No wind, no waves.

Haleiwa, Hawaii 1960's Postcard

2012-01-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

SW WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 20 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

Per Paul Strauch: [The] Photo was taken in the 60's at Haleiwa at its best running 10 -12' on a NW with beautiful conditions... I remember the day well. It was a hairy takeoff because the guy on the red board dropped in on me and in a nano second, Joey Cabell was under me with George Downing in close pursuit. I think I crowded the guy in front of me into pulling out, but my memory stops there. Great day and super crowded since Haleiwa was the place to be!

This is not...Surf In Oregon.

Winter of Discontent

2011-12-31T11:44:00.000-08:00

SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 13 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

Now is the Wint’r of our discontent
All the more ‘nglorious by summ’rs Sun past;
Brace ‘gainst roiling clouds ou’ of north’rn Gulfs
Which the deep bos’m of the Sea ha’ strength’nd.
Now our Brows furrow wi’ squint’n frowns;
And cold bruis’d Arms rub’d in ach’n mis’ry;
Wi’ stern Glares ne’er chang’d to welcome greetings,
Guarding stony mudded marches to hidd’n Pleasures.
Grey and icy Wat’rs present wrinkled fronts;
And ‘stead of waxing sleek fang’d Steeds
T’ confront Faces of worthy ris’ng adversaries,
Ye caper back nimbly ‘ta wheel’d Chambers
And lascivious Strains of strings and skin.
But I do not so eas’ly court Failure,
In the face of the Sea’s looking-glass;
I, am rudely stamp'd, and demanding deep Majesty
And strut ‘fore want’n ambling wat’ry Nymphs;
Not to be curtail'd of their fair Proportion,
Nor cheat’d of Glide by a dissembling nature,
Defeat’d, unfinish'd, nor sent ‘ere my Time
Into the solid World, made up of hills and vales,
So lamely and unfashion’ble Ground’d
Sea Dogs bark at me as I pass by ‘em;
Towering, frothing Walls bring brief peace,
Yet take no delight or e’en note my Passage,
Aside from their const’nt shadowing from the Sun
And effort to afflict ‘pon me mine own Deformity:
And since I can na’ profess my love to the Sea,
For she entertains not e’en the most well-Spoken,
I am determin’d to prove a Villain, taking what I want
And strive ‘gainst the idle constancy of these Waves.
Plots and lines have I laid, some Paths e’en danger’us,
Design’d in drunk’n Prophecies, libels and dream
To set my brother Wind and th’ Swell
Into Battle the one ‘gainst the other:
And if the Wind blow as true and just
As I am subtle, false and Treacherous,
On this day the Swell shall be well held up.
Enough prophecy, which indicates Oceanic distemp’r
Of the Winds heirs shall I gouge and plund’r at will.
And drive, thoughts of fear, far from my Soul: here
A Wave comes.

I'm Not a Surfer but...

2011-12-19T22:19:00.000-08:00

I play one in the movies.

NE WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

Actor nearly deep sixed at Mavericks...
Ah hell...it's in the name of art right?

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19582753

Grappling

2011-12-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

E WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Forecast looks good...
Loaded up the boards...
Looking like a go...
I'll just do a quick dive...
And, BAM!
Totally grappling...
With a giant octopus.

Drug of Choice

2011-11-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

SE WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 5 FT. NW SWELL 9 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

Well?

Are you?

Under The Sun

2011-10-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

Under the Sun Trailer from http://vimeo.com/apeel on Vimeo.

Hey Surf and Non-Surf Vals & Vallettes...
Korduroy is screening the film Under The Sun...
(Never quite sure about the diff between a movie and a film?)...
Anyway, it's at the Living Room Theater (PDX) on Thursday, November 3...
You can click on the link there to prepurchase tix...
Or pay $12 at the door...
$12? WTF? HEY! It's a double feature...
With the moving picture Stoked and Broke...
Not to mention a Q&A with Korduroy's Cyrus Sutton...
So, 7PM at 341 SW 10th Avenue, Portland OR...
Should be good, so get there since I can't...
Or don't.

Dorsal

2011-10-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

Not a good thing.

Alsternixe

2011-10-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

SW WIND 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. NW SWELL 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

The German bark Alsternixe, 3039 tons...
Ran aground in heavy weather at dusk on February 9, 1903...
One and a half miles SW of Cape Disappointment...
The crew, with Captain Richard Auhagen...
was rescued the next morning by a lifesaving crew...
Weeks later the vessel was refloated...
After having been considered a total loss...
The four-masted bark, valued at $90,000...
Hailed from Hamburg, one of the few large ships...
To escape the sands of Peacock Spit.

Sharktober

2011-10-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

~photo uncredited...if you want credit lemme know

SE WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

Plenty of action on the Oregon coast this month...
Whether it's bumps, backs or bites, take your pick...
Either way that's a big fish...
Go get it.

Rocktober

2011-10-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

E WIND 10 TO 15 KT. GUSTS TO 25 KT THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON...MAINLY NEAR COASTAL GAPS. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

What can I say?
Stay outta the coastal gaps...
Go get it.

Above the Falls

2011-10-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

NE WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. NW SWELL 8 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

Saturday in the Park...
Felt like summertime...
I'm guessing Monday will be solid as well...
Go get 'em!

Indian

2011-10-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

~pic poached from My Name is Andy

SW WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FOOT. W SWELL 15 FT...SUBSIDING TO 13 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

Surf Check.

Wood

2011-09-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

N WIND 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

Due to a nagging shoulder injury...
No surfing...
No paddling...
No fun...
Been working on a carving...
It's a work in progress.

The Swag

2011-09-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

S WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

So I still haven't determined a winner for the interactive cartoon...
I will ponder long and hard in the coming days...
Here's the prize though...
Not super exiting, sorry...
And no, it's not the surfboard...
It's the rack holding the board...
Yes, it will be repackaged...
But, undamaged...
It's a modular system from Nice Rack...
So you can add to it if you like...
Overall, the rack is pretty simple and easy to intall...
Designwise, pretty clean and tidy...
It is plastic and it isn't the sturdiest sytem...
The only boards I would want on the wall...
Are classic longboards...
Likely long and heavy...
And this system isn't designed for that...
Nice Rack makes racks for heavier boards...
But this is a lightweight system...
As I said, very easy to install...
I had it on the wall and loaded...
In about 10 minutes...
So if you want it...
Post up your most inspired dialogue ever...
For the previously posted cartoon...
And if you are "anonymous"...
There are alot of you out there...
Let me know which Anon you are...
The sooner the better...
That plastic rack is out in the sun...
Degrading as we speak.

Surf in Oregon Interactive Cartoon Post

2011-08-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

N WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

You fill in the blanks...
He said:
She said:
The winner may get something...
Or nothing...
Bring it.

Riomaggiore Right

2011-08-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

NW WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.

This is not Surf in Oregon...
This is Surf in Italy...
Caught a solid swell in the Cinque Terre...
No surfboard though...
Had to settle for bodysurfing...
This right is a solid 8 foot face...
Breaking on shoreline of boulders...
Pretty fun despite the rough ending.

Pig Latin

2011-06-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

NW WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

Sometimes it comes in handy.

New Toy

2011-05-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

~not my Joe Bark Paddleboard...just a reasonable facsimile thereof!

NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

A 17 foot Joe Bark Unlimited Paddleboard...
Carbon Fiber...
Foot controlled rudder...
Hollow...
Fast...
Spent most of my last paddle...
Trying to knee paddle...
And falling off alot...
Not to mention...
My bleeding feet...
From the abrasive action...
Of switching from prone to knees...
And vice versa...
Oh, and ripped big toenail...
Ah well, lesson learned...
And knee paddling accomplished...
For a few satisfying moments.

Family Photos

2011-05-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

SW WIND 15 TO 20 KT WITH A FEW GUSTS TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

Just because.

Genius

2011-04-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

Jim Phillips Surfboards from Patrick Miller on Vimeo.

N WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

I surf (pretty regular) a 9' 4" Phillips single fin...
I have to confirm that the board is super solid...
It's one of my happy moments coming in to ownership...
And the vid above is super classic, beyond the process...
I especially liked the east coast travel assessment of...
Earning $60 a day in the 60's...
Pillaging and staying the night...
How sweet it was...
Nice explanation of the term "Haole" too.

Dollar Car

2011-04-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

My neighbor called me the other day...
"Doc...I have an offer for you" (he didn't actually call me Doc)...
"I want to sell you my Volkswagon Beetle" he said...
"Uhhhhm. OK...How much?" I asked...
"One dollar" he offered...
"A dollar? Ummm...OK?" I accepted...
I now own a 74 Super Beetle...
It runs pretty well...
Doesn't always start...
Lights don't work...
Seats are blown out...
One more project I don't have time for...
Stoked.
Beetle name: Bodi...
Short for Bodivar...
Oh yeah, found 75 cents cleaning it out...
Made my daughter take him the change...
"These are honest people" was his response.

Echo

2011-04-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

~photo by Tom Ortner via Surfer's Journal
SW WIND 10 KT TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

Figured might as well stick with a good thing...
Different wave, different board, different day...
Same surfer, same bottom turn...
Same smooth style.

Surfing

2011-03-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

SW WIND 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT...EASING. WIND WAVES 5 FT...SUBSIDING. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

I always edit Surf in Oregon reports...
But, ultimately...
It all comes back to the same point for me...
Where I started and where I got...
I'm not the best surfer...
Nor the worst...
I like short boards...
And the long ones...
(Mebbe a bit more the long ones)...
But the heart of the matter...
For me at least...
Is keeping the act of surfing...
Effortless and enjoyable...
Which, sadly, for me...
Has been hard to achieve of late...
Between an injury and physical distance...
I want to keep the stoke...
But also battle being the downer of late...
So all of you out there...
Geting a few here and there...
Help me out...
And tell your tales here...
Unless...
Of course...
It's as I've always said...
There's no...
Surf in Oregon.

DEVO

2011-03-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

S WIND 15 TO 20 KT GUSTS TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 6 FT. W SWELL 14 FT @ 13 SECONDS.

So when you can't surf...
Devo...
Nostalgia and awesomeness...
Came together for 90 minutes...
On Wednesday night at the Crystal Ballroom...
In Portland, Oregon.

Surf Rigs

2011-03-04T17:37:00.000-08:00

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING

S WIND 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT. COMBINED SEAS 12 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 9 SECONDS. RAIN.

I always love gale warnings in red letters...
"Combined Seas" and "Rain" are also awesome...
However, old surf jalopies primered red...
With vintage longboards on top...
Parked at curbs in the sun with palm trees...
Also have a certain allure.

Sloth

2011-02-25T16:48:00.000-08:00

NE WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

Coulda...
Woulda...
Shoulda...
Been some to been had...
Out there today...
Stuck in the valley...
Of sickness and death...
The past 20 plus years or so...
Although I am doing fine...
Just missing so many waves...
Ahhhh, February...
Can't wait for you to end...
Where's my beer...
Out?
Lame.

Frolic

2011-01-17T16:32:00.000-08:00

~foto poached from Collectic Life

NW WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 5 FT. W SWELL 15 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

I was perusing the outerwebs...
And came across this shot of full frolic...
It made me think about a few things...
Recollections, memories, reflection...
Growing up in N county San Diego...
Sharing the waves with dolphins was common...
An almost ordinary experience...
As extraordinary as it obviously was...
The water is shared now (in Oregon)...
With aggro territorial sea lions...
And unseen fish you don't want to think about...
Much less have visual (or worse) contact with...
Anyhow the image triggered a memory...
That is one of the defining moments of my life...
In 1975 my Father died, he was 45...
He died on Tax Day, April 15th...
I was in 7th grade, 13 years old...
Oak Crest Junior High School...
People told me they were sorry...
I put on an adolescent kid act...
Of utter non-chalance as best I could...
Seemed the best way to go...
To keep from crying in public...
A few weeks later we took my Father's ashes to sea...
My Grandfather piloted the boat...
Further out than we had ever gone fishing...
For hours it seemed, farther and farther...
Beyond sight of land and other boats...
It was ocean on the horizon in all directions...
As we motored we encountered a super pod dolphins...
They surrounded the boat on all sides...
Again, as far as you could see (at least in my momory)...
It was dolphins, leaping...
Dolphins surfing the boat wake...
Dolphins criss crossing the bow...
I don't remember how long we were in their midst...
But it was a long moment of joy...
My Grandfather powered down the boat...
And they passed by us in the thousands...
Tens of thousands I would guess...
Mothers with their babies at the center of the pod...
Grizzled and scarred males at the edges...
As we sat rising and falling on the swell...
Awestruck, laughing, crying...
We spread my father's ashes...
Watching the grayness spiral quickly out of sight...
My Mother dropped their linked wedding bands in as well...
She never remarried...
I don't remember the exact words she said...
But something to the effect of...
"It was as fitting a memorial as anyone has ever received".

Search

2011-01-10T15:51:00.000-08:00

E WIND 10 TO 15 KT. GUSTS UP TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

The forecast is from today, Monday...
The pics from Saturday & Sunday...
I think the swell was running 13 foot...
Then dropped to 9 foot...
But it was a solid 9 foot...
I didn't even make a drive Saturday...
Opted for a hike...
To the vantage point in pic 2...
Sunday slipped and slid in the hail...
On up north in a state of low expectation...
Saw one taker get one wave...
Then take several on the head...
Before scrambling up on the rocks...
Headed back for coffee and couch...
Hiked out later for a look at the same cove...
This time from the north end...
It's surfable...
Not that I'd advise it.

Merry Surf Mas

2010-12-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

SE WIND 15 TO 20 KT WITH GUSTS TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

A few of you out there...
Have gotten some early presents...
Spun out of the North Pacific...
Hoping to do some holiday shopping myself...
This week before Christmas...
SE winds and groundswell...
Ho, Ho, Ho.

Waiting It Out

2010-12-14T15:29:00.000-08:00

W TO SW WIND 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT...EASING TO 15 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 6 FT...SUBSIDING TO 4 FT. W SWELL 16 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SHOWERS.

Sometime you just have to hunker down...
Get out the wind & the rain...
Just wait it out.

Headers

2010-12-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

S WIND 20 TO 25 KT.
GUSTS TO 30 KT.
WIND WAVES 4 TO 7 FT.
SW SWELL 15 TO 17 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

Going through some old shots...
Came across this one...
Don't think I ever used it...
Maybe I did, can't recall...
I do recall the session tho...
Dead of winter...
Hiked out to a non-surf spot...
Well, rarely surfed anyhow...
It was pretty junky all morning...
So I left the boards in the car...
Just checking driftwood piles...
And snapping some pics...
When lo and behold...
A chest high left comes through...
And one behind it...
And another and another...
After 15 minutes I'd had enough...
Quick rock scramble back to the rig...
Suit up, scramble back up the spit...
Pick my way out through the rocks inside...
And surf all by my lonesome for about 2 hours...
The left was only solid about an hour...
But enough sneaking through for the next...
To keep me happy...
Finally paddled in...
Left was gone...
Beach still empty.

Wave

2010-12-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

Report for late in the day...
Looked better early fo sho.

S WIND 30 TO 40 KT. GUSTS TO 45 KT...POSSIBLY TO 50 KT OVER THE OUTER WATERS THIS EVENING. COMBINED SEAS 12 FT NEARSHORE...BUILDING TO 15 TO 18 FT. OVER THE OUTER WATERS SEAS NEAR 20 FT. DOMINANT PERIOD 10 SECONDS.

That's a dense and busy report...
Offset by a simple wave.

Klaxon

2010-12-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

SE WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 5 FT. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS

Actually, the surf isn't up...
There were some waves in some places...
Some confused seas in others...
And combined seas of 20 feet in 2 days...
Winter time swings...
Been a dearth of posts of late...
Sadly, like the surfs...
But things lay back down...
Maybe as early as Friday, so...
Listen for the klaxon.

Short

2010-11-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

SW WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

Mad Strand Master Russ Short...
3 fin Bonzer frontside swing...
To backside bury.

Cam Pain

2010-10-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

SE WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FOOT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

On Wednesday wrapped up some work in Seattle...

Headed to the Strait in hope of catching a fading swell...

The further west I got the more my hopes faded...

Hit the coast at Ruby and counted my way down...

Beach 4, Beach 3, Beach 2 and Beach 1...

All beautifully deserted but no trigger for a solo session...

The center shot prompted me to head south...

Found some surfable waves but...

Between the choice of dumping shorebreak...

Or waves fighting their way to shore in a too stiff offshore...

I chose some recon and dinner...

In the meantime, spots closer to home seemed to be working...

Despite their apparent emptiness.

First Blood

2010-10-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

S WIND 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT. WIND WAVES 7 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

Well, Wednesday's surf was fun...
From beginning to end...
The middle part sucked a little bit...
Overhead sets, sunny and glassy...
Picked off fun left on the 7'0" quad...
Made the wave, little off the top as it closed out...
cut back into the wave for the paddle back out...
Doink! "Ahhh...that's nothing", I thought...
Hand to forehead though and lots of blood...
Paddled in, had someone take a look...
They confirmed it looked pretty shallow...
Still took about an hour to stop the bleeding...
Paddled back out on the 9'4" Phillips single...
Bad quad! You only get to cut me once per session...
Caught a bunch more fun ones unscathed...
Oh well, scars are cool.

Perfect Timing

2010-10-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

S WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 16 SECONDS.

Nothing like 4 days of sun...
North winds with long period swell...
Amping, amping, amping...
For Friday...
Those 4 days were followed...
With strong south wind...
Sloppiness, rain & misery...
Who knows?
Maybe it's all time...
Behind the raindrops.

Totem

2010-09-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

N WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 13 SECONDS SUBSIDING TO 8 FT.

From Ralph Collier of the Shark Research Committee via the OSP...

On September 27, 2010 David Lowden, was attacked by a Great White Shark, while surfing with Mark Lorincz, and Justin Martin at the South Jetty of the Umpqua River in Winchester Bay, Oregon. It was 4:00 PM and they had been on the water about 45 minutes. It was sunny with a light fog coming and going and an estimated air temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. They were 80 – 100 yards from shore, in water 15 – 20 feet deep with a sandy ocean floor and 4 – 5 feet of water visibility. Erosion along the jetty wall created a trench deeper than the surrounding ocean floor. No unusual behavior of marine mammals, fish, or birds, was observed in the area prior to the attack.

Lowden reported; “Surf conditions were good with a large swell, light winds, and good interval. Water temperature was much higher than normal, around 56 – 58 Fahrenheit. High tide was at 2:15 PM that day and the peak we were surfing was further out than normal due to the size of the swell. After surfing for about 45 minutes, and catching only two waves, the current pushed me towards the outside and wide of the peak that was breaking about 30 feet South of the jetty. I paddled hard to fight the current and regain position in the peak. During this effort I was struck from underneath by the unmistakable force of a shark, due to past experience being bumped by a Great White in September of 2006 at the same location. I knew right away from the hardness of the object that it was a shark.

The shark was at full attack speed nailing the tail of my board ejecting me forward as the shark breached the surface of the water with most of its body. I got a pretty good look at the overall presence but it happened so fast I wasn't able to pick out details. The shark turned on its side as it headed back down, thrashing its tail a couple times before disappearing somewhere underneath or behind me. Frantic, I pulled my board back toward me by the leash. I then began to paddle as fast as I could toward the jetty which seemed much closer than the beach.

Luckily, during the encounter I had been pushed inside and toward the peak enough to grab the first wave in that came moments later. After regrouping on the beach, the other two surfers were able to fill in the blanks as to what happened as both saw the entire incident take place. We came to the conclusion it was a Great White between 11 and 14 feet in length. I believe that it either miscalculated the attack or aborted at the last second clipping the tail of my board, striking the fins first which I think must have given it a bit of a shock and caused it to thrash about after the initial contact. My board sustained minimal damage considering, losing a fin and crushing a fin box and creasing the tail. No injuries occurred.”

This is the fifth authenticated unprovoked shark attack from the Pacific Coast of North America for this year and the first for Oregon. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

Lifestyles

2010-09-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

N WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 13 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

The modern conveniences...
Shouldn't be wasted...
Just because you went...
Surfing in Oregon.

Sliding

2010-09-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

S WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 6 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 8 FT AT 15 SECONDS. PEAKING AT 11 FT AT 13 SECONDS ON FRIDAY.

Hoping the planets align...
And the wind stays off...
And the ocean isn't full of lumps...
And I can get away from work...
And other myriad responsibilites...
To surf some waves that look like these...
On Friday.

Waving Goodbye

2010-09-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

SW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. SW SWELL 6 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Sooloo waving goodbye to Oregon surf...
Seeking clean peelers on Ohio's Great Lake...
I told him when he left the wind would turn to offshore...
And the period would jump...
It's still mostly sideshore...
But the period did double (supposedly)...
Thanks.

It's Happened Before...

2010-09-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

W WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FOOT. NW SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

It'll Happen Again.
This motorboat made the trip last week...
From Portland (per the writing on the stern)...
To the south end of Oregon's northwind go to...
Easy 100 plus miles or so...
As the river flows...
Anyone know the story...
On this modern day nautical disaster?
Anyone break out the Breeches Buoy?
Build a signal fire?
Shoot off the flare gun?
Were all hands saved?

Equus

2010-09-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

via Hristos

NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.

I don't know what they're waiting for...
Charge!

Four Rights

2010-08-30T21:08:00.000-07:00

NW WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

4 different waves...
Of 4 different sizes...
On 4 different days...
In 4 different places.

That Is Good!

2010-08-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. GUSTS TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.

It wasn't 7 foot at 15 seconds this past weekend...
But there were some solid chest high peaks pushing through...
2 days of surfing and drinking and eating and surfing...
Hey! You said surfing twice...
I like surfing.

Enchanted Valley

2010-07-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

W WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.

On my way for a 4 day backpack trip...
To the Enchanted Valley in Olympic Nat'l Park...
Sooloo summed up the trip, as only he can:
"Sounds gay"...
Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Shell Oil

2010-07-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

N WIND 5 KT...NW 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 3 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.

Image from the Dalian spill in China...
Yet another catastrophe...
Of contamination and death...
For the world to suffer.

A Solitary Pursuit

2010-07-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

N WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. NW SWELL 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS.

Pretty windswept out there...
North wind upwelling...
Making the water icy cold...
6 to 8 foot swell...
Make the choice between...
Shortboard or longboard tough...
Get home and no understanding...
Sometimes it's hard to...
Surf In Oregon.

Nutshell

2010-07-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

NW WIND 20 KT WITH GUSTS TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

Those 4 cards tell it all...
At least on some days...
Or weeks, or months...
About Surf In Oregon...
There's more to it...
But we'll discuss that...
Later.

Goin' Over

2010-06-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

NW WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

Da Bull...
Showing the better part of valor...
Better to turn turtle...
Dodge the fray...
And live to paddle...
Into da bigger wave!

Derelicts

2010-06-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

W WIND 5 TO 10 KT WITH GUSTS TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

A solid 3 foot windswell...
Currently grooming sandbars...
Yesterday's Father's Day paddle...
Yielded mostly that...
A paddle...
Interspersed with waist high loggables...
It would have been great...
Aside from the misery...
Inflicted from a friend's B-Day party...
And a healthy dose of IPA...
Mixed with red wine...
The hangover was gone...
After 3 or 4 hours...
And only two swims...
Due to post-drink imbalance...
I felt kinda like the boats in the pic...
Recognize the stack in the back?

Oil Wave

2010-06-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

~photo poached from Surfrider

NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

I grouse about onshore winds...

Cold water, wind, fickle swell...

Waves are too big, or too small...

I complain about mild crowding...

Or kooks that get in my way...

Getting backpaddled or snaked...

I moan about long drives looking for waves...

Hem and haw about paddling out in marginal conditions...

Worry about waht's under my feet I can't see...

I rarely worry about the clean water...

Now we all need to...

We've seen the pic of dead pelicans...

Heard the excuses from BP execs...

Here's a peak in Alabama...

Would you surf it?

Sat...urday

2010-06-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

W WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

But yesterday's forecast read...

E WIND 5 TO 10. WIND WAVES 1 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS...

Not that big a difference...

But enough to to prompt me...

To be in the water by 8:30...

Surfed for 5 hours...

In sun and stiff offshores...

On head high hollow lefts...

With the occassional right for balance...

Big arrowhead peaks would show...

With square corners...

Opening up and sectioning...

Into reeling walls on the inside bar...

Not quite big enough for proper tubes...

But round enough to tuck into briefly here and there...

After a outside in left that ended in waist deep water...

Sunburnt face, aching shoulders and assorted pains...

Frome getting bounced and thrashed a couple times...

I called it a day...

Sat...isfied...

Sat...iated...

Sat...urated...

Sat...urday.

Putting in the Time

2010-05-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

W WIND 10 KT...VEERING TO NW. GUSTS UP TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

Not that it is perfect right now...

But sometimes...

If you wait long enough...

Even unprotected...

Windscoured beachbreak...

Like 90% plus of Surf In Oregon is...

Sorry, it just is...

Even ruined sandbars...

Can come together...

For brief perfection...

Still waiting after 20 years...

Gotta happen soon...

I can feel it!

WTF?

2010-05-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

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NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. GUSTS UP TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

I hate getting greeted with this message...
Clicking on a surf blog I might peruse on occasion...
I don't get it? What happened? Why? Lame...
Just delete the damn thing...
That way I don't have to hassle...
Deleting it from my blogroll.

On a happy note...
I feel surfing...
On the horizon...
An unusual event...
In Spring...
For a Valley...
Living for...
Surf In Oregon.

Surf Report

2010-05-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

W WIND 10 TO 15 KT WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 9
SECONDS.

It's been a rough couple weeks surf-wise...
Onshore, sideshore, massive, sloppy...
Ruined sandbars, 25 days of rain...
Alcohol, sleepless nights, mildew...
Brown filthy froth on unsurfable seas...
Long drives, spewing exhaust with no payoff...
Surf In Oregon in the spring.

Old Man & The Sea

2010-04-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

SW WIND 15 TO 20 KT. GUSTS TO 25 KT CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OUT 60 NM. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

Too many W's in the forecasts this week...
NW's, SW's and straight up W's...
Sometimes you just have to look for a window...
Sometimes the window is worth looking through.

You Can Give 'Em Books

2010-04-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

NW WIND 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 7 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS... BUILDING TO 13 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

But you can't make 'em surf...
Been getting amped on the new TSJ...
OK, not that new now...
But still get semi-amped over it...
Looking a little rough this week...
But heading down for work...
On Thursday and hoping...
To locate a window...
That is clean and clear...
Keeping my hopes low tho.

Pre-Surf Heater

2010-04-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

S WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

DN having a pre-surf smoke...
Digging the shorty...
The man could [can] surf.

Outlook

2010-04-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Forecast? More of the same...
SW WIND 20 TO 25 KT. GUSTS UP TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 6 FT...SUBSIDING TO 4 FT. W SWELL 16 FT AT 13 SECONDS. SHOWERS BEFORE DARK. ISOLATED TSTMS IN THE EVENING. SHOWERS LIKELY.

However...
It is more in how you look at things...
And here's one man's view ...
On Surf in Oregon...
It wasn't me out there, but...
I like it.

Somebody might have seen me, and asked themselves "What the hell is that guy doing out there?"

I will tell you.

See, I'm a pioneer. And I'm also doing a public service.

I'm resetting the margins, I'm re-calibrating the scale. I'm redefining the language... just what is a "wave" anyway?

People talk about conditions, they paint with broad strokes. Is there a ceiling, how good can it get? Is there a zero point? Can it get any worse? I'm here to help define the construct of surfing. Is it skilled activity in a challenging environment? Is it experiential? How much is internal, how much is external?

In the wind, in the rain, in the cold... symbols lose their value. What is swell, what is a wind-wave, what is fetch? My focus is on not aspirating the untreated water. We're just splitting hairs, after all. When the wind flips your board up into your frozen lips and chin, does it really matter if it's a Surftech? The aqueous environment will dictate the move. This where surfing becomes reactive, not proactive. Words like "left" and "right" lose their meaning. The surfer closest to the peak is the one buried in whitewater. Wooden hands scratch without purchase, the wind moves us sideways, the current carries us where it will. The Tao, flowing, fight not the current, re-align your chi flow. A pit drops, there is a respite, "from chaos comes order". If William S Burroughs could script your surf session, this is what it would be.

How many hollow oaths will you swear? "I'll never drink again". Of course you will. Like I told the other garbage men in the water... if nothing else we have proven something to ourselves: we'll surf anything. There is no wave beyond salvation, the right hands will create art from refuse.

What was I doing out there? Redefining the scope of my surfing experience.

Did the waves suck? Sure, but having a few laughs with friends can't be beat.

Kook Bonfire

2010-04-02T17:15:00.000-07:00

W WIND 30 TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS 20 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 12 SECONDS EARLY...BUILDING TO 24 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 14 SECONDS. SHOWERS AND ISOLATED TSTMS THROUGH THE NIGHT.

In a word, it "SUCKS"...
For Surf in Oregon right now...
Windy and huge...
I haven't surfed forever...
Almost 2 weeks...
Lameness...
I don't know if I've posted this toon before...
Stems from a classic summertime comment...
"Thinking about heading into Portland tomorrow..."
Think I'll go to a park..."
"Build a big bonfire..."
"And melt some glass."
Since that seems to happen...
On Oregon beaches more than it should.

Poor Judgement

2010-03-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

W WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

Part of me feels bad for these people...
Part of me feels annoyed...
Annoyed that they'd think surfing was a good idea...
On a day with storm surf & 20 knot onshores...
Annoyed with the person that rented them the softtops...
If that indeed was the case...
And I was super annoyed listening the radio...
"4 surfers were rescued...blah, blah, blah"...
These people were not surfers is my guess...
They were people in the water with pool toys...
And they had no business being there...
They're lucky things didn't end up worse.

seek/find

2010-03-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT...BUILDING TO 6 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 13 SECONDS...BUILDING TO14 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

Two solid waves...

One burly...

One reeling...

Likely both...

Are burly & reeling...

Anyway...

Off a NW blog...

seek/find...

AKA...

Perch yourself just so.

Stupid

2010-03-13T23:27:00.000-08:00

S WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

I know it'll get better...

I really, really do...

But it feels pretty fucking hopeless...

Right now...

Now...

It fucking sucks...

Right now...

For Surf in Oregon.

SS Sea Thrush

2010-03-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

W WIND 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 6 FT. W SWELL 15 FT AT 13 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 12 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT.

Launched as the Westland out of Portland, OR...

An early steel steam vessel of the WWI period...

The renamed 410' Sea Thrush ran aground...

On Clatsop Spit south of the Columbia...

In heavy fog inbound from Puget Sound...

On December 4th, 1932...

The crew of 31, a woman & a young stowaway...

Rescued by the USCG cutter Redwing & motor lifeboats...

Captain E. J. Landstrom remained aboard for 2 days...

Until the rising sea broke the vessel's in two.

Spun und Drag

2010-03-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

Pretty awful overall...
Had a quick go at some waves...
That looked alot like these...
While it was surfable...
It was all over the place...
And big enough...
To elicit choice curse words...
When caught inside...
And pounded, spun and drug...
Still, sun was out...
When it wasn't raining...
It was windy...
But not too bad...
The water brown & frothy...
But I stayed outta that...
6 head to head plus wind swell rights...
Is all I have to show for it...
Aside from the other go...
Which was just as bad.

Unforced Errors

2010-02-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

SW WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

I made this hijacked toon last week...

After falling off my surfboard on multiple occassions...

And, yes...for no apparent reason...

It was well overhead and I was on a quad...

Going right, step off the tail, fall off...

Going left, air drop, fall off...

Going right, dig a rail, fall off...

And the perfect wedged up left...

In position, in full view of all...

Stroke, pop up and fall off the back...

Utter fuckery and embarrassment...

I did catch waves...

But the blown ones really stand out...

Sorry for the lack of blog effort...

Potter is bearing down hard.

Secrets

2010-02-16T22:03:00.000-08:00

N WIND 10 TO 15 KT...VEERING TO NE AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 10 TO 11 FT AT 13 SECONDS...EASING TO 9 FT OVERNIGHT.
20 foot plus surf a day or two ago...
Valleys drowning trying to save a dog...
Its tragic but avoidable, sorry...
Beach tourists perching kid on logs...
Gotta get that shot y'know?...
Well, sunny days and winter surf...
Even Mavericks cleaned up a crowd...
Anyway, not that I ever bring visitors...
But if you do, blindfold them...
And tell them "This is Washington!"...
That should work just fine...
On the other front, swell is on the drop...
6 foot by tomorrow night suits me fine.

Eye Ball

2010-02-13T14:52:00.000-08:00

S WIND 30 TO 35 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS BUILDING TO 21 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 15 SECONDS. RAIN.

So, wind's only 35 knots or so...
Seas barely over 20 foot...
Nice fifteen second period...
But it's raining so forget it.

Hoist

2010-02-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

S WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 6 FT. SW SWELL 17 FT AT 11 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 15 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.

Rough day for someone at Indian...
I guess anything is possible...
But I can't imagine getting in that position...
There are days I'll paddle out...
And days I'll drink on the beach...
Wonder what happened to the longboard?

Keyhole

2010-02-04T12:50:00.000-08:00

SE WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 5 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

Did some post-surf drinking...

Then some post-surf rock scrambling...

During last week's minus tide...

Kept my eyes open for agates...

But only found auto parts.

Old School

2010-01-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

SW WIND 5 TO 10 KT WITH GUSTS TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 12 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

Last session restored my faith...
There's no better spot in church...
Than sitting up front...
Waiting for God to come...
No offense to those...
Who wish to worship...
In a more traditional manner.

Always Ready

2010-01-25T17:20:00.000-08:00

S WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 20 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
Hmmmm. 20 foot at 14 seconds...
As RV said...
"If I wasn't injured..."
S'posed to lay down...
Tomorrow & Wednesday...
Think I'll load the rig...
With an assortment...
And see if a west turn...
Happens.

Poop Flows Eternal

2010-01-20T00:08:00.000-08:00

My timing was impeccable...

Heaviest rains in four years...

For the Bay Area...

My window...

Wednesday...

Is sealed tightly shut...

With fecal overflow.

Hope Springs Eternal

2010-01-13T17:35:00.000-08:00

SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 5 FT. W SWELL 15 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Trip in the offing...
Non-surf, lame...
No Board...
No Wetsuit...
No chance?
We'll see.

Longboats

2010-01-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

S WIND 30 TO 40 KT WITH GUSTS TO 50 KT. COMBINED SEAS 19 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 12 SECONDS.

You got folks surfing Alaias...
Rocking handplanes...
Surfing Bonzers, Quads...
Assymetricals, Simmon Twins...
Ponies and Eagles...
So much variety...
Not alot of boat surfers out there...
Sure you have to go straight...
Hey...
Duke went straight alot.

Crazy Sheep

2010-01-07T22:08:00.000-08:00

SE WIND 20 TO 25 KT...EXCEPT E NEARSHORE. WIND WAVES 5 FT. W SWELL FROM 8 FT NEAR SHORE TO 12 FT OVER THE OUTER WATERS.

This drawing was done by a friend of my daughter...
After a four day trip to the coast in which I was utterly shut out...
The wind, the wave, the foam and the froth were all crazy sheep...
On a separate note, hanging with Sooloo in a coastal dive post surf...
He asks a classic tavern old dude, hitched pants, suspenders, stash...
"So when's the rain gonna come?"...
Answer: "About 15 minutes"...
100% accuracy...
Crazy Sheep.

Bad Day

2010-01-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

SE WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

I didn't have a bad day...
This guy did...
I have had some days like this...
I have seen some days like this...
You don't want days like this.

Not in the Cards

2010-01-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

SE WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FOOT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS...SUBSIDING

Hmmm...

That ain't what I saw...

4 days of unsurfable slop...

Howling winds and blowing sand...

Big surf and high tides...

Plenty of booze and good food...

Happy New Year Y'All!

Go Where?

2009-12-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

SE WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

I don't mind surfing in the rain...

Although I do like surfing in the sun better...

But I'm already wet...

So who fucking cares really...

But it looks like a stretch...

Of sopping, sodden soak...

Is coming upon us...

Big and wet and macking...

The next week or so...

Just in time for my yearly coastal...

I foresee long drives in driving rain...

Rewarded with cold surfs...

In driving rain and onshore winds...

And I'm a full on optimist...

When it comes to Surf in Oregon...

There will be windows of light...

I plan to sit in front of them...

For sure.

Hay Caramba!

2009-12-24T14:59:00.000-08:00

E WINDS 15 TO 20 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 25 KTS. WIND WAVES 3 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

Ho, ho, ho...

It's good somewhere...

Somewhere I am not...

Unfortunate.

Merry Surficus

2009-12-23T23:41:00.000-08:00

E WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

That was 'bout right...

But smaller than 8' mostly I'd say...

Big holes on the inside...

Couple long ones...

Couple unbroken ones...

Couple cold ones...

Thumpin' on the bar tho.

Grip

2009-12-22T22:40:00.000-08:00

NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. NW SWELL 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

In my younger days I never skated with shoes...
I never felt comfortable in shoes...
My feet took a beating on many occassions...
But I could never get past that need for grip.

It's Over

2009-12-13T11:36:00.001-08:00

W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 16 SECONDS.
CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

It's looking like this run of sun...
Is coming to an end...
West winds and rain...
Coming to harsh my mellow.

Rod Surfling

2009-12-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FOOT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

Never mind the:
SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN OR LIGHT FREEZING RAIN.
I always ignore that shit...
'Course the roll over accidents sometimes give pause.

Freight Train

2009-12-10T08:58:00.000-08:00

NE WIND 5 TO 10 KT WITH GUSTS TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Consistency...

Like to go right?

Gotta really fast board?

What are you waiting for?

Cold Cranking

2009-12-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

NE WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FOOT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 17 SECONDS.

Last nite's sunset screamer...
At Oregon's least surfed spot...
Got out the day prior...
Chest high peelers into the shallows...
Aggro feinting sea lions...
And shiver inducing lulls...
The water was warmer than the air...
And the ice cold beer...
Was warmer than my core.

Horse Surfing

2009-12-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

NE WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 5 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 16 SECONDS.

I don't know...

Surfing seems risky lately...

The Seaside charger that got bounced...

KGW news breaking hard...

Icy roads, cold wind, power outages...

Maybe take up a flat water pursuit...

Like canoeing, or lake kayaking...

Or the hot new fad...

Horse surfing...

Nah.

The story on Thursday's Seaside ride...

The surfer in question was an experienced local...

Per his brother, the swell was maxing...

On a 10 foot plus high tide to boot...

He scored a solid barrel and kicked out...

Duck dove the next wave...

But got pushed into the rocks...

The next surge doubled up...

Tore his board from his hands...

Picked him up and slammed him...

When the water cleared he was about 5 feet...

From the base of the cliff, high and dry...

Probably 30 feet from the normal water line...

Apparently, up and around...

But outta the water for a bit.

Regulating

2009-12-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

NE WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

Not trying to make light of anyone getting hurt...

But the real regulator of Tillamook Head showed up Thursday...

Surfers injured at Seaside Cove

Seaside volunteer firefighters responded to two calls to assist injured surfers at the Cove on Thursday. Both surfers were injured near Tillamook Head, where waves were especially high.

At 9:38 a.m., paramedics contacted a surfer at Tillamook Head who had apparently dislocated his shoulder. However, the surfer refused treatment.

At 11:13 a.m., paramedics again responded to a report of an injured surfer. They encountered several surfers carrying out another surfer along the Tillamook Head trail. The surfer apparently had been knocked against some rocks. He was entered into the county's trauma system and transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital.

Breaking News

2009-12-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

E WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 13 SECONDS.

I went surfing today...

Not that anyone cares...

More importantly, there's this wave...

Well, maybe that's not accurate...

There's this headland...

That waves break on...

And the people that surf the wave...

Are somewhat protective of it...

It's location, access and who rides it...

Not saying it's right or wrong...

It's simply the reality of the situation...

Anyway, a news team showed up...

To "break news" on "surfer aggression"...

At said spot today apparently...

And marched acrosst cobbles...

To record said aggression...

And surprise, surprise...

Their presence and camera...

Prompted nothing less...

I'm sorry...

But creating a situation...

By your mere presence...

Is not a story...

Nor an accurate depiction...

Of the current state of affairs.

Linkage: http://www.kgw.com/news/Surfers-fighting-for-Turf-78345637.html

Detonate

2009-11-29T14:22:00.000-08:00

S WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FOOT. W SWELL 15 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

Looking like it's smoothed out some...

Still solid, solid, solid though...

Swell on the drop...

And east winds on the way...

Hoping for the goods.

Carmarthan Castle

2009-11-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

N WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 5 FT. W SWELL 14 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

In the days before steam power...
Windjammers like Liverpool's Carmarthen Castle...
Ruled commerce on the high seas...
Sailing from Sydney to Wilmington, CA in 1886...
With vessels Sudbourne and the Dunnottar Castle...
The Dunnottar was lost near Kure Atoll...
Then running north to Portland in ballast...
The Sudbourne arrived at the Columbia River...
While amidst heavy seas and strong gales...
And sailing for days on dead reckoning...
A disoriented Captain William Richards...
Thought he was 30 miles offshore...
And 80 miles north of Tillamook...
But ran the Carmarthen Castle aground...
On the sands south of Nestucca Bay...
At 3am on December 2nd...
The 28 man crew survived...
And was led overland by Indian guides...
To their destination port of Portland...
Shipless.

Welcome Mat

2009-11-25T22:24:00.000-08:00

S WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 13 FT AT 12 SECONDS. ROCKS.

Don't get the wrong idea...
Oregon surfers mostly only...
Throw attitude and bad vibes.

Users

2009-11-23T12:45:00.001-08:00

SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 16 SECONDS.

Hey...
Are you a user...
Of Oregon's ocean?
If so, an OSU grad student...
Is working on his Master's project...
Which seeks to learn about the perspectives...
Needs, and contributions of...
Ocean recreation folk in Oregon...
Including surfers...
Help him out...
Here's the LINK.

Surf In Oregon Report

2009-11-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

Deep Thoughts, Shallow Water

2009-11-17T22:10:00.000-08:00

SW WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 18 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

A surfer paddled out every day...
And the first wave he saw...
He surfed in his mind...
And that wave was always a part of him...
For that day, for that week...
That month, that year and for many years…
Unremembered and unsurfed.

Solace

2009-11-15T11:31:00.000-08:00

S WIND 25 TO 30 KT. COMBINED SEAS 12 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 12 SECONDS.

With Gaz crowing about windows...

I have to resort to inland options.

Metaphor

2009-11-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

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

I watched Big Wednesday the other day...
For the first time in many, many years...
There was a frame where Gerry is headed out...
And a guy with an eye patch is hanging...
Obvious reference to O'Neill of course...
But still nothing I ever noticed before...

For me, she represents work, toil and labor...
Because they are getting in the way of surf...
Or maybe she is wind, storm and rain...
Because they are getting in the way of surf...
Or maybe she is the internet, cams & reports...
Because they are getting in the way of surf...
Or maybe she is giant surf, alcohol and gas prices...
Because they are getting in the way of surf...
Or maybe she is just a cartoon.

Gaper

2009-11-10T10:58:00.001-08:00

~photo by Zak Noyle

S WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

Described by Justin Cote, in TransWorld Surf as "the scariest wave in the Northwest, the “Monster Slab.” A heaving, double-up beast of a wave, this place is ice cold, remote, and very unforgiving." The Yeti, as it is known, is all this and more...breaking hard over a shallow reef, it is only for the experienced and the expert. Although how you become "expert", I will never know and have no interest in becoming.

The TWS post from October 29 caused a bit of a dustup between Central Coast claimers, a sampler:

Dan Hasselschwert (yellow board/yellow helmet) and Ollie Richardson are my new heros! Those guys pioneered this MONSTER SLAB back in 2006 and are the only locals who ride it.
-Big Wave Dave

Dan and Ollie charge for sure. But they are not the only locals who do. Keith Galbraith, Ryan Heim and Paul Bradley to name a few. -Jay mon

Hate to burst your bubble but myself, Brian Wichener and Mike Schultz pioneered Scotts Reef (paddling) in '95. Myself on longboard and Brian and Mike on shortys. We each copped about 6 waves lefts and rights and made them all. The next session of consequence was the well documented Greg Long, Mark Healey, Mike Parsons session. Any (locals) sessions followed their lead also with motors. -John Forse

John Forse is a douch bag, California please come pick up your trash and take him back. Lets see your big wave pics John....still waiting....still waiting....not the black white shot taken before you ate shit on the one wave you surfed....still waiting..... Respect is earned over years and years of charging....Dan and Ollie have been and continue to make you look and sound stupid. -The Witch

i see john forse is still trying to remain a big deal in a sport he once tried a few times, pleeease, why cant you just be happy your fellow surfers can charge, does it make you sad that your not getting publicity, awwww its ok buddy it be ok, until next time sit down drink a coke, smile and shut the f#@$ up. -Corvallis Carl

John Farse? Isn't that the fool that got his jaw broke at Subway. Bumbye U Learn! -Sloth

sounds like corvallis carl, the witch, and observant servant are all Ohio Dan who claims to be the 32nd rated towsurfer in the world. Cool technique, post your pics and videos then post comments about what a stud you are. Typical wannabees, I sign my own name -John Forse

Hey John - Give it a rest. All three Skriver brothers paddeled in, in the 70's, long before you moved here. -Dr. No

Super Golden

2009-11-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

SW WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 6 FT. NW SWELL 20 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

A golden moment...

Amidst the grayness...

Looks to return...

To surfables...

None too soon.