Andy's SUP Gets Wet

Andy launched the WaveYarder, his hand built and crafted wood SUP, Saturday morning into a smooth, jade green sea, in perfect NorCal weather conditions. It was a beautiful day, made for a beautiful board. And lest I forget to mention, Andy made his paddle too!

I was fortunate enough to be invited along to document the event, after shooting a series of GQ mag style photos of this stunning board at Natural Bridges State Park last Wednesday evening. Today's shots were taken from the vantage point of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, and the waters off Cowell's Beach and Steamer Lane.

Andy's family joined him for the launch, and although pretty much beach bound, Nancy (Andy's wife and an excellent surfer in her own right) was giving the WaveYarder a pretty good once over for her own future uses. And although they're still a little too young, I would guess that Andy's kids, Jillian and Bobby, will get plenty of SUP "ride-along" training in the coming months and years.

Perhaps there is a WaveYarder II in the Gere family future, but probably not for a while. Andy definitely needs a break from working on it, to having fun on it. And by the way he took to it, paddling well and catching a few small inside rollers, Andy is well into the fun stage of post-construction.

For those who want to know more about Andy's SUP building adventure, you can read about the whole thing from A to Z on the Grain Surf Forum.

Thanks again Andy for letting me be a part of this. Stoked can't possibly cover it, but it comes close.

Transitions - New South Swells Filling In

I launched out of NB's this morning at 0930, really looking forward to a long, peaceful paddle up to the point and back again. My fearless forecasting predicted that none of the south swells currently lurking through our waters would get into the bay...swell angle too steep thinks I. Wrong again.

As I paddled up coast in another drowsy and warm, no-wind, fresh light morning, I look up to see a five wave set pouring through Chapeauville. Not only that, a down coast reef that doesn't break unless there's swell, is putting up waves for a gaggle of beginners and their coach. OMG, says I to self, the south IS getting in.

Now get this, instead of feeling that, "Hey there's waves!" elation that one usually registers, I was sort of disappointed. Disappointed that my calm and peaceful stroll on the water would be interrupted by surf. Having to paddle for waves, jockey for position, hassle with the crowd, maybe get wet, feel excited and anxious. Can you believe it? I can't. I'm just looking forward to a casual, meditation in the near shore wilderness. Now I've got adrenalin to deal with!

Which brings me to transitions. They are a lot about what life is all about. Change and transition. Like Dylan says..."those not busy being born (changing) are busy dying (stagnating, rotting, becoming a fossil)." So I find myself slowing getting into the joy of paddling, in addition (and sometimes instead of) the joy of surfing. How could I have know a year ago, that I would be as stoked by paddling from line-up to line-up, as I would be by riding the next wave in the line-up? How could I have know that I would be as stoked by going for a paddle along the coast, as I would be by paddling out into a clear morning sunrise to ride clean chest high surf? There's no choice. There's no one side, or the other. There's no this, or that. There is only both, each in their own time; each complementing the other. A contiguous, yet separate whole. Cool...

OK SpaceMan, back to reality. For the second time this week I paddled without the wetsuit, and was just in boardshorts, rashie and ball cap. I snapped pics at the point and GDubs. Caught a nice set wave at Tres 8's after wondering why everyone was sitting out so far. Ran into my firefightin' bro Scott at the point and caught up on a few things. Scott's a good man, dependable, always there for ya. Can't beat that in a friend, or a firefighter, especially a firefighter.

The southwest wind was freshening as I headed back to NB's on the down wind run. I paddled through Yellow House and found Eric and his buddy, out for a paddle. Eric did a great job applying the Clear Grip to the nose of his Olohe...very custom. Eric's buddy was out on his new Surftech Takayama 11-footer and experiencing the rap on that board first hand. Surfs good, but pretty tippy. (Which is usually the trade-off you make in a stand up board. You give up stability for surfability and vice versa.)

Lot's of backwash coming off the Yellow House cliffs in the rising tide, making for a bumpy ride and paddle past the pier. Caught a set wave at Chapeauville Main and another at inside Newbies before coming ashore in almost dead flat water back at NB's. A great five mile, two and a half hour paddle, in pristine Indian Summer conditions.
Sept 5, 2008 (F)
In: 0930
Out: 1230
AT= 69.4F to 80.3F
WT= 58F at the nearshore buoy
Wx: Indian Summer, clear and warm
Tide: 2.5 Rising to 4.3
Wind: Light SW freshening
Sea Surface: Smooth with some areas of light wind mottling and increasing backwash bump
Buoy: NWS
1000: 6.6 feet @ 10.8 NW
1100: 5.9 feet @ 14.8 S
1200: 6.2 feet @ 14.8 S
1300: 5.9 feet @ 13.8 S
10'4" Angulo SUP with Infinity Ottertail paddle
Fin set-up: Thruster with K2D2 4.75" center fin and FCS Occy sides
Bathymetry: Rock reefs
CDIP: (1100 hours) 6 feet at 10 seconds from 320 degrees and 2.8 feet at 14 seconds from 170 degrees

WaveYarder Sneak Preview

I had the great good fortune Wednesday night of being invited to document the final pre-launch and pre-deck pad hours of Andy's hand crafted, pure work of art stand up paddle board, the WaveYarder.

We took the board to a local beach in the early evening, hoping that the light would catch and illuminate the wood grain and meticulous hand work that Andy has put into this incredible watercraft and paddle. We weren't' disappointed. A full portfolio will follow, but I couldn't resist putting up a few pics. It's just too beautiful.

Thanks for letting me get in on this Andy.

Indian Summer Maxing Out

Indian Summer is in full effect. This extravagant phenomenon occurs once a year, right about now. We've thankfully left behind the uber-cold and foggy 20-year aberration of August, and segued into hyper-great weather and perfect conditions for surfing. Too bad there's no surf, and I mean NO SURF. Poor has been replaced by flat.

But as we SUP surfer/paddlers say, when there's no surf, paddle. I launched into a perfect NorCal morning sea for a paddle from Platty's to E-Scape, back past Platty's to the Sea Sleaze at River Mouth, another one-80, and then out at Platty's. Time elapsed: 1.5 hours. Miles paddled: 3.3 relaxed and peaceful miles, walking, no strolling on water. For a low impact, sweet paced aerobic workout, it just doesn't get better than this.

The ocean is still pretty cold, the bait fish plentiful and the pelicans feeding in mass off the bait balls that are still nearshore. No El Nino this year, which could mean a mediocre winter of surf.

As I was getting myself together prior to launch, a guy pulled in beside me and asked about my board. It turned out to be Brooks. I worked with Brooks for a couple years as an administrative volunteer with the Ride-A-Wave program, but we'd never met in person. We put it together pretty quickly as we traded first names. It was very cool karma, and great to meet him in person after all this time. He's a long time surfer and lay down paddle boarder, and considering checking out the stand up thing. Getting a SUP would be the final piece in a well rounded quiver of surfing, paddling and cross training equipment cache for the complete waterman or woman.

Indian Summer just might stick around for the rest of the week and into the coming weekend. I grew up in the hot environs of Southern California and remember many a summer of beaches, my buddy's swimming pools and sleeping under the stars at friends houses. I didn't start surfing until I was 16, got my drivers license and could easily get to the beach. Gasoline? 25 cents a gallon! Life was free and easy and sunburned every summer. The Beachboys and Jan and Dean were kings. This weather puts me right back there. I'll take it every year.

Life is muy bueno amigos!
Sept 3, 2008 (W)
In: 1020
Out: 1140
AT= 74.7F to 78.6F
WT= 57.7F at the nearshore buoy
Wx: Indian Summer, clear and warm
Tide: 3.7 Rising to 4.7
Wind: Light NE (offshore) SE
Sea Surface: Smooth with some areas of light wind mottling
Buoy: NWS
1000: 7.5 feet @ 9.1 NW
1200: 6.9 feet @ 9.1 NW
1400: 7.9 feet @ 9.1 NW
10'4" Angulo SUP with Infinity Ottertail paddle
Fin set-up: Thruster with K2D2 4.75" center fin and FCS Occy sides
Bathymetry: Rock reefs
CDIP: (0900 hours) 5.3 feet at 8 seconds from 335 degrees and 1.8 feet at 17 seconds from 165 degrees