Merry Christmas - From The Leucadia Project

Wishing you all a warm wetsuit and empty waves. 

Have a great holiday!

What I'm Watching - Seaworthy

                          

I got this new surf film yesterday called Seaworthy. It is a great film. It has everything I love. Amazing cinematography, great music and surfing.  

My favorite segment in the film is where the narrator talks about the loss of his daughter.  In the wake of the loss he talks about how surfing helped him cope. In his grieving process he shapes a quad fish that he then shoots the cast of the film riding. It is a great segment. The depth of the emotion, combined with the entertainment of watching each surfer ride this board in their own unique style, makes time stand still as you watch. 

Another great segment is the Belinda Baggs segment. If you've seen Glass Love then you remember the segment of Daize. This segment of Belinda reminds me of that. It is sort of a love letter to the beauty of women's longboarding. 

The film is by an Australian by the name of Nathan Oldfield. After watching Believe I decided to write the creator and he turned me on to Nathan's work.  For me this crew of Australian artists, filmmakers and surfers have a special quality that I find refreshing, powerful and soulful. They have a perspective on surfing and life that feels right to me.  It is about the love for the ocean and the love for the beauty of nature.

From start to finish this film is beautiful with a lot of great surfing. I got my copy for $15 at www.thesurfnetwork.com. I highly recommend it. It is the second film by Nathan. His first was Lines From A Poem. I haven't seen it yet but after this it is the next on my list.

Call For Entries - Color Your Fin - Art Project

LokBox 8.25" Keel Fin by Alia, Age 3

Colored Pen on Paper

Alia working away.

The finished piece. When asked if she wanted to color more she said, "No, it's done." and moved on to her princess drawing. 

Today my daughter was sick and stayed home from preschool.  In the morning we were doing some art projects when I got inspired. I started playing with ideas for some TLP tee designs and started tracing some fin templates.  Alia saw me, came over and started to trace her own. Here is what she came up with, complete with a signature.

So here it is the first ever TLP ART PROJECT. If  you have kids or are a big kid at heart, trace your favorite fin and give it some color. When it's done send us a photo and we'll post them. Winner of each age group will get posted.

If you don't have access to a fin but want to participate, click here for a PDF to print one.

VIEW ALL FIN ART!

Rainy Day Surf Shots

All shots are of Black's.

Photos: David Gray

Heavy Water - Road trip to Black's 12/5/07

When north county starts to get shut down David packs up and heads to Black's where, perched on the bluff,  he shoots all the action. David has been shooting Black's for a couple of years now.  If you were out when it was huge in the last couple of years, you should contact him since he has a gigantic archive. He might just have you.

When David shared these with me he sent me this email about the last shot. 

Ed, here is a little note on this last shot. That first wave in the
front is about 4' the middle wave is like 8' and that outside one is
in the OMG I'm in hell 18' - 20' range! The tide was high and between

this coming at you from the front and the bluff towering over you from 

the back at 300' wet and crumbling and the sea mist formed from these 

giant waves it was a real sight to see. I've never seen anything like it here 

in California. Big Wed. 12/5/07

Photo by David Gray

Christmas Idea... A Letter From Steve

Steve Klinski is a Grandview local and amazing ceramic artist. He sent out this letter today and I wanted to share. 

Dear friends and family,

As I was cold this week and wishing it was warmer, I realized how
blessed I am to have a roof over my head, food to eat, and warm
clothes to wear. In fact I have warm clothes that I haven't worn for
years that are in great shape still... jackets, sweaters and
sweatshirts. I've decided to go through everything and set aside
anything I don't use on a regular basis, and also try to find a
blanket or two that isn't in use. There are so many people around our
neighborhoods that don't have adequate clothing for warm weather; many
homeless that may not survive with out our help. With the economy the
way it is, there are more homeless than ever. And many who still have
a home, but can't afford to heat it. What could possibly be a better
Christmas gift than for us to find the need around us and try to help
as we can. Either find a local shelter, or contact an agency that will
give, not sell the clothes to people in need. Or check with a local
school to find if there are families in need. Or even give them to
people on the street; I'm sure we all recognize a few people that are
homeless around us.

Warm clothing and/ or blankets might be the best gift they ever
receive, and the true meaning of Christmas will actually come through.
Please do whatever you can, and pass this on if you feel like doing
so... maybe we an start a ripple effect that will make a big
difference in these tough times.

thank you, and very Merry Christmas to us all!!

Steve

Winter Solstice

Yesterday if you didn't know was Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. I've never thought much about the day in the past. I usually celebrate Summer Solstice, as I really enjoy the long days of summer.

Yesterday though it all changed. I was lucky enough to run into a good friend of mine at Beacons who was out for a walk. When I pulled up we started talking and then we both glanced out and saw some fun little waves come in. We looked at each other, both calculating in ours heads how long it had been since we surfed together and both agreed that it was good enough to call it a session.

I ran home to get my stuff and started to get sidetracked. My wife quickly reminded me that it was of course the shortest day of the year, if I wanted water time I'd better jump on it. When she said that I was almost angry at the universe. Shortest day I thought, I can't wait until I can surf until 8pm again. I brushed it off and road down to my spot. Out in the water was Bob, by himself, already enjoying a few rides. The surf was small but was surprisingly fun.

I paddled out and we started to enjoy these little rights that peeled like point breaks as they hit the inside sandbar. The two of us sat in the most amazing dusk sunlight as we took wave after wave by ourselves.

At the end of the session we walked back to our bikes and we both quietly acknowledged the turning point of what will become summer. The shortest day of the year is over and we are now slowly but surely working our way back to the longest.

Above is a shot that was sent to me by my friend Jason surfing Saturday morning. He had made the same discovery only about 8 hours earlier. He reported clean little rights with no one out.

Photo by Rob

Shots Before The Storm

Here are a few shots from the weekend before the storm. It gives you something to look forward to. I didn't get to go out that day but as you can see it was pretty clean and fun.  I'm not sure who the first shot is of but the second and third is of Henry. Dave just happen to be down shooting that day and got a bunch of shots of these guys.  As you can imagine they were pretty stoked to see these.

Birth Photos

I was digging through my archives and found these pictures of my favorite board, Binki. A 5'10" Leucadia shop board shaped by Steve Clark.  I got it in 2004. September 9th, 2004 to be exact.  I remember the day.  I had been looking for a Fish for months.  Jeff the owner let me know that he had some boards coming and told me to come in to check them out. I went down to take a look and there she was.  Jeff, who is a great guy, gave me a deal on the board and threw in the leash. I was stoked. 

About 9 months later I was riding my bike home from surfing and as I rounded my corner my foot slipped off the peddle and I flew into the air and onto my board.  Luckily I was Ok. I bit shocked, but fine.  My board, was dinged. I few days passd and I told Jeff what happened. He told me to drop off the board and he'd give it to his glasser.

Some time passed and Jeff gave me a ring. The board was fixed.  I went in to pick it up and he handed it over. I asked how much and he just shook his head.  Just take it he said.  I did with extreme gratitude.  Four years later it is still my favorite board. I've surf countless hours on it here and even was luckey enough to surf Honolua Bay on it.

Every time I ride this board I am greatful of what I have and for the crew at Leucadia.  Without these guys in your neighborhood you don't get all the things you need for your daily glide. 

Here is my thank you to Jeff and Mary who have supported their customers and friends.  I know that with the economy in a squeeze times are tough for the surf shops. If you have a local shop, do yourself a favor and them, support them. You'll be thankful in the long run and you will have friends for life.

Rescued

About 4 years ago my neighbor passed away suddenly. I didn't know him really at all since I had just moved in. I just remember him from the neighborhood.  He was one of the locals.  When they cleaned out his house they put this board out in the trash.  It is a circa 1970 7'6" McCoy single fin pintail. I stopped in shock.  It was beat up but it was still salvageable.  My dream is to have it fixed up and take it out.  For this guy to have kept this board all these years means he loved it. By the wear and tear on this board you could tell it was surfed a lot.  Now it sits but someday it will be surfed again.

North Leucadia Sunset

The other night I went over to Ponto to help Anne and Kirk out to shoot their Christmas photo. I walked up to the beach and the beauty of this image struck me.  I raised my camera on autopilot and fired off this first shot.  I took others but this first one was still the best.  Funny how instinct takes over. No matter how much time I spent trying to make it better the one I didn't even think about was the best. 

What I'm Watching - Believe

                                 

I'm a huge surf film buff and constantly looking for good films.  With the surf flat for a few more days you need some inspiration. There is only so much of this blog you can read before you need to see some video. Here is one of my new favorites that is keeping me going.  The title is Believe and it is filmed and edited in Australia.  Take a look at the trailer. The film is inspiring, you just feel good after watching it.  If you liked Glass Love you'll like this. If you've never seen Glass Love look that up as well.

For those of you who want it, I got mine as a download for $10 at www.thesurfnetwork.com

West Oz or Leucadia?

Ok,  so I wasn't in the barrel.  If I was Erik Baldwin I would have been shacked by now. When David sent me this image I was in awe by the quality of this wave. Look how beautiful it is.  If someone sent you this after you hadn't seen them for a week and they told you it was of a far off place on a great surf trip you wouldn't hesitate to believe them.  

So the next time you flip the pages of your favorite surf mag and look at those amazing waves, remember, it gets that good here too.

Photo by David Gray

In Loving Memory

Here is a picture I took of a tree that I could see from my backyard.  I loved it. Looking west at dusk I would stare at it and watch the birds hang out.  The other day it was cut down.  I was in shock.  Here is to you my friend.  You will be missed.

Photo Ed Lewis

Kookamongas

Here is another email I received from Mary Fleener. A bit of Leucadia History. Notice the Nezzy board.

Paul worked with this guy named Joe Locke who was an awesome surfer and when we took him to Avos, he was hooked, so we went there almost everyday after work. I’d just started a comic story about little tiki type men and hadn’t figured out a title yet. One day, when all three of us were out there, it was pretty crowded, so Paul sez: ”Let’s swim away from all these Kookamongas”. Presto, there was the title I would use for my new book! When I finally finished it, in 1997, it was a 32 page wordless comic that Joe enjoyed “reading “ with his two kids, and he liked the art so much, he drew the figures from the comic on his board. This pix was taken in 1999. Sadly, Joe is no longer with us. Aloha, Joe.

-Mary

Wave-aholic

Here is a shot of self admitted wave-aholic Erik Baldwin. This is a great shot of him doing what he does best. 

Photo by David Gray

Recycled Surfer

Here is some really cool art from my friend and neighbor Cheryl Sorg. She is known in the art world for dismantling entire books word for word and then reassembling them into huge spiralled panels that read from the center out. Check out her site. What she does is amazing and beautiful what she does.

The pictures above are of two pieces she did for her husband, an avid Beacons surfer. The first one is called "Kinds of Blue". It's made of magazine paper, 1 1/2-inch squares cut from images of waves and water from surf magazines and stuck together with clear tape. This one is approx. four feet by nine feet!

The second one is Untitled. It too is out of magazine paper, the same 1 1/2-inch squares cut from images, this time of the ocean at sunset from surf magazines and clear tape. This one is 20" x 20".

When I started to do The Leucadia Project I asked her to share these. I've had the pleasure of seeing them in person and they are amazing. I love the fact that they are created from surf magazines.

Avo Street Painting

Here is an email I received from Mary Fleener, Avo Street local and renowned cartoonist/artist/musician.

Hi Ed- thought you'd like this....in the 90s', during the comic con, my friends Kevin and Kathi Altierie used to stay here for a day of surfing and dinner downtown before they had to go back to LA. Both worked in the animation business and Kathi is a well known background painter who has worked for Disney and Dreamworks. She got into plein air oil painting, so one day she took her kit down to Avos and this is the result. This year was 1994. Nice, eh? It's also only 6 by 8 inches!

-Mary

Oceanographer Steve

Here is a guy we owe a lot to as ocean lovers.  Steve Reilly is a Grandview local and was one of the head guys at NOAA.  He worked for them for about 30 years. First as a kid out of college who had a dream of being able to work with the ocean for a living. Then as the guy who sat in meetings with world leaders fighting for our ocean's rights.  While he was employed he had an office that overlooked Black's and a board that sat in his office with a thick coat of dust on it. Steve had become so good at his job that he never had time to surf anymore.

About a year ago that changed.  Steve retired. He did his part to save our oceans and now it is his time to enjoy them.  Here is my tribute to Steve.  He gets my respect as well as set waves for sacrificing so much for something that means so much to us all.

Photo David Gray

It's OK to Do Nothing

Sometimes a basic trim job does the trick. Sometimes we get so caught up in our turns that we forget how nice it is to sit back and enjoy the feeling of glide on a long open face. Here is my tribute to those moments when you just relax and realize it's OK to do nothing.

Photo Ed Lewis

One More of Matt

I really like this shot of Matt Dawson.  Look at how much speed he has out of the turn. It's one thing to have spray like that on a big day.  Another when it is small. It just shows how much power he has.

To Err Is Human. To Air Is Super Human

Here is a shot I really like.  It is one thing to punt airs but to do it on a fish with this much style is another. Here is Matt Dawson making it look easy.

Photo David Gray

Budding Surfer/Artist

Here is one of my favorite possessions. It's a drawing that was given to me for my birthday by this 6 year old surfer. He is a great kid. One of the most surf stoked groms you will ever meet. Look at the style he has. I love the fact that while the rest of us are so focused on the set waves, he is having the time of his life in a foot of water.

Photo by David Gray

Leucadia Local - Lauren Tolford

A goal of mine is to feature the artists/surfers in Leucadia.  Here are a few paintings from Beacons local Lauren Tolford.  She is extremely talented.  Great painter and graphic/apparel designer.  I got to work with her this summer on a project and it was a pleasure to get to know her. If you ever get to surf with her it is a lot of fun to have her around.  Very stylish and mellow. A good combination.  Look for more surf shots of her later as we catch her in the water.  Photos by Erik Baldwin

Keeping The Fire Stoked

Here is a set to keep you going on a blown out day.  The first shot reminds me of Tom Carrol. That top turn is classic power surfing. Photos David Gray