Here are a couple more pics from Thursday. Two are of Brian with one showing major balls for a 15 year old check the paddle tracks up the face and the last second bail,kid was going for it. This one sent him over the falls backwards with the lip. I saw it happen and watched him grab a breath stuck in the lip backwards,came up with no board but still had his paddle in his hand and swam for 15 min to the beach this same wave broke on top of a long boarder snapping his board clean in half,God what an afternoon. Attached is one more of me on a A frame and one shot from the pier. Hope you have been surfing the last couple days we have had two days of south inlet with one being sooo fun and finished it of today with a three hour session on the Bark 14′ Expedition its such a good board.
Hope to see you soon if not will see you in Seaside.
Wow. What a gift a hurricane can be when it doesn’t make landfall. I’ll leave the height estimates up to the discussion threads, but those were the biggest waves I’ve ever seen or ridden.
After looking at the reports, the hurricane track, wind reports and tides, we decided to road-trip an hour south to Holden Beach. William Pope, Chris Curry, Haywood, Danno and I all hit the beach at around 9:30 and paddled out into lockwood folly. A mile out, the freight trains set up, head high + with 2-4 overhead sets reeling down left after left after left. There was a really cool group of surfers from all over who’d come for the swell. Lots of familiar faces. Reid, Josh… so many people we knew from local breaks, all enjoying what was by some accounts the best surf NC or SC has seen in nearly 40 years.
It was a classic point break setup and actually reminded me a lot of Saladitas, just north of Ixtapa. The wind was offshore, gusting to over 20 knots and the swell kept building as the day went on.
Chris Curry tore it up and showed a lot of people what standup can look like. He was killing it out there. Haywood was charging and had some of the nicest rides I’ve ever seen. Pope broke his fly board in half. Zo, Stan and Danno all had their PSHs out there. Dan’s 8’0″ Wide is beautiful and it really surfs. It has an nose like an elf-shoe. At night I’m pretty sure it cobbles shoes or makes toys for the kiddies.
One thing I was blown away by was how much surfers look out for each other. I took off late on a bomb and tried to grab my rail. It was so vertical and I’d not been in that position on a SUP before, so I inadvertently popped the fins out, slid out backwards and got pitched. It was the longest hold down I’ve ever had. I don’t know how long I was pinned to the bottom, but when I surfaced a few guys had paddled inside to make sure I came up, waved to me to make sure I was alright, then laughed at how bad the wipeout was. I didn’t even have time to reflect when I saw Curry do the same thing, only when he fell, it had style. He Supermaned it off the lip and popped up like nothing happened (how’s your neck now Chris?).
By noon, it was really starting to pump. Bigger sets were closing out the lineup and as luck would have it, I broke my leash and had to swim a half mile-3.4 mile into the inlet to get my board. Haywood took my paddle and I swam for it. Curry and Haywood thought twice about letting me go and followed a few minutes later, but by then, a shortboarder had taken a wave in and got my board for me. It was incredibly cool. We had all been out trading waves and he saw what happened and jumped on it. It tells volumes about how well we mixed with the regular surfers.I know we talk about etiquette and respect, but it was nice to see it in action. The surfers werent’ happy to see us arrive, but after Curry and Haywood tore the roof off a few waves, they had a completely different perspective. Also, there were so many waves to go around, no one starved. It was a blast.
We took my leash breaking as an opportunity to eat some lunch, which was a full plate of eggs, bacon, home fries, biscuit, and a stack of blueberry pancakes. We asked Haywood real estate questions and watched GoPro Video of the morning session.
By the time we got back to the beach, the waves had doubled in size. The inside was a nightmare. Getting out was a battle of wills and luck. Without the luck part, the will didn’t mean crap. Haywood and Chris went back to the point. I headed straight out. The waves hit double-triple overhead on the sets. The inlet is probably about a mile out. After about 90 minutes, Haywood took two waves from the point to the beach. Just two waves took him nearly a mile. Curry took a single wave that distance.
When we got to the beach, people were asking what the paddle thing was called. We talked about how cool the session was and how lucky we all were—what an absolute gift it was. I kept saying, “I can’t believe we get to do this.” Those sets were enormous. They looked like the photos Jeremy sends me from Maui. I’m sure it was only 2 foot Hawaiian, but it was big for us. When you have to take 3 paddles strokes to get over the face of a wave, you know it’s big. And dropping in on those bombs was the adrenaline rush of my life. I had 8 or so outside set waves that changed my perspective on surfing forever.
In all, the combination of incredible surf and a kick-ass crowd made for a top 3 day for me. I’d have said top 10, but if this could have easily been the best day of surfing I’ve ever had. Although there are 3 or 4 other sessions that were much smaller, but every bit as cool because of the people I had the blessing of being able to surf with.
To everyone who was out there today, cherish it. Hold it tight. Relive it and thank God you got out. I thanked Yoda. I know he’s a Muppet, but to me, he’s a tangible deity. Thanks to all the surfers who shared their waves with us, and William, I hope your board gets fixed. To all those who only got a taste—Brad—I’m glad you at least got to have a little bit of fun. We’re always hoping you’ll be able to be right there with us, having a blast. We all do the best we can.
If anyone got photos of the surf in Holden, please forward them to me or their information so i can email them. I’ll post them. I have video, but a lot didn’t come out and in the end, my camera visor got slapped off my head by head-high shorebreak. I’ll post what I have tomorrow.
Just got ahead’s up that its freight trains rights going off over at the beach- 3 stories high-
This is a cattle call for any one Saturday or Sunday morning who wants to go surfing meet at my house in Ponce inlet or later afternoon Friday. I think it peaks Saturday.
So far, so good. Yesterday morning was a classic hurricane swell here at WB. Head-3 foot overhead and clean for most of the morning. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet of chunky groundswell love. I had the mullet cardio class then headed out to Spot X. I had my class baords, big and fun, but not fast and maneuverable on 3 foot overhead waves, especially when the bars started working and it got more critical. I snapped a leash, broke a drycase and an iPhone, bruised my elbow and knee and couldn’t have had a better time. Can’t wait for today.
Standup paddleboarders Bryce and TJ Saeman charge ‘The Wedge’ on July 24, 2009. Despite being their first time at the notoriously dangerous surf spot on paddleboards, the brothers dazzled the crowd with their skills and pulled off some great rides on their 11-foot boards .
You better hold on East Coast—especially OBX, VA, MD, and NJ—seriously. We’re psyched about the waves, but be careful. Looks like it’s a Cat 4. Buy white bread and milk. That’s what everyone here buys for some reason.
Looks like we’re going to have a meeting of the Shoals Club on Thursday afternoon. Be prepared. Say goodbye to your spouses, kids, dogs and cats—hampsters for you weirdos. I’s the 50-year storm. BODHI!!!
May you cause all sorts of ground swell… And may your winds be gentle (or at least block-able by the right hardened structure). We are due for some great waves. We’ve been patient. We’ve taken our vitamins. We’ve bee nice to our neighbors. We deserve waves. Next weekend, hopefully, it’ll happen for us… If it does, EVERYONE GO TO C STREET! Tell them Tony sent you. (kidding)
I’ve been thinking about this some more since writing this tip and have a couple more things that might help. The advice I gave is good for when you want to try and get over the white water, but what about when it’s to big and you can’t. I basically have three options to choose from. Options one and two are the ones I use the most.
Option one, approach the wave as if you were going to try and get over it, but at the last moment before impact prepare to shoot the board up and over the white water. Just as the wave is about to hit, shoot the board over it by leaning back and jetting the board forward. If it is a longer board you may need to take an extra step on the way out the back. Make sure you shoot the board with an upward projection so that it doesn’t come straight back into you. The whole purpose of this technique is to get the board over the white water so that it doesn’t pull so much with the leash and potentially take somebody out that is behind you. Of course your sacrificing yourself a little, but at this point it’s about damage control. Remember after shooting the board, get yourself down underwater in case the board decides to come back with the white water.
Unless you’re new to SUP, you should be out there. I spent 5 and a half hours yesterday surfing to and from Spot X. Chris Curry was killing it on his PSH 9’3″ Ripper. Ian Balding and Craig Stephens were enjoying some shoulder-head-high swells north of the pier. Danno was getting his sea legs by spot X. I had just missed William Pope and the SideArm crew at Spot X.
It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Brad lent me his Ron House 9’8″ quad with the Lopez quad fins. Holy crap that was fun. I didn’t want to get out of the water. Super fast and yet, crazy maneuverable. So much fun I had salt water shooting out of my nose all day.
Recently reformed Tropical Storm Colin should bring some swell to our shores starting tomorrow and peaking on Sunday.
“While its path will likely keep it hundreds of miles offshore, the storm will still be close enough to send heavy swells toward the N.C. coast.”—Star News
Everyone run to C STREET WITH THEIR SUPs!!!!
4-5 feet at 9-10 seconds… hmmm. C street looks like the call.
Racer TL
This Racer is part of our “TL” (Tommy Lloy) signature series SUP’s and is collaboration between team rider Tommy Lloy and Steve Boehne. They’ve worked meticulously on speed rockers, water displacement, exit drag, and stability to make this SUP slippery fast and stable. Tommy’s signature raceboard offers a slightly wider template and shallower cockpit to aid in “gripping” with your toes in choppy open ocean conditions.The displacement bottom has a slightly wider underbelly to help the med – larger sized (180lbs +) paddler be stable and fast! Tommy is 200lbs and is lightning fast on his 12’6″ RacerTL. http://www.infinitysurf.com/permanent-site-content/boards-sup-models/the-racertl.html
The RacerTL
The CarverTL
This Carver is part of our “TL” (Tommy Lloy) signature series SUP’s. Team rider Tommy Lloy is regarded as one of the best SUP surfers on the planet. Infinity has developed a model based around Tommy’s needs in a high-performance SUP. This Carver is based off of our highly touted “Carver” performance SUP. Tommy’s version has a special rocker and fin placement for lightning speed and aggressive turns off the tail. The nose has a specific template to nose ride, which suits Tommy’s all around surfing approach. If you are serious about performance SUP surfing, there is no need to look anywhere else. Tommy is 200lbs and rides the CarverTL at 8’5″. http://www.infinitysurf.com/permanent-site-content/boards-sup-models/the-carvertl.html
This summer scrap your basic Indo boat trip, it takes two days to get there, it costs a fortune, and the Mentawais are blown out anyway. Besides, the longest wave in the world is right under your nose. Yes, I’m talking about heading down deep in the heart of Texas.
And as much as we all hate the oil industry right now, one Texas surfer is making it work for him. Capt. James Fulbright, along with partners John Benson and Peter Davies have gourged themselves on surfing tanker waves in the Gulf of Mexico for well over a decade, and now they’ve decided to cash in on the long peelers that can be ridden for an upwards of a half hour. This summer Fulbright launched his new, aptly titled business, Tanker Surf Charters, with the singular goal of helping you bag the longest ride of your life … that’s Texas style.
Looks like Hobie guy, and mullethead, Colin McPhillips took second. Nice work Colin!!
Waterman League
From Standuppaddlesurf.net:
Congratulations to Antoine, who fought off the cream of stand up paddlesurfers, to win the second event of the Stand Up World Tour.The competitors, an international list of champions included: Hawaii’s Kai Lenny winner of Sunset Beach Pro, Duane Desoto, Ekolu Kalama, Kainoa McGee 3 times ASP World Longboard Champion Colin Mc Phillips France’s Peyo Lizarazu South Africa’s Chris Bertish winner of Maverics big wave contest 2010
I just had the permit approved by the Town of Wrightsville Beach. Sat, July 24th. The 1st Annual Mullet Run will be a Battle of the Paddle-Style race (Note, this is not an actual Battle of the Paddle) with competitors paddling out through the surf, around 2 bouys, in through the surf, run around a pole, then around 1 more time. There will be a downwind section. The event will raise $ for Surfers Healing, a charity I love. Sponsorships opportunities are available. Please send cash. Kidding.
There will be mens and womens 12’6″ race division and a surf division, a run-what-ya-brung surf SUPs.
I’m waiting on the Coast Guard, so I won’t be releasing the poster/flyer, etc. just yet, but save the date. I’m also applying to the WPA for this to be included in the points series.
Prizes and prize $ TBD. There will be a pig pickin’ and festivities after as well as a used SUP flea market.
From CHill:
Thought you guys might enjoy this. One of my all time favorite surfers doing some amazing surfing without fins,check the speed lines f-in crazy. Would love to see him on a SUP.
Here is a great rider who has been at it since the beginning playing around with fins with great style a super fun video to watch.
From XLTV:
Who says size matters- 2 minute clip with Ivan van Vuuren pushing the limits in SUP using a tiny kiteboard fin on the Coreban “Performer” 9ft6. www.Coreban.com
