Turn On It, Tune Out, Drop In

S WIND 10 KT WITH GUSTS TO 15 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
W SWELL 13 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

Nelscott 4

Continued…

Lets get a few things straight. The Santa Cruz guys are no better at towing than us. Want proof? How often do they get a chance to tow? The answer is about a tenth as much as we do up here. There are days the Reef is breaking and Mavericks is a lake. I learned first hand that they can't handle the ski any better than us, in fact most of them are worse than us when it comes to driving. So for those of you that think the local boys can't handle the surf on the day of a contest, we are out there every swell. What makes that day any different? The only difference is if it’s a contest, you don't get to surf your own surf spot. Or if you’re invited and want to pay those greedy bastards 400 bucks to get in, you get to surf for 40 min. If you make the final you get another 40 min.

Adam or festivus says that I chose not to be in the contest. That's right, I chose not to be in it after my partner was kicked out for being involved with the APT. Then they tell me who I'm going to be partnered with. Then I tell them Gerry Lopez will be my partner. They tell me for the right amount of money Gerry can be my partner. So yeah, I chose not to be in it because they screwed me out of a partner.

Adam says the contest was in the red for the second year in a row. No shit. You’re burning so many bridges, what do you expect? Why don't you just give it up then? We don't need it.

In light of all this negativity and take, take, take mentality, I am going to do something that is all about giving back. Something that has been on my mind for sometime.

When I look at how much surfing has boomed in the NW over the last several years, I can't believe that there are no locals kids involved. Look around the lineup next time your out…especially here on the central coast. Not hardly anyone in the water actually lives here and definitely none of them are kids. The Central Coast has only produced 4 born and raised locals in the LC area over the last 50 years. That's wrong!

I'd like to give kids the opportunity to get involved in surfing. I'm starting a Central Coast Surf Club for grades 7 - 12. We are going to do mass community service like beach monitoring, beach clean ups, painting over graffiti at staircases and restrooms. We are going to have fundraisers to purchase wetsuits, boards and other gear. We are going to volunteer at the aquarium, maybe trade some hard physical labor down at the yacht club for some sailing lessons. Maybe purchase an outrigger canoe and take it to the lake. We're gonna have a lot of fun.

~jason garding

There are legendary surfers here in Oregon. There's also the right combination and enough consistency to create world class surfers. The reason we don’t have as many rippers here is the lack of surf culture and awareness of surfing in this state. Couple that with frigid waters, long drives, and you get Oregon.

This contest raises awareness and threatens the low key nature of surfing north of San Fransisco. The zone between San Fran and the strait is the last underground left in the US. Why do these people need to ruin this? I don't tow, but if I did I wouldn't compete in this contest.

Hasn't everyone seen tow madness happening at Peahi? Or what about the crowds out at Mavericks? Don't people realize that this will happen here sooner if we let the cat out of the bag?

~random dude

Here's an idea...You NW Tow dudes should totally put out an "in your face" to the contest organizers...invite all the Northern Cali Tow guys up for an unpublicized, un-pumped up, and un-whored out, Braggers Cup.

When the swell hits...hold it and surf it out. No banners. No money. No sponsors. Just bragging rights.

~wk

I got a better idea…We are gonna act like the contest isn't even happening and tow our wave like we would any other day. The organizers are not surfers. It's our wave. It's your wave. It's there for the taking.

~jason garding

Jgarding------Finally some right on comments…from someone who would know. Most contests that are put on with a profit and promotion in mind, generally are surrounded with controversy. The PC contest (now defunct), the Rogue Gathering and the CSO are three of the best contests I have ever been around for pure fun and surf culture. I know you can all criticize (and will) the motives of the promoters of these contest but: they are still fun. The Nelscott is an attempt to bring the "Big Show" to Oregon. The surf and the ability level required to be in such an event will leave most of us on the beach as spectators. And you know what? That's OK by me. So if most of us are spectators why are we even a little worried about how crowed Nelscott, Mavs or Peahi get? jgarding----good move on the surf club. Your ideas are the most constructive and well thought that I have seen…in a long time.

~ed

As far as the contest thing goes, the old Cowabunga at Otter, the Cape Kiwanda Longboard thing were two that were both well organized and had a great feeling about them. Having been in Pro contests where everyone is looking for a win or points or whatever, those that were in Oregon were by far the best in regards to meeting others and developing lifelong friendships. Close up to those were the interclub contests down in Cali when I rode in some for Windansea. There was a great deal of comraderie about them but then again there were so many that had been doing those get togethers for decades. Some even as second and third generation members. The cool part about having the ones in the NW was admittedly most of the people had come from all over the US and even farther away to live and surf in Oregon, yet most all understood what it means to be a surfer in the NW. These dudes that come for the TOW thing, take away the money and small time media do you think that they would do it at Nelscott?!

~brd

Remember some of those SC guys also travel. Jaws, Chopes, Dungeons, Tasmania. Sure you may have the local experience, but not the portfolios these guys have. They’re towing more than you think and not just at Mavs. Really how many good days does the reef have? I bet Mavs has just as many. How many days have been good the last 3 weeks when Mavs has been firing consistently? Sure it may be flat down there when it’s macking up here, but it works the opposite way to when it's victory at sea here it's going off super huge down there, which I think happens more often. Really, no offense here…I'm sure you charge, but I don’t think you or the so called locals at the reef are towing more than any of the SC guys or have the confidence and style they have. They’re PRO surfers for a reason. I've seen some of those guys who tow at the reef surf at the beachies on regular days and really their average surfers especially by SC standards. More power to you guys though. I'd love to see an Oregon team claim it over SC and wish someone represented, but I still don't think that level of talent exists around here right now, at least to win the "big prize".

~dub

Generate a little bit of the "industry" like SC has and then see what happens. This of course is a generalization but you know that towing is a one trick pony. There is a reason guys who charge at places like Pipe, Mavs, Backdoor and such do well there and are not really known outside of that "arena" or for that one place. Look at the last pro tour bit in Hawaii, so many locals did great, but take them away from their local specialized break and they don’t do so well.

As far as the SC guys being so great…well, [I] doubt it, didn’t seem so the times I was there. They fell just as much as most of the others. Yeah they charge and all, no doubt there, and of course you can draw a comparison to the locals in the NW having watched them fall, eat shit and whatever, but at least by being here and seeing that you get the full picture. When you look at vids and magazines of these guys making every wave that’s just not the way it is. It’s a lie. Unfortunately people get caught up thinking that they are so great because of all of the stuff they pull off. But do they really do it so consistently?

There have been people in the NW that could do well in the surfing market if there was just some kind of industry interest in the NW to keep it going. SC is lucky for that. Same with most other places that have some kind of regional infrastructure. So Cal, Florida, Australia come to mind as well as Hawaii. What about the NE? Some great surfers have come from there but it’s so much harder for them to make it due to lack of support. The UK? Same thing. Spain, Portugal, Tahiti.... Wonder what kind of chargers live and grow up in the perfect set ups of Indo. Again, little to no support to make it happen for them.

Unfortunately it looks like the NW’s fascination of SC that was around 15-20 years ago is coming back. It was a hang up then and who knows what it will be now.

~brd

…the other thing to consider Dub, is actually what Jason is saying. He's not claiming superiority-- he's just claiming equality. Some of those guys are big time pro rippers, but half of the Nelscott list bartends for a living, pro or not-- not all of them have the portfolio you speak of. Actually, less than half of the invite list does. I guarantee there were at least 15 calls to employers saying, 'Hey, can I get the day off for this surf contest?' But to say that the crew that pioneered the reef from Newport and LC isn't up to snuff in comparison to the SC guys just isn't right. It's their reef. JG rips, anywhere. I've seen him tow, I've seen him paddle. Yeah, he might not be ready to tow Chopes at 30 feet (or maybe he is), but I'll bet given a paddle lineup up at Pipe or Sunset and JG would take off just as deep as at least half to three quarters of that roster. As far as confidence and style go, I can vouch for him. Level? Sure, we don't have as many guys, but per capita we do. At least four guys I can think of have the talent right here and right now.

~gills

…you guys make a good point and really I'm just playing devil's advocate on one of them. I'm not calling out any particular individuals abilities and maybe the local guys could pull out a win who knows? I'd imagine some of them are from California originally with many years of experience under their belt. But after spending time in NorCal and logging over 10 years here on the Oregon coast surfing from Brookings to Seaside and beyond in the PNW, I have just not seen the talent as a whole. Really any average guy in SC or the greater Bay Area bartender, computer guy, or pro can get barreled, snap it fins free, and blast an air here and there and that's after fierce competition for any wave. The pros down there are a level above all that.

You also have to consider the surf, the day to day quality of waves here in Oregon. How many points and reefs do we have that work more than 200 days a year? And then look at the swells we get. Either too big or too small. Fall can produce, but it was really only consistently good for 2 months this year. Spring's hit or miss often plagued by onshore winds, summer while the weathers great, the surf is usually pretty weak and gutless, and winter the time of constant swell activity is often about finding windows between weeks of storm surf. There's a reason the best surfers in the PNW and the only pro surfers are from Vancouver Island. They got the waves and breaks for the varying conditions and swells and can surf consistently all year. Maybe the tow arena is Oregon's big chance to produce?

But then there's the main factor, the Oregon attitude. The majority does not care about these contests or pro surfing or about getting any fame up here. There are people that are here to get away from all that and wonder what this contest is all about. Outside of a handful of guys who have the money, time, and equipment to tow and the non surfing population amazed there is even surfing going on, I don't think the average Oregon surfer gives 2 chits about this contest and wishes it would go away leaving the reef to whoever can and wants to come and ride it.

~dub

E WIND 10 TO 15 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
W SWELL 16 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Nelscott 3

The Nelscott discussion/battle continued:

Forse uses his own name, effort, and money to make this thing happen. We sit on the internet behind pseudonymns and talk. That’s why this is going down the way that it has.

~stiffler

I think Gaz summed it up really well…when he said they should just call it what it is...an invitational. Argument over at that point.

~wk

Either way, it appears that many contests around the world have in some parts an invite kind of set up, Pipe trials for example…and in…many of these there seems to be a healthy representation of local talent doing well in these things. JG [Jason Garding] did well last year [as] part of a team…well enough to be what…fourth? That seems like a good showing. Why not have him again? What about that guy from Canada? What’s his rep doing tow in? Not to knock his surfing at all he is a great surfer, but still.

As far as Forse doing all of this hard work [on] this thing, he couldn’t do it…with only his name. He has to use others to get it done and get any credibility to it. From using their names/talent he makes his money. Endless promotion of debatable ideas. The Jeff Clark of Nelscott??? WTF? Oh well. What can you do...?

~brd

I think it shows poor taste and is a slap in the face to not invite the local talent. But it also shows the true motivation in creating the abomination in the first place.
Greed.
The Clarke of Nelscott? No.
The Ferengi of Nelscott? Maybe.
But then again, why not? The entire state is for sale to the highest bidder. Right?

~wk

What can you do?...don’t spend money in his shop…don’t attend the contest…don’t purchase his dvd…don’t discuss the results online…adopt the Tackle Buster name for the spot…paddle surf the area more frequently when possible…write invitees and their sponsors encouraging support of local representation…that's a couple things...

~stiffler

I think/hope the reason why there is no local talent is that this contest goes against Oregon surfing mentality. Oregon surfing is about keeping secrets, and enjoying good surf at the sacrifice of personal glory. I know there are a lot of people out there that think this contest is a horrible idea. I'm one of them.

~random dude

I met a guy the day of the contest who was at the Q and A the night before. Apparently, all the surfers were really concerned that there wasn’t any local teams invited. That was the main form of questioning from them as they didn’t want to piss any locals off. I can’t remember what Forse’s answers/justifications were for not inviting them. Was anyone at that Q and A?

~eyes

Just for clarification - 2 local teams were invited. That's 10% of the entire field of competitors. These teams dropped out on their own free will. They went to the press and said they were not included. They are under the guidance of someone that had led them down the wrong path. Both years locals were included. This year they CHOSE not to compete. It is unfair to blame the organizers, the sponsors, or any else for not including local talent, the blame needs to go back on the local teams for not taking part in the event.

~festivus aka ?

I think one of the reasons for the lack of local talent is partly because Oregon offers less opportunity than Nor/SoCal or Hawaii to 1) become an exceptional surfer and 2) to spend sufficient time in big waves of quality to know how to surf them. I think the level of surfing here is just a wee bit lower than other places such that few can break through to being able to handle themselves in waves like those. When was the last time you heard of an Oregon Native who could compete in a semi-pro surfing event. It's not mentality as much as wave quality/opportunity.

~ersatz

There have been a few from the NW that have done some contests and done fairly well. They just don’t get the media attention as they would down south.

~brd

Exactly what I said earlier. No local team is going to compete with the Santa Cruz guys period. All those guys at least did their time paddling into Mavs before the PWC thing even took off. And even if there are a few guys that good they probably don't want anything to do with the circus anyway and are more than happy surfing their local spot the way it is.

~dub

I’d still much rather just blame the promoters…what dicks!

~hess

It doesn’t matter how good a surf team is globally. It matters how good they are at Oregon’s reef. Home field advantage. Sure they might not be able to surf Peahi, but this isn’t Peahi. It’s Oregon.

~wanty

If Raph and Malloy can take 4th (and don't get me wrong both are great surfers, but on the global scale…they barely make a blip on the radar, and I don't think either of them had much prior experience at Nelscott) there has bound to be at least two locals that could make a good showing…it's always a little tougher at an unfamiliar spot, and [when] you surf a place on a regular basis you definitely are gonna have an advantage, why do you think the Hawaiians always dominate in the triple crown? I hope to see a local team in the contest next year, and I hope they make some upsets and show that there are local guys already surfing the spot regularly at a world class level.

~tj

Well, that's not exactly true--- because Forse is already on record answering the question of why locals aren't in it as being 'concerned for their safety'-- though that is a lie too--- a statement made to cover his own ass. Not only that, the locals that were invited were not given a chance to choose their own partners and were being paired with people they didn't feel comfortable surfing with-- because they never towed with them before. They opted out of that BECAUSE of safety issues. And then, with all the blatant acts of greed, aggression and manipulation many of them didn't want to be associated with the corruption that manifested throughout the sign up process which includes, bribery, extortion, freak outs and one guy who promoted the contest the year before getting punched by Forse. I am the press, MF. And believe me, I've looked at all sides and through research I've learned that this thing is way, way more sinister than the organizers admit. Why else are sponsors angry and on the verge of pulling out? Don't blame the locals. And don't think anyone is going to let this crap happen again.

~gills

If you are the press, who do you work for? Where are you getting your facts? What I heard is very different from your claims. I heard the promoter that was punched stole stuff from one of his own sponsors. He also stole video footage of the contest and was making his own video to sell. If someone did that to me, I might beat the crap out of them too. I hope he isn't your source of info.

I have a hard time siding with the locals. It sounds like they were given a chance and they wanted more than the promoters were willing to give. I think they are the ones being greedy and manipulative. Just because they are from Oregon doesn't mean they are immune from criticism. They have a lot to prove, being the locals in a pro event. If I were given a chance to compete in a Pro event, I would be grateful and gracious and take whatever terms I was given. After all, doing well in the contest would be my only true way of proving I deserved to be out there. If I remember, last year the locals placed dead last.

We all tend to root for the underdog, which I understand, but does that make them right? I would love to see an OR team win a pro event and put everyone in their place. So my advice to the local teams is to get yourselves into the contest on any terms possible, and win. Otherwise shut up and quit making Oregon surfers look like a bunch of sniveling cry babies that expect everything handed to them on a silver platter.

~festivus aka ?

You're a misinformed idiot…Jason Garding got fifth place last year. I'd also suggest that your reasoning for posting here is that you're self interested. Meaning, you're one of the promoters. Pro Event my ass, there is no such thing as a pro tow in surfer--- unless they're a free surfer-- half the SC guys bartend.

~gills

…you can call me whatever you like. All I am saying is the best way for the locals to prove themselves is in the water, not through the press. Don't you agree that if Jason was good enough to get 5th last year, he does no good sitting on the beach and watching? Can't you also agree that no matter what the circumstances, being in the contest is better than not being in the contest?

~festivus aka ?

S WIND 20 TO 25 KT.
EASING TO 15 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
WIND WAVES 5 FT.
W SWELL 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS BUILDING TO 12 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

The continuing saga of the Nelscott contest debate...

An article came out following the Nelscott contest from Laura Eberly of the News-Times in Newport…An Oregon surf contest without Oregonians?...here are some excerpts:

Tow-surfer Dan Hasselschwert…owner of Ossie's Surf Shop in Newport, was joined by local tow-surfers Ollie Richardson…Ryan Heim…Jay Sennewald…and Paul Bradley…and former Nelscott Reef Tow-In Classic contest organizer Roland Hoyle [in conducting] a "peaceful protest"…Friday on Coast Avenue overlooking the second annual Nelscott Reef pro surfing competition. That afternoon, Richardson took advantage of giant surf conditions and surfed the waves near the reef away from the contest area

Top competitors had been waiting since Oct. 1 for word that optimal North Pacific conditions would provide larger-than-usual waves, and for the accompanying green light that meant contest invitees had 48 hours to get to Lincoln City for the big wave competition.

On the day of the contest, passersby walking from the boat launch at the bottom of the hill at Canyon Drive Park to the spectator lot provided by contest organizer Behemoth LLC near the top couldn't help but hear the upbeat sounds of a live band coming from the beachfront yard of a vacation rental located just a few doors down from the contest-sponsored lookout, a house with banners hung from the second floor deck railing encouraging onlookers to “Support the local tow-surfing teams.”

By mid-day, a crowd of spectators of all ages - from very little people to mature appreciators of the big wave riders - had gathered in the yard to groove to the band and cheer for the pros out on the ocean while standing and sitting next to local tow-in surfers who wait all year for a day as big as Friday, and who, out of respect for their fellow surfers on the waves, stayed off the reef and watched from the cliff above, many wishing they were cheering for one of their own.

“This is a peaceful protest party,” said local tow-surfer Dan Hasselschwert, a regular surfer, of Nelscott Reef - known by locals as Tackle Buster Reef - where conditions run from “small” waves of 18 feet to larger than Friday's estimated heights of more than 30 feet.

Hasselschwert is a local middle school teacher, longtime surf instructor, and owner of Ossie's Surf Shop in Newport. It was he who, with the support of a dozen or so local tow-surfers, rented the Coast Avenue house for the day of the contest, made up the banner, brought in the band, and invited anyone interested to come on over and watch the waves from the yard as a way of bringing attention to what numerous local tow-surfers perceive as a flaw in the organization of the fledgling contest - a flaw they strongly feel can be remedied while the event is still in its formative years.

Showcasing Oregon's best

The Nelscott Reef Tow-In Classic, which just enjoyed a successful second year, is a professional surf competition for invited participants only. It is also the only pro surf competition in Oregon and the only pro tow-in surf competition in the continental United States.

When organizers implement a contest area over a local surfing area, protocol within the international surfing community encourages the inclusion of selected local surfers who represent the best athletes among those who regularly surf the contest break; while the locals may not be on the professional competition circuit, they possess the experience of having surfed the contest area for years, as is the case with numerous surfers of the Nelscott Reef break.

Behemoth LLC - the contest host organization led by frontman John Forse, owner and operator of the Nelscott Reef Surf Shop in Lincoln City - invited two local tow-in teams to participate in the inaugural contest and again invited two teams to participate in Friday's event. Because of the way the teams were selected, however, the local invitees chose not to participate in this year's contest.

Contrary to numerous expressions of frustration voiced by area surfers, Forse contends “there is no controversy. It's an invitational. The whole thing is an invitational,” he told the News-Times. “There's no organization (in place) that has rankings or anything like that.”

This absence of some form of consensus selection process was the crux of Friday's peaceful protest and is the aspect of the contest local tow-surfers would like to see changed.

Currently, contestant selection is at the discretion of Forse with input from Behemoth LLC partners Adam Wagner and Jim Kusz. During the Ossie's Surf Shop house party on Friday, many regular Nelscott Reef surfers said they would like tow-surfers whom the locals believe best represent Oregon's tow-surfing community included in the contest, rather than see the slots reserved for locals given to participants based on no other criteria than whether Forse believes them to be qualified.

Inviting locals to participate in surf contests is a tradition “that is done in some cases,” Forse said. “However, this is a little bit different circumstance than a lot of contests because this is such a dangerous sport, there are lives on the line. I'm not going to throw somebody out there who I don't think can survive a wipeout on a 30-foot wave. If they think they're much greater than they are and I don't think they are, I'm not going to put them out there. These waves are dangerous, people die, and if somebody misinterprets that as a lack of courtesy - I'm not just going to throw a bunch of amateurs out there because they think they're ready and they're not.

“Two teams were. They were marginal, but as a courtesy I invited them,” Forse continued, adding he feels “there are very few qualified individuals around here that belong out there in the first place.”

Local tow-surfer Ollie Richardson, a longtime surfer and surf instructor and teacher at Newport High School, has been tow-surfing the reef for several years. He admitted that, on a different note, many local surfers would rather not see the competition take place at all.

“It's not that we don't want anyone to come up here and experience it and have a great time, it's that the local people miss out on one of potentially only five or six days out of an entire year when it's good,” Richardson told the News-Times. “It was kind of unfortunate, if the contest wasn't going on I would have been out on the reef towing where the pros were towing on the local break. We're losing a day. There could end up being only three days where it breaks all day long, and in fact Friday could have been the best day of the whole winter season, and the locals couldn't tow it because they weren't in the contest. It's a really big issue for all the locals around here.”

Richardson and Hasselschwert emphasized, however, the issue at hand is not whether or not the contest exists - both recognized that Oregonians seem excited about the competition and enjoyed seeing the exhibition - but rather that local surfers' inclusion in the contest is at the whim of one or two organizers and does not necessarily represent the best of Oregon's tow-surfing community.

“In a best case scenario there would be a non-biased way to select two teams from the area to compete in the contest and I think the way to choose those teams would be that everyone who surfs out there on a regular basis, who knows each other and how they surf, do a poll,” Hasselschwert said. “Do a poll of those people, the people who are actually out there. They can decide. What's important is what the group as a whole really wants.”

“To figure out the teams that best represent Oregon and the sport of tow-surfing,” added Richardson.

“For future generations of this contest, there should be a fair, unbiased, and competitive way to be included in the competition,” Hasselschwert said. “I'd like to see us in the same house with the same band cheering on Oregonians in next year's contest.”

Here is Hasselschwert’s response to Adam Wagner and Forse’s comments:

Oregon tow-surfer Dan Hasselschwert on Nelscott comp

Big Wave News

Local Oregon Towsurfer, Dan Hasselschwert responds to Adam Wagner, Organizer of Nelscott Tow-In Event

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 December, 2006 : - - The response from Adam Wagner and the organizers of the invitation only tow surfing event to the News Times showcased the reasons local tow surfers are upset about how event organizers have treated them. The event organizers do not surf, they do not tow surf, obviously they do not know what kind of wave Nelscott is or who is consistently surfing each and every ride able swell.

Adam Wagner does not own a jet ski nor has he ever even been to Nelscott reef, I don’t even think he has a wetsuit. He is a non-surfer who lives somewhere away from our coastal community and is trying to cash in on the tow-in event. What makes him an authority on tow surfing then? Or Tackle Buster reef (which he inaccurately refers to as Nelscott)? Adam, who told you about the dangers of this wave?

I have personally ridden waves up to 40ft. tall, ten feet larger than this years contest and 15-20ft larger than the 2005 event. For the past 3 to 4 years local tow surfers have had amazing rides as well as brutal wipe outs which you can see for your self in the video section of my web site and we keep coming back for more!

This is why we live on the coast, surfing and tow surfing are our passions and our lives. We know first hand what the excitement of making a bottom turn on a 30ft.+ wave feels like as well as what it feels like to wipe out on one, do you? Adam accused the News Times editor of twisting the facts in his letter, but Adam did a good job of twisting them himself. Adam implied that of the 6 tow surfers in the area, all were invited. That is simply not true.

There are at least 10 individual tow surfers who are regulars at the reef and I know of 3 who were invited with strings attached. Adam might know that if he had actually been to the reef to see what is going on the 364 days of the year he is not promoting his contest/business.

He mentioned that local teams were invited but chose to drop out, Adam how much time have you invested in finding out why? Amateur golfers would kill for a chance to share a few holes with Tiger Woods, wouldn’t local tow surfers also like to surf along side their heroes as well? Isn’t that exactly what the local tow surfers are lobbying for?

Adam and his organization seem to have a few talking points that consistently come up when asked why they would exclude locals from their competition. The safety issue is a joke. How can you say it is not safe for the people who tow surf the reef on a daily basis to be out there?

That is ridiculous! I realize any wave is dangerous and I have a ton of respect for both the large waves of Tackle Buster Reef and the mighty north Pacific Ocean but I think you are trying to promote this wave as one of the heaviest or scariest waves in the world, it simply is not. Have you even seen Teahupo’o, Jaws or Mavericks on a similar sized swell? Our wave here in Oregon is one of the most user friendly tow surfing waves in the world.

If safety is your concern why would you ask local tow surfers to team up with people who they have never towed with before? If you understand anything about tow surfing you realize, it is a team sport and it is not safe to choose your partner the day of the contest. Tow-in surfing takes many long hours of training, practice and communication in order to develop a consistent routine, that is how the locals are able to ride these waves all winter long, safely.

Instead of echoing the insults and spun facts of your organizations previous arguments (“It’s my contest I can do what I want”, “locals are not good enough” and my personal favorite “you guys were all invited” while saying at the same time “your not safe enough”) how about trying to learn why two of the top pros in your contest, Flea and Brad Gerlock specifically questioned and encouraged you to let locals in to the contest during the event dinner (The event dinner theme was “The Brother Hood of Surfing, ironic?).

Finally you mentioned the audacity of a local team offering tow surfing lessons, this just demonstrates how little you know about the sport you are trying to represent. When I bought my wave runner the first thing I did was to go take lessons from someone who had experience tow surfing (Craig Spujt, the first person to ever let go of the rope at Tackle Buster Reef), because safety is important to me.

I have shared that knowledge with all of the local tow surfers in Lincoln County and the result has been no accident, no injuries. Lessons are a good idea whenever someone is starting a new sport, especially tow surfing! You and your organization are not trying to promote the sport of tow surfing or the local community, you are simply trying to re-write reality to fit your business plan.

You may have the wool pulled over some peoples eyes, but thanks to honest reporting in the News Times, the people of Lincoln County now know both sides of this story.

And the continuing discussion on the OSP:

…Dan was 'being nice' on how he characterized how Forse treated the Oregon contingent. Says heaps about his strength of character for sure. Some of the dirtiest and underhanded crap I've ever heard going on in our state.

~gills

…[Dan] really could [have] embarrased John if he [had] wanted. It’s not like there wasn’t plenty of TV cameras and journalists there to really throw gas on the fire. I’d say he held back…

~hess

If Oregon Surf wants this contest to be Oregon First then You all (meaning all those who are complaining) should step in and make it an Oregon only or at least Oregon Priority contest.

~ed

Oregon surfers not involved? It would take away the limelight from the one organizer that surfs.

~brd

If I hear anyone call Forse ‘the Jeff Clark of Nelscott’ one more time I'm going to lose it. Clark made Mavericks famous by dominating it. Forse made Nelscott famous by being defeated by it.

~holddown

E WIND 10 TO 15 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
NW SWELL 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

There are plenty of arguments in the surf world...
Longboard vs. Shortboard...
Bodyboards...
Kayaker...
Tow vs. Paddle...
And now local vs. non-local contestants...

The recent Nelscott contest in Oregon has dredged up some contentious issues that have been hashed out in local papers, on Surfline and on the OSP...here's some samples of the fun:

First some excerpts from Will Henry’s Surfline article:

An international surf contest in Oregon? When one thinks of this forested, fog-shrouded coastline, it usually conjures images of frigid water temperatures, incessant rain, shark attacks, and hostile locals.

Yet despite it all, the annual event at Nelscott Reef is a welcome relief from the normal contest format. Even more, the contest is the first and only tow-in surfing competition on the West Coast of North America. And for good reason: the surf spot is tailor-made for the sport. If God surfs, well, Nelscott is where he would come to tow in.

The Second Annual Nelscott Reef Tow Classic ran in perfect conditions on Friday, December 8 in Lincoln City, Oregon, hosting a crew of some of the world's top tow-surfing talent. Competitors from California, Oregon, Hawaii, and Canada battled it out in groomed 20- to 30-foot surf, on a reef that sits nearly a mile from shore.

The Nelscott Reef Tow Classic is the brainchild of Oregon surfer John Forse, who first surfed the reef in 1995 after watching it break for years. His initial effort to ride the big-wave spot involved taking an underpowered zodiac out through a nearby rivermouth, where he timed the sets and a vicious shorebreak, finally anchoring near the break and paddle-surfing it solo. The difficulties in paddle-surfing Nelscott, however, proved nearly insurmountable, and John realized quickly that the wave was perfectly set up for tow-in surfing.

The final heat was held in dwindling light under a brilliant orange sunset. Inconsistent sets provided a challenge for competitors, but when the big waves poured through, the action was intense. Nelscott is a perfect peak, providing both lefts and rights, and often there were two or three riders up and riding at a single time. "It's like a ballet," commented one local spectator who was witnessing the contest for the first time.

In the end, Hawaiians Garrett MacNamara and Kealii Mamala took home the first place trophy, but all of the contestants left with a huge amount of surf stoke. John Forse presented the awards that evening, and reminisced about his long-held desire to see the waves at Nelscott surfed by the world's top surfers. For the second year in a row, he got his wish.

RESULTS

1. Garrett McNamara/Kealii Mamala
2. Brad Gerlach/Mike Parsons
3. Adam Replogle/Alistair Craft
4. Raph Bruhwiler/Keith Malloy
5. Greg Long/Rusty Long

Oregon surfers have mixed feelings about towing, the Nelscott contest and John Forse…as is evidenced by the conversation on the Oregon Surf Message Boards on the contest…here are some tidbits:

I'm confused....the article says there were surfers in it from Oregon, but I thought no Oregon teams were present?

~wk

As surfing becomes more mainstream here in Oregon, the less we'll hear dumb questions like "You acually surf around here?" Now we'll hear even dumber questions like "Do you surf the Nelscott breakers?"

~dub

It sucks that no Oregon teams got the invite, kind of silly really…as most contests reserve a wildcard slot for a local fave. Why give a spot to Kelly when he won't even bother showing up when there are local guys that surf the place whenever it breaks and are competent enough to be out there? In my mind a total slap in the face to the locals that charge there but that's a different story.

~tj

As for the Oregon teams, bummer there were none, but is there really anyone with enough experience to compete with guys like Mel and McNamara? Sure, it's a courtesy thing, but the professionals have been towing into waves for a long time and in the big scale compared to waves like Chopes, Nelscott seems kinda playful for them. Anybody from Oregon towing now, has probably only been towing since Repo and Mel’s first successful mission there just a few years back. Weren't they the list? Those guys have a lot of water experience. I just don't think we have the talent or the waves for an individual to get that good, and if we did the overall attitude is not to. I may be wrong, but who knows? Guess we'll see as it becomes more popular locally.

~dub

Chuck Patterson was tearing it up...no other words for it. [He] was the equal of anyone out there, [and] deserved to have a shot. If there is another title for this type of contest it should include the word INVITATIONAL somewhere up front and center. If you can't get a form, fill it out, pay your fee and pass whatever requirements they establish, then call it what it is...an invite only event.

~gaz

Oh, the war has started. Forse is gonna lose his contest for being local unfriendly.

~gills

To be continued...

NW WIND 30 TO 35 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT.
EASING TO 25 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
COMBINED SEAS 23 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 12 SECONDS.

I'm hoping that I'll be doing a little of this tomorrow...condition look like they might come together...

E WIND 15 TO 25 KT.
BECOMING SE 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT S OF CAPE FALCON.
WIND WAVES 5 FT.
W SWELL 17 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Looks like a little window could open on Thursday...swell dropping to 10 feet...10 to 15 knot winds...we'll see...could be a nice belated Christmas gift for all those Oregon surfers that have been so good this year.

SW WIND 15 TO 20 KT.
WIND WAVES 3 FT.
W SWELL BUILDING TO 23 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Surfing Santa and a shot of a few hardy souls surfing one of the few available waves in Oregon on Christmas day...

The ode below is courtesy of Wilbur...Mayor of the OSP.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through PC
Not a creature was stirring, save for the old lady and me.
The longboards were slung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that a fat Christmas Swell soon would be there.

The Pikeys were nestled far away in their beds,
While visions of pooftas danced in their heads.
And mamma on her knees, with her head in my lap,
We had just screwed our brains out and needed a snack.

When out on the lot there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the floor to see what was the matter.
On my way to the window my big toe I did smash,
Tore open the shutters and broke out my stash.

The moon on the cape and the silence of the cove
Took a toke and stared out at the objects below.
When, what to my reddening eyes should appear,
But a glimpse of Mobile Madness, and eight kegs of beer.

I blinked the horrible vision away real quick,
Closed the shutters and lied “It must’ve been St Nick”.
More rapid than eagles this bud packed a kick ,
closed the drapes and thought “Man, this is some good crap!”

When all of a sudden there came a knock on the door,
Followed by another, and then another three more.
Through the peep hole oh what should my squinty eyes see?
The inebriated face of Brian Bates staring at me.

All at once my heart grew with such flutter,
He must be done with my new fish, er... excuse me, “Liquid Butter”
Opened the door and gave out the bro-hug,
He came in dripping foam dust all over my rug.

As we examined the board and each glassed on fin
SooLoo himself came a wandering in.
Followed by Holddown, Intrepid and crew,
By leaps and by bounds this crowd surely grew.

Sooloo was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And out of his fly hung his mediocre root.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
He squinted and grinned, and scratched at his sack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
The drool of his mouth and slurring of speech,
Let me know in an instant he was stewed like a peach.

Then in through the door came The Betty and Doc,
Betty calling us all Fags and looking for cock...
Doc had a bearded face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, and half lit himself,
And I laughed when I saw him, as does everyone else!
The Betty all ready for a winter’s attack,
Heard the word “toys” and dove into SooLoo’s sack...

I blinked and in came Buick and Gaz,
Arguing with each other over who was the greater spaz.
Then Foul Pete, Nasty and Smithers did add,
And in with a clammer it was the one and only John Rad!

They skated and busted ollies off of this and of that,
Pretty soon the place was trashed, just like Cat in the Hat.
Here came Fish in with his allergies and glee,
”I don’t surf anymore, allergic to wax, and got a bad knee”
The gathering arose by leaps and by bounds,
Until the gathering light of a new dawn gathered ‘round.
And out to the beach we all did pour
Save for SooLoo, who was passed out by the door.

A new swell had arrived and was pumping outside
Boards and neoprene and wax they did fly
And out the backside we all did scatter,
Barrels and nose rides as the peaks they grew fatter.

We surfed until dark, oh what a wonderful fit,
‘Cuz we usually just stand around and talk about it.
We each went our way in the draining of light,
Merry Christmas to all, and don't talk about this place.

S WIND RISING TO 30 TO 35 KT WITH GUSTS TO 45 KT.
COMBINED SEAS 15 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 13 SECONDS.

Looking to the horizon...
It shows itself briefly...
But you know it is coming...
Anticipation and position...
You move to your spot...
And wait for the moment...
Rearing up within reach...
You make your final adjustment...
Moving out or moving in...
As the wave itself requires...
Then as the swell lifts you...
And your board inclines...
Pointed to the trough...
And rising up the face...
You push up and away...
Lifting yourself to your feet...
As the board falls away...
Finding it with muscle memory...
In unplanned reflex and reaction...
You drop in and streak...

W WIND 20 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
WIND WAVES 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.
W SWELL 15 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

In 1846, the USS Shark met its end on the Columbia River Bar. The ship broke apart, and a section of deck bearing a small cannon and an iron capstan drifted south, finally washing ashore south of the current city limits at Arch Cape. And so this town got its name, which it adopted in 1922. Replicas of the hardware now stand near that spot, while the originals are preserved at the Cannon Beach Historical Society Museum.

SE WIND 20 TO 25 KT...BECOMING S 35 TO 45 KT.
COMBINED SEAS 16 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 13 SECONDS.

Spent the last 3 days watching unsurfable surf crash and pummel the coast...
Tuesday was the most workable of all the days sizewise...
But continual increases in swell with unchanged period...
Did not make for the best of conditions...
Coupled with feeling like absolute shite for all 3 days...
Was not conducive to searching for surfables...

Day one pic...big, probably 12 foot face...

Day two pic...inside, solid 12 foot barrel...

Day three pic...16 to 18 foot surf...way outside...tow in would be the only way

~photo holddown
TONIGHT S WIND 20 KT.
WIND WAVES 5 FT.
W SWELL 10 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

What happens when people think it's a good idea to go out onto a cape with 42 foot swells and 100 mile per hour winds?

Usually nothing...still not a great idea.

This shot was from Friday...just a little outta control. Checked it today...solid 10 foot peaks coming in on the central coast...no one out, just perfect empty surf.

I'm out til Friday...hopeful for surf, but not too confident that the conditions will come together over the next 3 days...

Local report:

...fun time on the north coast today. Woke up early, quick check yielded offshore winds and clean fun surf. Grabbed the big stick, 'cause I didnt think it was all that big and fast. After about 30 minutes of not being able to build enough speed to make the sections, jumped out of the water, grabbed the 7' Lopez, and headed back out. Waves were really fun. Swell started rising as the day went on. By 2 o'clock everything went to crap, ...really disorganized. Had a fly by from the CG, wondering if the 2 guys at a spot a little farther out had gone MIA as I didnt see them come in. Looks like a storm is brewing out there again, glad I got in today as I'm not sure when it will be ridable again.

~lappis

NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
W SWELL 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

Just another typical Surf in Oregon day...
We see shit like this all the time...
Stay tuned.

S WIND 15 TO 20 WITH GUSTS TO 25 KT.
WIND WAVES 5 FT.
W SWELL 12 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

See what happens when you don't have power for 48 hours?
I have on good authority that the surf is good...
Yet I am denied...
Doomed to run generators...
In a selfless effort to provide warmth...
And icy coldness to yon freezers...
Alas...

All is lost!
Yon foul Local hath betrayed me:
Mine crew doth yield to the foe, and yonder
Cast their caps up and carouse together
Like kooks long lost. Triple-turned wannabe! 'tis thou
Who hast turned me to novice, thus my heart
Wishes massive closeouts on thee. Bid them all ditch;
Top to bottom, I am revenged upon thee,
I have done all. Bid them ditch, cowardly.
O perilous sun, thy rise shall I see no more.
Stoke and Soul part here, even here
Do we paddle thus? All is come to this? Yon breaker
That ragdolls me heel to toe, to whom I gave
My youth, does discard me, and spin me down, down
On blossoming foamball; and rubber is peeled,
That overtopped them all. Betrayed am I.
Of this false water of stoke! This deep grave,
Whose fathoms beckon forth my body, and calls me home,
Whose trough was my comfort, my chief end,
Like a dream Betty by troth, fast and loose
Beguiled I to the very heartbreak of loss.
What? Rise, Break! Ah, thou dost crest! Beware!
Vanish, lest I give thee thy deserving depth
And blemish Neptune's triumph. Let him take thee
And hoist thee up to shouting groms;
Follow this line, down the greatest face
Of all thy seas. Near monster-like be shown
For poor'st diminitives, for bolts, and let
Patient sirens plough thy visage up
With her preparèd nails of spit.'Tis well th' art gone,
If it be well to live; but better 'twere
Thou fell'st into my depths of fury, for one death
Might have prevented many. Wave, ho!
The shirt of O’Neill is upon me; teach me,
Velzy, thou art mine ancestor, thy rage.
Let me lodge Grubby ‘pon the horns o' th' moon
And with these hands that grasped the heaviest gun
Subdue the worthiest swell. The kook hast died.
In the raging sea she hath sold me, and thus I sink
Under thy spell: and die for 't. Wave, ho!

W WIND 30 TO 35 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT.
EASING TO 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
COMBINED SEAS 28 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 14 SECONDS.
SUBSIDING TO 24 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.

Lincoln City lost all power...blown substation.
Highways to the coast closed...downed trees.
Roofs leaving buildings...100 mph winds.
Power lines snapping and arcing...dancing on the streets.
The music of chainsaws and generators...playing loud.
Huge 40 foot storm surf gives way...to clean uncrowded tubes.
You can hope...can't you?

SE WIND 15 TO 20 KT.
RISING DURING THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON TO S 45 TO 55 KT.
COMBINED SEAS 20 TO 25 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 14 SECONDS.
TONIGHT S WIND 45 KT GUSTING TO 60 KT...VEERING TO SW AFTER MIDNIGHT.
COMBINED SEAS 36 TO 41 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 12 SECONDS.

RAIN.

When it is raining...
And the wind is 60 knots plus...
Is it still just RAIN?

This shot is of a coastal village north of Cascade Head from a few years back. The entire spit is lined with rip rap now.

I remember a heavy storm there that ate away about 75 feet of sand in one night. I was talking once to an older retired friend who lives there about the heavy surf that was literally shaking the windows of the house we were sitting in as 25 foot swells detonated on the bar.

I said, "I heard the surf's supposed to build to 30 feet tonight." She answered, "You know, when I moved here 30 years ago...the sound of the surf would lull me to sleep. Now it just keeps me up at night."

They rip rapped in front of her property once it was down to about 50 feet all along the waterfront. There are still portions that aren't protected and it should be a sleepless night for those folks.

SW WIND 25 TO 30 KT WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO 35 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
COMBINED SEAS 21 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 12 SECONDS.

Big trees, big waves, wet ground, high winds...

Thursday Night to Friday morning looks to be a wild ride on the Oregon coast with combined swells of possibly over 35 feet and winds exceeding 60 knots...(probably far exceeding)...

But by Saturday, offshores with a 14 foot swell...

Here's hoping...

Storm on...

SW WIND 15 KT...BECOMING S 15 TO 20 KT THIS AFTERNOON.
WIND WAVES 4 FT.
W SWELL 17 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUBSIDING TO 15 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.

There are few moments in surfing better than seeing the crystal curtain come across your line of sight...

S WIND 35 TO 40 KT WITH GUSTS TO 45 KT.
RISING TO 40 TO 50 KT WITH GUSTS TO 60 KT.
COMBINED SEAS 20 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 16 SECONDS.
BUILDING TO 25 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 16 SECONDS.

Not that even a gun is reasonable defence against 60 knot gusts...

S WIND 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT.
BECOMING SW 20 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
COMBINED SEAS 14 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 13 SECONDS.

When I was younger, it seemed that there was a core group of surfers that had figured out what surfing was about. I don't know if this is 100% true as I have lost track of the majority of these people. They were the ones trekking solo down the beach, past the usual spots; foregoing the beer, wine, weed, what have you...instead they were looking for that spot where they could tap into a real high.

I don't have a name for these individuals...I suppose the language of the time or even today would apply the label of "soul" or "soul surfer" but the tag carries a certain level of baggage I prefer to leave at the gate. But these guys were the ones in the water when you paddled out, in the water when you paddled in, always in position when the set waves came and often had words of encouragement for those of not at their level of skill.

I don't know where the separation is between a surfer whose line is pure and one who surfs for recognition...I don't even know if this gulf exists. I can create it in my mind and can define the rules that we seem to go by. The rules of the surfing game are by and large rigid for most; it is only the rare individual that steps (and surfs) outside of these rules and is not called to task.

The "soul surfer" may not acknowledge others, but doesn't seek to hinder their enjoyment or development as surfers. Unenlightened surfers see others as a threat and take steps to prevent their encroachment into their territory. Even acceptance within the established group is contingent upon adherence to a strict code of behavior and straying from such is seen as a serious breach of cool...bordering on kook-like in certain cases.

The rules, while strict, myopic and obviously restrictive...are directed towards enforcement and encouragement of a very definite principle...respect. It isn't always earned, but is always demanded...the local contingent feeling it has the right, whether through time, frequency or place, to unquestioned respect. And, in most cases, the expectation is met...sometimes grudgingly and sometimes with resentment...but generally, it is offered and surfers take their place in the lineup dependent upon their ability.

Occasionally the line is crossed, either by interloper or defender. The end result doesn't really matter, the balance has been upset and a new dynamic must be established. Failure to establish hierarchy can result in a breakdown of manners, of expectations, of the rules. When respect is lost, the natural flow is disrupted, replaced with drop ins, snaking and stupidity. Only when a new hierarchy emerges to set the line up in order, whether through a look, a fade into the pit or fists on the beach, is order and respect restored.

These aspects generally apply in situations where crowds are an issue. In Oregon they can typically be avoided. Although the best breaks require some interaction with the established hierarchy, empty waves that require no kowtowing or obedience to a top dog can be found anywhere along the coast. These are the waves that can provide the template for free expression, waves that you can dance on rather than concern yourself with the fear of a witnessed blown drop...forever relegated to the back of the line or incessant snaking because of it.

For me, surfing isn't for others approval but for my own enjoyment and pleasure. I don't really know if my surfing is stylish, awkward or clean...only that the feel is pure. Each wave is a microcosm of time, a plane that offers a changing canvas upon which to respond and draw familiar yet distinct lines. It can be a movement in real time, a slow motion carve or an extreme sensation of speed and distance that does not adhere to real time and motion. Surfing is about the wave itself, the soul and the moment.

Having an understanding of what the wave is is key, respecting the power that provides the vehicle is key, realizing that the opportunity to tap this energy is a gift is key...whether you ride the surging froth straight in as a beginner, glide upon the face of the wave in trim or tuck yourself away within the violent silence of the tube ultimately does not matter...it is the very act of engaging and interacting with the sea that remains the primary aspect and ultimate reward of surfing.

~photo by toneman
SE WIND 20 TO 25 KT.
WIND WAVES 6 FT.
W SWELL 14 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Carrying on from yesterday's post about what gets me going about surfing...what it means, what it is, what it can be. The language of surf in my youth was somewhat ludicrous...dude, shred, rad...and that only scratches the surface. It was an aggressive, in your face attitude that held little appeal for me once I realized what it was all about.

I think that even while I was participating in the outward expression of what I now view as backward, there was a whole group of surfers that understood what surfing was really about...even though I hadn't figured it out yet. While I surfed with crowds of shredders at local peaks, battling for position; others trekked far north or even deeper south to escape it all, seeking uncrowded surf in which to discover what surfing actually meant.

What did surfing really mean? What was it? What could it be? These weren't questions that didn't concern me until later in life in all honesty. It was only through a lifetime of surfing that these questions even came into being. Surfing, in essence, is an intangible activity...it's a simple act, yet far more than the sum of its parts. Surfing contains certain primal emotions...elation, fear, joy, even love...yet also embodies aspects of esthetic experience as well...poetry, art, and music. Surfing is, for me, pure experience...it is food for the soul. Drawn out, expanded time compressed into a singularity...each drop of water visible and distinct...echoing perfection and offering redemption. Truly it is the closest thing to rebirth for the unbeliever or believer alike. God's cupped hands.

Surfers, one and all...new and old...can all recount that one wave. Whether it's the first, the last or the best...it doesn't matter. They may have been alone, or their friend's hoots indelibly imprinted it upon their memory. It may have been a frosty ice crunching winter morning or a glowing green, sunset in the lip afternoon...but there's always a wave that stands out...and another...and another...like corduroy on the horizon they keep coming. And the stories pour out, never disappointing the true believers.

SE WIND 20 TO 25 KT.
WIND WAVES 5 FT.
W SWELL 17 FT AT 17 SECONDS.

I was speaking with a friend the other day and he mentioned that he felt that he had lost what it is to be stoked about surfing. He no longer felt the drive, the thrill or even the need to surf anymore. There was a certain level of fear in the recognition that surfing wasn't a primary force in his life anymore and he wondered about the impact it would have on his life if he continued to feel this way.

It got me thinking about what surfing means to me, whether I need it, whether it defines me as a person. Surfing has always been a part of my life to greater or lesser extents through the years. Early on, as a child, I found the mastery of the act a great confidence builder and the drive to improve and ride bigger and better waves was important to me.

As a teen (still a child), once I had achieved a level of skill that earned me respect (at least among my group of peers), surfing became, among other things, a social device. My friends and girlfriends were surfers, my brother and many other family members were surfers, I spent time with mostly surfers, and we talked incessantly about surfing. The drive to improve was still there but a new dimension had been added.

As a young man, I began to discover other things in life that held importance to me and to explore them with the same fervor surfing had instilled in me as a child. Some of my surfing friends experienced similar changes, whether it was education, a relationship or consideration of a career. In any case, while I still surfed, these "outside" interests encroached upon my surfing time. Some of my other surfing friends didn't develop these other interests and remained intensely focused on surfing. While these friends were never openly critical of my decision to move in a different direction, it was clear that choice like this was baffling to them.

As I matured and cultivated other interests and skills, surfing was forced into the background due to basic life decisions. School, marriage, living inland, children and other things demanded much of my attention. I still took opportunities to surf when I could, but there was only so much time and the demands of life required focus elsewhere. Entering graduate school, I moved to the mid west and focused solely upon my studies. Surfing happened, but only during visits home or the odd surf trip here and there.

Upon completion of my studies, my wife and I decided to move to Oregon for a variety of reasons...none of which was surfing; affordability, work and proximity to family being the deciding factors. Returning on a road trip from San Diego along Highway 1, without a surfboard, I saw many breaks along the way and felt a stirring I hadn't in many years. Soon I was stopping in surf shops and inquiring as to whether they had any old longboards for sale.

Finally, in Lincoln City, Oregon...I found one; a 1960's O'Neill Stepdeck. Beat up, poorly patched and heavy; but watertight. Soon weekly trips to the coast were the norm and I quickly replaced my thin, hoodless wetsuit with a 5 mm hooded version after numerous ice cream headache paddle outs. This log and my other 6'1" thruster were not the ideal quiver for Oregon especially as winter approached and the waves grew in size and power.

More boards followed and Oregon was like a wilderness for me; each headland and cove offering discovery and mystery, but with familiar breaks providing a security blanket. Working from Eugene to Portland provided me the opportunity to surf regularly from Coos Bay to Astoria, exploring all along the way and getting as stoked as I was as a kid.

Now coming up on almost 20 years of surfing I find myself as committed to surfing as I ever was, yet also with a reasonable balance of outside interests and commitments. On occasion, I have regrets or ponder the direction life would have taken had I gone down a different road...everyone does. But as a whole, I have a great family, I enjoy my work and I still surf consistently. Of course, Oregon winters and storms sometimes conspire along with life to keep one out of the water for longer stretches than is ideal at times; but by and large this is corrected with a multiple day session encouraged by my wife once I have grown intolerably grumpy from lack of surf.

For me surfing is largely a solitary activity, even when conducted in company of others. Over the course of years I have met and made friends in the water and sometimes seek them out when surfing sketchy or remote spots. But it serves as food for the soul, recharging my spirit when the everyday duties of life get to be tedious or frustrating. There are few other things in life that provide the same level of pure, energized bliss than paddling into a perfect, feathering left point break along a rocky, tree-lined shore.

SE WIND 15 TO 20 KT RISING TO 20 TO 25 KT.
WIND WAVES 5 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
BUILDING TO 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS LATE.
TONIGHT W SWELL 16 FT AT 17 SECONDS.

Nelscott Reef...I'll pass.
Surf while you can...
Looks to be double to triple overhead...
For the forseeable future.

Green light for tomorrow is the word...
Bring your strap-on's...
On down to Lincoln City.

S TO SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
W SWELL 7 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

The age old refrain...

SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
W SWELL 6 FT.
DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS.

Out of town and out of the water due to a convergence of events. Missing what looks to be the cleanest swell since October. However, as commented upon by Pete, it's feeling sharky out there...I can feel it from here.

Guess I'll have to live vicariously through the surfing of others until next week.

Local (from the last few days) Reports:

[Sat, 12/2] Picture perfect morning, blue skies and A frames. Head high and drivin'.
~gaz

[Sat, 12/2] ...close to epic. No wind. Clean drop-ins into 3' overhead rights that went forever.
~snaps

[Sun, 12/3] ...left hand lockers with lips feathering above our heads and dry hair paddles back to the line up. Noone out. Flying down the line with the grey blue water, purple glow in the west, wind sculpted wavecrest, and a moon to light it all up. Best moments in surfing ever.
~ersatz

That said, on the sharky note, there were also these:

[Sun, 12/3] ...got blasted off my board by a sea lion (I hope). No shit...
~ding

[Also from der ding] ...2 sharks in the Cul-de-sac on this day, one big, one huge...

...as I was punching through a wave something tugged firmly on my booty. Don't know if it was a log, the seal or something else but I did get some "through the glass into foam" board damage too. After that I just spun around hopped a ride in...
~king

~photo Ken Wilson via the OSP
E WIND 20 TO 25 KT...BECOMING SE 15 KT THIS AFTERNOON.
WIND WAVES 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT.
W SWELL 5 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

Remember what I said about Surf in Oregon?
Cold, Fickle and Sharky...
I surfed on October 30th...
It was pretty cold...
The next time I surfed was November 29th...
Because it was a pretty meager month wave wise...
Some might even call it fickle...
As for the sharky part...
This incident occured on Halloween...
See for yourself...trick or treat?

A shark specialist came who took measurements says the fish was about 18' long & about 5000 lbs. The surfer never heard a noise or saw anything!

Surf looks good today...supposed to build all week.
Surely out of control by next weekend with 20' surf.

NE WIND 15 TO 20 KT WITH GUSTS TO 25 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
NW SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

When we were kids we used to bomb hills catamaran style, or if you really wanted to ensure injury, trimaran style...as pictured above.

The best (and by best I mean most horrific) run we ever had was bombing a big hill near my friend's house in Escondido. The road was not smooth, had lots of gravel and rock, and T-ed at the bottom, which required near miraculous luck to pull off a successful turn when you were riding solo. In any case, my friend and I decided this was the perfect location for a catamaran run. An additional consideration is that with solo runs you can move much more freely and through turns control speed at least a bit more effectively, when catamaraning your turning ability is much reduced and you have the added bonus of absolutely no effective method of slowing down.

We began our run slowly with long, smooth swinging turns that grew longer and less smooth as our speed increased. At about midway down the hill we were laughing and having a good time and pretty much hauling ass down the middle of the road with no turning involved. Unfortunately, we had made little effort to plan our approach to the bottom of the hill and it was rapidly approaching. Also unfortunate, was our tendency to want to do the opposite of whatever the other wanted to do.

"Let's turn right!", I yelled, since this would entail my leaning backward rather than forward and was a far safer prospect...for me.
He shook his head and replied, "Left!".
"No way! Right!" I yelled back at him obstinately.
This went on only briefly as the bottom of the hill was imminent and it was decision time.

Since we were unable to come to an agreement, we both leaned backwards while clutching at the others feet trying to force the other to go our way. We separated much too late for either of us to make a successful turn. I was able turn somewhat, and flew into the brush along the side of the side of the road at a slight angle, all the while balanced precariously on my ass with the two ends of my body sticking out at 45 degree angles. I came out of it with some cuts and scratches, but nothing too far beyond typical skate injuries.

My buddy fared less well. He was unable to turn at all and pretty much hurtled off the end of the road into the brush. As I limped up to him and our other friends came running down the hill laughing at us, I asked him "Are you OK?" He was kind of moaning, "I think so...but I need help, I'm stuck on something in here". Our friends came up, offering all the requisite comments our performance deserved. Finally, we turned to the task at hand, getting Paul out of the tangle of brush he was stuck in. We waded in and grabbed onto him and pulled. "Stop!", he yelled, "Something's poking me". I leaned over and looked. He had hurtled full force into a barbed wire fence and was punctured from his shoulder to his ass. I told him what he was stuck on and asked what he wanted to do. "Just yank me out of here I guess", he answered. We did...pop! pop! pop! pop!...as those barbs came out of him each one elicited a yelp of pain. Once he stood on the road rubbing his ass, he said to me accusingly, "You should have gone left, you asshole!"

Lost my earlier post due to a wreck on information superhighway...so here's my recreation of the accident...

NE WIND 10 TO 15 KT.
BECOMING E AT 10 KT.
WIND WAVES 1 FT.
NW SWELL 11 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

Seriously considered ditching work and going surfing today...
Light offshore winds...
An 11 foot swell that was probably alot smaller...
And...
Just because...

But...
Too many other responsibilities...
The forecast through Wednesday isn't looking half bad...
Heading to SF for a couple days...

Back in Oregon in time for Tuesday's...
East winds of 10 knots...
One foot wind waves...
And a 10 foot west swell...

A columbarium is a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns...