The Talented Chris Del Moro

Such a nice weekend! I was out walking with my wife and took these sunset photos with my iPhone. Cell phone cameras have come a long way.

Movie of the Week - Seaworthy only $6.99!

If you don't already own Seaworthy now is the time to buy it. It is currently the movie of the week at www.thesurfnetwork.com  and is listed for only $6.99. Nathan did a great job on this film. It's one of my all time favorites.

Home Made Alaia - By Dom De Pietro

My friend's son Dom has been busy making his own Alaias in his backyard. This is actually his third. He got Cyrus' Tom's Plantation Creation  a while back and has been on a mission. His first two were made of pine until he got to ride one of his friend's Paulownia powered boards. After feeling the float of the Paulownia he went up to see Jon Wegener to score a blank for his next board. 

Dom is a ripper on foam boards and it will be fun to see him dial this board in. 

Dom with Paulownia blank purchased from Jon Wegener

Cut it out. 6-4

Outline inspired by the Peanut model.

Sanding the tapered rails and concave

Ready to ride after two coats of boiled linseed oil.

Mobilize Your Board Bag

www.korduroy.tv

Have you ever looked on with envy at the guy pulling a wheeled board bag in line next to you at the airport?

Does your wife or girlfriend surf and you get stuck holding the bag?

Is your current board bag still good but you just don't have the budget to upgrade?

If so then we have something for you!

Check out the new Korduroy.tv segment on mobilizing your board bag and convert that old bag into a new wheeled model. Thanks to Cyrus Sutton and Jack Chellemi of Kordury.tv there is now a segment on how  to do it yourself.

It's fast. It's easy. It's eco-friendly and... it's free. (Well sort of free if you don't already own some of the stuff needed.)

The idea of this conversion came after my friends Kirk and Anne borrowed my bag for their first couples surf trip. Kirk, seeing the writing on the wall, knew he was doomed to lug that thing around.  To make his life easier he made a strap on wheel system to save his back. After seeing that I devised a way to permanently mount my own skate trucks to my bag so that I can forever roll with ease through the airport in style.

The result was great and you wouldn't believe the heads you turn.

(Note those are my original, circa 1986 Independent trucks!)

Watch it, learn and upgrade your old bag to a new first class wheely bag today.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all our friends. Thank you for hanging out with us over the last year. You are the reason we do this!

Side note on this shot. This is actually a "Blue Moon" i.e. the second full moon of the month. This was shot Dec 30th in an amazing place called Three Rivers. This shot is amazing to me because, one, I've never been able before this shot to get a clear shot of the moon. Two it happened after going on a quick hike, stumbling onto a small statue of a Buddha in a moss covered glen, deciding to take a moment of silence in meditation and then opening my eyes to see this view between the trees. Truly a once in a Blue Moon shot. Enjoy.


Ed

Power Surfer-Taylor Knox

Local Surf Art - by Micaiah Hardison

My friend Micaiah has come back to what he loves. Wave Art.

Micaiah is one of my favorite local artists. When I was just out of collage and started living on my own I met him when he was 18 and bought my first painting from him a year or two later. He was completely self taught and insanely talented. My first painting was of Pipeline from the water. I've featured it here before. It's one of my most loved possessions. Everyday I look at that painting and get lost in it.

Over the last 13 years Micaiah has grown up, traveled the world, gotten married, got a dog, had kids, lived in other countries and has now landed back in our neck of the woods again.

In the last 5 years he took off from doing wave art to study more traditional techniques of figure, portrait, still life and landscape painting. His work has been amazing but, I have admit, I've been missing his wave paintings.

Now he is back at it again and with a purpose. Micaiah always has something cool up his sleeve and now he is focused on the water again and doing paintings like these. These two are from the last couple of swells. He shoots photos on good days to help him capture the lighting and specific shape of a typical spot and then selects his own color from memory. They are beautiful.

Micaiah, I'm so stoked you are back at it again, filling peoples spaces with amazing wave goodness. The world is a better place.

Look for more work by Micaiah. He will be in the water this year doing plenty of "Research".  Check out his site or contact him for when he displays. www.MicaiahHardison.com

Driftwood and Surf Wax Shark by Chris Miller

Chris Miller and his drift wood, wax and leaf shark. I have to admit it put a smile on my face. Great work, Chris! I really dig the leaf tail fin. Very creative. I think having one for Rodney's  Fish at your house has really inspired you.

For your efforts you score a brand new Wax Buddy . But you have to come up and surf with me to pick it up.

Merry Christmas - From The Leucadia Project and Juan Flores

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good swell.

Thanks to Juan Flores for the image above. We featured Juan a while back. His work really inspires me. www.jfloresw.com 

Some More Fun WIth Recycled Art

My friend Rodney has been at it again. This time around he used old corks, jewelry and "trash" to make these really cool figures. Very fun.

The thing I like about Rodney's work is that when he's done with a piece they always seem to have a their own little soul. Each one takes on this living personality and they always seem to look back at you. It's amazing.

Great job Rodney. Thanks for sharing.

Merry Christmas From - The Wax Buddy

Greg from the Wax Buddy has done it again. He sent me a whole new box of wax buddies. This time around in their cool red color. If you don't already own one now is your chance. They make perfect stocking stuffers for favorite surfer as well. If you want a buddy just send me a shot of your dirty wax creation and it is yours. (You need to be able to pick it up though. Sorry!) THANKS GREG!!!!!!

Pelicans

I don't know about you but I love to watch pelicans surf. The way they ride the wave down the line right at you and then veer away at the last moment. They are so beautiful.  Here's a shot I really like by David that shows them in action. Enjoy.

Christmas Lights

There's something about painting with Christmas Tree lights that gets me inspired. These are from the tree lighting event in Solana. Every year I find myself making these photos. They get so abstract and beautiful. I love how the color flows and I just get lost in them. Enjoy.

Chris Miller Enjoyed Empty Waves this Weekend

My friend and fellow blogger Chris Miller enjoyed some empty lefts over the weekend. He was so stoked he sent me a photo to rub it in.

If you don't know Chris, he is one of those guys you love to surf with. He is always game to go out and has a good vibe in the water.

Thanks for rubbing it in Chris! Nice little shot as well.

Not sure who the photo is by but thanks!

JP Marengo

A while back I was at Murphy's and I met JP while he was picking up a new board. JP loves his barrels and his Murphy's. Here are a few shots of him in action.

Photos are from JohnSlavin.com

Dirty Wax Christmas Tree - by John Cappetta

John Cappetta sent in this tree. It made me smile. Thanks John.

John you get a WaxBuddy for your efforts. Merry Christmas!

Wait... one more from the other day

Last weeks swell shots

Erik's New Board

Erik had a new board shaped by Roy Sanchez. It's a 5'7" quad/thruster made from a double stringer blank that was headed to CI for Kelly. Erik did the air brush himself which I am really digging. I can't wait to see him ride it.

Good Bye Ken MacDonald You Are Missed My Friend

On December 3, 2009 my friend and 30 plus year long resident of Leucadia left us. Exactly 30 years to the day he meet his lovely wife Linda. Amazing how that worked out.

I got to see Ken two days earlier. He was under hospice care and wasn't unable to speak or move.  I talked with him about surfing, I showed him pictures in one of his Surfers Journals and turned on the Eddie for him. When he saw the Eddie on the screen his eyes sparkled. He watched it for 10 hours straight.

The next day the surf here was pumping. Ken and his family watched it from their house as the energy from that swell he watched made it to his home break. There were dolphins playing and it was a magical day. That evening, Linda, her brother and Ken's sister threw him a party. They played the music he loves and stayed up with him until 2am. The next morning they loved him and held him as he left.

I want to say that I stayed strong as I was told this and didn't shed a tear, but I can't. He had a good fight and he went out with love, respect, good music and a swell. What more can you ask for?

I am going to organize a paddle out for Ken. Please contact me if you want to celebrate Ken's life.

Please comment below as you wish.

Ed

Grain Promo with Johnny Abegg by Mick Waters

I found this video on the Grain site. I love it. Good job Mick!

California dreamin' on such a winter day!