Big Tuesday- December 4, 2007: Giant waves slam California Coast
Click for pics Due to a large storm spinning off of the California coast, San Diego gets slammed by massive surf. Waves were coming in consistently at 10′-12′ and the set waves were maxing at 18′. Last December I intrepidly tried to go out in similar sized surf and had to paddle back in without catching a single wave (unless you consider getting almost drowned on the way in “catching” a wave). This time though I was ready. I’ve been swimming laps regularly and practicing holding my breath, plus I was equipped with my 7′ gun. After a brutal paddle out I made it to the break and started dialing in the waves. Boards were getting broken all around and I took a few set waves on the head. But after about 3 hours I managed to catch 2 waves; one wave was in contention for being the biggest wave I’ve caught to date. Worth it? Of course!
Fing rocks Overload!
Click for pics Local San Diego rock band Fing honored Overload this weekend by agreeing to play a show in conjunction with the monthly “Ray at Night” art festival occurring in North Park. I built 2 additional stages but unfortunately underestimated the amount of sound equipment the band had. So after some brainstorming and some quick thinking we were able to construct a multi-level stage that was able to fit all of their equipment. Although it was raining outside, that didn’t stop the crowds from showing up and when Fing started to play the shop was full. They played a great set and a good time was had by all! If you get a chance to see this band live or pick up their music I highly recommend it!
Continuing to satisfy my hunger for all things skating and surfing, I recently picked up some new toys to add to the collection.
Top of the list: I picked up two new surfboards (off Craig’sList off course). The first was a 6′2″ Lost Speed Demon (which may now be my favorite board) and the second board was a 6′0″ quad-fin fish (which will be my summer board).
Also something I’ve been wanting to buy for some time, I managed to land a sweet deal on a 8′x4′ utility trailer. Where did I get it? Craig’sList of course! This trailer is awesome and I now can carry around lumber and all of my skate stuff.
Which leads me to my final new item: the dual-height funbox. I based this design off of a funbox I built about 4 years ago and was one of my favorite fun boxes. I never built another one because I didn’t have a pickup truck to carry it anymore. Enter the utility trailer! We’ve had a few Sunday skate sessions on it and it is holding up well and liked by all.
I added a few pics below but you can always go to the main gallery here for more pictures.
Published on
February 5, 2007 in
Surfing.
I just wanted to share this amazing experience. Saturday I was out surfing at my favorite surf spot, Black’s Beach, with my 2 friends. The weather was absolutely perfect, the waves were great, the water was clear, and the wind was slightly offshore. About 5 minutes after we got in I noticed what I originally thought was an albino porpoise surface briefly then dive back underwater. Soon after, I saw a group of surfers gather around the area and I started hearing everyone saying it was a whale. Not one minute later what surfaces about 15 feet in front of me? A whale! It was amazing. I would guess it was about 20 to 25 feet long and maybe a few tons. It slowly breached the surface for a breath of air and then, just as gracefully, vanished beneath the surface again. I was so close I could see individual barnacles on it’s body. It was, without a doubt, one of the more memorable experiences I’ve had and something I hope I never forget.
Here’s some video of the swell that hit Southern California on December 9th of this year. The footage was filmed at my favorite surf spot, Black’s Beach. Unfortunately, I arrogantly paddled out with my 6′4″ shortboard when I really needed a gun that was at the very least 7′ long. Needless to say, I was properly humbled again by Mother Nature and I shook off my summer over-confidence (or should I say it was shaken off me). After 30 minutes or so of dodging monster outside clean up sets, I paddled my ass back in alive and with a newfound appreciation for the power of Black’s on a winter swell. Next time I’ll be prepared!
Published on
December 8, 2006 in
Surfing.
Post update: December 18, 2006.
I added comments on how the suit has performed and the differences between a Psycho I and Psycho II.
Click for pics Well, after almost dying of hypothermia last winter I decided to upgrade my wetsuit and booties. I had been surfing in a Billabong 3/2 suit since I moved here. It was bought on Craigslist and served it’s purpose. However, the wetsuit now has about a hundred leaks in it and I don’t think I would have made it through this winter. We’re due for our first big northwest winter swell this weekend and the water temp has dropped quite a bit so I figured now was a good time to upgrade. I bought the O’Neill Psycho II 3/2 wetsuit and O’Neill 3mm Superfreak booties. I don’t think cold will be a problem this year! Muy bueno!!!
Post Update…
I felt the need to update the post after some surf time in the new suit. All I can say is one word…amazing! This suit is, in my opinion, the best in the market and the difference was incredible. My surf sessions have been great since purchasing the suit; I don’t even think about being cold or care about the water temp. I wildly underestimated how a wetsuit can make a difference in surf enjoyment. My recommendation to anyone on the fence about buying a wetsuit: do yourself a favor, spend some extra cash, and invest in your happiness by buying a quality wetsuit. You won’t regret it!
Another issue I saw a lot of questions on was the difference between a Psycho I and a Psycho II. Now, I’m not an expert and the best thing to do is go to a local surf shop (not to be confused with some chain store where the employees just want commission and don’t even surf) and ask them. But I will try to put as much of the differences I am aware of here. One of my best friends, Mike, has a Psycho I and he has had no problems with it to date and has been very pleased. The main differences that I saw between the 2 suits were the seam weldings and the internal firewall core system (an extra layer of material that wicks away moisture and keeps your body core insulated). So first, the seam welding: a Psycho I only has fluid seam welding material on the outside of the stitch, whereas the Psycho II has the fluid seam welding on both the inside and outside of the stitching. Does it matter? I’m not sure if this alone is worth the extra money to upgrade from a Psycho I to a Psycho II, but I figure extra seam welding equates to longer life, better water protection, better flexibility, and better warmth. The second major difference: the firewall core system. Here the Psycho II has a firewall system that covers both the back and the chest area, whereas the Psycho I only has firewall protection in the chest. Does this matter? I say yes since to stay warm in the water you need to keep your body core temp maintained. Here I think the Psycho II really starts to show a difference. So, hopefully this helps anyone out there trying to decide on a Psycho I or a Psycho II. Personally I would spend the extra money, but they are both amazing wetsuits.