July 2006 Issue
Water Photography: The Good Life
Yes, water photography is a fine art, and, no, it ain’t easy. It’s dangerous, exhausting, expensive, frustrating — standing on the beach behind a 600mm lens is laughable in comparison. I’ve got a lot of appreciation for those who choose to swim out into the waves, getting frighteningly close to the surfers they are shooting (and sometimes getting hit), getting sucked over the falls, rag-dolled while trying to hold on to a heavy piece of equipment, working hard for perhaps a few decent shots.
Yet how many times have you seen something extraordinary while surfing, only to think, “Damn, I wish I had a camera!” These guys have those cameras, and they use them well. Much respect. —Michael Kew
David Pu'u
Average Day In The Life
There are none. They all differ, depending on where and what and who I am shooting, but I have my ideal dream days.
Most Memorable Session
I wake early. All my cameras and housings have been cleaned, prepped, and loaded by my assistant, Brian Nevins. We walk from the house on the cliff at Waimea and shoot a few long-lens frames of the shore break as the first golden rays of dawn filter down the valley, lighting the cataclysm before us.
Then I give Brian the long lens and hop out into the shore pound and shoot for a few hours, watching people get swept by and occasionally rescued by lifeguards. I sit in a few huge ones and dodge bombs and surge and generally just have a great time playing amid the chaos. Quick late breakfast after.
Swim out at Pipe midday as the swell begins to fade. Dodge bombs and get inside position on a few of my pals as they ride deep. Watch Hank and some of the other slower guys get washed. Laugh nervously, hoping I am not next. Late lunch.
Scott Aichner and I stand side-by-side on the beach at Backdoor/OTW, a cadre of 100 long-lens shooters lined up behind us. Scott giggles and says, ‘Well, let’s go f--- their day up.’
We appear in every frame those 100 fat guys on the beach shoot. Perfect day. I shot four rolls from the water. Funny thing is, the perfect day sort of is the average good day on the North Shore.
Grey Lockwood
Average Day In The Life
It usually starts with a five a.m. surf check; I’ve normally got a crew lined up the night before to go shoot with. Depending on swell direction, we can end up driving anywhere from two to 50 miles to find the right lighting and wind direction.
Usually we’ll shoot for about three hours. Then it’s time to actually start my real day, which consists of a full-time job, full-time school, and actually trying to pay the bills. After work, it’s off to go shoot with whoever is motivated to get out there for a little evening session.
Most Memorable Session
I was north of Point Conception with Adam Lambert and Andrew Bennett. We got in the water at about seven a.m., and the waves were pretty fun, but nothing special. I was shooting with my 70-200mm from the water, sitting on a bodyboard in the middle of a kelp bed.
Then the sun came out and the waves went from about two feet to six feet in a matter of minutes, and there was nobody around for miles. The way the sunshine was reflecting up into the barrels was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. Wave after wave, both groms were paddling into these perfect A-frames and getting so barreled that I started to question whether or not I was dreaming.
I think I was more excited than they were, letting out all kinds of hoots and hollers after each wave, knowing that we were going home with some photos that day. We spent the middle of the day surfing down the beach and then another evening session with the waves getting better with every set.
I was supposed to be home for my girlfriend’s birthday party at seven p.m., and it’s safe to say that that didn’t happen.
Branden Aroyan
Average Day In The Life
Wake up with a bowl of cereal and cup of coffee, walk the dog, check the surf, and plan the day accordingly. I usually start the day working on my computer, e-mailing and designing projects.
The past six months have mostly been consumed by creating my new T-shirt line-- Low Tide Rising — designing, coordinating the production, and creating promotional material. Working with my wife has turned into a team project and kept the creative ideas flowing.
Photo shoot: Surf check the night before will determine where to go, then we’ll confirm a meeting place and time. Usually the shoot is with only one or two people and tends to be where it’s a little less crowded. Sometimes when it’s an evening shoot, we’ll arrive early and surf all day.
Most Memorable Session
A friend and I had surfed epic waves all day for a couple of days all week long and were finally surfed out and exhausted. I grabbed my camera to record the phenomenon. Bodysurfing into a barrel and watching the lip light up around me. The wave stayed open and round as the light reflected all sorts of dimensions. Getting barreled is like no other place on Earth.
Will Russ
Average Day In The Life
To get warmed up, I usually try to shoot sunrises. On a good day of surf, I try to save most of my energy for sunset and night shooting.
After shooting, I usually get lunch and head home to edit my shots. Most days I will do some schoolwork or something in the afternoons. Mainly just picture editing. When the light starts to get good, I usually head back to the beach and shoot until I can’t swim anymore or until I run out of shots.
Most Memorable Session
Recently Chadd Konig called and said he was heading to Rincon with Adam Lambert and Spencer Regan. We met in the parking lot about an hour or so before sunset.
The waves didn’t look very fun — small and choppy. We sat around for a while, trying to get psyched. Finally Chadd grabbed his wetsuit and said, ‘I’m going out.’
We were on the verge of going home when Chadd caught a nice wave, about chest-high. Three minutes later, we were all paddling out. As the light improved, so did the waves: nice, clean, chest-high sets started rolling in.
The vibe in the water was great. Even though the surf wasn’t exactly epic, everyone was having fun. Spencer was tearing some tops off. Adam was trying back flips. Chadd was slashing. And another friend of theirs, Mike Walters, was killing it.
Whenever someone caught a wave, everyone would cheer when my flash went off. Everyone was so stoked. We stayed out until almost 10 p.m.
It’s times like these that make me stoked to do what we do.
Posted July 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
2006 Photo Annual
Eleven South and Central Coast surfing photographers share their craft
by Chuck Graham
Chris Burkard
How did you get into surf photography?
I grew up body boarding on the central coast. Always
loved the view of the inside of the barrel. A
waterhousing just seemed to make sense.
Equipment you use? cameras? lenses? film? digital?
I shoot film and digital, I use mostly 15mm fisheye
in the water and occasionally a 24mm. I also shoot
with a 70-200 f2.8 and a 400 f5.6 Mostly slides for
film. Ektachrome 100 vs... I love the greens... I also
shoot with a 6x6 medium format camera, for lineups
and portraits.
Your web site?
www.burkardphoto.com
contact info?
On the website
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Avila Beach
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
Anywhere in San Simeon- no crowds, big barrels, big
sharks and beautiful backdrops.
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your
work appeared?
Transworld Surf , Movement Magazine (Aus) ROT magazine, Crysis Magazine
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
Spend quality time with my family playing horseshoes
and BB-Q-in.
Branden Aroyan
How did you get into surf photography?
Surf photography began when I was graduating from Brooks and I made a decision of which path to take with photography. Swimming with a water housing was a lot more fun than standing on the beach, and it allowed me to be in the elements at the same time while working. Josh Bradbury and Chris Brown took me to a few new spots to shoot and we found a few good ones. Soon after, they introduced me to Larry Moore who continued to fill me in on some of his techniques and encouragement.
Equipment you use? cameras? lenses? film? Digital?
Equipment is Canon with a 20mm lens ranging to 900mm. Film and digital.
Your web site?
www.LowTideRising.com
Contact info?
805.570.6997
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Where it’s offshore.
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
The South Pacific.
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your
work appeared?
Surfer, Surfer's Journal, Surfing, Longboard, NALU, Australian Surfing Life, Outside Magazine, Surfer's Path.
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
When not shooting I like to surf, BBQ with friends, plan trips, work on creative projects,
work on the T-shirt line Low Tide Rising and update the web site.
Michael Kew
How did you get into surf photography?
First of all, I don't often take photos — my camera sits idle for months at a time. But when I was 12 or 13, after taking an interest in my father's old Pentax, photography became a way to self-illustrate the music magazines I made as a teen. I'm a writer by trade, and photography has generally been a sort of accessory to my work, mainly when I venture up north or abroad. Today shooting photos is an occasional pastime, nothing more; I do not consider myself to be a good photographer. 
Equipment you use? cameras? lenses? film? digital?
A very basic, inexpensive Canon kit. Kodak film.
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Spots that rarely break properly, which means I rarely shoot locally.
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
Obscure Islands and Atolls.
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your work appeared?
All major surfing magazines, a few travel mags, a handful of airline mags, some regional newspapers, Web sites, a few books, etc.
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
I surf and write daily.
Glenn Dubock
How did you get into surf photography?
My father always had a camera handy, so I borrowed it to shoot my friends surfing and I guess I never gave it back. 
Equipment you use? Cameras? Lenses? Film? Digital?
All Canon, all digital. Lenses range from 15mm fish eye to 600mm telephoto. I use Aquatech housings for watershots.
Your web site?
Dubock.com
Contact info?
Dubock@cox.net
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Rincon or Jalama
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
Baja
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your work appeared?
Surfing, Surfer, Surfer's Journal, Windsurfing, Kiteboarding.
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
Ride a few waves with my daughter Kellie.
Joe Curren
How did you get into surf photography?
It started as a hobby on my surf trips. I decided if I was going to keep traveling to these incredibly beautiful places, I had to document them.
Equipment you use? Cameras? Lenses? Film? Digital?
Only film: Canon Eos 3 with 15mm, 20mm, 24-70mm, 50mm macro, 85mm, 135mm, 300mm; Pentax 67 with 135mm, 55mm, 45mm; Hasselbald xpan with 45mm, 90mm
Your web site?
www.JoeCurrenPhotography.com
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Camino Cielo, Gaviota
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
Norway, Sri Lanka
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your work appeared?
Surfer, Surfing, Transworld Surf, Surfer’s Journal, Surfer’s Path, Water, Flow, Surfers Germany, Men’s Health
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
Surf
Grey Lockwood
How did you get into surf photography?
Didn’t pick up a camera until I was 18 years old. Started shooting surfing while managing a surf shop in San Diego shooting all the team guys with some pretty bad equipment.
Equipment you use? cameras? lenses? film? Digital?
35mm – All Canon:
1V-HS, Elan 7n, 1N
15mm fisheye, 17-40mm wide angle, 70-200mm telephoto
(2) 550ex flashes, Sunpak 555 slave flash, (2) Pocket Wizard remote slaves
Medium Format:
Bronica GS-1 6x7
50mm wide angle, 100mm macro, 200mm telephoto
Water Housings:
SPL – 15mm fisheye and 70-200mm ports
Kobetich – 15mm fisheye port
I still shoot all film. It’s way sharper, the colors look better, and I’m absolutely in love with holding slides up to a light table and knowing you nailed the shot. Some people say film is too expensive, but then again they can’t tell the difference anyway.
Contact Info?
greyecmb@yahoo.com
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
My favorite place locally to shoot would be Silver Strand in the winter and Santa Claus Lane in the summer. The barrels at Strand are just gigantic and Santa Claus is one of the most photogenic places around if you get creative.
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
My favorite place abroad to shoot would have to be Panama. The Caribbean side of the country is filled with hollow left hand reefs and points, crystal clear water, and beautiful barrels with nobody around.
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your work appeared?
Some of my clients include: Quiksilver, Fox Racing, Sexwax, Roberts Surfboards, Infinity Surfboards, Volcom, Flojos, Blue Edge and the Independent…
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
Besides surf photography I also shoot travel, stock, and portraiture. I work full-time and also go to school.
Josh Kimball
How did you get into surf photography?
It started as a hobby while at UCSB. Shooting waves and lineups quickly became an expensive obsession.
Equipment you use? Cameras? Lenses? Film? Digital?
All Canon autofocus stuff. Lenses: 15mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 600mm. Bodies: Eos-3 for film and 30d for digital stuff, and Mike Waggoner water housings, but right now I'm using none of it because some lowlife broke into my car while in Australia and stole it all and I'm waiting for insurance to come through so I can get it all back.
Your web site?
joshkimball.com
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Anywhere south of Point Conception. From the hillside behind Rincon is a favorite. Too many shady locals north of Conception and south of Santa Cruz. shooting in that area's always questionable, plus the waves up there suck anyway, right boys?
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
Haven't been there yet.
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your work appeared?
SURFER'S PATH, SURFER'S JOURNAL, SURFER, TRANSWORLD, WATER, WAVES, LONGBOARD, SURFIN LIFE JAPAN, ON THE BOARD JAPAN, (the now defunct) SG, SURFSHOT, and two South American mags that used my shots on their cover and wont pay me for them.
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
Write, surf, watch the Daily Show, read Kerouac and Heller and Hemingway and Huxley and Vonnegut and Wolfe and the Dalai Lama. Imagine how I'd like to be a Buddhist someday, plan bizarre trips in my head even though they might not take off, pray to god surf journalism will work out in the end . . .
David Pu'u
How did you get into surf photography?
My dad gave me his Army issue Nikon kit when I was 11. Shot Goleta.
Equipment you use? cameras? lenses? film? digital?
Canon. Three 1V HS and five Elan 7n's. Every lens they make. Film: yep. Digital: yep. Five custom water housings with ports. Lighting: Complete location and studio strobe setups. Motion picture kit: three Milliken HS cameras,one Mitchell Sportster HS movie camera, six lenses, one Panasonic DVX 100A, one Canon XL2
Computers: G5, G4, and a PC and LOTS of storage
Your web site?
www.davidpuu.com
contact info?
My website and any of my publishers or my agency: Corbis.com, keyword:davidpuu
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Anywhere without people and with lots of ocean wildlife.
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
Anyplace with a compelling populace and beautiful ocean. Nova Scotia, Seychelles, Bali, Sumatra. The people I meet and ocean's I swim completely define my work.
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your work appeared?
National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, New York Post, SB News Press, LA Times, Times Mirror, Playboy, Men's Journal, Outside, Surfer, Surfing, Foam, Surfer's Journal, Surfer's Path and various publications in Australia, Europe, South Africa and Japan. Fuel TV, Network TV, PBS. Also NY American History Museum, Museum Nacional in Brazil and a couple others. Corbis Media, Wetsand.com, Hookupu.com. Surfermag.com are on line publishers. Also have had a lot of work used as on set art in motion picture.
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
Design projects for film, write, train, hang with my sons and my girlfriend Donna and friends/colleagues. I love my family and friends. They really define my existence, so when I get to be home, I enjoy being with them. Most talented bunch of people I know. They all inspire me. Home just rocks in every way.
L. Paul Mann
How did you get into surf photography?
I moved to Hawaii in 1974 to go to University of Hawaii and study History and Anthropology. My mom had given me a new Yashica 35 mm camera and 400mm lens to play with. The first roll of film I shot was at Pipeline. I sent some images to Surfing and they published one of Gerry Lopez, so I was hooked. Shortly afterward I met a visiting French editor. I gave him some images of my first season shoot, and he used them for a book including the cover, called 'Cowabunga, a Surf Saga'. The cover was a big Waimea wave with Jeff Hackman. The book was published for over 20 years in France. I moved to Santa Barbara in 1977 to attend Brooks where I graduated with a Film and Underwater Photo Technology degree, in 1980. I fell in love with Rincon and began local surfing photography then. I was also a staff photographer for the east coast magazine 'Waverider' during this time, for three years.
Equipment you use? Cameras? Lenses? Film? Digital?
My original equipment was 35 mm. I evolved from the Yashica, to the standard at the time, Nikon bodies with the century 650 mm lens. For water shots I used a Nikonos and a Nikon in a Scott Price water housing. In the late '80's I switched to Canon 35mm cameras and lenses. I switched to aquatec water housings for water shots. I began shooting digital about five years ago. I went to city college to learn the new digital software. I have or had the Canon D60, 10D, 20D, 30D, and 1DS bodies. I work with a variety of lenses, but my favorite surfing lens now is the Canon 400MM F4 DO lens.
Your website?
LPMANN.com
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Supertubes, Strand, Rincon
Your Favorite place to shoot abroad?
Jeffreys Bay, South Africa
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your work appeared?
My photos and stories have been syndicated to over 350 publications worldwide, including over 100 covers and calendar shots. My stories have been published in English, French, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Slovakian, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese. Publications include most every major Surfing magazine worldwide, including Surfing, Surfer, and Surfer's Journal, Outdoor and Nature, Popular Photography, Coastal Living, Geo, Skin Diver, Newsweek, Circus Music Magazine, etc.
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
Surfing, Hiking, Traveling, Nightlife, Music Festivals...
Bill Tover
How did you get into surf photography?
In the early 1980's, I was befriended by surf photog, Paul Mann who lent me his backup, photo equipment, and with his encouragement, jumped into it headfirst and never looked back.
Equipment you use? cameras? lenses? film? Digital?
My camera is a canon EOS 3 and I use a Canon 600mm F4 autofocus lens, Canon 100-300mm lens and a Canon 28-80mm lens.
Contact info?
WillTover@Hotmail.com
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
Ventura County
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
Hawaii
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your work appeared?
SURFER, SURFING, WATER, FOAM, NATIONAL ENQUIRER, WINDSURFER, NALU UNDERGROUND, THE NORTH AMERICAN SURFGUIDE, CARPINTERIA MAGAZINE AND THE COASTAL VIEW ANNUAL MAGAZINE .
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
Surfing, Ocean swimming, Hiking and Biking.
Will Russ
How did you get into surf photography?
I got into surf photography about six years ago, living in Galveston, Texas. I was taking an introductory photography class at the local community college. My dad had given me his old Canon FTB camera body, and a completely manual 400mm telephoto. Most of my friends were surfers. So for my class assignments, I would go to the beach and shoot them. One day this guy came up and asked if I shot a lot. I told him, yeah. A couple days later I showed him a shot. He offered me a job shooting for a magazine he was starting. It was a Gulf Coast surfing mag. I worked for him for a few years, and then decided I needed to get better. So I moved to Santa Barbara to go to Brooks Institute of Photography. And here I am.
Equipment you use? cameras? lenses? film? Digital?
I shoot a Canon 20d or 30d with a 15mm fisheye or a 28mm. I use a Canon 580 EX flash and a Sunpak 555 flash for my remote housing. I use all SPL waterhousings gear. I have a basic housing with an attachable flash housing. I have also started using a second flash that syncs wirelessly.
Your web site?
My web site is: www.downthelineimages.com
Contact info?
Will Russ
805-448-4790
willruss@downthelineimages.com
downthelineimages@gmail.com
Your favorite place to shoot locally?
My favorite local spot has to be BIG, HEAVY Rincon. On the outside, away from the big crowds. Second is definitely the sunset shoots at sandbar.
Your favorite place to shoot abroad?
So far my favorite travel spot to shoot is Costa Rica. But ask me again in a couple months, when I get back from Australia and Fiji. I might have a new favorite.
Besides Blue Edge, what other publications has your
work appeared?
Besides the magazine I worked for in Texas, Blue Edge has been my only outlet. I've been focusing on school, and building my portfolio, so I don’t submit to any one else.
When you're not shooting what do you like to do?
When the surf’s flat, I spend most of my time shooting for school. When that’s done, I try to do a lot of fly fishing and camping.
Posted July 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
July News
Meanwhile South of the Border
By Chuck Graham
The Rip Curl Pro Search WCT held at La Jolla, Mexico, began with a bang and pumped through the finals, where three-time WCT champion Andy Irons prevailed over tour veteran Taylor Knox in good three to six foot righthanders.
The first two days of competition, at the sand bottom point, saw epic conditions with eight to ten foot barrels running for 150 feet. Once again, Santa Barbara standout Bobby Martinez got off to a blistering start with the highest total score during the first day of the event. His combined score of 18.13, against wildcard Ben Dunn (AUS), and former WCT champ, Marc Occhilupo (AUS), easily dispatched the pair into the losers bracket.
In Round three, Martinez was up against South African David Weare, and beat him soundly by six points, but in Round 4, Martinez came up short against Bede Durbidge (AUS) finishing =9th.
Current and seven-time world champ, Kelly Slater missed the last event in Fiji, but returned from a nagging rib injury. Although he was ripping in the earlier rounds, Slater was knocked off by good buddy Taylor Knox in the quarterfinals, finishing =5th.
With his first WCT victory in 2006, Irons moved up to second on the ratings, leap-frogging over Martinez and just behind Slater. Martinez finds himself only 225 points behind the top slot, but the 2006 title is anyone's ball game at this point for the surfers rated 1 through 7.
If anything, Martinez is displaying a level of consistency far beyond his years. So far he has a win in Tahiti, and four other top ten finishes, all the while gaining valuable experience as he feels his way through his rookie campaign.
The tour now shifts to the Dark Continent and South Africa's Jeffreys Bay. This will be the sixth stop on the 2006 tour, and marks the half way point in the race for the world title. It's another long pointbreak, something Martinez is accustomed to if you've seen him ripping Rincon the last few winters.
WCT 2006 Top 10
1. Kelly Slater (USA)
2. Andy Irons (HAW)
3. Bobby Martinez (USA)
=4. Taj Burrow (AUS)
=4. Taylor Knox (USA)
6. Damien Hobgood (USA)
7. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
8. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
9. Bruce Irons (HAW)
10. Tim Reyes (USA)
CHANNEL ISLANDS SURFBOARDS SIGNS AGREEMENT
FOR BURTON TO ACQUIRE ITS ASSETS
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (June 29, 2006) - Channel Islands Surfboards' Al Merrick today announced that the company has been acquired by Burton Snowboards.
The founders of each company, Al Merrick and Jake Burton Carpenter, forged an agreement over the fact that they share a similar mindset and passion for their respective sports.
"Al and I have approached the direction of our companies with the same mindset: putting our future in the hands of the pros who are defining our sports," says Jake Burton Carpenter, Founder and Chairman of Burton Snowboards. "Our identical philosophies on product development are what make this relationship so natural. As we learn more from each other, Channel Islands and Burton can only get better."
Channel Islands will remain in Santa Barbara, California, and Merrick will continue to lead the company he founded in 1969 to create surfboards for many of the world's best surfers.
"I'm very excited about this venture and what we can do together to advance surf technology and lead surfing into the future," says Al Merrick, Founder of Channel Islands. "Channel Islands' goal will continue to be focusing on producing the best surfboards in the world. Both Jake and I have a real passion for staying at the forefront of technology, innovation and design. In the future, I will continue to work in the same capacity that I have always worked in, designing and shaping surfboards."
Jake adds, "Spending time with Al was cool, but you learn a lot more about someone when you go for a surf together. That's when I started to understand the soul of Channel Islands. I look forward to providing a home forChannel Islands for many years to come."
"Having worked with Jake for the past ten years and having known Al for the past couple of years, I have had an incredible opportunity to interact with two very passionate and focused individuals," says Laurent Potdevin,Burton's Chief Executive Officer. "Burton and Channel Islands are authentic brands, and this transaction is a very unique opportunity. Channel Islands will continue to be led by Al, staying true to its roots while gaining the resources to explore its full potential."
About Channel Islands Surfboards:
Founded by Al Merrick in 1969 and based in Santa Barbara, California, Channel Islands Surfboards shapes boards for many of the world's best surfers. For more information, visit: www.cisurfboards.com.
About Burton:
In 1977, Jake Burton Carpenter founded Burton Snowboards out of his Vermont barn. Since then, Burton has fueled the growth of snowboarding worldwide through its groundbreaking product lines, its grassroots efforts to get the sport accepted at resorts and its team of top snowboarders. In 1996, Burton began growing its family of brands to include board sports equipment and apparel brands. Privately held and owned by Jake, Burton's headquarters are in Burlington, Vermont with international offices in Innsbruck, Austria and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, visit www.burton.com.
2006 NSSA National Championships
By Chris Keet
What do you get when you add over 750 of the nations hottest amateur surfers into the high performance waves of Trestles reef in San Clemente? For most of us the answer is 'an extremely humbling experience'.
Carissa Moore continued her dominance in the girls division and walked away with her eighth and ninth National titles by taking victories in the Explorer Girls and Open Women's divisions.
Local shredder Conner Coffin who went into the Nationals as an underdog, took home the Open Boys title and in doing so is the first person from Santa Barbara to win an Open title since Bobby Martinez. Raised in the point breaks of Santa Barbara Coffin has always had a smooth and powerful style of surfing, perfectly suited to the Trestles peaks. The announcers spent most of the final raving about second place finisher Ezekiel Lau and third place finisher Kolohe Andino who were the favorites going into the event.
Coffin started the final off seven minutes in with an average wave score of a 4.5 on a mid size right. From there his counterparts continued scouring the line up, shredding any piece of a peak that came their way. In so doing they left Coffin alone on the outside patiently awaiting a set. With five minutes remaining in the heat Conner dropped in on a solid overhead left and spanked the lip twice with his backhand attack leaving the wave whimpering like a bad puppy. This set brought Coffin from sixth to second. With time winding down all competitors tried to make a final statement while coffin sneaked back outside. It seemed as though the final would be Lau’s as thirty seconds were left on the clock, however a few lumps ebbed on the outside. With fifteen seconds remaining with Lau in position for the right and Coffin in position for the left, the peak shifted and clearly became a superior left.
Coffin stroked hard and dropped in deep. As he reached the bottom he laid into a Pancho Sullivan style bottom turn and hit the lip straight up in the critical section of the wave, and then followed it up with another six solid turns to the beach. The Santa Barbara contingent exploded as Coffin only needed a 6.5 to take the lead. As the announcers raved about how sick the wave was, Freestyle Watch Co. team manager Chad La Bass turned to me and said, “ where did he learn to surf backside like that coming from Santa Barbara?” Solid surfing and patience paid off and we expect Conner to continue to hold the local flag high as he continues to accumulate competitive accolades in the future.
Another top finisher from the area was Dylan Perillo who dominated the Open Juniors final. Patience paid off for Dylan as he was the last finalist to catch a wave. After dropping straight to the bottom of a solid overhead wave Perillo went into a committed top turn floater and after free falling back to the bottom, he threaded through three smooth off the lips to serve up a combo platter to his opponents, scoring a 9.0. He then waited for 10 minutes to catch a second scoring wave which he stoked into with only 30 seconds remaining. His smooth and deceptively powerful style made it look almost too easy as he took the lip off of the wave with his first turn, followed by two more lip bashes to capture the final.
Special thanks to Janice Aragon and Gayline Clifford and all of the NSSA staff for running such an awesome event! For more photos and a complete write up and results log onto nssa.org.
Posted July 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
Environmental News
The Surfer’s Path Magazine’s 1st Annual
Green Wave Awards: The Winners
Is surfing really ‘at one with nature’?
New York and London (June 9, 2006) – The latest issue of THE SURFER’S PATH magazine, hitting the shelves and doorsteps now, announces the winners of the 1st Annual Green Wave Awards, for excellence and achievement in promoting sustainability and environmental consciousness in the surfing world.
Winners include a small surfboard company in the UK dedicated to manufacturing boards “made entirely from natural materials”; relief organizations that helped survivors after the 2004 tsunami and continue to offer crucial medical help to people in the remote, surf-blessed islands of Indonesia; a leading US outdoor clothing brand that incorporates environmental and social responsibility into its every fiber; and individuals who have helped save whole stretches of coastline and ensure cleaner seas for millions of people.
“Surfing involves an intimate relationship with raw, dynamic nature,” said Alex Dick-Read, founding editor of The Surfer’s Path. “The essence of our sport is to be ‘at one’ with the power of the ocean. Yet many of the products and processes we surfers rely on contribute to the damage being done to the atmosphere, the oceans, and the coastlines of the world. These awards aim to highlight the numerous positive moves within our surfing sphere towards making surfing a clean, sustainable and beneficial activity.”
A year ago readers of The Surfer’s Path were invited to nominate inspiring surf-related organizations, companies, or individuals in any of these categories: Surfboard Manufacturing Companies, Surf Apparel Companies, Surf Accessory Companies, Surf Travel Companies, Surf-related Nonprofit Organizations, Surf-related Media & Publishing Entities, Individuals Who Surf, and an annual grand-prize winner: The Emerald Path Award.
Winners were chosen from the hundreds of nominees sent in by readers. “The response to this was really quite incredible,” said the magazine’s US Editor, Drew Kampion. “The scope of surfers’ efforts for the environment and the planet is enormous, and gaining momentum all the time. While it was tough to single out winners, we feel the results reflect the exceptional efforts of the many organizations, individuals, and companies which understand our the world’s desperate need for sustainable human lifestyles, especially among surfers.”
The prestigious overall prize, the Emerald Path Award, is shared between the UK’s Chris Hines, now Sustainability Director of the Eden Project and formerly founding director of Surfers Against Sewage, and Glenn Hening, a California academic and visionary in the surfing world who co-founded the powerful US coastal protection body, Surfrider Foundation, and now heads up the Groundswell Society.
The Green Wave and Emerald Path awards include commendations featuring the work of celebrated California surf artist Rick Reitveld.
“These awards will happen annually because we want to continue to highlight the positive efforts of the surfing community, to keep the pressure on our own ‘tribe’ and our industry, and to spread the word that surfing really can and should be at one with nature,” said Kampion.
The Green Wave Awards are a presentation by the editors of The Surfer’s Path in conjunction with Permanent Publishing and SustainAbility. For more information, visit: www.surferspath.com/greenwave and www.sustainability.com
The Surfer’s Pathis the world’s only truly “green” surf magazine. The bimonthly publication is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper processed without chlorine bleach and printed with non-GMO soy inks.
Categories and Winners:
Emerald Path Award: Chris Hines (Eden Project, SAS - UK) and Glenn Hening (Groundswell Society, SRF -USA)
Surfboard Manufacturing Companies: Ocean Green Surfboards (Cornwall, UK)
Surf Travel Companies: BoardX (Belgium)
Surf-Related Media and Publishing Entities: EcoSurf Project (UK)
Surf Apparel Companies: (California, USA)
Surf Accessory Companies: Betty Belts (California, USA)
Individuals Who Surf: Brett McElheny (Oahu, Hawaii)
Surf-Related Nonprofit Organizations: SurfAid International and Surfzone Relief Organization (Indonesia and California)
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
By Kira Schmidt
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper works hard to combat the primary source of pollution to our coastal waters - urban runoff, or stormwater. We have been lobbying Santa Barbara County and local cities to develop the strongest possible Stormwater Management Programs, required under state law to reduce stormwater pollution to the “maximum extent practicable” to protect water quality. We also advocate for increased funding for stormwater pollution prevention. In June, County Supervisors approved a 21% increase in funding for Project Clean Water, but additional funding for water quality monitoring was deferred for consideration in October. Please urge your Supervisors to approve this budget augmentation – it’s critical that the County resume routine monitoring (they ceased doing so in 2003) to identify pollution problems and sources, and assess our progress toward cleaning them up.
What is stormwater?Whenever it rains, rainwater runs over dirty streets, parking lots and lawns and picks up an array of pollutants, including disease-causing pathogens, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers, trash, dirt and other pollutants. Even during dry weather, activities like construction, lawn watering and car washing send polluted water down storm drains. This polluted runoff doesn’t undergo treatment like sewage, but flows untreated directly to our creeks and ocean, often making swimming and surfing unsafe and threatening aquatic life.
What can you do? You can help address this problem by never dumping anything down storm drains, avoiding the use of pesticides and fertilizers, composting yard waste, recycling used motor oil, washing your car on the grass or at a professional carwash, and properly disposing of pet waste and household chemicals. For more information, go to http://www.sbck.org. Urban runoff is the single biggest threat to local water quality, and we must work together as a community to clean it up.
Naples
NAPLES ALERT: For the massive development on the Gaviota Coast, Santa Barbara County released the draft Environmental Impact Report on June 9. Public hearing and Planning Commission Meeting was held on Tuesday, July 13.
Your involvement in the public comment process is ESSENTIAL and your presence is important to help redefine the Naples development to protect the rural character of the property and the Gaviota Coast. Written comments on the draft EIR can be delivered to the Planning commission staff until August 8, 2006.
Growing Solutions
By Don Hartley
Growing Solutions continues to bring ecological literacy to the public, and functional health to local watersheds. We are working on a number of local riparian restoration projects, and we are having a blast educating students from local schools to become stewards of the land. The task that we have set for the community is vital–and together we can work towards a cleaner, healthier future.
The SB Street Sweeping Program has begun in target areas of the City of Santa Barbara and one thing is certain–debris and muck collected from the sweeper is so hazardous that our local landfill is unable to accept it. Roads, sidewalks and other paved areas are major arteries for transporting polluted refuse into nearby creeks through watershed runoff. The pilot street sweeping program has collected approximately 170 tons of contaminated debris, although the problem is so over-whelming that heavy metals, oil and grease droppings from cars, and debris still flow into nearby waterways. Multiple strategies such as installation of porous materials for parking lots and road surfaces, leaky vehicle inspections, and the use of bio-swale technology to capture watershed runoff should be used in conjunction with a street sweeping program.
CEC
All events held at CEC’s South Coast Watershed Resource Center
Arroyo Burro Beach
Call 682-6113 or email kdeleuw@cecmail.org
www.CommunityEnvironmentalCouncil.org
Art for Earth
Saturday July 8
10am – 12pm
A free family workshop to explore our connection with local habitats. Create a drawing, poem, song, story, or mobile inspired by what you’ve learned.
Beach Clean-up
Saturday July 15
10am – 12pm
Volunteers needed to help CEC clean up Arroyo Burro Beach every 3rd Saturday of the month. Water and supplies will be provided.
Movie Night
Wednesday July 26
7pm
Join us for a screening of Our Synthetic Sea and Troubled Waters, two informative documentary films on water, ocean pollution, and what we can do to remedy the problem.
CEC Argues New LNG Terminals Unnecessary
With two liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals proposed for the South Coast, the Community Environmental Council is strongly urging the state to resist building more infrastructure for fossil fuels and, instead, invest more heavily in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
LNG is a natural gas that has been cooled to the point where it becomes a liquid, making it easier to transport. In California, three LNG terminals have been proposed, two of which would be on the South Coast. One is planned for a site about 14 miles offshore from Oxnard; the other has been proposed for Platform Grace, a retired oil rig off Ventura's coast.
Posted July 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
July 2006 Issue
News
2006 NSSA National Championships
By Chris Keet
What do you get when you add over 750 of the nations hottest amateur surfers into the high performance waves of Trestles reef in San Clemente? For most of us the answer is 'an extremely humbling experience'.
Carissa Moore continued her dominance in the girls division and walked away with her eighth and ninth National titles by taking victories in the Explorer Girls and Open Women's divisions.
Local shredder Conner Coffin who went into the Nationals as an underdog, took home the Open Boys title and in doing so is the first person from Santa Barbara to win an Open title since Bobby Martinez. Raised in the point breaks of Santa Barbara Coffin has always had a smooth and powerful style of surfing, perfectly suited to the Trestles peaks. The announcers spent most of the final raving about second place finisher Ezekiel Lau and third place finisher Kolohe Andino who were the favorites going into the event.
Coffin started the final off seven minutes in with an average wave score of a 4.5 on a mid size right. From there his counterparts continued scouring the line up, shredding any piece of a peak that came their way. In so doing they left Coffin alone on the outside patiently awaiting a set. With five minutes remaining in the heat Conner dropped in on a solid overhead left and spanked the lip twice with his backhand attack leaving the wave whimpering like a bad puppy. This set brought Coffin from sixth to second. With time winding down all competitors tried to make a final statement while coffin sneaked back outside. It seemed as though the final would be Lau’s as thirty seconds were left on the clock, however a few lumps ebbed on the outside. With fifteen seconds remaining with Lau in position for the right and Coffin in position for the left, the peak shifted and clearly became a superior left.
Coffin stroked hard and dropped in deep. As he reached the bottom he laid into a Pancho Sullivan style bottom turn and hit the lip straight up in the critical section of the wave, and then followed it up with another six solid turns to the beach. The Santa Barbara contingent exploded as Coffin only needed a 6.5 to take the lead. As the announcers raved about how sick the wave was, Freestyle Watch Co. team manager Chad La Bass turned to me and said, “ where did he learn to surf backside like that coming from Santa Barbara?” Solid surfing and patience paid off and we expect Conner to continue to hold the local flag high as he continues to accumulate competitive accolades in the future.
Another top finisher from the area was Dylan Perillo who dominated the Open Juniors final. Patience paid off for Dylan as he was the last finalist to catch a wave. After dropping straight to the bottom of a solid overhead wave Perillo went into a committed top turn floater and after free falling back to the bottom, he threaded through three smooth off the lips to serve up a combo platter to his opponents, scoring a 9.0. He then waited for 10 minutes to catch a second scoring wave which he stoked into with only 30 seconds remaining. His smooth and deceptively powerful style made it look almost too easy as he took the lip off of the wave with his first turn, followed by two more lip bashes to capture the final.
Special thanks to Janice Aragon and Gayline Clifford and all of the NSSA staff for running such an awesome event! For more photos and a complete write up and results log onto nssa.org.
CHANNEL ISLANDS SURFBOARDS SIGNS AGREEMENT
FOR BURTON TO ACQUIRE ITS ASSETS
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (June 29, 2006) - Channel Islands Surfboards' Al Merrick today announced that the company has been acquired by Burton Snowboards.
The founders of each company, Al Merrick and Jake Burton Carpenter, forged an agreement over the fact that they share a similar mindset and passion for their respective sports.
"Al and I have approached the direction of our companies with the same mindset: putting our future in the hands of the pros who are defining our sports," says Jake Burton Carpenter, Founder and Chairman of Burton Snowboards. "Our identical philosophies on product development are what make this relationship so natural. As we learn more from each other, Channel Islands and Burton can only get better."
Channel Islands will remain in Santa Barbara, California, and Merrick will continue to lead the company he founded in 1969 to create surfboards for many of the world's best surfers.
"I'm very excited about this venture and what we can do together to advance surf technology and lead surfing into the future," says Al Merrick, Founder of Channel Islands. "Channel Islands' goal will continue to be focusing on producing the best surfboards in the world. Both Jake and I have a real passion for staying at the forefront of technology, innovation and design. In the future, I will continue to work in the same capacity that I have always worked in, designing and shaping surfboards."
Jake adds, "Spending time with Al was cool, but you learn a lot more about someone when you go for a surf together. That's when I started to understand the soul of Channel Islands. I look forward to providing a home forChannel Islands for many years to come."
"Having worked with Jake for the past ten years and having known Al for the past couple of years, I have had an incredible opportunity to interact with two very passionate and focused individuals," says Laurent Potdevin,Burton's Chief Executive Officer. "Burton and Channel Islands are authentic brands, and this transaction is a very unique opportunity. Channel Islands will continue to be led by Al, staying true to its roots while gaining the resources to explore its full potential."
About Channel Islands Surfboards:
Founded by Al Merrick in 1969 and based in Santa Barbara, California, Channel Islands Surfboards shapes boards for many of the world's best surfers. For more information, visit: www.cisurfboards.com.
About Burton:
In 1977, Jake Burton Carpenter founded Burton Snowboards out of his Vermont barn. Since then, Burton has fueled the growth of snowboarding worldwide through its groundbreaking product lines, its grassroots efforts to get the sport accepted at resorts and its team of top snowboarders. In 1996, Burton began growing its family of brands to include board sports equipment and apparel brands. Privately held and owned by Jake, Burton's headquarters are in Burlington, Vermont with international offices in Innsbruck, Austria and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, visit www.burton.com.
Meanwhile South of the Border
By Chuck Graham
The Rip Curl Pro Search WCT held at La Jolla, Mexico, began with a bang and pumped through the finals, where three-time WCT champion Andy Irons prevailed over tour veteran Taylor Knox in good three to six foot righthanders.
The first two days of competition, at the sand bottom point, saw epic conditions with eight to ten foot barrels running for 150 feet. Once again, Santa Barbara standout Bobby Martinez got off to a blistering start with the highest total score during the first day of the event. His combined score of 18.13, against wildcard Ben Dunn (AUS), and former WCT champ, Marc Occhilupo (AUS), easily dispatched the pair into the losers bracket.
In Round three, Martinez was up against South African David Weare, and beat him soundly by six points, but in Round 4, Martinez came up short against Bede Durbidge (AUS) finishing =9th.
Current and seven-time world champ, Kelly Slater missed the last event in Fiji, but returned from a nagging rib injury. Although he was ripping in the earlier rounds, Slater was knocked off by good buddy Taylor Knox in the quarterfinals, finishing =5th.
With his first WCT victory in 2006, Irons moved up to second on the ratings, leap-frogging over Martinez and just behind Slater. Martinez finds himself only 225 points behind the top slot, but the 2006 title is anyone's ball game at this point for the surfers rated 1 through 7.
If anything, Martinez is displaying a level of consistency far beyond his years. So far he has a win in Tahiti, and four other top ten finishes, all the while gaining valuable experience as he feels his way through his rookie campaign.
The tour now shifts to the Dark Continent and South Africa's Jeffreys Bay. This will be the sixth stop on the 2006 tour, and marks the half way point in the race for the world title. It's another long pointbreak, something Martinez is accustomed to if you've seen him ripping Rincon the last few winters.
WCT 2006 Top 10
1. Kelly Slater (USA)
2. Andy Irons (HAW)
3. Bobby Martinez (USA)
=4. Taj Burrow (AUS)
=4. Taylor Knox (USA)
6. Damien Hobgood (USA)
7. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
8. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
9. Bruce Irons (HAW)
10. Tim Reyes (USA)
Posted July 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
