Mick Waters

Here's a shot of our good friend and Aussie filmmaker Mick Waters having some fun on the other end of the lens. Enjoy.

Glasser Needed

Paul Belitz needs help glassing his wood fish. He built this one himself and wants to glass it himself. Anyone who has some glassing skills with wood boards and would like to get paid to walk him through the process please contact Paul .

Vote Korduroy TV

If you love homemade, homegrown, surf stoke then show your love for Cyrus' contribution to the blog world and vote Korduroy TV in the finials going on right now on Surfer.com.  

Vote for Korduroy TV in the Finals of Surfer Mag's Battle of the Blogs.

Oh Snap

Photo by David Gray

Brian Lam's New GoPro Handplane

Our friend Brian Lam over at TheScuttlefish.com ordered up a red orca for his quiver. Brian is a NorCal Ocean Beach local and plans to get some barrel pics with this bad boy and his GoPro HD.

If you've never seen  TheScuttlefish.com site check it out. Brian is a lover of the sea and is gearing up to inspire ocean lovers all over the world. He has the background to do it, being one the authors of Gizmodo.com. 

While you are on the site look at the video of a rover saving a sword fish stuck in a deep water oil rig. Unbelievable! http://thescuttlefish.com/2010/06/29/robot-saving-a-swordfish/

Global Basecamps

EcoCamp Suite Domes, Torres del Paine, ChileEcoCamp is a lodge consisting of large dome shaped tents which designed to maintain the nomadic spirit of the ancient inhabitants

Greystoke Mahale, Lake Tanganyika, TanzaniaGreystoke Mahale is wilderness lodge on a beach along the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika that also sits next to a national forest.

Mekhala Curuise ThailandMekhala is a collection of three restored rice barges that provide the setting for overnight journeys between Bangkok and Ayuthaya

Chumbe Island, Zanzibar, TanzaniaChumbe Island is a coastal retreat consisting of bungalows and is located in a nature reserve.

It’s amazing who you meet in your own neighborhood. My neighbor Sebastian Riedel is a founder of a really cool sustainable travel company called Global Basecamps. It’s a Leucadia company that  specializes in locally owned boutique hotels and off-the-beaten path lodges all over the world.  They are eco-minded and all their properties and private tours are totally sustainable.

These guys are cool because they are all travelers themselves and know the inside scoop on where to go and what to do.  Check them out. Give a Leucaida company some love.

http://www.globalbasecamps.com

Staycation: The Channel Islands

Mysto right hander that breaks into a death slab.

 

Devon making in look easy.

Jason left, Scott right and Dad doing the driving.

Devon stoked as usual.

Caves galore

Devon's Dad going for a cruise.

Night at sea.

My friend Devon Holloway, her fiancé Scott, Devon’s Dad and their friend Jason all set out for a boat trip last week. Not to a far off sea but to our own proverbial backyard, the Channel Islands. Personally I have never been and really had no clue what they were like. But after seeing the photos she sent me I was amazed by the adventure they had in a not so far off place.

Check out her blog for more info on the trip. Enjoy.

http://web.me.com/devonholloway/The_Mermaid_Chronicle/Chronicle/Entries/2010/7/2_Straycation.html

Summer fun

A few from last year's freak summer south swell.

Photos by David Gray

Summer Fun on the 101: A Festival of Surf Music

Only a few days left to help support a festival of surf music here in town. Donate as little as $1 to kick the vent off but a total of $2500 is needed to pay for the bands and get the party started. If you want  to see this event happen click here to make a pledge.

I Love Performance Shortboards

They make amazing handplanes. 

Thanks to Dom Di Pietro for the donation. These will go to good use.

Erik Baldwin and his Hydroflex

Here's a cool shot of my friend Erik on his 5'5" Hydroflex keel fish. It's a board designed in Germany that is EPS/Epoxy, stringer-less and has an air valve that lets you control the flex. 

I have one now that I have been riding and really like it. It is ridiculously light. I mean you pick this thing up and it almost feels like it isn't there. The rails are really full, which I like, and has tons of float. The one I'm riding is a 5'7". The light weight lets me do foam climbs really easy and these tail slide cut backs that I usually fall on but with it so light I can get it back under my feet. 

For a fish it is really more of a performance type of board. It rides like a fish but you get a more lively feel under your feet.

If you want to demo these or fondle them yourself, stop by Nirvana Surf Shop in Cardiff and talk with Erik. www.nirvanasurfboards.blogspot.com

Photo: Sam from Transworld Surf

New Handplanes Up For Grabs

Fresh off the glassing stand and ready for some barrels. Contact us if you enjoy tube rides and perma-smiles.

A few moments for ya

Photos by David Gray

Grain Short by Mick Waters

Mick  is a good friend of ours and one talented filmmaker. Here's a short he did for Grain of Johnny Abegg, Nick Chalmers, and Matt Cook of a couple of Grain Waka Fish boards that got shipped to Australia.  Enjoy.

Snap, Barrel, Snap, Barrel

Photos by David Gray

Dawn Ellenwood - Denslow

My friend Dawn is amazing. She inspires me to no end. There are people who do a few things for the environment and charitable causes and then there are people like Dawn who do everything for the environment and charitable causes. She is the queen of all things eco and charitable.

She owns the Ubuntu Hair Studio in Solana Beach. Ubuntu is an Ethiopian word which means "I AM Because We ARE." Ubuntu is unique. It has been saving hair for oil spills long before the Gulf spill, it sells and support charities like 31 bits which employs woman who were displaced by the war in Uganda, Project 7 mints who's sales go to save the planet, Nika water which has a carbon neutral footprint, tees which when bought will fund a tree to be planted and on and on. She also has a worm farm which all food scraps go into to produce fertilizer for her plants and it is a no tip Solon unless you want to tip and then it goes to charity!

Dawn, your business model is great and I applaud you for making a difference whenever you have the chance. You're all about helping others and doing the best you can for your customers and the environment. We need more businesses like you. Thank you for all your hard work!

http://www.ubuntuhairstudio.com/

It's The Little Things That Make Me Happy

Photos by David Gray

Handplane Love'n

(Click for larger image)

Here's what some broken boards and a little love looks like. These two are for sale at Surfy Surfy. Hurry though as they aren't lasting long. If you want a custom let us know as well and we'll gladly make you one.

Fresh rescued boards are being made into these fun little bundles of resin tint goodness every week so don't be shy, contact us , and we'll send you over pics to see if you'd like to take one home to meet your wife (or husband) and kids. Believe me they'll be stoked.

Don't forget to save us those broken boards AND your old tea bag wetsuits. We need those as well.

Thanks to everyone who has supported this project. We can't tell you how stoked we are to meet everyone and to do something this fun with trash! It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Enjoy!

Thanks again to GoPro for all their support! If you want a GoPro version of our handplanes just let us know.

Summer Soul

Photos by David Gray

Local Lucas Foster - Finished 4th NSSA Longboard Nationals

I've known Lucas since he was one. He was my next door neighbor.  I watched him grow up and his dad and I would wonder if he'd get into surfing or blow it off since "the old man did it". It can go either way.  

Well, he's all grown up and the guessing is over. He likes to surf. I was so stoked to hear that he did so well at the NSSA finals this last weekend. He is just a freshman so he has plenty of time to work his way up to number one. His dad couldn't be more stoked. He loves the events and is a self proclaimed "Stage Mom". 

Not only can Lucas surf but the kid is a genius. He gets great grades and is on the debate team. When he was 5 or so he would beat grownups online in world domination strategy games. 

Now that the contests are over he is on to the next thing, shaping. He, his younger brother Logan and his brother's best friend Sean Turbeville (all under 14) are starting to shape. They are stoked on it. They are under the guidance of one of Lecuadia's long time shapers John Turbeville. John made boards for me for years and I still ride them. He's stopped production shaping and is now stoked to teach the kids how to do it. 

Lucas, it has been a pleasure to watch you grow up, my friend, and do so well in life and surfing. Keep it up!

Finn Reed

At only 15 months old, Finn Reed, might be our youngest TLP fan yet. He had his TLP tee at just a few months old and now they can't get him out of it. Here he is practicing his approach to the nose on his dad's Murphy. Look how focused he is! Nice style Finn, you'll be out there soon I can feel it.

Thanks Rob for sending in the shot!