Love, Respect, and Gratitude

On To Peru

2010-04-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

Looking out the window on my way to Peru in anticipation of the adventures ahead of me :)

Apologies

2010-04-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

I apologize, for I have not been keeping up on my blog, and the whole point of reading a blog is to have current and consistent information being presented, and I have failed to provide this info. I took a trip to Peru, where I had an amazing trip on so many different levels, but I unfortunately did not have the internet access I have become accustomed to being available to me, and it prevented me from updating my blog with current adventures, pictures, and stories. So I apologize.

I did however record events down in my journal, and emailed a couple of them to my surfboard sponsor Channel Islands to post on their team blog, so I will now present them here to you, even though the date I post them under will be near the date the stories occurred and not the current date after my trip has ended and I am back home. I hope you can forgive me, and please enjoy the reports from Peru. Thank you.

Juice :)

2010-04-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

I went over to my good friend Brie's house tonight to help her and my bro Cyrus to make some of the best juice in the world. So thankful to be home and have a network of health conscious friends who enjoy creating the healthiest and most delicious food ever! Brie has a Norwalk juicer, the best in the world due to the fact that it is not a centrifugal juicer, which will oxidize the juice making it spoil quicker, but instead the Norwalk is a hydraulic press, where the veggies are pushed through a grate and then pressed to remove the juice. Not only does the juice stay fresh longer, but the taste is phenomenal! While Cyrus and I worked on the juice, Brie made one of her amazing sprout salads, and we had a hero feast fit for royalty. Soaking up the nutrients and life force of this incredible elixir is exactly what I needed! Thank you so much Brie and Cyrus for the awesome night!

Veggies prepped for the juicer

Cyrus at the controls

The Norwalk juicer, with grate on left and hydraulic press on right

Cyrus mixing up a hero medley

Supergreens :)

Liquid Love :)

Roxanne

2010-03-30T09:03:00.001-07:00

Went surfing two days ago with a couple friends up here in Santa Cruz, and my bro brought his dog Roxanne with us to the beach. She is really smart and extremely well behaved, so it was a shocker to all of us that she took off from the beach and was not waiting for us when we came in from our surf. My friend ran up and down the beach looking for her, but unfortunately she was nowhere to be found. He went back to check the beach later that day and early the next morning but didn't find her anywhere, everybody was pretty devastated. Then when he woke up today he said she was waiting by the back door to his house, and other than being a bit muddy and pretty tired, she was happy as ever! Pretty incredible, whether she chased some cat in the neighborhood or whatever initially got her off the beach, but she made the journey of around 8 miles to find her way back to her house on her own over the course of the last 2 days! So stoked to see her back home!

Roxanne the super dog

Avocado Bowls

2010-03-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

Super stoked to come home from Hawai'i and score one of the last winter swells of the season before the North Pacific goes into hibernation for the summer. Another amazing reminder from the universe that everything is happening right on schedule in accordance with universal time and that I am in beautiful alignment with these energies and existing in harmonious flow. So incredibly thankful for the wonderful blessings I receive continuously, and especially stoked that Surfline ran a photo from this magical session to provide me a fresh perspective on this special day, along with a visual reminder of the beauty of nature and the joy of special sessions with good friends.

Good Times :)

Photo by Billy Watts

Trip To The Farm

2010-03-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

I took a trip to my buddy Barry's Farm to pick up some fresh organic produce, so thankful to have a direct source for the food that I choose to nourish and fuel my body and life with, and a beautiful reminder of the bounty of California welcoming me home.

The Goods :)

cherimoya, sapote, avocado, cara cara, passion fruit, macadamias

Cherimoya

One of my favorite foods :)

New Blades at Moonlight

2010-03-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

Coming home from 3 months in Hawai'i is a lot easier when you know you are coming back to a brand new quiver of hero blades from Channel Islands. I have been riding Al Merrick's shapes for well over a decade now, and they are the absolute best surfboards in the world! This batch of boards includes the copies of my magic board that I dropped off at the CI factory before I left for Hawai'i, so I was really excited to see how they came out. I am so thankful not only to have the opportunity to have the best shapes ever, but also for the fact that my boards have been finished since day one by the best glassing shop in the universe, Moonlight Glassing, which prides itself in the highest quality work and produces the best surfboards ever! Without the best glass jobs my boards would disintegrate under my feet in a couple of months, but all of the boards I have had finished by Moonlight are still around and solid (some close to 10 years old), a testament to the quality of their work.

Moonlight Glassing is a North County San Diego surfing staple, a family operation that was founded in 1979 and still going strong today thanks to the hard work and efforts of the talented team in house. Peter St. Pierre is the Pinliner extraordinaire, airbrush artist to the stars, while wife Sally handles the books and phones, and son JP is responsible for the finish sanding, putting the quality touch to the finished product. JP is a busy guy, also responsible for the highly popular Surfy Surfy blog and is opening the new Surfy Surfy Surf Shop in Leucadia in the next couple of months. And with Moon Kitty keeping an eye on the shop, everything keeps running smoothly around here. Thank you so much for the amazing efforts to everyone at Moonlight Glassing!

New quiver of blades ready to shred with Bamboo Fins from 101 Fin Co

The Cali Hex board looks like a perfect copy of my magic board

JP with stickers for the new Surfy Surfy Surf Shop opening soon

Moon Kitty guarding the front door (and soaking up a little sunshine)

Natural Products Expo West

2010-03-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

The Natural Products Expo West took place Friday - Sunday, March 12 - 14 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Expo West is always an amazing time, with so many awesome people coming together in one place to make new friends, reconnect with old ones, and generally celebrate life, while also accomplishing some business, and this year was no exception.

I worked the show as an Athlete Representative for two of my sponsors, Manitoba Harvest and Sunfood and split my time at the show between their two booths, with a little time to walk around Sunday and check a couple other products. Vapor Brothers threw a phenomenal party on Friday night in their hotel suite, with live sitar and drumming, 4 different vap stations, open bar, and catered by Au Lac! Definitely one of the best gatherings I have ever attended in my life! All of that was just warmups for the Julian Marley concert later that night, all time! Then Saturday night was the Organic Roots concert that takes place every year, another awesome show, and Sunday finished up the show with a dinner at Au Lac with the Sunfood team, and this incredible weekend became one future Expos will be compared to for years.

Working the Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods booth with Certified Nutritionist Meghan Atkinson

President and Co-Founder of Manitoba Harvest Mike Fata with the Founder of To-Go Ware Stephanie Bernstein, creator of reusable bamboo utensils that help you reduce your forkprint

Co-Owner of Sambazon Jeremy Black helping provide information on acai at their booth

Sunfood COO Brian Bowers with a raw cacao pod

Vapor Brothers party was one of the best ever! Their booth rocked too!

Julian Marley sharing some irie vibes with the Natural Products family

Coconut Bliss and their vegan coconut milk dessert, while not raw a very worthy substitute for ice cream

Cole Meeker at Artisana with their mental coconut butter to sample

Sunfood team dinner at Au Lac to finish out one of the best Natural Products Expos yet!

Aloha Also Means Goodbye

2010-03-11T01:35:00.000-08:00

Heading home

Friends In The Yard

2010-03-03T15:33:00.001-08:00

Today I hung out with some friends in the yard. I decided to enjoy some soursop outside in the beautiful Hawai'ian sunshine, and when I sat down in the yard I noticed all of the friendly little braddahs that came to hang out with me for lunch. It was a nice reminder, taking a little time to look around us and appreciate where we are right now opens up a whole new awareness of things to be thankful for. They were all happy, smiley, friendly little guys that pretty much just cruised together in our own little group celebration even while they were on their own unique lunch missions, taking down any mosquitoes that came near. I love them! Such great company, I am so thankful I decided to join them for lunch, and another glorious day continues...

Happy

Smiley

Friendly

Soursop :)

Sprouted Coconut :)

2010-02-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is a common sight on most tropical islands, and is one of the most valuable plants for humans due to the multitude of uses it provides, which legitimizes its title as the "Tree of Life."

Sprouted coconut

In fact, across the Polynesian archipelago of the South Pacific, every part of the coconut palm is utilized for a specific purpose, from food to shelter to tools. The palm fronds are woven together to create everything from thatched roofs for island-style huts to floor mats and baskets. The woody material in the trunk is used for building purposes, and the fibrous interior of the coconut husks is used in and around lava rock borders of tropical gardens. The hard shell of the coconut is made into tools such as bowls and spoons, and chips of the shell make an excellent type of charcoal due to the slow-burning oils helping extend the duration of a fire. All of these incredible uses and I haven't even mentioned how good they are to eat!

Young coconuts

The young green coconuts contain delicious and nutritious coconut water, an excellent source of rehydration and replenishment of electrolytes. Coconut water is isotonic, meaning it has a similar electrolyte balance as blood plasma, and has been used by doctors as an intravenous solution and injected directly into the bloodstream to prevent dehydration, especially during emergency situations such as World War II where other intravenous solutions were either not available or in short supply. The water sealed inside the coconut is sterile, free from pathogens, is non-allergenic, does not harm red blood cells, and is readily accepted by the body. On many small tropical islands, coconut water is the only source of safe drinking water for the local inhabitants where rainfall is minimal. The nutritional profile of coconut water includes containing a complex array of vitamins and minerals including high levels of potassium, chlorides, calcium, and magnesium, along with a variety of trace minerals, and a moderate amount of sodium, protein, and natural sugars. Some of the health properties attributed to coconut water include its therapeutic effect on the urinary and reproductive systems, minimizing the effects of glaucoma, preventing the formation of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), promoting digestion, and as an antioxidant. The "fluid of life" living up to its name in a variety of ways.

Opening the coconut husk

Removal of coconut from husk

As the coconut matures, the flesh or meat lining the inside of the shell begins to thicken and become tougher, and the water inside loses some of its flavor, while the green exterior begins to fade and becomes brown. The flesh of these mature coconuts are used to make coconut milk, thicker and whiter than the clear coconut water, as well as copra, which is the source of coconut oil production, and the major source of income for most small tropical islands.

Botanically speaking, the "Tree of Life" is not really a tree, but instead is a member of the palm family Palmae. These botanical characteristics include a woody trunk, perennial (as opposed to annual) growth, leaves folded like a fan, and along with grasses and lilies, the production of a single 'seed leaf' which classifies them as monocotyledons.

Inside of a sprouted coconut

Coconuts can float for around three months in salt water until they get washed up on a sandy shoreline of some tropical beach, and despite the nutritionally-poor sands as a soil substrate to root in, with the presence of available fresh water the coconut will still sprout, and grow into a mature palm in about six years, thriving in this otherwise harsh environment. Once a coconut sprouts, the water inside develops into a ball of foam, spreading out toward the flesh and filling up the interior of the coconut. While I fully encourage allowing a sprouted coconut to grow into a mature palm, which can produce hundreds of new coconuts per year, in cases where space is lacking to allow a new coconut palm to form, harvesting the sprouted coconut for food is an incredibly delicious treat. The ball of spongy white foam inside a sprouted coconut is such a delicious food that it has many different names, including coconut foam, the apple of the coconut, and coconut cotton candy, but I think the closest description that it resembles in taste and texture is coconut angel food cake. Not only is this tropical delicacy nutritious and tasty, but it is also quite filling. My first time sampling this beautiful blessing from nature and it instantly became one of my favorite foods!

Coconut angel food cake, so delicious!

Balancing Energies

2010-02-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

So much happening in this last month that I have been wanting to write about but not found the time for yet, I figured I better make time now and catch up. This winter surf season has been one for the history books, with the El Nino fueled storms and subsequent swell spanning across the Pacific Ocean relentlessly bombing huge surf onto the reefs of the Hawai'ian Islands and marching solid lines into the West Coast of America, this will be a season surfers will remember forever, and become a benchmark for future seasons to be compared against. My big wave tow in day was an amazing step along this journey, but there have been many more swells to follow.

The day after the tow day was when the real force of the swell hit, probably the biggest day of surf that Hawai'i has seen in about a decade, and it was going off! I witnessed some of the most amazingly big, perfect, and gnarly barrels I have ever seen with my own eyes. I gave my best effort to paddle into some epic waves and am thankful to have caught a few perfect ones myself, but the barrels I saw a few friends get with the jet ski assistance were absolutely mind blowing. One of the best days of waves ever, complete sensory overload, from sunrise to sunset being tantalized by spitting barrels relentlessly, I was completely tapped out that night. Even more epic dream sessions to follow as this swell declined, letting the other waves become manageable and allowing a full variety of waves to be surfed through the course of this swell event.

About a week after the tow in day, my friend that towed me in psyched me up to paddle out into some of the biggest waves I have ever paddled out in, probably the second biggest paddle day of my life, but way nicer than the biggest day because unlike the rough and rugged nature of the waves that day, this day was as big and perfect as you could ever dream of waves being. Not a drop of water out of place, just perfect huge peaks jacking up and running the length of the reef, with a friendly and mellow vibe between the few guys out, it was truly a magical day. I borrowed a big wave board from my friend, so I was a little tentative to catch my first wave, not only because it was my first time back paddling into solid waves in a few years, but also because I had not ridden this board yet and had no idea how it would go, so I took my time watching a couple sets come through before I paddled into the thick of it. My friend was heckling me from the zone, looking at me like "what are you doing in the channel? you know you need to be over here to catch a wave, right?" and waving at me to paddle over where he was waiting under the ledge. As I have mentioned before, my friend loves huge waves, so I wasn't completely sure whether he wanted me to catch a wave from where he was, or if he just wanted to see how I would handle getting caught inside by a macking clean up set, but after seeing him late drop a couple nuts ones, I figured I better get in there for a closer look. I managed to pick off a couple of inside ones, too small of a board to compete for the bombs up at the top of the reef, but right on the ledge where the wave would stand up as it connected the inside for a solid drop and fun wall to race, super stoked! Traded a couple of sets with my friend, stoked to have gotten back out into some solid waves and feeling comfortable with so much water moving around. When we got in, I thanked him for hyping me up to go out there. I know it is not that hectic once I get myself out into the mix and put myself in the lineup, but taking that initial move to go out there is always easier when you have a friend to join you on the journey.

The next morning the swell had dropped a bit but was still solid, and my friend paddled out in the dark on his shortboard to get a couple late drops at first light. On maybe his third wave or so, he took off late, ran into some chop at the bottom, and skipped out in the trough, falling on his side and breaking at least three ribs. Falling on water. Broken bones. Heavy. The most agony I have ever seen him in, for a guy I have never seen affected by anything, this looked like the most excruciating pain anyone could ever endure. Drove him down to the the hospital in town to get x-rays but nothing you can really do for broken ribs except chill out and let them heal, shocker. In the blink of an eye, done. Season over. The best season ever, over. So harsh I went into a sympathetic depression with him, hanging out for the next week and helping take care of whatever I could for him so he could just sit and chill and heal. I didn't want to be coming home glowing from a hero session and describing epic waves I had ridden while he had been barely moving so no shooting pains would pierce his chest, so I just hung out and talked story, made some food, and provided support as best I could. The universe was sending out so much positive energy in a relentless stream that it had to regroup and begin to balance the energies out.

It kinda felt like eating really spicy salsa, where if you keep eating non-stop you just replace one extreme experience with another in such succession that they all begin to blend together and have less individual impact, that is until you stop to take a breath and it all catches up quick, bringing you abruptly back to reality. I had been in such a state of delirium surrounded by the perfection of this season that I got caught up thinking that maybe it could really just be like this forever, and life would be this grand adventure where the waves were phenomenal all of the time. Everyday would dawn another gloriously stellar light wind sunny dream of swell lines marching in from the horizon, with the toughest decision of the day being deciding where to surf because everywhere is firing.

But the highs have to get balanced by the lows. Otherwise, how would we even be able to appreciate the blessings? If everyday was perfect, sunny, and firing, how special would it be? Can something still be special when it becomes the standard? If everyday was perfect, it would no longer be considered perfect, it would be common. We need the rugged stormy onshore flat days to appreciate how truly magical the perfect days are, when all of the elements do align, the right size swell coming from the right direction, with the right winds speed coming from the right direction, with the right tide and the sun shining, all culminating into one beautiful session, where we are in the right spot for the right wave, and draw the right line with the right timing, all elements synergizing to manifest a spiritual experience and deeper connection with the universal energy we are all one with. Such an incredible alignment of the elements cannot slide by unappreciated just because they happen to be in temporary abundance.

It felt like the energy had shifted, maybe not disappeared, but just vibrating at a different frequency now. There have still been all time sessions and great waves to be ridden, but lately they have been smaller and more manageable, allowing for a different approach to be explored than just that of putting your head down and going hard in waves of consequence, and it felt nice to just relax and have fun in friendly waves again. The weather shifted, and the trade winds began to return, replacing the ridiculously sunny and amazing days with some mountain showers, and some stormy days showed up bringing in colder north winds, starting to actually feel like winter over here finally. It seemed like the season had hit its peak, and while there will still be waves to ride, and many more fun days ahead, the concentrated energy focused into the last couple months had finally begun to dissipate, reestablishing a sense of normalcy and familiarity to everyday life. A mandatory balancing of the energies, so that we can find equilibrium once again.

Taking time to soak it all in

Chocolate Maca Almond Haystacks

2010-02-17T16:20:00.000-08:00

This was my first experiment at making a raw vegan chocolate recipe, but I knew I was going to make haystacks, chocolate and coconut are the most incredibly delicious combination!

Chocolate comes from a tropical fruit that grows on trees called cacao, and inside the tough colorful shell of the cacao pods is a gooey white membrane of a deliciously unique sweet-tart flavor surrounding big brown cacao beans, the source of what most people know as chocolate. The cacao beans are sun dried and then separated into their two components, the bitter brown cacao powder and the lighter fat that is the cacao butter. The whitish cacao butter is the source of white chocolate, and when the powder is added back in, the more cacao powder added the darker the chocolate becomes.

South Pacific Cacao Pod

I have a few friends that have their chocolate recipes down to an art, so I asked a few critical questions to acquire the information gained from lifelong searches of knowledge, and for sharing that wisdom I am extremely grateful to Jacob Gilbert for his insight and experience. Chocolate production is truly an art form, as the trick to creating a great chocolate comes through an understanding of the tempering process, where the warm liquid mix cools into a solid at a specific rate of crystallization that creates a desired texture for the final chocolate treat. The key to raw food production is to maintain the temperature below 108 F in order to preserve vital living enzymes, so I keep my temps below 105 F. The goal is to warm the cacao butter just enough to melt so that the cacao powder can be added back in for a smooth and creamy mixture, easily dissolving the powder into the butter. Recipes can vary according to taste, with a larger ratio of cacao powder to cacao butter creating a darker chocolate.

My personal recipe used all raw organic ingredients of the highest quality, ideal for creating the best quality treat, both for health (personal and planet) and flavor. I use Sunfood Nutrition's raw organic cacao powder and cacao butter along with their agave nectar for a sweetener, along with their raw organic Italian almonds. An incredible synergy complimenting the cacao is to include the superfood maca along side it for amazing energy and stamina, and I use only the highest quality grade and strain of maca, Lepidium Peruvianum Chacon, from Sol Raiz Organics. Maca is a superfood grown in the highest elevation of the Peruvian Andes mountains, with this particular plantation located above 14,000 feet, and it is an incredible part of a vital and healthy life when consumed regularly, I personally swear by the stuff daily for increased energy and health. In this recipe I added one of my favorite foods, Artisana's raw coconut butter, which I will eat by the spoonful because it is so amazing. Also in this recipe was some lucuma powder, a fruit from Peru traditionally used in their ice cream providing a creamy maple caramel flavor, a bunch of shredded coconut, and a pinch of sea salt.

Ingredients for CacaoStacks Recipe

The specific ratios pretty much come down to experimentation and personal preference, mixing the ingredients to create the desired taste and texture, but the amounts for cacao butter and powder are somewhat similar depending on how dark you want your chocolate, with agave nectar maybe half that, and small amounts comparatively of the coconut butter, maca, and lucuma, and the pinch of sea salt. Once the mixture has reached the desired taste for a final product, add in a bunch of raw organic shredded coconut, the largest quantity of any one single ingredient, and a bunch of soaked and sprouted raw organic almonds. The almonds should be soaked and rinsed repeatedly a couple days ahead of time in order to remove the phytates or enzyme inhibitors which will create a more easily digestible and lighter tasting nut. Once the final mix is ready you scoop it into whatever size treats you want by selecting that size cups or tray and then placing them in the fridge to cool. In about an hour or so they should be ready. Absolute heaven, enjoy :)

SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD :)

Happy Surfing :)

2010-02-14T19:29:00.001-08:00

Today I am celebrating the anniversary of the first day I ever went surfing. Such a defining moment for my life path this event manifested, that I feel it is worth celebrating every year, hopefully by catching some fun waves. I owe a huge thank you to my Dad and my cousin Mark, who both took me on my first day surfing and gave me countless rides thereafter to continue my all-consuming addiction, keeping the stoke and setting me up for a beautifully unexpected life course. So many amazing lessons surfing has taught me over the course of my life that I am so grateful for experiencing, I am the person I am today because of all that the ocean and nature has taught me. On Valentine's Day it is a common tradition to express gratitude and affection to those that have touched us deeply, and with that in mind I will give thanks for how blessed I am to have been able to live this incredible life! I LOVE SURFING!

Helicopter Angle Photo by Steve Knox

Little Sis Getting Bigger

2010-02-11T13:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my little sister, such an incredibly amazing human even at only 11 years of age, I am in awe at how much I have learned from her already. I love you kiddo.

Sometimes Life Gets In The Way

2010-02-10T22:02:00.000-08:00

So much going on, so much I have been wanting to write about, so many thoughts I want to share, not only for everyone else to enjoy, but because somehow the process of this blog helps me to clarify and make sense of my world through the review and analysis of daily events, allowing me to view them through the lens of a holistic perspective. But it is funny how quickly my schedule has become too busy to find time now that I have acclimated to "island time." Surf, stretch, eat, and sleep routine really does prove to be a full-time commitment. Reviewing surf and weather forecasts, virtual buoy projections, and wind direction models, then analyzing all of this information along side personal experience of which breaks will favor those conditions, and have the best potential for the best waves, and to then decide the plan for the following day takes some time. Harvesting ripe citrus from around the neighborhood or hacking into a young coconut for a meal requires some effort. And there isn't enough time in the day to do all of the stretching I wish I could do, keeping my muscles and joints strong yet flexible is a mandatory counterbalance to release tension from the taxing that all-day surf binges will inflict. Just thinking about some yoga asanas instantly calms my energy. Actually, what am I doing right now? I can't sit here, I gotta go stretch.........

My Biggest Wave Ever

2010-01-10T23:11:00.000-08:00

You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it. It's everywhere. It's inescapable. It's coming. Every forecast from every perspective says the swell is going to be HUGE. Guaranteed, for sure, get ready, time to do this, it's on.

I know everything I have done in my life up to this moment has been in preparation for this event. I know I have the necessary skill, talent, preparation, and perspective. I know I can do this, it is what I have dedicated my life to being ready for, this exact situation, this specific challenge.

So why am I still scared? Well, maybe not scared, I choose to not give my energy to fear, after all it is a four letter f-word, just like fall, and I have taken those words out of my vocabulary.

But maybe anxious is a better way to say it. I am excited, but still wary, uncertain. It is the unknowing that is killing me. My lack of experience in huge surf feels like a branding I wear across my face, a scarlet letter I cannot hide. Sure I have surfed some solid waves compared to most surfers that grew up in Southern California, thanks to over a decade of winters spent in Hawai'i, but in the real world, the world with real waves, SoCal isn't even on the map. We are hidden on the lee side of a continent, in the bight behind Point Conception, tucked in its shadow, and sheltered by the scattered offshore islands, with a big continental shelf extending out into the sea ahead of us, a scenario that prevents almost all major swell from being able to reach our shoreline with any significance. Very different from places like Western Australia, South Africa, or islands dotting the Pacific, like the one I am on right now. These places, like this Pacific Island chain here in Hawai'i, have open ocean swells marching straight onto the shallow reefs, unobstructed, with the full force of the world's largest ocean behind them. Water is moving over here, a lot of it, focusing into huge chunks of ocean that surfers here call waves. Waves that look considerably different than what I grew up calling waves.

But, nonetheless, they are still waves. Liquid manifestations of universal energy. So I know I can adapt, evolve, and expand my perspective to a greater magnitude, in order to become one with the flow, and coexist within these waves, ones that exist with exponentially larger size, power, and energy.

My good friend over here is one of the gnarliest humans I know. He grew up surfing Hawai'ian waves, and thinks the surf is flat anytime it is below double overhead. He is one of those guys that could almost be considered a madman, due to his perspective on waves being so warped compared to most of society, that very few can even relate to him. After all, insanity is defined due to its divergence from the status quo, and the waves he lives for most people would consider a death wish. But his confidence and comfort in heavy surf has helped me incredibly over the course of my life, to realize that is an available perspective to have in these types of conditions. Grace under pressure.

So when he saw the weather charts and swell forecasts, he gave me the heads up. "It's going to be on, so you better be ready." He and his firefighter/lifeguard tow parter like to tow surf the biggest waves they can find, and when he "invited" me to ride a couple waves as this swell filled in, I didn't really have any option but going.

Sleeping was a little tough last night, just because of the anticipation. So much hype on the swell, so many thoughts running through my head, a little overwhelming. Mid morning the buoy starts to jump, solid start and steadily increasing. Taking our time cruising around, having some lunch and acting like it is just any other day, I know that keeping my mind quiet is the only path. We get down to the beach and there are waves, but they are by no means huge, maybe almost double overhead, so we sit and watch the ocean for a good hour plus.

And it starts building. First the outer reefs start to show signs of life, with big swell lines pulsing up from out of the depths, marching in toward shore. The sets on the reef start to build, becoming slowly but surely bigger and more consistent. Then the outer reefs start to feather, the crest of the swells beginning to feel bottom and crumble up top, with rings of whitewater highlighting the horizon. And when the first real 8' Hawai'ian wave hits the reef, it's on. Time to get the ski prepped and in the water.

The two of them head out into the ocean and start to score some incredible waves. Big, heavy, solid waves, but still incredible, linking up amazing rides. I wait on the shore as they trade off, staying focused on the ocean, getting in sync with the sets, feeling the rhythm of the ocean and getting in tune with its timing. Now the outer reefs are breaking heavily, much bigger and much more often, and the really outer reefs are starting to awaken. It is getting BIG. The anticipation is tough, with all of the projections my mind can create about how gnarly these slabs are, how heavy the water is, and the deadly thrashing that exists in the impact zone. Staying calm (I know is the path). Excited but relaxed (is what I'm telling myself). Totally confident (I believe myself completely, right?). But this is the only way. And I know it.

It's all about perspective. Power of the mind. Cool, calm, and confident, knowing everything is coming together just as it is meant to, and I am just this one piece in the cosmic puzzle, fitting right in place. Even as the swell continues to build, the outer reefs keep bombing away with huge barrels, and the reef begins to look like a hectic cauldron of rough water, all is good. I am living in the now, and right now all is good. Even when I get out there, it is all going to be good, and if at any point that is not the situation, I will deal with it in the now, not here projecting it into the future. When I see someone pull into a heavy section and disappear, I assume they got axed, and am amazed when they pop out of the end section to finish with one last hook in the pocket. Then when they hop on the ski and it heads in instead of back out, I know I am ready.

They come in to pick me up, and we are straight back out there, for my first big wave tow-in session ever. My friends said my eyes were as big as golf balls popping out of my head, and as much as they are champion hecklers, I honestly was a bit blown away at the magnitude of the surf.

My first wave is surreal. Easily as big as the biggest wave I had ever previously ridden, that I paddled into about 5 years ago at this same spot. Taking the whip from the ski and letting go of the rope was intense, committing myself, knowing I'm going. My friend's tow board is epic, super solid and holds in really well, while still being responsive and flying with tons of speed across the face. Just getting to feel it out on this big liquid canvas is amazing, so incredible! I kick out in the channel and they come to pick me up, ready to head back up the reef for another one. My adrenaline is pumping, but I'm still just cruising. It really is just like surfing has always been, pick the right line and surf your wave.

It's all about perspective, realizing the same patterns I know extended to a grander scale, and harnessing the similarities. That is where the comfort is found, the familiarity to make everything flow as I have envisioned. All of the projections of what might happen in the future don't exist. I am here. Now. There is nothing else. There never has been, it is only illusion. My focus on the present moment makes everything simple. While the lulls occur, we sit out the back and talk like we do while watching the surf from shore, and when the sets come and waves appear, we get focused and make the most out of the opportunities nature provides.

My next two waves are a little funky and don't line up like I had hoped, so we head back out for another one. Then it comes. I knew it would. It was inevitable. A bomb set starts stacking solid black lines charging in toward us. I know it's on. And all of the anticipation and expectation doesn't even register, because it doesn't exist. Only right here, right now. Grab the rope. Get up on my feet. And go.

My friend is racing the ski along the crest of the swell and points to his left, to this gurgle of water sucking off of the shelf and starting to stand up, and I know this is it. I am here. Now. I let go of the rope, and trim back left to get over the ledge and ahead of the gurgle. I drop straight in, letting the wave face stand up in front of me, watching it continue to grow and grow, higher and higher. Then I start to think, "I might want to begin heading down the line now," and watch the wave continue to grow, bigger and bigger. I set my line and begin streaking across the face of this chunk of ocean, watching the wall line up for 100 yards ahead of me. I wondered what was going on behind me, and took a peek back at the bowl, instantly freaked out by the amount of rugged water contained in the lip detonating behind me, and told myself not to do that again. Just keep my focus on the wave face in front of me, pick my line, and make my wave. Toward the end of the big section, the wave slowed down for a second, and let me draw a big sweeping carve off the top of the face back down toward the trough, burning off some of my speed and setting me up for the end section, where I connected through kicking out once again into the channel. Peaking on adrenaline, so stoked when my friends came to pick me up on the ski, beaming like the light of the sun. Easily the biggest wave I have ever surfed in my life.

As the sun began to set, we packed up the ski and gear, and I realized how significant this experience was for me. Not just for my surfing goals, but for my life goals. All of the conjecture and contemplation, anticipation and projection, mind games and brain warps, none of it mattered when it really mattered. In the now. Living every moment to its fullest involves maintaining your awareness, your ability to remain present and focused on the current situation. The only way to know how a situation will unfold is to put yourself right in the middle of it, to test your strength and your character, by living it. I believe we will always find that actually doing something is much easier than thinking about doing something, creating obstacles and boundaries that only exist as illusions in our mind, and have no bearing in reality. Take the opportunity to take up the challenges that you believe to be the toughest, for it is in these situations where we can find the greatest learning and personal growth. Free your mind, live in the now, and become the person you know you already are.

Making our way in

Photo by Steve Knox

Even More Perfect Waves

2010-01-07T21:36:00.000-08:00

I figured it out. Today made sense of the world for me, as I was so blessed to enjoy another amazing day of incredibly phenomenal waves, having one of the best surfs ever, and witnessing so much beauty that I didn't even think about anywhere else. In regards to what I wrote yesterday, all I need to do is go to my most favorite wave, then I am captivated all day with no other thoughts to derail me. I didn't care what waves anywhere else were doing, because I was exactly where I wanted to be. So that is the lesson I learned. Decide on your favorite wave, which is subjective and will differ from person to person, and doesn't even have to be a wave, just whatever you are most passionate about. Pick your favorite wave and go celebrate it with all of your being, throwing yourself over the ledge and into the vortex and allowing it to consume you completely, finding that place where thought doesn't exist and you just live on instincts and intuition. Then the mind is at ease and contentment exists. At least that's what worked for me...

Too Many Perfect Waves

2010-01-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's just me, but I start to trip out when I think about all of the perfect waves going by unridden, all day long, everyday, everywhere. These beautiful manifestations of universal energy, conceived in a storm halfway across the globe, created by rugged storm winds that howl out across the ocean surface, until they travel thousands of miles and begin to organize into rhythmic pulses of energy, that travel until they reach some sandbar, reef shelf, or cobblestone point and explode their collected energy back to the universe in the form of one glorious, beautiful, perfect wave. I think waves possess magical energy, harnessing the culmination of this universal rhythm into a physical form that allows us the opportunity to tap into this energy and be vitalized from it's power. Waves are a beautiful expression of the natural vibrations of the universe, and with this perspective I believe they should be appreciated, as I am extremely humbled, thankful, and gracious for the incredible blessings they provide, so I choose to celebrate them by joining them for their final ride.

So when I start to think about all of the different spots that are going off at any certain time and knowing how many perfect waves are firing away, I feel like I should be there to appreciate all of their beauty, but I can't be everywhere at once. So even on days where I have a super fun session getting amazing waves, I still wonder about the waves at other spots, and wish I could be there to praise them as well. Like on an island, when the swell is pulsing and the winds are light, there are so many good spots to surf that just deciding where to paddle out is tough. The choice to go out at one spot keeps me from scoring waves at the other spots, so I have to choose wisely in order to put my mind at ease. Then the swell carries on its way past the islands over to the mainland, and even more spots and more different perfect waves are rifling away, and I start to get a little overwhelmed. That is when it reaches the point of going from so many perfect waves, into too many perfect waves. And I haven't even traveled everywhere I want to go yet, I can't even image what will happen when I add more breaks to my list. I think I might lose it...

Liquid manifestation of universal energy :)

Photo by Steve Knox

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T11:11:00.000-08:00

Such an incredible start to the new year! Dawn patrol surf sessions with a couple friends, watching the full moon make its journey across the morning sky and set off the pacific horizon, with early morning golden light liquid glass barrels, loving life!!! I want to wish everyone all the best for an amazing year ahead, filled with intention and purpose, incredible adventures, amazing experiences, and above all LOVE!!! Make the most of every second, living in the moment, being here now and appreciating this blessing of life, after all it is what you make it! Manifest positivity and turn your dreams into reality! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here are a couple of the sights I have been enjoying here in Hawai'i the last couple weeks, keeping me inspired, hope they do the same for you!

Taro Fields

Rainbows

Left points

Fruit medleys

Black taro

Island landscaping

Neighborhood streams

Bay overlook

Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T22:23:00.000-08:00

Winter Solstice is here, the shortest day of the year, and now the Sun begins its journey north, increasing the amount of light in every day for the next six months, filling us up with unlimited energy and inspiration. Choose your goals, set your intention, and tap into the omnipresent energy of the universe to manifest your dreams! Happy Solstice everyone!

Hawai'i Banana Harvest

2009-12-16T15:45:00.000-08:00

Back to the property to help clean up the zone, and collect some thick bunches of bananas. Hawai'i has the best bananas, the sweet apple banana variety and not the chalky ones everyone is used to on the mainland. They are a little smaller in size but have such a great flavor, perfect for smoothies and dehydrated in slices, and especially just solo right out of the peel. When the bunches ripen the bananas are literally falling off the stalk ready to be enjoyed, so stoked!

Banana tree going big

Banana harvest with plumeria flower guardian

Guacamole Tacos

2009-12-12T14:43:00.000-08:00

I went to my friend's family's farm and got to search around the property for some ripe organic fruit to bring home with me, and was so psyched to see the avocado varieties all going off! The avocado graveyard had shells of so many avos that had fed the chickens and the earth, and a couple freshly fallen ones ready to feed me!

One of my favorite recipes, and one that is super simple when I'm on trips where fresh produce is available, is a raw guacamole taco meal. I usually mix up the fresh ripe avocados with diced garlic, tomatoes, and a little onion, sprinkle on some cayenne pepper, sea salt, and black pepper, and hero guac is ready in minutes. There are a variety of raw options for shells, like collard greens, kale, and romaine, but I really enjoy the crunch of a green cabbage leaf. Simply cut the leaf at the base, peel it off nice and easy, and scoop in a solid serving of guacamole for your instant guac tacos. Enjoy!

Avocado harvest

Guacamole tacos in green cabbage shells :)

The Best Life Ever

2009-12-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

Right after one of the most amazing days of my life, I doubled up straight into another incredibly phenomenal day, so thankful for the abundance of love energy! While basking in the glow from the waves a day ago, the next day I went to meet up with David "Avocado" Wolfe, considered by many to be the foremost authority on raw food nutrition and organic superfoods, at his NoniLand Agricultural Research Center. I was absolutely blown away at the beauty of the landscape and variety of fruit trees covering the grounds, and in awe at the bee sanctuary they have created, showcasing a thriving ecosystem in perfect harmony with nature. I met some amazing individuals there from the NoniLand team and was treated to a tour of the grounds, with a day full of the best food ever! Along with NoniLand, Wolfe is the author of several best-selling books on superfoods, gives public seminars on nutrition and personal success, and has established numerous other programs including starting Sunfood Nutrition, the best source for organic superfoods, as Co-Founder of TheBestDayEver.com online health magazine, and as President of the non-profit Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. Truly an enigmatic personality, his passion to inspire everyone to "Have The Best Day Ever" is visible in his actions, his words, and the environment he has created. His comment during the day regarding the success with which our group was an embodiment of "Living The Best Life Ever" couldn't have been more on point.

Avocado and his angel trumpet crown

Welcome to NoniLand :)

Ra "The Beekeeper" Weisman offering me some fresh coconut water

Mixing up the elixir and straining the seeds, the most amazingly vital juice blend ever! Fresh noni, fermented noni juice, lilikoi (passion fruit), coconut water, honey, and nutmeg, so good!

Kohta gave me a sample of his raw mocha caramel ice cream, the best I have ever had!

After a trip to harvest some lilikoi (passion fruit) vine root, we came back to clean and remove the bark to add into the tincture, containing Kalalau kava, noni leaf, tumeric, and the lilikoi root.

View from the NoniLand deck overlooking the grounds with the lake and ocean in the distance

Noni, the fruit that gave this place its name

Durian fruits resting on top of one of the bee hives

Baby cacao (raw chocolate) pods

Aloe field

Tulsi, Holy Basil leading up to the house

Kava kava

Chacruna berries

Mangosteen in the nursery

Durian tree, produces my favorite food ever, The King of Fruits!

Starfruit tree

Coconut plam

Sunrise papaya tree

Avocado tree

Lilikoi (passion fruit)

Beauty Is Everywhere

The Best Surf Ever

2009-12-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

I have had some absolutely amazing surf sessions in my life, but I am pretty sure I just witnessed the most incredibly perfect waves I have ever seen with my own eyes! So thankful to have been here today to enjoy the magnificent display nature provided. I am utterly amazed and in complete awe at the beauty of nature, seeing my dreams manifested into liquid reality, so ridiculously glorious it cannot be put into words. So happy to have caught a couple myself and to see my friends catch some amazing waves as well, pure bliss! :)

Aloha :)

2009-12-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

Perfect day for a trip :)

Hawai'i Swell

2009-12-03T13:23:00.000-08:00

Checking out the surf forecast for Hawai'i it looks like one of the biggest swells in recent years is due to arrive the same day I do. I definitely have not been getting in much big wave practice here in California but I have to say I am really looking forward to getting back into some solid surf, so it might as well be straight off the plane right into the mix. Psyching!

The Greenery Raw Food Cafe

2009-12-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

I have been a fan of The Greenery Raw Food Cafe ever since they opened their doors here in Encinitas. Head Chef Chris and his lovely wife Melissa do an amazing job of providing delicious food for individuals on a raw vegan diet, those interested in healthy alternative options, and anyone looking for something new and exciting to incorporate into their diet. The cafe provides a beautiful atmosphere and serene environment in which to savor the variety of delicious selections on offer, from appetizers and salads, to drinks and entrees, and snacks and desserts. I love that they have been incorporating nightly specials into their menu as well, with so many incredible recipes it is hard to choose favorites! Some of my favorites include the house salad, the pineapple/coconut/ginger drink, pad thai, vegetable curry, pizza, lasagna, tacos, carob/maca pie, and all of the ice cream flavors! So much amazing food! I highly recommend everyone stopping by the cafe to sample the delicious selections available, located right off Coast Highway 101 in coastal Encinitas, North County San Diego. Enjoy!

Raw tacos, absolutely amazing!

Del Mar Housing Projects

2009-12-01T12:33:00.000-08:00

I have been working this week out at the Del Mar Housing Projects factory building some new mounts for the different camera housings I have built in the past. Creating the new mounts will allow me to capture some new angles and fresh perspectives of the surfing experience when used with the different cameras in my arsenal. It has been a really busy week as I have been running all over town to gather all of the items I will want for my trip to Hawai'i that is coming up quickly, and at night I have been out at the factory. A lot of work goes into the camera housing and mount production including sanding, prepping, laying up carbon fiber with epoxy resins, measuring, setting angles, more sanding, heckling, trimming, more lay-ups, dremmelling, drilling, and even more sanding. Good thing there is an awesome crew of friends out there to keep me smiling and inspired, while they put in some long hours creating the best underwater camera housings in the world. Check them out!

Erik Hjermstad, the mad scientist at the controls

Pineapple guavas, pomegranates, persimmons, and avocados, Dinner of Champions!

Sanding workstation

The workshop, where the magic happens

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

Thanks and praises to the universe for blessing I and I on this and every gloriously beautiful day, and allowing I and I to enjoy all of the beauty and wonder that is this life! I am so thankful for my wonderful family, amazing friends, and my incredibly blessed life!

Vegan Thanksgiving :)

Happiness

2009-11-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful for the incredible week of surf I have been blessed to enjoy lately, sharing perfect barrels with a couple of great friends really puts things into perspective. The police found my car on Sunday night, but unfortunately it was cleaned out of every single thing that I had in there, so I am still missing a bunch of personal items. But I have realized that even though I lost some important material possessions that they are just that, and are not nearly as important as the feelings and energies I have experienced the last few days surfing perfect waves with two close friends. Living a conscious life connected to the power of nature and in tune with its energy is a satisfaction no material possession can bring. Sure my material possessions are nice, but the ones I miss most are not just things but are tools, like my surfboard or my bamboo fins or my wetsuits, items that allow me to experience a more fulfilled life and to tap into nature's harmony. I have also realized that the more I have shared with and given to others, the more they are able to return that favor and help me out when I need it. Friends have been willing to share surf gear with me to keep me in the water, some of which I had given to them this past year, really helping me to see how everything comes around full circle. So remember to be happy and thankful for all that you do have, your friends, family, health, and experiences and don't worry about things you wish you had or think you need, everything is there when you need it when you focus on living a life filled with joy. :)

Car Stolen

2009-11-20T23:19:00.000-08:00

I am not a fan of thieves, and I think that stealing is a very disrespectful and selfish act. I was unfortunately a victim of theft today when my car was stolen around 11 am in front of my friend's house, with almost all of my surfing gear inside, along with all sorts of different personal items. But the most devastating would have to be our surfboards that we rode yesterday, my magic 6'1" round pin Channel Islands shaped by Al Merrick and my friend Homer's 6'0" squash tail M10 shaped by Geoff Rashe. If anyone comes across these boards please do whatever you can to get them returned to their rightful owners. Here are a couple of pics from the session we had yesterday shot by Guerin Myall so everyone can see the specifics of my board and recognize it if they come in contact with it. Thank you so much for helping me locate my magic board!

6'1" round pin Channel Islands w/ black Aercor glass-on fins w/ my name and Al's signature written above the stringer on the deck, team logos on the rail, OAM traction pad, and some red spray paint

Homer's Art Studio

2009-11-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite places to be in the autumn months is to spend some time in Santa Cruz, scoring the stellar weather and clean early season swells that wrap into the points and coves of this incredible town. This year I spent over a month up north hanging out and surfing with my good friend Homer Henard. We became friends back in our junior days surfing together on the US Team in the Quiksilver World Grommet Titles at Kuta Beach on the island of Bali in Indonesia. Ever since I have stayed with Homer while I visit Santa Cruz, stoked to have his knowledge of the area keeping us at all of the best spots on each and every day. Surfing may be his main focus, but is by no means his only interest, as his art has been receiving a good amount of his attention lately. The paintings he has been working on lately are captivating, showcasing his passions for both surf and beautiful women. Check out a few of his amazing pieces below.

Sunrise Slab

Elephant Trunks

Spider Woman

Dream Day

Homer and some of his artwork

Channel Islands Surfboard Factory

2009-11-18T19:56:00.000-08:00

On my way back up north this week I stopped in at my surfboard sponsor's factory to order up some new blades. Al Merrick has been shaping me the best boards in the world for the last decade and I am so thankful to be blessed with the opportunity to have his shapes under my feet. Everyone at Channel Islands is awesome, and I love taking the time to stop in and say hi anytime I can. On this trip I brought in my magic 5'11" round tail to get it scanned so a few copies can get shaped, hoping to keep this magic model in my quiver for a while. Travis Lee is not only a good friend and an awesome human being, who I am stoked to catch up on great stories with, but he has also been helping me out since day one, providing me insight on new models and relaying feedback from other team riders on which boards are working best in different conditions. It is so crucial to have the perspectives of some of the best surfers in the world on how different models are working for them in order to help me decide what shapes would be best suited for my surfing. I am so thankful to be a part of such an incredible team and to have the best surfboards in the world in my quiver! Thank you so much to everyone at Channel Islands Surfboards!

Al The Master taking a look at my magic 5'11" round tail

Anyone need a new surfboard? Great gift for the holidays!

Solid quiver ;)

Some team boards in the lobby

Slater's championship quiver. How many WCT's have been won on your shaper's boards?

Even got a fun surf in after I left the factory, stoked!

Jim Beam Surf Tag Champs

2009-11-15T18:18:00.000-08:00

The Jim Beam Surf Tag Championships took place on the south side of Huntington Beach Pier November 13 and 14 under sunny skies with fun chest to shoulder high waves. The team format is a really fun dynamic, and as there are no throw away waves all 3 rides count for each surfer, making focus and confidence valuable attributes to earn solid scores for your team. The Blue Collar Team surfed strong all event and we made it to the Semi Finals, getting 3rd and just missing out on advancing to the Final, finishing in 5th Place Overall. Team Reef continued the impressive performances they displayed in the qualifier here in the Championships, and took the Overall Title. You can check coverage of the event on Surfline. Congratulations Team Reef!

Blue Collar getting ready (L to R: Chuy Reyna, Jeremy Heit, Willie Smith, and myself)

Surfline threw me some props :)

Blue Collar Crew in the Semi Final (L to R: Chuy, Willie, Jason Bennet, and myself)

Congratulations to Team Reef!

Best Day Ever

2009-11-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

So thankful for my incredibly blessed life! I had an amazing day today, surfing super fun waves with a friend in the morning, and connecting with an incredibly beautiful soul in the evening, loving life!!!

Veggie Nori Wraps

2009-11-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite raw vegan recipes is a twist on sushi, using a raw nori seaweed sheet and filling it up with a selection of sliced veggies. You can mix up the ingredients to create a variety of different recipes, all being rolled up into a live wrap with delicious selections of flavors. I make one version using thick slices of avocado, with nut butters swiped on both sides, this one here with almond butter and pine nut butter. Then I chop up some black botija olives and sun dried tomatoes to sprinkle on the nut butters, and season with some cayenne pepper and sea salt. Then I cover the whole spread with shelled hemp seeds, and add sunflower greens and mixed salad greens before then wrapping it all up into the nori sheet. Another option I love is to replace the nut butters with my living pesto sauce, great variety of flavor for these incredible entrees. The olives and nut butters are all available at Sunfood Nutrition, and Manitoba Harvest has the best shelled hemp seeds ever. The other ingredients can be found at most organic grocery stores, such as the raw nori sheets, sun dried tomatoes, cayenne pepper, and sea salt, and the produce, including avocados, sunflower greens, and spring mix, can be found there as well or at your local farm or farmer's market. Enjoy!

Avocado, almond and pine nut butters, with diced black olives and sun dried tomatoes

Cover with shelled hemp seeds and fresh sunflower greens

Add organic spring mix, wrap it up, and enjoy!

Coldwater Classic

2009-11-09T15:33:00.000-08:00

The O'Neill Coldwater Classic event held at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, California is one of my favorite surfing events ever! I love the amphitheater setup of The Lane, allowing spectators the opportunity to be right next to the action in the water, giving them a feel of being right out in the lineup with the competitors. It also gives a better vantage point with which to appreciate the technicalities and subtle nuances of the surfing maneuvers executed by the competitors that are difficult to notice from farther away. All of this and the fact that The Lane is such a fun and rippable wave, that as a competitor being in the water with only 3 other surfers out is such a special treat. The surf this year went from small and tricky for the start of the event into double to triple overhead for the Finals, The Lane will always challenge even the best surfers into performing well in a variety of conditions. I love Santa Cruz!

Sebastian Zietz was ripping! Heat 3 Rd 48 highest heat total 18.74 and highest wave score 9.77, then scored a Perfect 10 point ride in the Round of 24, on fire!

Nat Young won the Oakley Pro Junior this year after winning the WQS Coldwater Classic last year

It wouldn't be a true event in Santa Cruz without a lady taking her duck for a walk

My favorite surfer of all time, 3x World Champion and 1990 Coldwater Classic Champ Tom Curren was a beauty to watch with his usual smooth and flowing style

Local favorite, O'Neill Marketing Director, and 2003 Coldwater Classic Champion Kieran Horn showcased some of the most impressive surfing in the event, scoring a 9.0 and 7.83 in Heat 7 Rd 16 for a 16.83 heat total

Congratulations to Nate Yeomans, the 2009 O'Neill Coldwater Classic Champion, on winning this year's event and qualifying for the 2010 ASP WCT!

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

Another really fun Halloween up north in Santa Cruz with my friends. Spent the first part of the evening handing out some treats to the kids in the neighborhood, then over to my friend Omar's house for a nice party, and then downtown to check out the unmatched scene of crazy and original costumes that Santa Cruz provides every Halloween. Great times with great friends!

King Keenan, ready to defend the castle

Zorro with his fiery senorita

Santa Cruz legend trio, Kieran Horn, Omar Etcheverry, and Homer Henard

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

Took a trip up north of town to the pumpkin patch off Coast Highway 1 to pick out pumpkins for our jack-o-lanterns. Great way to get into the Halloween spirit searching around in the pumpkin patch for the hero pumpkin to carve up and make into an epic jack-o-lantern for welcoming trick or treaters and scaring away bad spirits. We each found a nice pumpkin that fit what we were looking for to make the style of carving we envisioned, and had a lot of fun prepping them up for display on the front steps. Happy Halloween!

Ocean view pumpkin patch

Selection section

Searched it out and found my pumpkin

My friend Jack

Happy Halloween!!!

Tortoise Time

2009-10-29T15:18:00.000-07:00

Spent a few minutes hanging out with the neighborhood legend, a huge prehistoric dinosaur tortoise, while he was chilling in his yard. As a fellow vegan, I decided to share some of my pineapple guavas with him, knowing he would appreciate some nature candy. Sea turtles (and owls) are my favorite animals, so visiting with their terrestrial cousin was a fun time. I appreciate how turtles and tortoises are never in a hurry, they just take their time on an easy cruising pace as they go about their day, eating fruits and veggies and enjoying the day with no pressure, just soaking up the sun's rays and savoring some fresh air, with their house on their back allowing them to post up and hide out wherever they might find themselves. Good role models for today's society, people should take notes. Pure inspiration :)

Legend status

The Daily Habit

2009-10-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I was invited to join the Del Mar Housing Projects Team to appear on an episode of Fuel TV's "The Daily Habit" to feature some of our footage we have collected using the custom camera housings and mounts we have built out at The Projects' Secret Laboratory. The DMHP crew that went up for the filming at Fuel's Los Angeles studios included myself, Erik Hjermstad, Tyler Reid, and Anthony Walsh. They sent a limo to pick us up at sunrise, everyone at Fuel was super friendly, we had a great time on the show, and on the way home we stopped at Au Lac Humanese Cuisine, the best living food restaurant in Southern California, and possibly the world, for lunch and a secret elixir from the legend himself Chef Ito! An all-time day! To watch the Fuel TV episode click here. I hope you enjoy the footage!

From L ro R: Limo, myself, Anthony Walsh, Tyler Reid, Erik Hjermstad

Erik and I in the middle of a serious business meeting on the morning commute

DMHP Team living large

Just another day at the office

On the set of "The Daily Habit" Watch Episode

Master Chef Ito from Au Lac mixing up our elixirs

Fire In The Sky

2009-10-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

Soaking up a beautiful sunset up north, absolutely amazing!

Living Raw Vegan Pesto

2009-10-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

Pesto is one of my favorite recipes. But not the traditional recipe with cheese, I prefer a raw and living vegan mix I make which is a blend of various nuts and seeds along with fresh basil and garlic. I use a mix of pine nuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds, but the special ingredient is to include Manitoba Harvest Shelled Hemp Seed. Hemp seed is one of the best sources of complete protein (containing all of the essential amino acids), is easily assimilable, raw, vegan, and best of all delicious, and has Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) omega-6 and omega-3 in an ideal ratio for human consumption (3.75:1). For more info on nature's superfood read hemp nutrition.

First thing to do is to soak all of the nuts and seeds overnight (except hemp seeds and pine nuts) in order to remove the enzyme inhibitors and make them easier to digest. I like to keep my pesto sauce a little chunky and thick, but my usual ratio is 1 cup of each of the nuts/seeds (pine, macadamia, pistachio, walnut, pumpkin, hemp) equal to that many cups of fresh organic basil, so for this recipe 5 to 6 cups basil, approx 1 to 1 1/2 cups organic extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, half a clove of organic garlic, and 2 tsp of sea salt. Any of the above ratios are able to change based on your preferred taste, such as more garlic, less sea salt, or different nuts (almond, brazil, hazel) for a different flavor. Rinse and pick all of the fresh basil leaves off of the stems, chop the fresh garlic, and add olive oil and sea salt to the nut and seed medley in a food processor and blend.

Creating a raw vegan live food entree is simple. The living pesto sauce can be placed on top of thinly sliced zucchini creating veggie noodles for pesto pasta, or used in veggie nori wraps (recipe to come soon), for a variety of delicious meals resonating with life! Enjoy!

Ready to mix it up!

Brand New Day

2009-10-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just have to treat yourself right. Yesterday I went for a surf with a brand new setup, a new Matuse 5/4/3 Hoplite Fullsuit and my brand new 5'11" Channel Islands Surfboard shaped by Al Merrick with custom bamboo fins from 101 Fin Co. built for use with Lokbox Fin Systems. Epic day!

Matuse makes incredibly warm, comfortable, and flexible wetsuits, check them out!

5'11" Al Merrick w/ bamboo fins from 101 Fin Co and OAM traction pad

Neighborhood Fruit Foraging

2009-10-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

Fruit foraging is a valuable skill, as it not only provides a source of food, but also a deeper connection to the rhythms and cycles of the seasons. Every year I am so excited to celebrate autumn and the coming winter, with the crisp cooler air, the phenomenal sunrises and sunsets, the dwindling summer crowds, and especially the building North Pacific swell. It just so happens that this time of year coincides with blooming pineapple guava trees, an abundance of Nature's candy ripe and ready for everyone to enjoy. Despite their low key exterior, hiding inside is a bright translucent yellow and refreshing sweet-tart synergy of flavor, so incredible that the only thing keeping me from eating them all day is the inevitable lip trauma, like eating an entire pineapple yourself. The self-regulating characteristics of these treats just means that there will be plenty around to enjoy throughout the season, a perfect breakfast or after surf savior snack. Eating them reminds me what time of year it is, and they invoke that palpable anticipation created only by the approaching winter surf season.

The key to neighborhood fruit foraging is to only pick fruit that is open to taking, finding a stocked branch or two hanging out over a fence onto public property, with ripe fruits scattered around the ground. Almost always this fruit is above and beyond what the owners can manage with what lands in their yard already. Instead of letting this resource rot and go to waste, eating the fruit completes the cycle, fulfilling the potential of this food as fuel for life.

Nature Provides :)

Dream setup, corner tree with fruits everywhere

Ripe fruit ready for sidewalk harvest

Take notes, identifying leaf structure helps you know what to look for

Candyland :)

A solid 5 minute harvest will last 5 days

Nature's Candy

Jim Beam SurfTag

2009-10-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

The Jim Beam SurfTag Qualifier #3 took place on October 11 at Oceanside Harbor's North Jetty under overcast skies with a small little south swell pushing in knee to waist high waves. I was invited to join the Blue Collar Team by Chemistry Surfboards' Will Smith, to surf with fellow team mates Jason Bennett, Firewire's Chuy Reyna, and RAEN Optics' Jeremy Heit. The format is super fun, with a tag-team setup involving 5 surfers per team all starting in a box on the beach, with one hour for the sequence of riders to each catch 3 waves, then come in and tag their next teammate back in the box for them to begin their campaign. The second wave for each surfer is scored double, and all of the point totals are added to determine the team's combined score totals. Extra points are awarded for being the first team to have all 5 surfers each with their 3 wave scores all back inside the box, and having all of the surfers from the competing teams together in one area leads to all time heckles and rousting from the battling teams, classic stuff! Team Reef surfed impressively all day and took a convincing win with solid performances from all team riders. With an average effort (excluding the stellar performance by Jason Bennett dropping a 9.5 on his double scoring "Powerwave") our team somehow qualified for the Championships, taking place November 13 & 14 at Huntington Beach Pier, stoked!

Blue Collar Team (minus Chuy Reyna) L to R Jason Bennett, Will Smith, myself, and Jeremy Heit

Team Reef's winning tag, with Pascal Stansfield from previous qualifier champion team "Happy Endings" looking on, and Reef's Heath "Nutty" Walker heckling Benji Weatherley from team "Man Sandwich"

Team Reef Qualifier #3 Champions L to R: Chris Abad, Nick Rosza, Chris Waring, Sean Marceron, and Teddy Navarro

Sacred Craft

2009-10-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

The Sacred Craft Surfboard Expo took place October 10 & 11 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, bringing the craftsmen responsible for the tools of our art together in one place to collaborate new ideas, catch up with recent developments, and reminisce about the good times. It was the best vibe ever, what I imagine trade shows were like a couple decades ago, with everyone genuinely stoked to see what cool things their contemporaries are working on, and everyone being such good friends that it held a reunion atmosphere. Old friends, fresh faces, and new concepts provided a powerful dynamic that gave the whole show a picnic feel while being extremely captivating and entertaining. I saw surfing legends chatting in the walkways, beautifully crafted surfboards of all different shapes and materials, and some of the most creative new surfboard ideas and designs. Some of my favorite visions at the expo are highlighted here, keeping me inspired! I highly recommend checking out a future show if you get the chance!

Daniel Thompson's Tomo Hydrofoil 5'8" Raptor V2 w/ Power Drive Keels

Channel Islands Surfboards had one of Kelly Slater's surfboard designs, a 5'6" Wizard Sleeve

5'9" Finless Thumb by Moonlight Glassing

Patagonia's Jon Peck Jr. w/ a 5'10" Lola Quad by Danny Hess

Kasey Curtis and I w/ Custom Bamboo Fins made by 101 Fin Co. for the Lokbox Fin System

Legends Peter St. Pierre and Joe Roper

The Man behind the popular Surfy Surfy blog and upcoming surf shop, J.P. St. Pierre w/ Peter

Patagonia Cardiff's Devon Howard and Jon Peck Jr.

4x World Champion Mark Richards and surfing legend Mickey Munoz catching up in the hall

Shapers to the stars Maurice Cole and Rusty Preisendorfer talking design

Looking forward to the next expo!

Samoa Tsunami Survivor

2009-10-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

On September 29 at 6:48 am local Samoan time, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck approximately 120 miles south of the Samoan Islands, creating a tsunami that reached the islands within 15 minutes, killing at least 119 people and wounding numerous more. One of my best friends, Neil Lumsden, was surfing an outer reef when the tsunami hit. Read the story I wrote from info he told me about his hectic experience on the TransWorld Surf website. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone suffering from this tragic disaster.

Samoa Tsunami Aftermath pic by Richard Betham

Tsunami Survivors Neil and Manoa Lumsden

Neil enjoying better days pic by Tyler Reid

Fig Harvest

2009-10-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

End of the season fig harvest went down at my buddy Barry's farm, Koral's Tropical Fruit Farm, at sunset last night. He has the absolute best fig varieties ever, including Variegated Panachee, Deanna, Brown Turkey, White Genoa, Osborn Prolific, Strawberry Verte, and Black Mission, among others, all grown organically with loving care. There is nothing better than ripe figs bursting with flavor picked fresh from the tree and ready to eat, absolutely amazing!

Nature Provides :)

New Videos

2009-10-01T22:59:00.000-07:00

Just finished uploading some new videos, a collection of some amazing adventures, hope everyone enjoys watching! Look for more videos coming soon!

Video frame grab filmed by Brad Anderson

New Website

2009-09-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about the new website we have been working on, hope everyone is stoked to check it out! Thanks to Breton Carasso from Epitome Visions for helping make things happen! So amped to see everything together in one place, I will keep updating as soon as I have some new cool stuff to share, thanks for joining me on my journeys!