The Simplest of Shoes

HOLY GUACAMOLE! A do-it-yourself shoe! This video shows you how to put together our first sustainable DIY shoe, learn more at SimpleShoes.com/DIY Gnarly!

Sea Legs... Found!

Here's the full version of the short film Patagonia's "Sea Legs"... Finally! Enjoy~

Thalia Surf Remodeling

The doors to the Laguna shop are only open to construction workers right now. They are in the midst of ripping the store apart, in anticipation of the re-Grand Opening around the 15th of November. More news will be posted when they themselves know more... Be sure to be added to their email list to get updates as well.

Thalia Street Surf Shop

San Diego County Burns

Ash has started to collect in the swells all up and down the coast...



Scary! 250,000 evacuated homes, 100,000 acres in flames...

On Surfari

"The coolest surf content on the idiot box"... -The Surfer's Journal

Follow Shannon & Shayne McIntyre, along with their young son, Banyan, as they create a tv show called "On Surfari" for FuelTV. I'd describe the show as: A God-fearing family goes to crazy weird places to surf,while making it culturally/historically/politically educational, throw in some food & interaction, a joke or two, and get all personal... They're not in the business of making surf flicks...but want to reach down deep in the viewer's soul, make them laugh, make them cry, make them think, and inspire them to get out there and see this diverse world for themself. Catch it on FuelTV, show times vary... So check the local listings, it's worth it, trust me!


Check out more info and updates at... http://www.onsurfari.com

The Future of Surfing

Saturday October 20th, 11 a.m. at Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach.

The future of surfing is about new materials in surfboard construction and, more importantly, the future caretakers of the planet - the kids. Rerip.com together with Homeblown US, the makers of Biofoam, an organic soy based surfblank, present The Future of Surfing.

The first 50 people who donate a rideable surfboard will receive a Biofoam surfboard blank, courtesy of HomeBlown US! Noted North County artist, Wade Koniakowsky, will be painting on the older-looking boards to increase their value, Surfrider's Kids for Clean Water program will provide fun, educational activities for kids, and much more!



For more info on the event go to... ReRip.com

And for even more info on biofoam boards go to... HomeBlownUS.com

Just one of those days...

Just down about not being close to a swell... Just felt like a McFetridge dream. Ha so thankful for Sprout. Enjoy!

El Rojo

Swim with it! This twin keel 5'8" fish, shaped by the master Chris Christenson at the Moonlight showroom/lobby, is a definite centerpiece to anyone's collection. Good images from the compadres at Moonlight.



It's a classic Fish with authentic Gephart marine ply wood glass-on keels. Chris's signature look is the classic, black band wrapping around the board.



Smells fishy?!

The San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy

San Elijo Lagoon is one of few remaining coastal wetlands of San Diego County and home to an exceptional number of animals and plants. It lies along the coast between the cities of Solana Beach and Encinitas of San Diego County, extending inland to Rancho Santa Fe. The lagoon is part of San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, a county and state regional park of nearly 1,000 acres of diverse habitat including six plant communties: coastal strand, salt marsh, brackish/freshwater marsh, riparian scrub, coastal sage scrub and mixed chaparral. In the reserve you can access over seven miles of trails via eight trailheads and encounter a wide variety of flora and fauna.



San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy (SELC) is a nonprofit land trust working to preserve, protect, and enhance San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve and its watershed. We depend upon the financial support of individuals and foundations in order to provide educational materials, maintain the health of the lagoon and acquire additional acreage.

For more info, go to... http://www.sanelijo.org

SurfAid Mentawai Assistance

In response to two powerful earthquakes having struck the region of the Mentawai Islands, SurfAid International is currently receiving donations for relief efforts where SurfAid has been and continues to provide humanitarian services.

SurfAid has visited and assessed more than 100 Mentawai villages and launched eight relief boats delivering food, shelter, medical attention, fuel, and building supplies to some of the 30,000 displaced residents. Additional support is needed to continue these efforts. Please support the people of the Mentawai Islands with a contribution to the Mentawai Earthquake Appeal.

Donate to the Mentawai Earthquake Appeal by going to...

http://www.surfaidinternational.org

Thank you!

One California Day is coming...

From the filmmakers who brought you Singlefin: yellow, DRIVE and Stylemasters, comes a story about surf culture and tradition. One California Day is a visual journey through six distinct coastal regions, capturing the California surfing experience through the surfers who live it. Shot in brilliant super 16mm color film, the movie examines the variety of subtle differences that make California so unique.

Santa Barbara Premiere
October 18th @ 7:30PM

Presented in High Definition! Oh ya!

For more info and tickets - call the box office at 800-963-4408
(East Coast dates will be announced soon...)

Surfrider's Initiatives: Beach Preservation

Surfrider Foundation's Beach Access initiative promotes the right of low-impact, free and open access to the world's waves and beaches for all people.

Beaches are one of the most popular public resources. Because individuals need access to beaches in order to enjoy them, beach access is probably the most important indicator in determining the number of people who can enjoy beaches.

In nearly every state, some portion of the beach is public land, which means that all members of the public have the right to use that portion of the beach. Because much of the land between where people can park and where they can enjoy the beach is privately owned, their ability to enjoy beaches often depends on the quality and availability of access between roads and parking lots and the beach. It is simply not equitable for only some people to have access to the ocean and beaches, which are public resources.

Artist Profile: Jeff Canham

"As a kid growing up in Hawaii, artist Jeff Canham was an avid reader of Surfer Magazine. Some years later, he landed a position as art director at the Orange County-based magazine. But after six years, it was time to leave the O.C. for San Francisco, an easy choice for Canham because, "there's surfing right at the end of every bus line." These days, Canham works hard at his day job as a sign painter for the New Bohemia Sign shop, a city relic known for its stellar roster of artists who have worked there. After hours, Canham often uses the shop (with his boss's blessing) to create his own work in the form of collages filled with text, often in self-designed typefaces, and symbols of wind, water and waves. The mix of surrealist, sideshow and Schoolhouse Rock imagery in his work is something people might not associate with surf art, though Canham believes it's this particular jumble that makes the San Francisco surfer/artist scene exciting. At the center of this scene is the Mollusk Surf Shop featuring the work of Canham and other great San Franciscan surfer/artists, including Thomas Campbell, Andy Davis and Clare Rojas, who are all making art that goes beyond the insular vision of airbrushing and Dick Dale. Surf-loving New Yorkers can see Canham's work at the brand-new Brooklyn Mollusk annex in Williamsburg, marked by an original Canham sign hanging out front."

- Joe Rudy, Papermag.com

Sea Legs

Patagonia surf ambassadors head to the Indian Ocean to test surfboards and gear, visit local communities and surf as many waves as daylight allows in this upcoming surf film "Sea Legs". Belinda Baggs, Mary Osborne, Fletcher Chouinard and Chris, Keith and Dan Malloy join up with Adam Kobayashi and the crew of the Southern Cross for this amazing trip. So here's the trailer... Due to just be a short rather than a full length film, I have learned. Ugh. Better than nothing, Patagonia provides pure perfection.

Alaya Boards

Featured in the forthcoming "The Present" film by Thomas Campbell, Alaya boards are back to basics old school surfing! The Alaya was the most common board surfed by the Ancient Hawaiians. Their tombstone shape and their thinness characterize the 4 to 12 foot range. They are only 3/4" to 1 1/2" thick with a noticeable bottom roll and a slight deck roll. The rocker is perfectly and completely flat. The rails are squared off and usually about one inch thick. There are about twelve known original boards that have survived since ancient times, or the times before the Europeans in Hawaii.


You can see some GREAT footage of the legendary Tom Carroll surfing surfing Newport Peak on a Tom Wegener 'Alaya' board RIGHT HERE!

http://www.swellnet.com.au/sessions.php?session=Tom_Carroll_Back_to_the_Future_090807.php

Surfer Profile: Crystal Thornburg

Bio:

Born and raised on O’ahu, Crystal’s earliest memory is of hanging out at Kaimana beach with her parents. Her dad used to push her into waves at Waikiki and by elementary school her mom was taking her to the beach to surf after school. In high school she had to surf at least a few hours every day.

She says, "My friends and I would surf a spot away from the crowds and if the surf was good and we didn't have any swimwear, we would surf in our underwear. I guess you can say we were hooked."

Crystal is an accomplished longboarder, but she is also an all-around ocean athlete who races outrigger canoes, competes in long-distance swims and paddleboard races, kayaks, bodysurfs, freedives and surfs.

Some of Crystal’s proudest moments didn’t take place on a surfboard: She cites being one of two female competitors to bodysurf Pipeline on an eight to ten-foot day and being nationally ranked in Olympic flat water K-1 kayaking as two of her highlights.

Recent Projects:

Crystal recently graduated from Chaminade University with a degree in Environmental Science (an emphasis on Humanities) and a minor in art. She has also volunteered with the nonprofit environmental groups The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club and Save Our Seas.

"Art is a major part of my life," she says. "I love to work with all mediums, such as watercolor, charcoal, acrylics, photography, mix media and fiber arts. I always have some art project going on, taking up all the floor space in my room!"

Her art and photos have been shown in art galleries and magazines around the islands.

Environmental Projects:

"My ideas for saving the environment start with direct action and involvement. My experience working to affect social and environmental change in my community varies from working with community organizations, as well as individual interests.
"One of my most recent completed projects is my internship with Save Our Seas on the island of Kaua’i, Hawai’i. Working for Save Our Seas, I learned the proper techniques to help raise public awareness about coral reef ecology, managing local reef ecosystems, and working with the community to help restore our oceans for future generations. Because Save Our Seas is based on the Garden Island of Kaua’i it was a great opportunity to help the local community become more aware of the impacts of global and local environmental issues that are interconnected to our ocean ecosystems."

Displacement

Alex Kopps has teamed up with Woodshed Films to create Displacement. The film is mainly about displacement hulls and will be hitting a surf shop shelf near you sometime Fall 2008. Ch-ch-check it out!

The Trailer:


The Website:
http://www.displacementfilm.com/

The Present

The trailer for The Present, Thomas Cambell’s new film, seems to have a decidedly Woodshed/Malloy flavor. The Summer/Fall 08 release leaves plenty of fermentation time though, so expect it to evolve.

Check out the trailer: http://www.mbsproductions.com/tmo/thepresent_bigger.mov

Through Cracks In The Pavement

Those roads less traveled are closer than you think. Peter Garraway, long hauling.

Speed and convenience have drastically changed the nature of surf travel. We’re all familiar with how advanced forecasts allow for quick strikes timed to perfection. Pre-packaged tours remove all the guesswork and risks. Hermetically sealed environments and modern-day gadgets allow us to bring our living rooms wherever we go. Even access to the world’s most remote locations is getting easier and easier, while adventure—true adventure—is harder and harder to find…or is it?

Over the past few months, a handful of surfers have walked through the doors here looking haggard and dirty, with that familiar look on their faces that says they’ve just endured something special. And each of them did, simply by jumping off the tourist bus and onto their bikes for a fresh round of travel fun. Some, like Chris Del Moro and crew, turned an average trip down the coast into the trip of a lifetime.

Others, like our own Curious Gabe Sullivan, slowly worked their way through New Zealand, hoping all the while to be sidetracked. After being on the receiving end of their many tales, we figured this was a trend worthy of some attention. So we asked Mr. Sullivan to gather some experienced pedal-adventurers and compile a case as to why you and yours might want to redefine your next little adventure. The following is what he delivered.

Chris Del Moro - Don’t ever invite Keith Malloy on a bike trip. I knew Keith was in good shape, but I didn’t know he was fricken’ Superman. He’s pretty much ready for the Tour de France. The first day of our bike trip down the California coast, he nearly killed us, and maybe that was his plan—I’m not sure. But by the end of the day we all had to pop five aspirin and lay flat-out dead on our backs, while he was walking around like nothing happened. Something tells me he was the only one who really knew what we were in for, and our little trip wasn’t even his idea. He definitely needed to be wearing the yellow jersey. Every stop we made, he was sitting there waiting for us to catch up. He might as well have been reading a book or eating lunch, because there were times he had to wait for a while, but that’s one of the things that riding a bike makes you do. You slow down and stop all the time. And that’s why you start absorbing things.


From the very beginning, that was the primary motivation: to soak some things in that we hadn’t let in for a while.

Hans Hagen - It’s funny, because I hadn’t given it much thought to this before our trip to New Zealand, but surfing and cycling are a pretty good union. Even just riding your bike down to the beach is something that helps put you in a physical and mental rhythm. You’re being tuned without even knowing it—not just by the physical pace and flow, but by the scenery as well. It was a familiar feeling I used to always have when I was a grom riding to the beach. And yeah, there are times where you definitely suffer, but even those moments force you to learn patience and be present minded, both of which are hallmarks of good surf travel. It’s only after you’ve put yourself in that frame of mind that you can see things clearly, and let things in. Once you’re there, you’re catching every note, and the stuff in between.

Christian Beamish - The first time I embarked on a bike-surf journey, I thought I’d just pop down to Big Sur from Santa Cruz for a few days. I was on a Schwinn beach cruiser with a side rack, metal basket, and a milk crate attached to a rack with hose clamps. My equipment included a delammed 6'2" JC, a fullsuit, a Mexican blanket, and a copy of Siddhartha. At one point in the book, Siddhartha says to himself, “I can think, I can fast, and I can wait.” Those were fitting words, as I’d eaten my last peanut-butter sandwich and was facing a lonely night at Sand Dollar. With nothing but my wool blanket and wetsuit for a pillow, I was pretty darn happy when this woman walked up and asked if she could sit by the fire. Turned out she wanted to camp, but was afraid of sleeping out alone, so I offered her company and she fed me dinner. Perfect symbiosis.

This may have had nothing to do with traveling by bike, but there was something about being out in the open, with not a lot of anything, that set up that interaction. There’s this unseen hand in fortunate happenings that I’m convinced is the Holy Spirit working. The first 120 miles from Santa Cruz went so beautifully that I thought I’d continue all the way to my hometown of Newport Beach. My pedal broke in Cayucos, and the man in the bike-shop barn hooked me up with a spare; I didn’t get one flat the rest of the way. It was nine days all told.



Dan Malloy - After a couple months of being home, I just wanted to go on a surf trip, and that’s when Chris Del Moro rang me up to see if I wanted to pack up some boards and ride down the coast. I was sold right away, because there is nothing better for you mentally and physically than a fun surf trip with some good friends. And the bike thing sounded pretty cool, especially since there’s nothing worse for the environment than cars and airplanes. Of course, once you jump on a bike you start getting all philosophical about different things, like how cool it would have been to be living 100 years ago, in simpler times, or how all the stars are suddenly making sense, and you feel really connected to the whole universe, but the best thing about it was the simplest thing: While it was light, we were riding our bikes, surfing, or eating; while it was dark, we were riding our bikes, building camp, or sleeping.

Josh Kimball - Our 300-mile bike tour was the most physically challenging trip I’d ever been on. There’s a constant supply of big-rig danger on Highway 101; then you have flat tires and broken chains, the grueling hillside climbs with dozens of pounds of gear, and the sheer exhaustion from riding 40 miles and then going surfing—every day for two weeks. All those elements could have prevented a crew of strangers from meshing. But those episodes actually pulled us together. Each obstacle was met with a group effort to overcome it. So the challenge itself, and the fun we had at every surf spot we pedaled past, gave each of us one of the best trips of our lives—and some new friends for down the road.

Dan Malloy - I loved just the immediate thinking ahead. Simple things like, “When are we going to stop and eat?” and “If we hustle up and get to Pumpkin Point, the tide should be dead low and just starting to push, so let’s hurry the hell up.” Rather than worrying about where I’m going in life, that’s the kind of thinking ahead that suits me. And the lack of stress and worry, coupled with being physically exhausted, helps you to sleep like a baby.


Little corner pockets like this hardly get a look at 60 mph, but slow it down to 6 and a whole new world of possibilities opens up.

Gabe Sullivan - As amped as we were to surf, we also decided to let ourselves get sidetracked occasionally by the surroundings in New Zealand. Aamion Goodwin was really stoked because he’s a fly-fishing fanatic, and we spent two days toward the beginning of our trip fishing the Tongariro River (which, as it turns out, is the Pipeline of fly fishing).

He was hooking into these massive trout that were almost too beautiful to eat, but they were so sweet and buttery-tasting, you couldn’t resist. Plus, we needed the lean protein to fuel our pedaling legs. Unfortunately, Aamion’s ride came to an abrupt end while he was hunting down an elusive, fat brown trout he’d been stalking. He slipped down a muddy six-foot embankment, tripped on a root, and snapped his foot, which was already weakened by a previous surfing accident, all the way back to his shin. He said his bone breaking sounded like a firecracker. Hans and I had to ship our fallen comrade home the next day, and we promised to keep in touch. I don’t think he was very happy about us raving about the flawless, six-foot tubes he’d been missing.

Chris Del Moro - By the time we reached Santa Barbara, Keith had invented a few fun games for us to play. By far my favorite was yelling out “Whiff!” at golfers who were just getting ready to strike the ball. We got our timing pretty down after a while, and, judging from the serious stare-downs from these old grandpas who were so seriously not stoked on us, I’d say we were pretty effective with our chorus.

Hans Hagen - Life’s daily routines have programmed me to get from Point A to Point B as quick and efficiently as possible. But surfing is the opposite of that mentality: The location or time of your next great ride is rarely predictable, and the act of surfing is never just a race to the end of the wave. The waveriding experience is nothing short of educated guesses, maximizing moments, and pure spontaneity. A pedal-powered surf trip breaks the patterns and puts you in a better rhythm with nature.

Christian Beamish - Threadbare and close to the earth: That’s the bike traveler’s ideal. It’s different, to be sure, but I’d say it’s the most pleasurable means of transport. And one more thing: There’s nothing greater than sailing along a country road, tires hissing on wet pavement from a clearing rain, stone walls and farmhouses scattered here and there, and a swell cracking off the reefs in the distance.


(Above) Dan Malloy passed through his own backyard midway through his trip, and, thanks to a new way of viewing things, it already looked different.

Chris Del Moro - You hear it all the time, but I never really understood how much riding your bike to work, to surf, or down to your local store can help you and your environment. The small choices we make can make immediate positive changes, not just with the whole cutting down of pollution, but with your wallet too. Eight tanks of gas = New bike. Two tanks of gas = Fixing up your bike. One tank of gas = Vintage thrift store bike. Fitness = free.

Dan Malloy - The next morning, you wake up feeling fit and alive and ready to take on the day. You may be a bit sore, but a little bit of physical pain doesn’t stand a chance next to the possibility of having some fun. So off you go. Pedal, pedal, pedal…those first few hours hurt, and your ass could use a break, but soon enough you are back to the basics. What is the tide doing? What does the wind feel like? And so on. And, before you know it, you kind of feel like a kid again, like those first few summers down at the beach with my friends.

Chris Del Moro - Dan’s bike was broken during our whole stretch through Malibu, and he didn’t know it. It was a 60-mile day, and he just couldn’t keep up with us no matter how hard he tried. By the end of the day he was almost dead, and the rest of us were super casual. Finally he just freaked, going, “I can’t do it anymore!” He was having a breakdown. Finally, I got on his bike and realized how screwed up it was, and it was really screwed. You could not ride this thing. His competitive streak pushed him 60 miles on a broken bike he had no business riding. Everyone felt pretty bad, but it was pretty classic all the same. Then we put Keith on the broken bike and he still led for the rest of the day. Like I was saying, he’s a freak.


Sullivan and Hagen heat up some rocks to sooth the muscles before bedtime.

The End.

Surfrider's Initiatives: Clean Water

The Clean Water initiative is primarily focused on protecting water quality in coastal watersheds and in the near-shore marine environment. Consequently, the Surfrider Foundation advocates for strong water quality regulations, adequate marine recreational water quality monitoring, reporting and posting, reduction of polluted discharges into the ocean and education regarding personal responsibility for the reduction water pollution. We also support smart land use planning to ensure that coastal environmental resources are protected and healthy watersheds are maintained.