Portrait

Does it usually get that cold?

In the past I remember it getting down to like 38 in February.  This feels a little bit colder.  We’ve had some pretty brutally cold stuff here so it feels a little bit colder than usual.

What’s your wetsuit setup like when you go out?

I’m using a 6/5/4, 7 mil boots, gloves…I think the most important thing is keeping the extremities warm.  If I can keep my hands and feet comfortable I can last a while.

What do you personally get out of Winter surfing?

Peace of mind. [laughs] My brain doesn’t shut up and the only time it seems to shut up is when I’m on a wave.  For a few seconds at a time I just get to wipe the slate clean and I’m not thinking about anything else while I’m on a wave.  And it beats going to a gym. [laughs]

That picture with Tin [of Drug Money Art], with the icicles on his hood, how cold was it that day?

Yeah that was the coldest day.  It was 7 degrees that day.  It was definitely negative something with the winds.  It was brutally cold.  You can see all the ice on the jetties in the other pictures.  For saltwater to freeze on the jetty it’s gotta be pretty f*cking cold.

Tin and Lisa

Stevie White - Frozen Dirt Lot

What’s special to you about Montauk?

Well this time of year it’s the lack of people.  I like the solitude, I like the isolation.  It’s good to have one or two people out there with you, but [the crowds] make me a little cranky. [laughs]

It seems like you do a little bit of everything–painting, photography.  Do you have a main medium or do you just mix everything?

Lately I’ve just been shooting [photos] a lot and capturing this winter experience.  And I seem to have been going back to this theme of birds.  I find dead birds, live birds…and I think that by shooting that…I think they can be metaphors for everything that’s going on in the world pretty much.  The bird is the symbol of peace, freedom, nature, and all these other things.  But to find them dead, decaying…that’s a good vehicle for me to illustrate the condition of the world.  And I’ve got an ongoing series with my daughter that I’ve been doing over the years.  I shoot her in environments that I find interesting or mysterious.  And then the Winter surf series, which just captures my experience out here in New York on the East End.

What else would you say inspires you?  I know you like to do the Ocean and the Sky, that seems to be a big theme in your work.

Yeah, I’m drawn to shooting the ocean.  I can bring my experience in the water, not necessarily just to the surfing world, but to people who’ve never experienced that.  And the Winter series…I don’t know, even after all these years I find snow on the beach novel…just bizarre.  I like using figurative work…and using themes and imagery of my daughter.  I find that can be a good springboard for lots of stories.  I’ve got that shot of her walking towards the camera on a beach with a tank behind her with four people going surfing behind her.

"After Challenger"

What made you put the tank in there?

That’s a tank I pass a lot in Wainscott.  I thought putting it there would just make people think. When I first showed that image someone commented that a novel could be written about the picture.  And I like someone to be able to come up with their own ideas and stories about what they see.  Like putting a picnic table, sinking it in the sand.  There’s a lot of stories there.

I noticed you said you work with mixed mediums.

I do for this photographic series.  I do have other mixed media pieces where I actually incorporate my paintings with my photography.  Printing the photography on watercolor paper and then going into that with pastel – some of those are mixed media like that.  When I was studying art at Parsons I got a job doing photo retouching a long time ago, and that turned into computers, so I can incorporate that into my artwork.  It’s a new brush, it’s a new tool.

It’s really eye catching I think.

Yeah and I like making it totally believable.  People are like, “Wow there’s a tank on the beach.”  I’m not necessarily looking to create something surreal, but just something believable…to inspire some thought, you know.

I couldn’t tell the first time I saw “No Picnic”.  I didn’t know that was Photoshopped at all.  I was like “When did that happen?”

That one….just painting the water around the legs of the table, and putting the shadows in to make it believable.  I come at this with a painting background and use photography as my canvas.

"After The Storm"

(No) Picnic

Were you a painter originally?

Yeah.  I started with painting and drawing before I ever got into photography.

When did you move out to Montauk?

I moved out on 9/11 full time.  We had the house out here [in Montauk] already.  And that was kind of the straw that broke the camel’s back.  I had wanted out of the city before that, but my wife liked the city more than I did. We watched the trade center burn from the roof of our loft in Williamsburg…and then I said, “That’s it, let’s go to Montauk.” And we put my daughter in school in Montauk the following Monday.

I know you’re in Bastards of Boom, what’s your involvement with that?

Yeah, I’ve got a cool band that mixes all original music of stuff I’ve been influenced by from living in Brazil, and Middle Eastern music that I like, and rock, and I mix it all up.  It’s a cool band.  The little story behind the name…a jazz drummer started [another] band called “Samba Boom,” and we played traditional samba in that band.  And I took all these drummers from that band and started the Bastards Of Boom so we could mix it all up.

You also play the guitar too right?

Guitar is my first instrument.  I wanted to be a drummer before anything, but my mother was never going to buy me a drum set.  And my sister won a guitar and I just kinda taught myself how to play.

You said you had a T-Shirt line coming out?

I’ve been working on these designs for a long time.  I did a whole series of designs for this company called Haute Hippie and I didn’t like signing away the rights to the work for very little money, so I decided to do my own.  I just want to own everything about the piece and it will just mean a lot.  I started working on my own designs about ten years or so ago.  I did a bunch of my own shirts and was just doing them from my studio with iron on transfers, and sold those right away.  I just got away from it, but in the back of my mind I still wanted to do it.  And I watched Tin really do what he likes, and he’s been a great help to me, talking about which shirts to use, etc.  So I’m doing my own.  It’s going to be a line called Dalton Apparel, hopefully we’ll have a website up in a few weeks and get the shirts out there.  We’re starting small with like 4 designs.  And I’ve got tons on deck.  And I’m using all my photography married to my graphics, and it’s kind of surf, it’s kind of rock and roll, and it’s art.

Tin Modeling A Dalton Apparel Original T Shirt

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Check out Dalton Portella’s website at daltonportella.com, as well as the site for his original shirts at daltonapparel.com

Dalton will also be releasing a coffee table book of his photography titled Close To Home, which should be available soon.

Check out the Bastards Of Boom on ReverbNation

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