Gnar Death Kill

We found this rotting carcass at the bottom of the GT (Goat Trail) at blacks. I totally forgot to take a photo of the gnarly shark bite in the side of it. It was definitely a large shark because the sea lion was about 8.5 ft. and the bite took off a large portion of the mid section. From what I heard, the coastal shelf 2 miles off of blacks is a white shark breeding ground.

Legend Lore

At first glance I thought it was "The Swamp Thing". However the primordial looking figure in the photos is Wind and Sea local legend "Kneeboarder Steve".  I saw him while meeting up with J. Hall at Wind and Sea last week. Josh and RK said that Steve has been kneeboarding at Wind and Sea for as long as they can remember. I was blown away just watching Steve gracefully slide, while dodging the dry reef and remaining completely elegant. While surfing at Wind and Sea for the first time the next day with RK, Steve was out there so kneeboarded a couple waves on my 5'5 Keel in honor of him. Keep Shredding Steve!

East Meets West

On my current visit to San Diego my amigo Josh Hall

showed much hospitality in letting me shape myself a board in his factory, which he shares with Larry Gephart's protege Daniel Partch (Who had insane war stories from his time served in the Gulf). Aside from letting me shape my board in his factory Josh agreed to collaborate with me in it. This the first board I've ever shaped on Cali soil and its turned out to be a Grey Ghost x Josh Hall Collaboration/Double label board. Big Ups J. Hall. Hall surfboards haul ass!

Banks "R" US

M. Otoole taking the high line.

Knuckle Head Caiazzo in full knuckle head affect.

Photo Taken by C. Caiazzo

Heavy Heavy Dicipline

The LES is home to many creators of the shreddable Kine. As I mention in a previous post DKB shaped boards in his apartment. This time his buddy Kris Fillon from "up the block" made himself a fine looking shred stick of the four wheel kine. Meant to cruise the mean streets of the LES. NY board works at its finest.

Paipo Riding II

David Swanson with his and Val Valentine's Paipo Collection

Haleiwa, 2000

"David Swanson and his Val Valentine Paipo Collection"

Photo by David Pu'u

The Surfer's Journal, Vol 9 No. 3, 2000, Page 122

Back Side Slide. In the Cut

Plywood surfing, Barbados, circa 1988.

Photo by Dave DiGirolamo

SURFER, Volume 29, Number 12, page 113

The Mad Hatter, in an insane parallel stance. Ride a paipo uughhhhh!

Paipo Riding

"Untitled"

"A Hawaiian surfer cuts a fast right slide in standing crouch on the zippy skim or belly board at Kuhio pier, Waikiki."

Photo by Val Valentine

John Kelly: Surf and Sea (1965), facing page 192

Over the coarse of last month I've done a bunch of surfing with my hombre Franco. During one of our early morning sessions I found a piece of plywood on the beach and decided to paddle out with it and attempt to stand up and surf on it. The first wave I took was a success. I had no problem paddling in and standing up (Keep in  mind I was also in a full wintersuit with boots and gloves). Needless to say it was rad. I was hooked.

About a week after that session, Richard Kenvin came out to NY just to hang and surf with us. He and I did some talking about the "Casper" and the other Bob Simmons replica boards he had. I had told him that I had prior plans to shape one. I also told him I wanted to shape an Alaia and a replica of an old hawaiian Paipo. While in the shop one arvo the topic of Val Ching and the stand up paipo surfing came up. I told him about the day that I surfed the random piece of plywood I found on the beach and that sparked the whole Paipo convo. Richard was telling me that without even knowing it I was doing the same thing that Val did in the 1950's. I did some googling and found a video of Val stand up paipo surfing at "The Wall" in 1963. I don't know what it was but  between the session with Franco and the history lesson with RK, I was inspired to make myself a paipo.

A source gave me the dims of Vals board. I plotted the points and drew the template line the best I can. This is the replica of Valentine Chings Paipo that he rode in the video footage taken in 1963 at "The Wall".

Broader Than Broadway

Today NJ shredda and all around cool kat Doug P. came by the shop with his whole posse to pick up a some skate decks they are going to shape for some "Rainy Day Fun". Doug also made some limited art prints that he hooked me up with to adorn the walls of my shaping room. Much appreciated and much respect. Bless Up!

The Ghosts Are Calling

The Ghosts Are Calling is yet another classic art-surf flick from the mind of Australian creative genius Andrew Kidman, who is already critically acclaimed for such cinematic works as Glass Love and Litmus. Featuring Wayne Lynch, Dave Parmenter, Neal Purchase Jr, Mark Sutherland with Music By The Brownbirds From Windy Hill and animation by Mark Sutherland.

Stubbies 1977

Check this inspiring little clip of stubbie ridding. Notorious for his insane front footed style on Hulls and the like, "MP" is fully flaring his koolaid for the camera. I wouldn't hurt if there were a few more MP's in this world...Stay tuned for more stubbie shapes coming up!