DON'T FORGET! Support Our Local Artists

This Saturday, Jan 24 there is the opening to the LOWBROWart: Nine San Diego Pop Surrealists art show at the Oceanside Museum of Art. This show will feature art by Scott Saw,  Mary Fleener, Charles Glaubitz, Pamela Jaeger, Tim McCormick, Scrojo, Jason Sherry, Jen Trute, Ron Whorton. Opening is from 5-7 pm, $10. The show will be up Jan 24 - May 24. Info: oma-online.org

Fin a GoGo - Everything But The Kitsch In Synch... The allegory of a surfing clown

Here is a fin piece that will blow your mind. Miss Anne took this project to a whole other level with her Fin a GoGo creation. When she called to tell me her piece was done I had no idea what to expect. She said she had been working on it for a long time, it had a lot going on and that if I didn't get over there quickly she would just keep adding to it. When I walked through the door I was blown away.  This was by far the most amazing and time consuming Fin set to date.

This fin set in all it's glory is a snap shot into the mind of Miss Anne.  Every piece laid down is special to her and has meaning. I hung out for a while shooting it and taking it in with a big smile on my face. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that a rainy day drawing with my daughter would result in this and all the art that has come to us from around the world.

Thank you Miss Anne, and thank you everyone who has participated. I really appreciate the hard work.

Hope, Change... and The Leucadia Project

Here is some art David sent over. It cracked me up. Very clever. I see the Obama stickers everywhere and now we have our own. If you want o create you own go to www.obamiconme.pastemagazine.com

More Shots from David

Here are a few that David sent over this morning from the last swell. As he combs through the thousand plus images he took over the weekend he finds these gems and passes them along. Just happy to stoke people out. 

David is a genuine guy. I can honestly say that he is down shooting pictures of his friends and people he has never met for the pure enjoyment of it. In every shot I see the passion and stoke he has for surfing. 

He has been surfing Leucadia for over 30 years now and gets the same stoke out of shooting waves as he does surfing. He often explains that getting these shots gives him the same feeling that he had when he was a kid, hanging on the beach, surfing all day. It is just a pure and fun experience.  

If you have ever been shot by David then you, like me, are stoked he enjoys it. His shots make your year and that makes David happy.  Stay happy David.  This site wouldn't be the same without your contribution. Thanks and keep on shooting!

 

Great Shots of Black's

Here are a bunch David took at Black's over the weekend. You might have noticed that he got a bunch of images on Surfline. If not, take a look.  There are a lot of great shots of San Diego.  

Canela Rose Fins age 15

Here are two fins by Canela Rose age 15.  Canela is Rodney McCoubrey's very talented daughter. She is extremely creative and known best in our circle for her singing. If you've ever seen the movie Sol Siren's by Ashley Davis, (A really good movie by the way, and produced by a Leucadian as well.) Canela sings a song so amazingly mature for a girl who at the time was only 12. With Rodney as her dad it is no wonder she has the creative gene. Good work Canela!

A Successful Weekend In Leucadia

Unknown enjoying the view.

Kirk dropping into a clean green wall.

Erik grabbing rail with composure while the rest of us sit and stare.

Perfect ending to a perfect day.

What started out as a disappointment to many who dusted off their rounded pin tails in anticipation for a huge swell ended up to be a very clean and fun swell with the most beautiful weather. The sunsets over the weekend were second to none and the waves, although they weren't huge like predicted, more than made up for it with clean and glassy conditions.  These shots give you a feeling of what it was like in the evening.  If you were out you know how good it was.

Photos courtesy of David Gray

Dave Rastafinish O'FISHL 3.5" side fin by Chris Miller

Here is the most well thought out fin we have had to date. Chris Miller and long time lover of the Leucadia rights sent me this fin and the letter below. Enjoy.

The inspiration for this came from shear boredom while cleaning my garage cabinets (while listening to Burning Spear).  O'FISHL 3.5" side fin.  I call this fin "Dave Rastafinish" in salute to these ocean users.  

Dave:  for the talented local photographer Dave Gray.
Rasta: for Rastafari, reggae music and incredible wave rider Dave Rastavich (Ed's hero).
Fish: rhymes with Vich, for O'Fishl fins and for Ed's fascination with everything Fish related.
The fin is also a reminder of my old, all-time favorite Murphy 9'-0" - always waiting for me in Guerrero, Mex.
 
I pray my surfing abilities outweigh my art "skills"!

Dugan's Memorial

Click Image to Enlarge Photos

Dugan's memorial went off beautifully today. I was honored to be there to witness it. You could feel how much love there is for a man who touched so many lives. This past week has been a blur but now that the memorial is over I can't really believe that he is gone. I really expect to see him out again. I guess that is why we have memories. Any time I want to see him, I can.

While at the memorial I got chills while watching the paddle out. It was hot, the surf was going off and the one guy who would have been drooling at this day wasn't there. Or was he? When the circle was formed and everyone had their hands together, a nice set rolled through. I could feel the energy of the moment and I could feel Dugan.

While I wasn't able to participate in the paddle I did get to spend that time taking in the energy and spending a very special moment with my daughter who is 3. As I looked at her, I thought about what type of guy I am and what sort of example I can be for her and my fellow surfers. I thought of Dugan and what he has done and felt that I had a good role model. I thank you for that, Dugan. Thank you for your lessons in life and thank you for your friendship to so many people.

Ed

Sunset Session

Erik... well, doing his thing.

Erik with a couple of nice off the lips.

Unknown but nice shot.

Unknown dragging hand.

Aaron on a nice back side wall.

David was down shooting for 3 hours today in the glaring sun to stoke out his friends. This is what he came back with. I know these guys are stoked. Thanks for the shots David!

A Day At The Beach, Leucadia Style

As I got out of the water today I was pleasantly surprised to see my friend and long time Grandview local Guy hanging out on the beach with his friend Shannon. When I walked up I was in shock by the level of comfort that he had provided for himself. I personally am lucky to get a towel to the beach.  But Guy brought a bedroom! Complete with sheet and pillows. Luckily Guy had his iPhone on his night stand so I was able to capture the moment.  If you didn't see it you wouldn't believe it. 

My ASL hat comes off to you Guy for your Leucadia ingenuity and pure love for your spot. I'd say that it doesn't get any more local then having your bedroom on the beach. Now, all you need now to do is pick up that iPhone and talk the Leucadia Pizzeria delivery kid into walking the food down to you so you can enjoy your brunch in bed. 

Llama Love Fin by Pepa Age 28

Here is another Fin from the Australian Gold Coast.  The Llama Love Fin is from Pepa Ivnoff who lived in Leucadia for years before returning home to Australia. If you know Pepa you know that she is an amazing artist and designer. I first meet her when she came to Leucadia for a holiday. She was a friend of a friend  who decided that she loved the place and moved here to work for JetPilot as a designer. From that point on she was a local. She surfed everyday and made lasting friendships with the natives.  Pep we will miss you here!

Here is the email that came with it.

hey ed!
sending you some llama love from the gold coast, i'm not a leucadia resident anymore but anne turned me on to your site and it looks great!
here's a llama fin for you....
waves have been really fun here for about a week now, been surfing currumbin alley on my fish almost every day.
warm, clear water, fun waves and lotsa sun, loving the australian summer!
-pepa

A Casper Is Coming To The Project

For those of you who get the Surfers Journal  you all read the article about the Bob Simmons board that was recreated by Joe Bauguess and lovingly called Casper. After reading about this board a back yard shaping room has been buzzing away to create a version of it. Here are a few photos from the creation process of such a board. Although the shaper, Hans Enyedi is from Newport his back yard boards have been trimming their way in the Leucadia line up for decades.  Hans, who has been shaping his own boards since the 70's, has been lovingly making seacraft for members of the Leucadia Navy.  His boards are called Flying Fish.

Hans, who is a firefighter by his day job, is a true craftsmen by passion. His attention to detail is amazing and he never lets a board go out that isn't the best he can do.  

The above board, when finished will be trimming our waters. We hope to get Erik Baldwin on it to see how it flies. 

Here is the email that came with the shots.

Ed, Thanks for the email! I started cutting on Casper today!!!! I couldn't keep myself from not touching it!!!! However, it is my interpretation of the simmons and I couldn't keep the end of the tail as full as the Hydrodynamica one by Joe Bauguess because the blank didn't lend itself to going fuller. I'm still fine tuning the template but right now it's 6'1" L, 18 1/8 NOSE, 23 HIPS, 19 TAIL, (Close to Joes' measurements.) Mine has a slight George Greenough influence on the trailing edge, very subtle arc like. If you have more curve in the template outline it will turn sharper and easier. I will get to making a exact Hydrodynamica when I get a EPS blank, and it will be 5'10". I'll send you a photo soon possibly tonight. I would love to take measurements of the Lis board if possible. I used to ride nothing but my own fishes copied after a Lis fish in High School and College. I know you are busy but I get so excited about surfing and shaping and you are another person who can appreciate my passion! Take care, get some waves, Hanso