Friday Funzone at Tiburones

It got so bad, I thought every intersection was just another chance for someone to drop in on me. He who hesitates is lost, and I was lost. I'll just let that SUV go first. I mean, after Dempsy torched me I felt defeated - humbled. With my tail between my legs - I went home to lick my wounds and regroup. Penguin, Dempsy, some fuckin' longboarder - it just doesn't matter. Whining down the long road - it's the journey, not the inn.

Kindness is not without its rocks ahead. People are apt to put it down to an easy temper and seldom recognize it as the secret striving of a generous nature; whilst, on the other hand, the ill-natured get credit for all the evil they refrain from. -Honore De Balzac, novelist (1799-1850)  ¶ 10:55 PM 3 comments

 

Started LB and Quickly Turned SB

Checked the waves in the morning and it looked real small. Figured once the tide dropped a little, some LB glides would be available. So - later I paddled out to Second Bowl on the green plank, but noticed the waves were starting to pick up. First wave to the nose, leaned into the wave face and slipped. The plank rode to the beach and I went in searching for a wax fix. Got the wax, paddled back out, and hooked into some more waves. The waves kept breaking a little farther out, and they were more than I wanted for the LB. After three or four waves I made a command decision and got my SB. Good move. Surfed fun second bowl. Not big, but lined up. Word was Tiburones was good too - Rick, Paul, Penguin, and Terry were on it. Paul came up to Second Bowl to inform me of the pleasures down the line, but I figured he was just trying to spook me. I ended my session at Tiburones and he was right. As I was leaving, Terry, Rick, and I watched some hooded demon collide with Kneeboarder Roy. Late news indicates Roy's board was damaged. The same demon almost killed me as I tried to race down the line and make a section. Terry's got a real nice new board he tried today - he looked like he was hooked in and I must say the board is beautiful. Roy, I only hope the guy didn't say sorry, but instead handed over the cash. Rant: gasoline prices are high and it's the environmentalists fault. They won't let drilling in ANWR go on and they keep the oil companies from building new refineries and upgrading old refineries. I'll start with the oil companies. What ever the cost, it's passed on to us. So, if new refineries or upgrades cost, we would be paying - that's not stopping them. Environmental compliance is all about cost, and remember we pay. Instead, it's likely the oil companies don't build new refineries or upgrade because they are motivated by supply and demand consequences. Why build more refineries when that will only increase supply and drive down the price of gasoline at a fixed demand. Bottle-neck the supply of gasoline and the price will go up; meanwhile, the oil corps and their political allies can blame the environmentalists. Next-up ANWR. Drilling there will do nothing but cost an environment we can't replace. Dominion is a joke. Here's what some of the thinkers say:

On Drilling in ANWR
The argument that this is just going to affect 2,000 acres -- I am sorry -- having flown over this area, having seen what happens, I know and the Department of Interior knows it isn't just about the pad where you drill. It is about roads and airstrips and pipelines and water and gravel sources and base camps and construction camps, storage pads, power lines, power plants, support facilities, coastal marine facilities -- it is a huge undertaking. You may see that postage stamp[-sized plot] of drilling [on a map presented by Domenici], but there is a lot more in support of it that is going to have an impact on this environment. Senator Durbin responding to Repub notion that only a small footprint would be impacted in ANWR

Furthermore, the oil industry estimates no oil would be flowing from the refuge for at least a decade and full production would not be reached for 20 years. Even then, crude oil from the refuge would make up only 0.8 percent of world production, which is meaningless at current rates of consumption. Oil prices are set on the world market. The tiny estimated production from the Arctic refuge would have little or no impact on prices, according to the Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy... "The United States invented the national park. Have we so lost our way a century later that we are prepared to sacrifice a one-of-a-kind wilderness for a shot at a small and temporary supply of oil? Similarly, are we so desperate for a fast buck that the other natural treasures in Alaska are for sale to the highest bidder?"

Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot defend themselves or run away. And few destroyers of trees ever plant any; nor can planting avail much toward restoring our grand aboriginal giants. It took more than three thousand years to make some of the oldest of the Sequoias, trees that are still standing in perfect strength and beauty, waving and singing in the mighty forests of the Sierra. -John Muir, naturalist, explorer, and writer (1838-1914)  ¶ 6:14 PM 0 comments

 

New Low

There are plenty of new lows happening every day. For example, the surf is as pinner as I have seen it all year. No surf. No report of surf. Even Chuck couldn't scare a swell up by the way things looked today. I did get surf up until Saturday; three LB glide days at Sharks and the Hook followed by a couple of SB days at Second Bowl. Lance provided a great BBQ on Friday at the Rock, Dane totaled his car - Dane love your mother, and I started educating Paul about the 50-rule. The Mayor lent me some DVDs of the protest shows filmed by G.Brown & Q-Tip - I saw the first one and it was great, but for some reason the second one is not for me to see. More on the Baghdad Palace. Twenty-one buildings on 104 acres of riverside parkland. Iraq's interim government - essentially a US puppet group - transferred the land to US ownership in Oct 2004 under an agreement whose terms were not disclosed - sorry Iraqi public - US land grab rules. Cost estimates soaring over $1 billion. Of course, five american companies involved with construction. New Orleans - fuck it. The palace has its own water wells, electricity plant, and wastewater treatment plant - more than most Iraqi towns. Five high-security entrances and an emergency entrance-exit (cave to airport?). They will need it when the Iraqi public riot. They call it an embassy, but an embassy is the official residence or offices of an ambassador in a foreign country. Right now, there is no government in Iraq. If it is a country - it's because it's bordered by other countries and use to be a country - kinda like nothing is something by virtue of everything else around it. OK - check out the "Interfaith Stewardship Alliance". These folks are on a different planet. Their mantra - Dominion. Stewardship. Conservation. Notice the first pillar - Dominion - yes, dominion over nature - folks know best. Really? How many examples are you aware of where human beings knew better than nature? In fact, if as the interfaith folks believe, nature was created by GOD and GOD is nature, then doesn't Dominion put these folks on an equal footing with the Almighty? In my experience, our dominion over nature has been a complete failure - have we not learned? Here are some of their thoughts (by the way, these people do not subscribe to global warming):
"many people mistakenly view humans as principally consumers and polluters rather than producers and stewards" Seen clear cutting lately? How about LA on a clear day? Humans work "to improve the condition of all living things" Why was salmon season curtailed? What happened to sardines? Why was DDT banned? Where is the Grizzly Bear shown on the California flag? Does nature know best? - these folks don't think so - humanity alone "can unlock the potential for all the inhabitants on earth" at least those with enough resources who beleive as they do and are human. These folks are anti-earth day wrapped in green. Dude, seriously. These people are on acid - I'm sure the earth was doing fine without humans. Sustainable is not equal to domination. Domination is equal to corporations and genetic engineering. Corn seed for a price. Who are these fuckers? Find out and beware.

We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. -Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel laureate (1879-1955)  ¶ 8:03 PM 4 comments

 

Small, Smaller, Smallest

As the beauty of the days increase, so does the size of the surf decrease. It's slim out there boyz, but made me think that the flat fish are moving in. How about some LB fishing as a side order to these beautiful days? Those who already don't consider the glide should do so. In the last couple of days I have enjoyed the weather while sliding down some knee-slappers. Speed and momentum in play with the green plank at the center of attention. Another note on the American Palace along the Tigris River - the largest of its kind in the world, the size of Vatican City, with the population of a small town, it's own defense force, self-contained water and power, and secret. The quote below provides interesting insight - see you at the picnic table.

Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship. -Oscar Wilde, writer (1854-1900)

P.S. - just got out of the water. Second Bowl glide, but a couple of SB waves starting to show. Top of the point looked like sets were starting to roll in. Checked the buoy and it showed 6 feet from 310 at 17 seconds. A little steep, but if the size increases or direction changes more west, could be fun. Unfortunately, Friday Follies is up. Maybe the masses won't check in. Sure - O'Spiel surf report.  ¶ 12:41 PM 7 comments

 

Pinner and Slimmer

Saturday showed up with nice weather to start and good ocean conditions, but it was pinner - knee to shin high at 49 Steps and Tiburones. The weather turned late Saturday and victory at sea was served up, but by late Sunday the wind had changed direction and the surf cleaned up - not the water. I went out for lack of wet time and surfed wind-swell phat Second Bowl and doubled-up Sharks. Today was a beautiful day and the surf was cleaner at waist to head high. Got a couple of fun ones at Second Bowl. The swell was dropping throughout the surf session - doesn't look good for Tuesday - but the sun is suppose to be out. Quick rant. Apparently W got word that his purported biotrailers were a bust before he gave a speech laying the fear of Saddam in us all. The spin for not considering the contradiction in intell: "This is not a fast process, especially when dealing with complex issues - It is not typically something that happens in a matter of hours" That being said, and having conflicting information in hand, what was the rush to go start killing people - shock and awe. This kind of thinking does not bode well for our preemptive war strategy. And they're talking about nuc'ing Iran. Israel is flaming the fire - naming the new axis of evil: the new Palestinian government (whom they are already withholding money from and attacking daily), Syria?, and Iran?. Rachet up boys, the militaryindustrial complex pushes on. Next time I want to rant about the palace we are building in Iraq. We're looking to out do Saddam - river front, swimming pool, food court, American Club, movie stars - 104 acres. I'm sure the locals will love the downtown architecture and message about who rules.  ¶ 11:04 PM 4 comments

 

Friday

I checked the Steps on this grey Friday. Small, waist to knee high, with clean conditions. A little rain this morning, but the rain has tapered off. Plenty of the novice variety on it. Watch out.  ¶ 11:37 AM 3 comments

 

Sun - But Not Quite the Window

The sun is shining, and there is surf. 49 Steps was showing with wind swell rollers mixed with some ground swell - waist to head high. The water is pretty brown, but the sun and mush has got the flys swarming - but instead of nectar, it's shit. Underneath it all is a south swell from 190 at 2 feet. Oh well, It's a Beautiful Day. At some point the northern hemisphere will sleep and downunder will command. Hey - google the word failure and guess what - W's resume is the first hit. Probably won't last for long, but there is time to appreciate the creativity of some core software engineer.  ¶ 2:04 PM 0 comments

 

For the North Coast

On some weekends, and weekdays too, the North Coast Boyz come to town to surf. Estevan et. al. (the flying burrito and company) and Mikey end up out at Tiburones on some fun days - but they wonder about the in-between days. Eric also travels in from the badlands. They tell me they look on the blog - and wonder why I lag in keeping up with the seasons. I will try to get a little word in more often regarding my daily drive by - and the potential for town-surf. So - today was stormy, rained like heck. You know, like the yellow and red bands that show up on the weather map blazing across the Weather Channel. The wind was there too. South shit. Didn't stop some of the less fortunate from going out. Underneath it all was a ground swell - 8.6 feet at 14 seconds from 280. That would be fun, but for the noise. Instead, overhead, way bumpy, brown water raging. Aloha Boyz. Oh yea, Chuck doesn't surf, he walks on water.  ¶ 8:01 PM 0 comments

 

Windows in a Dark Hallway

The rain continues, and surf shows up like windows in a long dark hallway. Starting back on the 4th, the buoys showed some nice ground swell - 8.7 feet at 14 seconds from 305 mixed with a swell at 2.1 feet at 14 seconds from 190. Unfortunately, a storm was raging and the south wind was howling - the dark hallway. The 5th cleared and I surfed way kelpy - stringy kelpy all-over-the-place head high to over head wind swell/ground swell mix at Sharks. The next day the ocean cleaned-up, the sun came out, and the surf was fun - a window. Surfed Sharks until the LB club arrived, then hit Second Bowl. It was a fun time, waist to chest high - a couple head high, then back to the long dark hallway on Friday the 7th. Saturday cleared and the ocean served up shifty head high wind swell for the masses. I attended a seminar at kelpy post-storm Sharks - nothing left to say on that. On Sunday, another window appeared. The sun was out, the wind was light, and the swell was clean. Surfed Second Bowl in the evening waist to shoulder high - the buoys indicated a south was in the water - 2.0 feet at 14 seconds from 195. The window turned out to be a large picture window - on Monday the clean conditions and swell continued. I surfed really fun sharks - the buoy called it 2.1 feet at 14 seconds from 185 mixed with 4.7 feet at 17 seconds from 295. I rode a new addition to my school of fish - a nice John Mel twin fin. It was great fun - fast down the line. Of course as the tide dropped and I got bolder and bolder riding the new fish, I came to the defining moment of my session. Straightened out and nudged the bottom of the shallow low-tide reef at Sharks with the nose of my neeew stick - just a crease, but shit - typical. Oh well - fix'em and ride'em. As I write today, we have entered another section of the long dark hallway. Stormed all day, and the reports suggest it's going to rain until Monday. Now for some rave - W is finally decided to tell the truth - he was the one who leaked information to the Scooter. But, it's ok because he can do it when he needs to get the truth out about reasons for going to war. It was necessary to counter the straight-talk from Joe Wilson. Essentially, Joe Wilson was trying to tell SPB the reasons for war were bogus, and W was out to discredit him, his wife, his mother and father, and anyone else who disagreed with him and spoke out. We are told it was for political reasons - sounds like character assassination, lying to the people of this country, and power mongering. And how about the revelation that the Gutless Old Party (GOP) was tying up phone lines to skew the vote - rigging elections because anybody in their right mind wouldn't vote for what the GOP of late stands for - organized religion of a puritan strain. Gay marriage (what does the government have to do about a religious ritual anyway - stick to the contract law) or the environment, war or education, militaryindustrial complex or health care. Guess what, we are not building any permanent military bases in Iraq. No - they are "enduring bases" or "contingency operation" bases - at $4.5 billion so far. Complete with Domino's Pizza. Finally - google the "Constitution Restoration Act". Remember good'ol Roy from down south who planted the Ten Commandments in a public building, was told to have his addition removed, refused, and lost his job as judge. He and his friends were pissed about that and have decided to get a law passed that restricts the courts from rendering decisions on God entering the public domain - a domain the framers left for you to fill in private in any way you please, not have the G-ment cram it down your spinal column. Give me space assholes! Hey! Don't forget someone's watching.

If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. -James Madison, fourth US president (1751-1836)  ¶ 11:46 PM 0 comments

 

Rain and Rain and .......Rain?

Still raining. No surf today, and barely any surf during the week, but finally caught some fun surf at Second Bowl on Saturday. Of course there were some plankton in the water. It was a tough session when I first went out. The tide was pushing, many waves closed, and then some just turned flat. The waves seemed to get better as the tide went lower, and I started to get some fun ones - but then the boyz showed up. Let's see - Sebastian, Brad, Hunter, Ryan, Alex, Noe, et. al. I saw my possibilities dwindle,and after a tuff ride behind Hunter I decided to take my last good one in. I got out with no damage, but I owe Bruce. Another week of rain ahead, but maybe a south sprinkled in. Saw Paul join Penguin in the board sell-a-thon. But Paul was letting them go without fins. Ever bought a board without fins? What's up? I'm sure you're as sick of the beltway happenings as I, so I'll leave it this time. Instead - whose unsung lyrics are these? Apocalyptic science fiction surfers?

Black sails knifing through the pitchblende night
Away from the radioactive landmass madness
From the silver-suited people searching out
Uncontaminated food and shelter on the shores
No glowing metal on our ship of wood only
Free happy crazy people naked in the universe
WE SPEAK EARTH TALK
GO RIDE THE MUSIC  ¶ 8:20 PM 9 comments