janggolan

Rip Curl Girl

2012-01-31T12:29:00.000-05:00

Lowers

2012-01-31T12:20:00.001-05:00

Palm Beach

2012-01-31T12:18:00.001-05:00

Secret Spot

2012-01-31T12:15:00.000-05:00

East Coast OZ

2012-01-31T12:12:00.000-05:00

Michael Scott Moore

2012-01-29T13:10:00.002-05:00

LA Times "Pirates in Somalia have kidnapped a well-known travel and surfing journalist from Manhattan Beach." via KTLA

'Michael Scott Moore was taken hostage on Saturday, just days before two aid workers, including one American, were rescued from their Somali captors in a U.S. military raid. Moore holds dual U.S. and German citizenship and was living in Berlin most recently.

'He became interested in writing a book about Somali pirates and went to central Somalia to do some research, KTLA News reported.

'He had previously traveled to Africa to write a series of articles on the same subject.

'Moore was en route to an airport when 15 men in two SUVs kidnapped him.

'The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying it was concerned about Moore's safety.

'"We are aware of news reports that a U.S. citizen has been kidnapped in northern Somalia and we are concerned about the individual's safety and well-being," the State Department said in a statement.

'"We have been in contact with the individual's family and we are working with contacts in Kenya and Somalia to ascertain further information."

This just in...

What to try for a snack after surfing in Iceland...

2012-01-29T12:54:00.003-05:00

Wall Street Journal "Among the most hard-core variants of fermented food is the Icelandic delicacy hákarl." By RACHEL HERZ

'Hákarl is made from the Greenland shark, which is indigenous to the frigid waters of Iceland. It is traditionally prepared by beheading and gutting the shark and then burying the carcass in a shallow pit covered with gravelly sand. The corpse is then left to decompose in its silty grave for two to five months, depending on the season. Once the shark is removed from its lair, the flesh is cut into strips and hung to dry for several more months.

'Hákarl has a pungent, urinous, fishy odor that causes most newbies to gag. An extremely acquired taste, hákarl was described by the globe-trekking celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain as "the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing" he had ever eaten.'

Tim Davies

2012-01-29T12:49:00.000-05:00

Atlantic Slab Session from Tim Davies on Vimeo.

Volcom Day 1 Cancelled

2012-01-29T12:41:00.002-05:00

ESPN '"The conditions became uncontestable and unsafe. We had to call it," said Contest Director Marty Thomas, who made the right call with the swell building much faster and bigger than anticipated."' By Ross Williams

'It was the kind of day you absolutely dread when your name gets called to check in and get your jersey. Pipe is scary enough at six to eight feet, but when the Volcom Pipe Pro was called off at around 10:30am after consistent third reef bombs began washing through and smashing "warriors" like little ants as they unloaded on the first reef, the fear level reached new heights. Ultimately, only a handful of heats would be run in the trying conditions.

'By mid day people were surfing small Waimea and other outer reefs with sets up to 15 feet Hawaiian scale. Don't ask me what that means. Probably 20 foot faces? When the waves reach this size on the North Shore it shrinks the number of surf spot that are actually ridable to two or three. Pipe gets unruly at the 12-foot mark and with all the energy of a building swell behind it, the spot gets down right ugly.'

...too much wave

2012-01-29T12:37:00.001-05:00

Surfer Today "Waves hitting the 15-to-20 foot range hit the 2012 Volcom Pipe Pro, in the first day of competition at Banzai Pipeline, Hawaii."

'In three hours of big wave surfing, there were injuries, wipeouts and hairball rides to be registered.

'Kauai's Stephen Koehne, the top-scorer of the day, ended up with a gruesome gash to the knee that could well see him out of the water for weeks. Regular Pipeline chargers Mark Healey and Tom Dosland took the wipeout beatings of the day, and Pipe specialist Dave Wassel was the overall standout.

'"I pulled into the barrel and next thing I knew I just got shot in the knee by my board," said Koehne. Resident Doctor Leiland Dao said it was a serious injury that required 20 stitches or more to three layers: muscle, fascia and skin.

'"I was in his heat but I didn't see it happen," said Wassel. "But I saw his leg afterwards. It doesn't look like he'll be walking for a few weeks, let alone surfing. The hole is huge. Lucky it was his leg and not his head.'

...dizzy watching this

2012-01-28T11:28:00.000-05:00

Imperial Beach shark alert

2012-01-28T11:23:00.001-05:00

beach blog "Here’s one to creep you out just as we get ready for a ton of surfers to get in the water with swell on the way." by Laylan Connelly via OrangeCounty.com

'A great white shark up to 18 feet long was spotted off Imperial Beach in San Diego on Tuesday morning, prompting lifeguards to post a warning to surfers and swimmers, according to the Associated Press.

'The non-profit Shark Research Committee checked out a photo someone took and determined it was a great white estimated to be up to 18-foot long.

'Here’s more from the report:

'Lifeguard Capt. Robert Stabenow says a group of surfers standing at the end of Beach Avenue saw dolphins scatter and a shark dorsal fin appear at about 9 a.m. Tuesday. The shark was about 150 yards offshore.

'Stabenow says the photograph confirmed it was a credible great white sighting and he hopes surfers stay out of the ocean for a few days.'

Mount Shasta

2012-01-26T17:43:00.001-05:00

LA Times "Mt. Shasta, a 14,162-foot peak often tinged in pink alpenglow and topped by lens-shaped clouds, long has elicited awe." By Lee Romney

'When John Muir first caught sight of it, "I was fifty miles away, afoot, alone and weary," he wrote in 1874, "yet all of my blood turned to wine and I have not been weary since."

'A tale written a few years later by a teenager from Yreka, just northwest of the mountain — a story of advanced beings living in a crystal city beneath the mountain — cemented Shasta's otherworldly reputation.

'The mountain has been touted as the site of an energy vortex that allows passage into the metaphysical dimension; the birthplace of a spiritual foundation whose adherents believe they can ascend to the eternal realm; and a hot spot for UFOs that hide in the clouds and enter the mountain's core through mystery "portals."

'Newer to the repertoire are sightings of Bigfoot (the word serves as both singular and plural, like fish and sheep), believed by some to conceal themselves by passing into a fifth dimension.

'"Mt. Shasta has always had a spiritual drawing, but it's getting more and more popular," said Karen Anderson, a supervisor in the town's visitors bureau, who estimated that a fourth of the area's tourists come for that reason.

'To assist seekers from around the globe, the bureau's website includes a list of energy healers. Shops carry crystals for the "spiritual pilgrim." Drop-in channeling sessions are held each Sunday at a spiritual center. Guides lead soul-cleansing treks up the mountain in all seasons.

'Among them is Ashalyn, as she is known. Her Shasta Vortex Tours also offers spiritual journeys into Telos, the sparkling refuge said to lie beneath the mountain, inhabited by lanky beings who fled the sinking continent of Lemuria 12,000 years ago.

'Pins on a map in Ashalyn's office mark her customers' home countries: Japan's cluster is the densest, as Mt. Fuji is thought to be Shasta's sister sacred mountain. Russia, Latin America and China show more recent activity.

'Although nonbelievers abound here — as Anderson said, "We're a normal town. We have a hospital. We have a grocery store" — a number of them have seen things they can't explain.

'In 2008, the Mount Shasta Herald reported that five people claimed to have witnessed a jellyfish-like craft that hovered noiselessly over neighboring McCloud, with what appeared to be a fire raging inside it.

'"I really don't believe in flying saucers," lifelong resident Dick Cary told the newspaper, "but I do know that something weird was happening."'

Swimsuits 2012

2012-01-20T16:08:00.001-05:00

Tarp Surfing

2012-01-20T15:48:00.001-05:00

CBC News North "Instead of hunkering down indoors, a group of people in Aklavik, N.W.T., are beating the winter and blizzard blues in an unusual way."

'They’re using tarps and sleds to go wind surfing.

'Neil McKee, who is a teacher in Aklavik, checked out the action a few days ago.

'"The wind was really whistling because of the blizzard that was going on, and they got on the toboggans or their little plastic sliders, and they had a tarp tied up in front of them, and they were just waiting for the wind to catch it. It didn’t take long, and it just sent them flying,” he said.

'McKee said all people need to go tarp surfing is a sled, a tarp, a safe, flat area and a little muscle power.'

Yallingup Surf Film Festival

2012-01-20T15:46:00.001-05:00

Farm Weekly "YALLINGUP will host two days and three nights of independent surf films and filmmakers this weekend for the annual Yallingup Surfilm Festival."

'Tourism Minister Kim Hames said the festival would host screenings of inspiring, independent short and feature length surf films from around the world.

'“Scenic outdoor venues in Australia’s South-West will offer spectacular settings, as movie-goers enjoy world-class films under the stars,” Dr Hames said.

'“Yallingup is arguably one of Australia’s most famous surfing regions, so it’s only fitting that it plays host to such a unique surf film festival.

'“Regional events are important as they provide significant economic, social and cultural benefits to the community, as well as increase the region’s profile through media exposure.”'

Surfer Tebows

2012-01-20T15:44:00.000-05:00

"His surfboard also was confiscated."

2012-01-20T15:40:00.001-05:00

Chicago Tribune "Police said they got a call about 5 p.m. about a man in the water off the Oak Street Beach. When they got there, they said, they didn't find anyone in trouble, but they did find Rex Flodstrom, 40, on his surfboard."

'The Chicago Park District website says "lifeguards are no longer on duty and swimming is discouraged at all beaches." The 2012 beach season is scheduled to begin Friday, May 25, on Memorial Day weekend.

'Flodstrom, of the 200 block of East Delaware Place, was arrested and ticketed for surfing over 50 yards from shore, unlawful presence on a closed beach and jeopardizing the safety of others on the beach, all city violations, police said.'

Shark kills

2012-01-20T15:38:00.001-05:00

Dispatch Online "A PORT St Johns surfer died yesterday after being attacked by a shark at Second Beach." by SIYA BOYA and MSINDISI FENGU

'The 25-year-old man who cannot be named until his next of kin have been notified, was surfing, and has been described by those who were at the scene as brave.

'A bystander at the beach said there was blood everywhere and that he had never seen so much blood.

'Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the young man from the Thombo area sustained severe injuries to his chest and arms after fighting off the shark with his surfboard.'

Shark bites

2012-01-20T15:27:00.002-05:00

Sydney Morning Herald "A surfer dragged from his board and mauled by a two-metre shark was circled by the predator as he tried to make it back to shore." by Kim Arlington and Sam Rigney

'Glen Folkard, 44, known as "Lenny", is in a stable and lucid condition in John Hunter Hospital today after being attacked while surfing off Redhead Beach, south of Newcastle, yesterday afternoon.

'More than 100 people were in the water when the shark attacked. Witnesses in the surf said Mr Folkard was lying on his board about 20 metres from a large group of surfers when the shark struck about 4.40pm.'

Rabbit Bartholomew

2012-01-19T21:47:00.001-05:00

Monaco

2012-01-19T20:25:00.000-05:00

Where's Sancho_Monaco from Pietro l.f on Vimeo.

Is this Joey eating the world?

2012-01-19T15:36:00.001-05:00

Lightning over Africa

2012-01-19T15:31:00.001-05:00

Mission Status Center

2012-01-19T15:24:00.001-05:00

spaceflightnow on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

Mission Status Center By Justin Ray

Spaceflight Now's live coverage of the Delta 4 rocket launching the WGS 4 military communications satellite. Text updates will appear automatically; there is no need to reload the page.

Pirate FM on Newquay body

2012-01-13T13:02:00.000-05:00

Pirate FM "Police hunting for a missing surfer confirm a man's body has been found in Newquay."

'A walker made the grim discovery at Tolcarne Beach this lunchtime.

'Oliver Doy's family has been told, but detectives say the man has not been identified and are keen to stress that the inquiry is still ongoing.'

Body found on Tolcarne Beach in Newquay

2012-01-13T13:00:00.000-05:00

BBC "A dog walker discovered the body next to rock pools at Tolcarne Beach, Newquay, at about 12:45 GMT, police said."

'The body has been taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, in Truro.

'Police said the family of missing man Oliver Doy had been contacted, but the inquiry was continuing and no formal identification had been made.'

Oliver Doy's cell searched for by police...

2012-01-12T13:56:00.001-05:00

Atlantic FM "Missing surfer's mobile phone activated." via Tom Matthews

'Police in Newquay are asking anyone who may have found a black samsung phone in the town since the 7th of January to contact them urgently.

'It's believed to be the phone of missing 26 year old surfer Oliver Doy.

'The phone has been activated on Wednesday 11th January and police are desperate to speak with the person who has operated it.

'He was last seen leaving a nightclub and walking with an anonymous male and two unknown females near the cinema in Newquay in the early hours of Saturday.

'Please contact police on either 101 quoting log 572 07/01/12 or crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.'

Oliver Doy still missing...

2012-01-12T13:52:00.000-05:00

BBC "Detectives in Newquay searching for missing surfer Oliver Doy have said they want to speak to anyone who may have found his Samsung mobile phone."

'Devon and Cornwall Police said they had traced activity on the mobile in the Newquay area on Wednesday.

'Mr Doy, 26, from Hook, Hampshire, was on holiday in the Cornish resort and has been missing since the weekend.'

Miami Beach ready for surfing

2012-01-12T13:49:00.001-05:00

Surfer Today "The Miami Beach surf ban has been lifted, on the 11th January 2012."

'After a strong and united complaint, the Floridian surfing community may again hit the waves of the city's beachfront.

'Surfers, kitesurfers, windsurfers, bodyboarders and other paddleboarders had been limited to the southern tip of the beach, a measure which was very unpopular and unfair.

'"We’re conscious of the fact this was not handled appropriately and that surfing has always been allowed in Miami Beach," Commissioner Michael Góngora said.

'A very large number of protesters had invaded the City Hall carrying messages against the system and against the rule that strongly restricted wave riders in the main peaks of Miami Beach. Jetty Beach and First Street Tower were the only spots allowed for riding waves.'

Longboarder Kibblewhite wins

2012-01-12T13:46:00.001-05:00

North Harbour News "Surfer Thomas Kibblewhite gave an ominous indicator of form ahead of the national surfing championships by winning the Hyundai Tour opener in Raglan." by KERRY GALLAGHER

'The event was one of five on the tour and Kibblewhite, from Red Beach, looks in a good position to defend his national title at Piha – an event which doubles as the second leg of the Hyundai Tour.

'This time last year Kibblewhite won the national title in Dunedin and showed his class again in the open men's longboard event at Manu Bay in Raglan on January 8.

'Kibblewhite made a strong start and built on that to post 16.07 out of a possible 20 points in the final.'

"The first Chinese surfer is surfing today in an ASP event, [and] that sounds like a pretty good start."

2012-01-12T13:42:00.002-05:00

ESPN Action Sports "The inaugural ISA China Cup, part of the Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival presented by Quiksilver, is in the books ... make that, the history books." By Jon Coen

'When first announced several months ago, the concept of throwing a joint ISA/ASP event in China could very easily have been conceived of as a publicity stunt ... after all, it's been done before. But with Team Australia winning ISA gold in the first of the two-event contest series, some things have come into a little more clarity. The number one question was if there are actually waves in China. For three days now competitors have enjoyed peeling lefts in the waist- to shoulder-high range on the palm-lined shores of Hainan. Surfing now exists in China.'

Gerard Butler describes...

2012-01-11T20:20:00.001-05:00

"Family and friends of Mr Doy have turned to social networking site Twitter..."

2012-01-11T16:44:00.004-05:00

This is Plymouth "Oliver Doy, 26, was last seen during the early hours of Saturday in Newquay and police say they are increasingly concerned. He was last seen shortly after midnight leaving Sailors nightclub, walking near the cinema with a man and two women who police have yet to identify." via Western Morning News

'They say no identification has yet been made on any of the potential witnesses, and they are still appealing for these people to come forward as they may hold vital information to Oliver’s movements on the night/morning he went missing.

'His driving licence was discovered on a beach and although his mobile phone could not be found investigations showed it was still in the area.

'Family and friends of Mr Doy have turned to social networking site Twitter to try to find him. According to Mr Doy’s Facebook page he also studied at Cardiff University and has been an NHS healthcare assistant since 2005. His family are believed to come from Hampshire.

'He arrived in Newquay with two male friends on Friday and was due to stay in a hostel before going surfing on Saturday. On Saturday morning one of his friends posted on Facebook that they had been out but Mr Doy and the other friend were “nowhere to be seen”.

'Tom Taylor wrote on Saturday at 11.42am: “Passed out on some decking outside the hostel for a bit, got woken, woke up hours later in the hostel, Richard Good and Ollie are nowhere to be seen.”'

Re Oliver Doy: 'Dave Bulley, coastguard station officer at Newquay, said: "You never give up hope. We just have to keep on looking."'

2012-01-11T16:30:00.002-05:00

This is Cornwall 'A "LOWLIFE" thief broke into a coastguard's car and stole his wife's handbag while the couple were risking their lives searching for a missing holidaymaker.' via Cornish Guardian

'Andrew and Katherine MacCreadie, who both volunteer with the Newquay cliff rescue team, made the discovery at around 5.30pm on Sunday after a five-hour search.

'The exhausted pair then had to spend the night cancelling credit cards and changing the locks on their home.

'Mr MacCreadie, 45, reckons the culprit may even have targeted the base at Treloggan Industrial Estate knowing that coastguards would leave their cars there before joining the search, which was featured heavily on local radio stations.

'He said: "I'm absolutely disgusted that someone could have done this.

'"You'd have to be a lowlife. They must have known there was a search going on – it was all over the news."

'Fears continue to mount over the whereabouts of 26-year-old surfer Oliver Doy, from Hampshire, who was last seen leaving Sailors nightclub in the early hours of Saturday morning.

'It is understood he was on a six-day holiday at the resort with two friends.

'His driver's licence was found on a town centre beach, sparking fears he may have gone for a night swim or surf.'

CCTV images of Oliver Doy released by Cornwall police

2012-01-11T16:14:00.002-05:00

BBC "Police said they wanted to speak to a woman and a small group of people who were all captured on the footage."

'A spokesman for the force said they were becoming "increasingly concerned" for Mr Doy as time went by.

'He urged members of the public to be vigilant when out walking on the beaches or coastal paths for clothing or personal items which may be linked to the surfer.

'Mr Doy had been working as an NHS healthcare assistant after having graduated from Plymouth University, and was in Newquay on holiday with some friends.

'Police hope this woman [at left] may have seen Mr Doy and urge her to contact the force.'

Pirate FM on Oliver Doy

2012-01-11T16:07:00.002-05:00

'The family of a surfer missing in Newquay plead, "Come home Oliver."'

'Police say they are getting worried about Oliver Doy, who disappeared on Saturday night.

'The 26 year old was last seen leaving a club with two women and a man.

'Friends have launched a campaign on Twitter to try to get information about where he is.

'Officers are also urging anyone who has information to get in touch.

'Mr Doy's driving licence has been found on a beach, after his night out drinking, prompting fears he may have been swept out to sea.

'Acting inspector James Honeywell said, "The Cornwall Search and Rescue crew and the coastguard have been deployed throughout the last couple of days and are still searching now, along with the force helicopter, the coast path in the area. Obviously it is a possibility that he may have taken a fall."'

Police have released photos of type of clothes Oliver was wearing:

plus plain grey, zip-up sweatshirt with hood

Surfer Oliver Doy missing...

2012-01-10T22:14:00.002-05:00

BBC "Police say they are increasingly concerned about a 26-year-old surfer last seen in the Cornish resort of Newquay two days ago."

'Oliver Doy, from Hook in Hampshire, was last seen walking with an unknown man and two women near the town's cinema early on Saturday.

'Coastguard rescue teams and a lifeboat were called to search for Mr Doy whose driving licence was found on a beach.'

Revisiting Long Beach

2012-01-10T14:22:00.002-05:00

Newsday "Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for Quiksilver to bring its pro surfing competition back to Long Beach." By AISHA AL-MUSLIM

'Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) urged Quiksilver chief executive Robert McKnight in a letter sent Wednesday to re-evaluate the decision and include Long Beach as a stop on the 2012 ASP World Title Series.

'"I am deeply disappointed," Gillibrand wrote. "I hope that together we can work to put this event back on the schedule, offering Quiksilver an ideal location for the competition and opening up additional economic opportunities for the greater Long Island region."

'The Association of Surfing Professionals and Quiksilver -- which sponsors part of the pro surfing tour, manages competitions and associated festivals, and coordinates with host cities -- announced last month the Quiksilver Pro New York contest would not return to Long Beach this year despite being scheduled for Sept. 2-14. The $1-million competition would have been one of 11 world title contests, along with those in Fiji, Hawaii, Brazil and elsewhere.'

"How mainstream can surfing be before losing its soul?"

2012-01-10T14:17:00.002-05:00

Guardian '"I haven't been in the water for a week," smiles 26-year-old Ori Matas, wrapped in a black wetsuit, as he shivers past me to the car park above. "I was hungry."' by Patrick Kingsley

'In the summer, surfers stuff Newquay in Cornwall, the capital of Britain's wave-catching community. Today, the first Tuesday of the new year, it is empty. Only hardcore surfers such as Matas have stayed to brave the chill. With surfwear long absorbed into conventional high-street fashion, and surfer slang indistinguishable from mainstream diction, diehards such as him remind us that the sport is, at its extreme, a wonderful eccentricity.

'But for how much longer? Starting this year, professional surfers are to be drugs-tested before major competitions, thanks to regulations announced in November by the sport's governing body, the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). For some, this move sounds the death-knell for a pastime that, according to cliche, has long been associated with the underground.

'"Part of its appeal is that it is counter-cultural, marginal and in some way subversive and that's where the association with drugs comes in, whether real or mythic," Andy Martin, author of surf book Stealing the Wave, told the Guardian recently. "But the commercial imperatives require [surfers] to be straight. How mainstream can surfing be before losing its soul?"'

Raditya Rondi

2012-01-10T14:09:00.002-05:00

Jakarta Globe "Indonesia’s Raditya Rondi has started the year on a high, winning the Asian Surfing Championships Tour opener at Desaru Beach in Malaysia on Sunday."

'Raditya, who won the ASC overall title in its inaugural season last year, beat Mohd Nazrin of Malaysia in the Monsoon Mayhem International Surf Challenge after 25 minutes of battle in the final.

'The Maldives’ Abdullah Areef finished third, while another Indonesian surfer, Gilang, took fourth.

'The surfing conditions on the final day lived up to the “mayhem” moniker, with 3- to 4-foot waves closing out on the inside sandbars and rain squalls blowing in and out. Conditions improved for the Men’s Open finals, allowing for a thrilling finale to the three-day competition.

'Raditya was all smiles back on the beach after the final, pleased to be starting the 2012 ASC tour season with a win.

'“This is my first time coming here to Desaru and it’s been lots of fun, so to take the win today just caps it off,” the 22-year-old surfer from Bali said. “It’s a great way to start off the year.

'“We were really lucky that conditions got better in the finals, with the wind all but stopping, so it got pretty good which made it easier to find a couple of nice waves. It was also cool to see all the Malaysian crew again, as I really enjoy surfing with these guys here.”

'Meanwhile, 13-year-old Annissa Flynn of Thailand took the Women’s Division win on Saturday. She was the youngest of the women finalists, who included runner-up Nur Herwani from Malaysia, third-place finisher Michaela Partin from the United States and Brenda Lee from Malaysia in fourth place.'

Gerard Butler update...

2012-01-09T11:44:00.002-05:00

Daily Mail "'The waves just took me in, and I couldn’t get up. It was pretty hairy. It was maybe of of the few times that reports were not exaggerated,' he revealed." By Holly Thomas

"It appears that the experience hasn't put him off his favourite sport however, as he continued: 'I was actually in the ambulance and wanted to go back, which was a little crazy. But [surfing is] pretty addictive.'

"Gerard explained how life imitated art in the accident, which almost exactly mirrored a scene from the film.

"'In the movie, I put in a scene about a 'two wave hold down', when you are down for so long that the next wave comes over before you get back up, and that's what happened to me.' Gerard explained."

The Wedge generates something else...

2012-01-09T11:35:00.002-05:00

LA Times "A pair of Newport Beach entrepreneurs have been testing a wave-powered turbine near the famed bodysurfing spot for years and have now approached city officials for permission to set up a more permanent prototype, possibly off one of the city's two piers." By Mike Reicher

'But because of strict regulations and high costs, Mark Holmes and David New, partners in Green Wave Energy Corp., say it will be a long time before their generators can be used for commercial purposes.

'The prototype generator is a roughly 20-foot-long fiberglass cylinder that looks like a large vertical propane tank that would float on the water's surface.

'Such cylinders would be tethered to the ocean floor and connected to one another, forming a long line perpendicular to incoming waves. Theoretically, they would ride up and over the passing waves, which would spin the turbines and produce power.

'This "wave farm" would be connected to a transistor onshore through a cable, which could be buried.

'One cylinder could generate about five kilowatts — enough to power an average household — in 7-foot swells. Holmes said harnessing ocean waves is far more reliable than solar technology, as wave generators don't have to contend with such inconveniences as overcast skies or nighttime hours.'

more here

Paddle Out for Sean Collins

2012-01-09T01:28:00.003-05:00

LA Times "Hundreds of surfers from around the world paddled Sunday not for swells but for calm waters where they circled up to pay tribute to revolutionary wave forecaster Sean Collins." by Lisa Girion

'The surfline.com founder died of a heart attack at age 59 on Dec. 26 in Newport Beach. Collins transformed the sport by developing a technique to forecast ocean swells.

'Surfers worldwide monitored surfline.com, and his forecasts were so respected that they were used by lifeguards, surf companies, television and movie crews, and even the U.S. Coast Guard and National Weather Service. The site gets 1.5 million hits a month.'

36 degrees in Rockaway

2011-12-31T00:42:00.002-05:00

"Annie Woods' 36 Degrees is a web-series that shows a part of the amazing surf culture that surrounds New York City. If you take the A Train past JFK, till it’s end at the Far Rockaways, you will find a little slice of California a stones throw from New York City. The 36 Degrees series will tell the stories of those who defy all stereotypes, and support a little known urban surfing culture that is Rockaway Beach.

"The coming episodes will take you into the lives of several surfers, from designers to artists and photographers, and allow you a peak inside what it is really like to be an East Coast, New York surfer."

More here

Steven Kotler

2011-12-31T00:24:00.002-05:00

June 1, 2000 GQ Magazine The Surfing Rabbi by Steven Kotler

"The Surfing Rabbi calls it a gladiator pit, this famous roil of surfers, and their California playground. A right breaking point where the waves just roll in machine perfect in their curve, in their shape, in their lore. People come from all over to surf here and how blessed lucky is the Surfing Rabbi—it’s his home break. Where he surfs everyday, where he surfs everyday especially in October. Because October means swell: head-high, tight, sharp, powerful. People come here then for the California sunshine and the legendary Malibu waves. God bless Malibu: the home break of the Surfing Rabbi.

"October means big storms churning in deep ocean and the crash of bigger waves reaches down the long arm of California, reaches Malibu, where the water’s warm and the sun shines and the locals don’t mind company. So there you are—not twenty-five miles from LA—where you can paddle out on your own or take a few lessons with the Surfing Rabbi. Where you can mend your soul and still make it back to Hollywood for happy hour."

More here

Tanner Gudauskas

2011-12-31T00:15:00.000-05:00

Stuck on a boat Pt II. Tanner Gudauskas from Tanner Gudauskas on Vimeo.

North Shore, Dec 2011

2011-12-31T00:12:00.000-05:00

CI team in Hawaii from Sean Lesh on Vimeo.

Unreal tubes...

2011-12-31T00:07:00.001-05:00

Marc's Journal #10 from FMG on Vimeo.

Dane in the air

2011-12-31T00:01:00.001-05:00

Dane Reynolds Moments from Quiksilver Australia on Vimeo.

Kelly, Mr. Unreal!

2011-12-30T23:50:00.000-05:00

The Good of the good-bad-ugly of 2011

2011-12-28T11:25:00.002-05:00

The Inertia Carissa Moore by Tetsuhiko Endo

"Watching the next big thing turn into the current big thing is a rare and wonderful thing. Even more so when it’s done with grace and verve, like Moore has done it. Let’s hope Stephanie Gilmore gets back on form next year and Sally Fitzgibbons keeps improving, then we’ll see what the women’s tour can really do."

SURFER SCIENTISTS

2011-12-28T11:09:00.002-05:00

Monterey Herald "Between sets of waves, surfer Tanya Novak sits on her board and takes in the world around her. She watches tiny crustaceans swimming in her cupped hands. She speculates about what species they are before setting them free. When the wind picks up and shifts south, she wonders if a storm is brewing out to sea." By MARISSA FESSENDEN

'Most surfers, the good ones, are intimately tuned to their environment, monitoring the swell and searching for the best waves. Novak's attention goes beyond that. She is a graduate student at Moss Landing Marine Lab who this month will earn a master's in physical oceanography from CSU Monterey Bay.

'"I'm picking off pieces of algae and rubbing them in my fingers," she said. "Just constantly noticing my surroundings, constantly in that science brain because that's just a part of who I am."

'The science brain makes Novak rare among surfers. But couple that with her gender and she is even more unusual.

'Surfing and science are historically male-dominated scenes. Many surfer-scientist women must push against misconceptions and stereotypes in key areas of their lives.

'"I felt like I was representing all women," Novak said, recalling how nervous she felt learning the ropes as a marine sciences researcher and the only woman in a group of technicians securing heavy instruments to moorings. "I thought, I better be able to 'man-up' to these physical requirements."'

Santa Barbara and Ventura

2011-12-28T10:52:00.002-05:00

Surfwire '"That's the thing about this area, it offers so much," says Chris Malloy, who along with his talented brothers, grew up just inland (Ojai) from the vast surfing playground. "It has so many beachbreaks and pointbreaks, but you have to take the time to figure it all out. There's so much water coming out of the [waterways] and Ventura River, it teaches you how to be in tune with what the sand is doing, and if you're on it, if you know the sandbars, you can get a week of surf before anyone else figures it out."' By Chasen Marshall

'On its best days, the stretch of coastline from County Line up to El Capitan is about as diversified as California surfing can get: heaving Ventura sandbar barrels, 300-yard Rincon rights from The Indicator through The Cove, secret (and not-so-secret) North County pointbreaks, big wave reefs and peaky beach breaks--sometimes all breaking at the same time.

'But during those days, weeks, and sometimes even months without swell (especially during the summer when those damn Channel Islands block just about anything resembling a south swell) to be an everyday surfer you'd better have a fine-tuned meteorological sense, a set of reliable wheels and a willingness to go mobile.'

RIP Sean Collins

2011-12-28T10:48:00.002-05:00

NPR Two Way "Sean Collins created a way for surfers to learn about where the best waves are just about anywhere in the world and in the process became a legend in the surfing community. Monday, at the age of 59, he died." by Mark Memmott

'Thanks to Collins and his website, the Register says, "surfers who once aimlessly searched for waves ... now had information readily available to predict the best windows for waves."

'Peter 'P.T.' Townend, surfing's first world champion, tells the Register that "we've all ridden more waves because of Sean Collins. It's that simple."

'Surfline says it now receives nearly 1.5 million "unique" page views each month.

'Collins was inducted into the Surfers Hall of Fame in 2008.'

"Surfers from across the world are all set to converge in Odisha early February"

2011-12-28T10:39:00.003-05:00

Indian Express "The festival would be covered internationally with surf movie companies from Bali and Spain filming the entire event along with internationally-renowned surf photographers taking the beaches and waves of Odisha to new shores."

'The first ‘India Surf Festival’, a three-day affair organised by Surfing Yogis, who introduced the sports to this part of the world only a year back, will get underway on Ramachandi beach along the Puri-Konark Marine Drive on February 7. It is expected to draw over 70 surfers from India and abroad.

'The festival, aimed at identifying surfers in India and unifying them under a single umbrella, would feature both soft and pro-surfing events. It has already attracted international attention with over 24 surfers from Singapore, France, Italy, Spain, Morocco and Brazil confirming their participation.

'Along with the members of Surfing Yogis, two surfers of the State who have received training and gained expertise--a local community boy Pratap Singh and a pilot turned avid surfer Spandan Banerjee would be joining the fray.'

Mystery writer was first British surfer...

2011-12-28T10:35:00.001-05:00

Guardian "At a time when many of her contemporaries were chugging cocktails in Blighty, Agatha Christie was paddling out from beaches in Cape Town and Honolulu to earn her surfing stripes." by Sam Jones

'Research by Pete Robinson, founder of the Devon-based Museum of British Surfing, suggests Christie and her first husband, Archie, may been among the first Britons to learn how to surf standing up.

'The thriller writer's surfing safari began after the first world war when Archie was offered the job of helping to organise a world tour to promote the British Empire Exhibition, which was to be held in London in 1924.

'In January 1922, the couple left their young daughter in the care of Agatha's mother and sister. They arrived in South Africa in early February and were soon introduced to prone surfboard riding on Muizenberg beach.

'Christie noted her observations of the sport – and reactions to the odd wipeout – at the time, writing: "The surf boards in South Africa were made of light, thin wood, easy to carry, and one soon got the knack of coming in on the waves."'

"I never experienced a hot Christmas," she said. "[But] I love that I have my tan going on."

2011-12-24T23:46:00.001-05:00

Orlando Sentinel "For the surfers and everyone else, this December has been much warmer than last year's, when temperatures dropped near freezing for seven nights around Christmas and the high on Dec. 24 was only 67, according to the National Weather Service." By Eloísa Ruano González

'David Jordan and his family traded in their Christmas tree for palm trees and shorts.

'For years, the family has spent Christmas in Orlando — far from their home in chilly Philadelphia. Part of the reason is Walt Disney World, said Jordan, who was wearing a small Mickey Mouse earring. But a lot of it is the weather, which has been pleasantly warm this December.

'"I gave up all the presents to come down here," said Jordan's 18-year-old son, Damian.

'On Saturday, father and son slipped on life jackets and boarded personal watercraft at the Buena Vista Watersports near Disney World.

'They weren't the only people spending Christmas Eve outdoors. While much of the nation settled into winter — albeit a mild one in most places — people in Florida were out doing many of the same activities they could have been doing in June.

'Abby Cozzi, a staff member at Buena Vista Watersports, said Christmas Eve and the day before are among the busiest times at the business during the winter.

'Buena Vista was expecting around 70 customers on Lake Bryan during those two days — people eager to take advantage of the weather and go jet-skiing, canoeing, wakeboarding, water skiing or tubing.

'A lot of customers come from Europe and the northern United States, including New York and Pennsylvania, she said. They come to get away from the cold and enjoy sports they couldn't do up North now, such as water skiing, said Cozzi, who moved this summer to Central Florida from Pennsylvania.'

Surfing Santas on Cocoa Beach

2011-12-24T23:38:00.000-05:00

"I feel like people have more fun when there are girls in the water."

2011-12-24T23:35:00.002-05:00

Santa Cruz Sentinel "Novak has noticed that the same thing happens when more than one woman joins a group of mostly male surfers bobbing in the ocean, waiting for that day's perfect wave." By Marissa Fessenden

'Between sets of waves, surfer Tanya Novak sits on her board and takes in the world around her. She watches tiny crustaceans swimming in her cupped hands. She speculates about what species they are before setting them free again. When the wind picks up and shifts south, she wonders if a storm is brewing somewhere out to sea.

'Most surfers, the good ones, are intimately tuned to their environment, monitoring the swell and searching for the best waves. Novak's attention goes beyond that. She is a graduate student at Moss Landing Marine Lab who this month will earn a master's in physical oceanography from Cal State Monterey Bay.

'"I'm picking off pieces of algae and rubbing them in my fingers," she said. "Just constantly noticing my surroundings, constantly in that science brain because that's just a part of who I am."

'That science brain makes Novak rare among surfers. But couple that with her gender and she's even more unusual.

'Both surfing and science are historically male-dominated scenes. So many surfer-scientist women must push against misconceptions and stereotypes in two key areas of their lives. The pressure that results shapes their lives and their attitudes.

'"I felt like I was representing all women," the 28-year-old Novak said, recalling the nervousness she felt learning the ropes as a marine sciences researcher and the only woman in a group of technicians securing heavy instruments to moorings. "I thought, I better be able to 'man-up' to these physical requirements."'

Shark having a little Xmas nip...

2011-12-24T23:33:00.001-05:00

Daytona Beach News-Journal "An Oviedo man was nipped by a shark while surfing in New Smyrna Beach this week." By CHRIS GRAHAM

The man, identified by authorities as 27-year-old Will Futato, was bitten about 12:30 p.m. Friday near the Beachway Avennue approach, said Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Tammy Marris.

Futato suffered a minor laceration to one of his ankles, was treated and released at the scene and continued surfing, Marris said.

Authorities were unable to determine what type of shark bit Futato. Friday's incident is the sixth reported shark bite in Volusia County this year, with five of them occurring in New Smyrna Beach, officials said.

Ryan Burch

2011-12-21T15:12:00.000-05:00

If da Pipe don't broke your ass maybe one of these bras will...

2011-12-19T23:11:00.002-05:00

The Australian "Acrimony between locals and the visiting pro-tour circus is as old as the pro tour itself. As the 2009 movie 'Bustin Down the Door' documented, the local Hawaiians were violent towards visitors as far back as 1976." by Fred Pawle

'The scuttlebutt goes like this: Hawaiians TJ Barron and Makua Rothman had a disagreement in the water recently, and took the confrontation to the beach, where, according to rumour, Barron got the better of Rothman.

'Rothman and his dad Eddie later visited the house occupied by the Billabong team on the beach at Pipeline, looking for Barron.

'Nobody denies that a confrontation ensued. Australian Billabong spokesman John Mossop and Hawaiian contest director Randy Rarick both confirmed to me that the rumours of an altercation are true.

'However, Rarick also confirmed that Billabong’s US marketing manager, Graham Stapelberg, stepped in as pacifier, warning both surfers that a wrong move could affect their sponsorship contracts. (Barron is sponsored by Billabong; Rothman is sponsored by one of its subsidiary labels, RVCA.)

'Hawaiian Kamalei Alexander, a local who was employed as a commentator for the Pipe Masters . . . declined to comment. But a friend standing nearby grabbed his phone and yelled down the line: “For sure bud, we Hawaiians been getting ripped off for a lot of years.”'

"There's no denying that September's Quicksilver Pro New York did not go exactly as planned."

2011-12-19T23:01:00.002-05:00

WSJ Online "The surfing competition that brought international attention—and some unexpected controversy—to Long Beach in September will not be returning in 2012, as initially planned." By PIA CATTON

'The event sponsored by the retail brand Quiksilver was the first time that the Association of Surfing Professionals had made an East Coast stop. Quiksilver had a three-year deal to host the Long Island tour stop, but the brand approached ASP with a request to withdraw from the 2012 event, ASP spokesman Dave Prodan said.

'Mr. Theofan said he did not suspect that the events of 2011 led to the withdraw from 2012.

'He estimated that when the surfing competition did go forward, it drew about 5,000 people during the weekdays and 10,000 people during the final weekend.

'The lack of the festival portion—which sparked a local petition effort that failed—was a challenge for some local businesses that expected much larger crowds.

'"They had nothing to draw the people here," said Chris Tsiropoulos, manager of the Avenue Cafe. "Five-thousand people is like grains of sand on Long Beach. We get 90,000 people in the summer."'

Nathan Fletcher in Tahiti

2011-12-19T22:46:00.002-05:00

LA Times "Now I can be myself," he said. "I'm not who I am because of my family. I did my own thing." By David Wharton

'Driving along the southern coast of Tahiti that day, Nathan Fletcher saw things he had never seen before.

'The waves broke so big and hard that seawater crashed through berms, surging inland, scattering bits of coral across the road. Villagers pedaled their bicycles out to watch.

'Down at Teahupoo beach, a big-money contest with Kelly Slater and some of the best surfers in the world had been put on hold. Government officials had declared a "code red" for safety reasons.

'"Nobody wanted those waves," Fletcher said.

'Nobody except him and his brethren, two dozen or so fanatics who specialize in riding monsters. Tipped off by the forecast, they had flown from various spots around the globe to gather in this remote town at the base of lush, green mountains.'

Gerard Butler almost killed at Mavericks

2011-12-19T22:41:00.001-05:00

Mirror "Actor Gerard Butler was rushed to hospital after escaping death in a surfing stunt, it was reported yesterday." By Simon Boyle

'The 42-year-old British star was trapped underwater after being hit by a succession of waves while filming in California.

'He has been shooting Of Men and Mavericks based on the true life story of a tragic young surfer Jay Moriarty.

'Butler has been training all summer on the coast to recover the six-pack physique he developed for 300.

'The accident happened at Maverick’s, the infamous Northern California surf spot south of San Fransisco.

'Butler who plays the role of champion surfer Rick “Frosty” Henson, was caught in a 12ft swell [on sunday] when he was hit by a freak wave.

'He was pulled from the water onto a jet ski and then brought to shore helped from the water and taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.'

"Jones -- known as 'Jonesey' to other surfers -- is one among...50-to-100 surfers undeterred by the chilly waters off Kodiak"

2011-12-15T14:14:00.004-05:00

Alaska Dispatch "It felt like all the bad things that could happen, happened at once" by Craig Medred

'Offshore from Kodiak Island in the middle of December, the wind, current and tide conspired to provide Alaska surfer Scott Jones a starring role in a U.S. Coast Guard video. He's the hooded guy riding in the rescue basket rising below a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. Jones didn't plan it that way.'

Surf Alaska by Scott Dickerson

Large Irish Waves

2011-12-14T19:51:00.003-05:00

Sky News A surfer has been pictured riding one of the biggest recorded waves ever to hit Irish shores.

'Jayce Robinson was photographed catching the major Atlantic swell at Mullaghmore Head, which produced waves of up to 67 ft.

'The daredevil dislocated his knee - and his board snapped in half - during his efforts on Tuesday.'

Pipe Masters 2011--dedicated to Andy Irons

2011-12-11T10:15:00.001-05:00

Grind TV "The most anticipated match of the event was between 39-year-old Kelly Slater, the 11 time world champion, and his 19-year-old protege, John John Florence of Hawaii." By Chris Mauro

'Florence, an ASP rookie, was born the same year Slater won the first of his six Pipe Masters crowns back in 1992. The famous wave breaks roughly 100 yards from John John's bedroom, and he started braving the ferocious conditions when he was 8. By the time he was 12 he was appearing on the cover of Surfer Magazine. Slater, meanwhile, has spent a good portion of his career surfing in Florence's backyard, and has played a big-brother role for years.'

Interview with John John Florence

2011-12-04T12:12:00.002-05:00

Liquid Salt --"What brings you the most happiness in the world?" --"Getting barreled." by Glenn Sakamoto

'John John Florence grew up in Haleiwa, right on the beach in front of Pipeline with his brothers and surfing Mom, Alexandra. John John was surfing Pipeline regularly before the age of 10. In 2005 at only 13 years old, Florence became the youngest Pipeline and Vans Triple Crown competitor ever.'

Wallace J. Nichols

2011-11-18T14:43:00.003-05:00

Outside Magazine "During one lecture at Stanford, Nichols implored graduate students to remember that, as conservationists, 'we have the power of happiness on our side'."
By Michael Roberts

'NICHOLS DOES THROW a hell of a conference. This past June, for his Bluemind Summit, which he billed as a gathering that would “forever link the studies of mind and ocean,” Nichols wrangled a remarkably eclectic mix of neuro-nerds, greens, adventurers, futurists, artists, a video-game inventor, a high-end realtor, and one very gnarly big-wave surfer to the Academy of Sciences for a marathon day of presentations. The lineup alone demonstrated Nichols’s flair for making science both relevant and accessible.

'Early on, Eric Johnson, a nattily attired realtor with Sotheby’s, cited the premium people are willing to pay for a water view. “We can see the storms or pirates approaching,” said Johnson, noting that wealthy owners of high-rise apartments are automatic environmentalists because “clean, clear water keeps property values up.” Marcus Eriksen, a marine scientist known for a 2008 crossing of the Pacific in his Junk, a raft made primarily of plastic debris, discussed our basic biological reasons for living on the seashore: lots of food and few predators. Ocean activist Fabien Cousteau noted that humans and whales share the mammalian reflex, which allows us to stay underwater for long periods without breathing, while Maverick’s surfer Jeff Clark talked about his learned ability to sense things like the presence of sharks. “Listening to the feedback that the ocean provides will keep you surfing for years,” he concluded.

'There were some lighter touches. A cellist kicked things off with a medley “full of ocean-ness”—a Nichols request—and each presenter was introduced with a six-word bio (“passion, teacher, vegetables…”). At one point, Jaimal Yogis, author of Salt-water Buddha, about his quest to find Zen through surfing, led everyone in meditation. Hugs happened.

'Still, several cognitive scientists were also on hand to offer serious theories about the brain-on-ocean dynamic. Philippe Goldin, a clinical psychologist and a neuroscientist at Stanford, cited research showing that meditation helped some people with anxiety regain their calm after an emotional event, then speculated that similar processes might be going on in the brains of surfers, who learn to react immediately to a rising swell, then “enjoy the time between waves” after a set passes. Michael Merzenich, a professor emeritus of neuroscience at the University of California at San Francisco and one of the foremost authorities on neuro-plasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself—suggested that our attraction to the ocean may derive from its lack of physical markers. On land, we are constantly mapping our environment in our minds so we can pick out dangers (snake!) amid landmarks (tree, bush, rock). Looking over a calm sea is akin to closing our eyes. And when something does emerge on the surface, it captivates us.'

Blue Marbles

Blue Angels

Opening Ceremony for Long Beach Contest

2011-09-06T12:51:00.001-04:00

Katia 5-day track

2011-09-06T12:43:00.001-04:00

Quiksilver Pro Long Beach Event Map

2011-09-06T12:26:00.002-04:00

Quiksilver Pro New York

2011-09-06T12:25:00.000-04:00

"The teenager from Long Island was so comfortably gliding through the barreling waves..."

2011-09-04T10:01:00.003-04:00

NY Times '“He was riding the barrel so well, and we were like, ‘How did this kid get so good coming from New York?’ ” said Rod Brooks, Quiksilver’s director of contests, referring to the surf prodigy Balaram Stack. Describing the scene that day last year when Stack and other young surfers were attacking the surf for a video shoot, he added, “Everybody was pretty impressed.”' By JIM RUTENBERG

'And so began Quiksilver’s unlikely quest to stage one of the riskier gambits of modern professional surfing history, a full-on, world tour contest in the waters of New York — an incongruous stop on an annual surf odyssey that otherwise includes breaks of world renown along the Gold Coast of Australia, at Teahupoo in Tahiti and at Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii.

'That contest starts Sunday off Long Beach, N.Y., Stack’s hometown, under the auspices of the Association of Surfing Professionals, and with Quiksilver as its main sponsor. It is one of 11 competitions that determine this year’s world champion.

'The top professionals in the world, including the reigning champion, Kelly Slater, and his leading challengers, Joel Parkinson and Jordy Smith, will be competing not only for their place in the standings but also for a record $1 million purse. Thrown into the mix will be Stack, 19, and two other Long Islanders trying to win a wild-card entry during Sunday’s trials: Leif Engstrom, 23, of Montauk, and T. J. Gumiela, 21, of Long Beach.'

"The talent of Long Island surfers like Balaram Stack helped persuade Quiksilver to sponsor an Association of Surfing Professionals event in Long Beach, with a record purse of $1 million."--Mike Nelson for NY Times

Irene at Jacksonville Beach

2011-09-02T08:39:00.001-04:00

Irene at Cocoa Beach

2011-09-02T08:32:00.000-04:00

Parkmobiles

2011-09-02T08:06:00.002-04:00

LA Times 'The grandly named "parkmobiles" were rolled out earlier this summer, the first in a fleet of itinerant oases in one of America's densest cities.' by Maria L. La Ganga

'The two bright-red dumpsters, 16 feet long by nearly 6 feet wide and filled with greenery, have been placed in a busy downtown neighborhood where they throw a little shade, elicit regular double-takes and fill curbside spots that otherwise would go to cars.'

'Dave Vetrano takes a coffee break at a "parkmobile" in San Francisco's South of Market district. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)'

Vermont rivers after Irene

2011-08-30T12:56:00.001-04:00

North River above Shelburne Falls after Irene

2011-08-30T12:41:00.001-04:00

ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO

2011-08-30T12:36:00.001-04:00

Katia

2011-08-30T12:30:00.002-04:00

Three-day track for Irene

2011-08-25T18:20:00.003-04:00

Wider shot of Irene's circulation

2011-08-25T15:30:00.001-04:00

Irene's bands sweeping north...

2011-08-25T12:28:00.002-04:00

"Imagine replacing the sequence of algebra, geometry and calculus with a sequence of finance, data and basic engineering."

2011-08-25T12:14:00.001-04:00

NY Times 'In math, what we need is “quantitative literacy,” the ability to make quantitative connections whenever life requires (as when we are confronted with conflicting medical test results but need to decide whether to undergo a further procedure) and “mathematical modeling,” the ability to move practically between everyday problems and mathematical formulations (as when we decide whether it is better to buy or lease a new car).' By SOL GARFUNKEL and DAVID MUMFORD

'THERE is widespread alarm in the United States about the state of our math education. The anxiety can be traced to the poor performance of American students on various international tests, and it is now embodied in George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind law, which requires public school students to pass standardized math tests by the year 2014 and punishes their schools or their teachers if they do not.

'All this worry, however, is based on the assumption that there is a single established body of mathematical skills that everyone needs to know to be prepared for 21st-century careers. This assumption is wrong. The truth is that different sets of math skills are useful for different careers, and our math education should be changed to reflect this fact.'

Dane, now, on Surf-Knot

2011-08-12T12:50:00.002-04:00

San Clemente surfing circa 2005

2011-08-12T12:42:00.003-04:00

San Clemente Journal "Not since the McNulty brothers has San Clemente been so blessed with such a surfing triumvirate. The twins, Dane and Patrick Gudauskas, have lately become the proud recipients of the Silver Medallion Award for their consistent skills, honors, conduct and sincere sportsmanship over the past five years, including laurels received from the 2003-04 NSSA Nationals, where each twin won the Governor’s Cup." By Coach Benner Cummings

'It is interesting to note that no NSSA Senior Men’s Champion has ever repeated winning that men’s title since Kilani Robb of Hawaii in 1994. Mike Losness tried in 1999, losing to Fred Patacchia from Hawaii. Maybe the hardest victory to earn is that of a defending champion. Patrick Gudauskas, winner in 2003, lost to brother Dane in 2004.'

'The younger San Clemente surfers now long for these glories, amongst them, brother Tanner Gudauskas and a skilled Dane Ward. Both are stars on Coach Hartman’s champion teams and are members of the USA National Junior Men’s team as well. Other San Clemente locals like Casey Landvogt, Troy Motherhead, Jason Miller, Trevor Saunders, Chris Watt and eleven-year-old Kolohe Andino continue striving to improve. And add those gifted women surfers, Colleen Mehlberg and Lexi Papillion to the list of those SC surfers waiting in the wings, biding their time – watching, surfing, loving the sport for all its freshness, camaraderie and athletic grace. These are the individuals who keep the colorful surfing industry ever growing. The poet John Milton paid quiet tribute to their likes when he wrote these salient lines, “They also serve who stand and watch and wait.”'

'"It's like watching Evel Knievel jump the Grand Canyon," says Evan Slater'

2011-08-12T12:30:00.003-04:00

Los Angeles Times "At the Mavericks surf spot south of San Francisco, the ocean is on steroids." By Dan Weikel and Sachi Cunningham

'A huge groundswell, the gift from a storm off Japan, closes in on dozens of surfers who dot the bluish-green Pacific. Most sit on their boards while a few jockey for the takeoff spot as the wave crosses a crescent-shaped reef and morphs into a peak three to four stories high.

'The rising swell lifts Mark Healey of Hawaii. After paddling hard at the crest, he jumps to his feet, drops down the near vertical face and turns toward the unbroken shoulder. He is pursued by an avalanche of whitewater, so thunderous it can register on seismic instruments at UC Berkeley 30 miles away.

'So begins "Chasing the Swell," a surf video in three chapters produced by the Los Angeles Times. The film chronicles the exploits of a handful of big wave hunters last winter as they traveled to Waimea Bay on the north shore of Oahu, Mavericks off Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay, and Isla Todos Santos, a small island off Baja California. It is an exciting primer for anyone interested in this year's big wave season, which began last week.'

See Map

"Spontaneous Pagan Holiday"?

2011-08-12T12:05:00.002-04:00

NY Times "When New York City surfers cross paths, they greet one another, exchange notes. Because so many of them are new to surfing, having taken it up in adulthood, they are less like seen-it-all New Yorkers than surfers in pre-'Gidget' California, who would pull over when they passed another car of surfers and introduce themselves. Anyone who has surfed in Santa Cruz or Huntington Beach — chilly, xenophobic 'surf cities' — knows how exceptional this urban aloha is." by Thad Ziolkowski

'And if surfing has a soul, it is aloha: welcome, hospitality, generosity without thought of recompense. The word is Hawaiian, of course, and Hawaiians are the ones who gave surfing to the rest of the world. The bitter irony is that the rest of the world returned the favor with a vengeance, and Hawaii’s storied line-ups, flooded by outsiders, are now as famous for being jam-packed and short-tempered as for the waves.

'Which is why Quiksilver’s descent on Long Beach is so ominous. Imprinting the Quiksilver brand on New York’s burgeoning surf scene makes perfect sense from a business perspective, but the corporate siren song threatens to sour the mood of surfing in New York, which for the moment remains a bastion of surf spirit. It’s a spirit that companies like Quiksilver claim to value but have in fact helped degrade elsewhere, peddling a vision of surfing’s blithe, blue allure that studiously omits the ugly realities of overcrowding that such marketing abets.'

Times They Are A'Changin'

2011-08-10T13:22:00.000-04:00

Surfing California in the rough

2011-07-26T15:24:00.005-04:00

NY Times "The network of state beaches and campgrounds is one of the largest in the country and covers a third of California’s 840-mile coast." By PORTER FOX

Photo by Ann Johansson for NY Times

'In the bluish light the scene looked like a soundstage for a black-and-white movie. In the 1930s it was a stage — for the first surfers in the United States. From San Onofre and Corona del Mar to the Santa Monica Pier, pioneers like Duke Kahanamoku, Tom Blake and Doc Ball introduced the sport to the country.

'Surfing’s popularity grew at the same time California’s newly founded State Park Commission was looking for beaches and waterfront property to protect, and many of the best surf breaks on the coast became parkland. Eighty years later, the network of state beaches and campgrounds is one of the largest in the country and covers a third of California’s 840-mile coast.

'Because most of the campgrounds between Los Angeles and San Diego are accessible by car (and surrounded by the sprawl that nearly connects the two cities), roughing it in Southern California isn’t very rough. Parks provide showers and bathrooms, and most bring everything they can fit in the trunk and put up mini outdoor versions of their homes. '

NY Times Surfing Guide

2011-07-26T15:22:00.001-04:00

Photo by Sean Brody for The New York Times

Math teacher missing in Sumatra

2011-07-26T15:19:00.001-04:00

CNN "It was just a day like any other here" by Ashley Fantz

'Several blogs are buzzing Tuesday after a Long Island math teacher and well known local surfer went missing Sunday off the coast of West Lampung, Sumatra. Waves are notoriously treacherous off that area of the Indonesian island. They are typically 12 feet or higher. CNN's iReport received a video of friends of the surfer holding candlelit vigil.

'Daniel Bobis, who taught at Long Beach High School, founded the school's winning surf team and the first competitive group in the state. A colleague at the school told the Long Beach Patch, a local news website, that the "rescue efforts are horrible there" because the area where he was surfing is so remote.'

Mark-Paul Gosselaar

2011-07-26T15:16:00.001-04:00

Huffington Post

'It may be almost two decades since Mark-Paul Gosselaar was roaming the heartthrob halls of Bayside High in "Saved by the Bell," but from the looks of it, not much has changed. The buff beach dude recently took his son, Michael, for a crash course lesson in surfing at the Oakley Learn To Ride Surf event in Dana Point, California.

'The pair were spotted having some major father-son bonding time as Gosselaar taught his mini-me how to catch the perfect wave. We have a feeling that if little Michael is anything like his dad, he's the big man on the middle school campus.'

East Coast Surfing Championships, Aug 22-28, V.A. Beach

2011-07-26T15:11:00.002-04:00

ALL TIMES, LOCATIONS TENTATIVE.
Please check regularly for updates and changes to event schedule.
All events are free and open to the public
All Events and Times Subject to Change

For surfing competition standings, and the most current information and schedule updates go to www.surfusa.org

Monday—Tuesday—Wednesday – August 22-24, 2011
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Professional Surfing at 2nd Street
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM T Shirt sales tents open

Thursday August 25, 2011
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM PM Amateur & Professional Surfing at 2nd Street
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Coastal Edge’s Vendor Village
10:00 AM – 8:00 PM T Shirt sales tents open
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Food Vendor Court open

Friday August 26, 2011
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Amateur & Professional Surfing at 2nd Street
7:00 AM – 10:00 PM T Shirt sales tents open
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM Food Vendor Court open
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Coastal Edge’s Vendor Village at 2nd Street
11:00 AM – 10:00 PM Beverage Tent open
3:00 PM – 10:00 PM LIVE MUSIC
4:00 PM — 8:00 PM – Coastal Edge’s Band of the Day At The Jetty — 2nd Street

Saturday August 27, 2011
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Amateur & Professional Surfing at 2nd Street
7:00 AM – 10:00 PM T Shirt Sales Tents Open
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM ECSC 8K Run and Kid’s Fun Run
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Skimboard Competition
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Beach Volleyball Tournament
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM U.S. Beach Flag Football Championships
8:30 AM – 8:00 PM Beach Wiffleball Tournament
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Virginia Beach Cornhole Tournament
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM Food Vendor Court open
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Coastal Edge’s Vendor Village at 2nd Street
11:00 AM – 10:00 PM Beverage Tent open
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM Quiksilver Super Grom Event 2nd Street Surfing Area, hosted by US Surfing Federation
2:30 PM – 3:15 PM Miss Reef World Contest Stage at the Jetty
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Miss Coastal Edge ECSC Swimsuit Pageant Main Stage
Noon – 8:00 PM LIVE MUSIC
8:00 PM – 10:30 PM LIVE MUSIC Donavon Frankenreiter with special guest, Jesse Chong Band @ Main Stage
Coastal Edge’s Band of the Day Stage At The Jetty — 2nd Street 2:30 – 7:30 PM

Sunday August 28, 2011
7:00 AM – 4:00 PM Amateur & Professional Surfing at 2nd Street
7:00 AM – 9:00 PM T Shirt Sales Tents Open at 2-6th Street
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM 5th Annual Wareings Gym Beach Bum Classic
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Skimboard Competition
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Beach Volleyball Tournament
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM U.S. Beach Flag Football Championships
8:30 AM – 8:00 PM Beach Wiffleball Tournament
10:00 AM – 6 PM Vans Mini Ramp Jam at Coastal Edge’s Vendor Village 2nd Street
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Coastal Edge’s Vendor Village 2nd Street
10:00 AM – 9:30 PM Food Vendors open
11:00 AM – 9:30 PM Beverage Tent open
Midday Life Rolls On Exhibition at Surfing Area
11:30 AM – 6:00 PM Virginia Beach Cornhole Tournament
Afternoon Pro Junior Surfing Finals at Surfing Area
Afternoon Pro Men’s Surfing Finals at Surfing Area
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Miss Coastal Edge ECSC Swimsuit Pageant – FINALS Main Stage
12:00 PM – 9:30 PM LIVE MUSIC @ Main Stage

U.S. Open of Surfing on now

2011-07-26T15:08:00.000-04:00

Transworld Business "For the fifth year, Casio G-Shock will be sponsoring the U.S. Open of Surfing that will take place from July 30 to August 7, 2011. It will also premiere Year Zero on August 3, 2011." By Sara Fruman

'During the U.S. Open of Surfing, Year Zero premieres. The film is a modern take on high performance surfing set in a post-apocalyptic world. It tells a story of a band of renegade surfers, including Dion Agius, Yadin Nicol, Nate Tyler, Taj Burrow, CJ Hobgood and Damien Hobgood on a road trip through the apocalypse in search of waves, women, and good times.

'The premiere event will take place at 8 p.m. on August 3 in 776 West 16th Street at Costa Mesa, California.'

Year 0000 blog

2011-07-26T15:04:00.002-04:00

Updated NY Times article on Aaron Swartz's arrest

2011-07-20T13:09:00.002-04:00

NY Times 'In 2008, Mr. Swartz released a “Guerrilla Open Access Manifesto,” calling for activists to “fight back” against the sequestering of scholarly papers and information behind pay walls.' By JOHN SCHWARTZ

'David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress, an activist group that Mr. Swartz founded, said in a statement that the arrest “makes no sense,” comparing the indictment to “trying to put someone in jail for allegedly checking too many books out of the library.” An online petition gathered 15,000 signatures in just a few hours.

'In an interview, Mr. Segal said that his comments went to the principle, not to anything Mr. Swartz might have done in obtaining the documents.

'“I know him as a person who cares deeply about matters of ethics and government,” Mr. Segal said. “I don’t know about the matter of what has been alleged.”'