Winter 2008

The season seems to be winding down, but there were some good moments. I feel fortunate to have been able to catch some good summer swell down in Baja Sur and some great fall and winter action in the Northwest. Here is my latest print in kind of reminds me of the feeling I had when I first got back to the island after my travels

Finally

After a long time of drifting, we are getting our old place back. The thing that I am most excited about is having a place to do some art. Last weekend I took a course on basic print making. Here is my first attempt, a bit rough but I am hooked--many more to come.

Mysto Wave

Ten years ago I had the good fortune of doing a circumnavigation of Vancouver Island on a sailboat. At the time I was just learning to surf, but I saw a great deal of setups that now seem appealing. One day when we were on the remote Northwest Coast of the Island we came upon a really nice A frame wave breaking on an offshore reef. I took a picture of it, but lost the picture shortly after I took it, this was before digital was mainstream. Over the years I have often thought about that wave and wondered if it was real, or if it was as good as my mind had made it over the years. Today while sorting books my wife found the picture I took. It still looks good to me, I doubt anyone has ever ridden it, and there is a good chance that I never will either. But regardless I feel fortunate to have been there to see it break.

Salty But Subtle

As much as I love surfing I get tired of it been used as a means for branding and cool factor. Art and writing that includes the sport of kings falls into two camps, soulful or tacky. I have come appreciate art/music/books that have surfing in the background not the foreground. I like things that imply but don't outright say "surfing".

Art--Tom Killion

Recently my own art is taking the direction of ink lines and colour swaths. I want to head in the direction of print making so was very interested to discover Tom Killion's work in the last Surfer's Journal. Tom Killion blends traditional Japanese print making with coastal Californian content. The result is absolutely spectacular, although it is clear that Killion is a surfer he includes it in a very appropriate and subtle way.

Books--Tim Winton

Australian writer Tim Winton writes novels that take place is rural, coastal, Australia. Winton hardly ever mentions surfing in his books, but he is a surfer and surfing magically exists just off the page and whispers itself to the reader through out the books. My two favorite books by Winton are Dirt Music and Blueback.

Music--Chris Issak

Jack Johnson has been credited with creating the newest wave ofc surf music, very laid back simple songs that border on wimpy. But before Jack there was Ocean beach surfer Chris Isaak. Chris is the first person that has ever been able to make singing in Falsetto manly. Although not appropriate in all settings, and never appropriate in a car full of guys Chris Isaak's Baja Sessions is the perfect soundtrack to an after surf hammock swing...

The Perfect After Surf Snack

Today I went surfing and afterwards was able to confirm something I have suspected all fall and winter--Wasabi Peas are the perfect snack after surfing in cold water. There is something so amazing about the intense nasal rush that wasabi brings that matches the feeling you get in your head when the Ocean squirts large amounts of water up your nose. The only difference is that the Ocean is cold and Wasabi is hot, I like to think of it as the perfect balance, Ying and Yang. For those of you that surf in cold water--Wasabi Peas are the perfect solution for those cold sinuses.