Verdict, Let's go!

The morning started off on a note of high anticipation... right swell direction, light winds 7 to 10 knots and a Tuesday after a long Holiday weekend, hopefully uncrowded. Pulled into the parking lot to a half dozen empty boat trailers, a good sign. As we unloaded the boat and started to prep we discovered the kelp cutter is missing and a small leak in the zodiac, no sweat we'll bring the pump. On the beach testing the motor we discover another small leak, this time in the gas delivery system, where? Verdict, let's go! Pushing through the surf, the motor fires right up and dies...restart and die. We discover where the leak is and someone has to go over the side back to shore to look for a fix. (Who went is not important but I could have used a bigger board to paddle!)

Back on board with 5 minute epoxy smothering the leak and decision time again, verdict, let's go. The missing kelp cutter... a big deal. We have to stop every five minutes to clean the prop. Who had to lift the motor each time? Not me,The capt'n got the plus of a weight room workout all the way there. Guess who forgot the kelp cutter?

Meanwhile the two galley slaves are pumping air into the deflating hulls...right swell direction, light winds 7 to 10 knots and a Tuesday after a long Holiday weekend, hopefully uncrowded.
The first break we come to is reeling with no one on it. Time to get wet, again.. After an hour a vote is taken, we have enough light to get to the point and surf if we pull up anchor and go now. If we go and breakdown it'll be dark and we'll be six miles from home. Verdict, let's go!

Pulling into the cove the view is one from a movie you've not yet made. Somehow the half dozen trailers equal a dozen boats. I decide to stay on board and sneak a few photos of this very non photo- friendly break. Then one by one the surfers return to their boats and pull up anchor. The clouds part and the waves are perfect. Verdict, let's go!

South Swell

Summer has finally arrived with the return of the South swells. A couple of smaller ones at the Wedge. Fun times in not so-sunny Southern California.

Blue Hawaii

In the book Blue Latitudes by Tony Horwitz, the author wonders what it would be like to retrace the voyages of Captain Cook; so he does just that. The author's thought upon arriving in Papeete was, "it's an utter sh**box. The architect who designed this town must have been unemployable anywhere else" and got me thinking about my last visit to Hawaii. Granted it was for work and the adage "location is not necessarily vacation" often holds true, but Hawaii?

A few images of the famous Waikiki Beach from my hotel.What would the good Capt. Think?

Everything Changes... Everything Remains The Same

While at Malibu the other day I realized just how much surfing had changed. I get so wrapped up in the film vs. digital world that I didn't see that change is everywhere. When surfing became popular in the 60's everyone was riding long boards. Change came but it was an evolution of design so it wasn't apparent as change. Boards got shorter and lighter and fins were added in multiples.

Today in the water you'll find alias, the ancient Hawaiian boards, long boards short boards and reproductions on every era's designs. The "change" is that everyone isn't riding the same current design, but designs of choice selected from over a 100 years dating back to the ancient Hawaiian wooden boards. Surfers are no longer a single entity, but sub-cultures with in the sub-culture of surfing.

I'm not so sure this is a good thing, as short boarders dislike long boarders, long boarders dislike short boarders and everyone dislikes the stand up paddlers! Maybe the digital film thing isn't so bad after all, at least we're still using cameras.

Spaced Out Technology

While trying to figure out why my email provider is down, I went looking through some old photo files to keep me from trashing my computer in frustration. I came across a few images from the Kennedy Space Center and realized how far technologically we've come in a very short time. Maybe having to wait for the server, even that name doesn't only apply to your waiter anymore, for my email to return isn't a big price to pay.

But if I had to describe my Internet provider, I'd say they used the "rocket" in the middle photo for their satellite launch!

It's All About The Background

Years ago I overheard Walter Iooss Jr. at a baseball game tell another photographer, "it's all about the background." I've seen Walter many times since and never told him how that resonated with me. I know he loves surfing so here's one from today at Malibu. With all of the cameras pointing west up the beach, I noticed the angle south with the pier in the "background." Thanks again Walter.

Ars Gratia Artis

Last night while commenting to the artist on her work she exclaimed, " I hope no one takes the Polaroids!" For the uninitiated this was in reference to Polaroid's demise and the scarcity of said film. ( Maybe she hadn't heard that Polaroid was back in business, but that would ruin this posting).

Anyway, it started me thinking about when is a photograph, (Polaroid included), painting or any other medium, art and not just the end product of someone's creativity? Maybe it's when someone other than the creator acquires the piece and displays it for others to admire. Or maybe the infamy of the person creating the work automatically makes it so. The above photograph was taken at a house about to be demolished. If the paintings weren't photographed and no one but the painter saw them were they art?

Was she keeping the Polaroids from becoming art by not letting others acquire them? Or is art just art for art's sake? Something to think about next time you think about filling the empty space on the wall behind your couch.