Joel's Single Fin Repair

Joel in Santa Barbara:

Went out yesterday with Sam(my brother),

Caught a few tsunamis, It was pretty fun, bigger than normal, but nothing too crazy. The surges made it look like low tide one minute, and high tide a few minutes later. My first board, that I tried to learn on 15 years ago is a 7'7" single fin. I think rounded tail, or maybe rounded pin, from maybe the 70's or 80's. It had a wooden, I think mahogany sandwich with clear stuff in the middle, glassed in fin. It got broken some time back, but just bought a cheapo fin for it, waiting for a fin box. Sam showed me his new short board he just shaped. Looks nice to me, but what do I know? He's saving his pennies to get it glassed, or the new style which I think is epoxy.

Hung out with Sam, his girlfriend, and her dad last night, he heard some good stories. Back in the day, He flew from Texas to Hawaii for a vacation, and ended up staying for 11+ years to surf. Lived on Maui, and rode all kinds of boards, mostly long boards I think, including a board with holes in it that would squirt you in the face when you rode it.

2001, a San Onofre Odyssey

endless summer surf camp:

Come Hell or High Water trailer

Can't wait to see this!

Come Hell or High Water Trailer from Woodshed Films on Vimeo.

Memories Make Wings

Munching down, post session, 2004. The guy in the picture is Jason, an artist who not only took me under his wing and introduced me to the Rockaway scene, but let me ride his boards during a rather painful transition I was going through at the time.

Behind him is the magical 8'2 single fin I learned on. His girlfriend created the design on the deck. It was like riding a painting.

I remember the first time I really took off on the shoulder of a clean peeler. It was one of the rare days when the water was fairly clear. I could see little bits of seaweed under the surface passing by under the board as it hummed along. A moment and a feeling I can still feel today.

If anyone reading this knows his whereabouts, please put me in touch because I have a special gift I'd like to give him.

Smuggler's Cove, Santa Cruz Island, CA

2007, Santa Cruz Island. I must be in a real nostalgic mood today. This watercolor just took shape in my sketchbook and I realized that it was the first day I really fell in love with bodysurfing. 

Wiley and Joel getting out, the swell done gone. We hiked over the hill from Scorpion Anchorage expecting just a hike but there were some nice waves greeting us, for a bit.

UCSB crew.

evolving...

2003 Wategos, Byron Bay with Domenico and a sweet 9'2" longboard that I bought for a month. It snapped at Tallow Beach on a powerful wipeout. My pal Andreas, a German working and traveling in Oz, drove me to an industrial park outside of town in his van where I got the board repaired and got a chance to visit Mctavish Surfboards.

2006 Santa Barbara. This will probably be the last custom board I'll ever have shaped. Hunt Customs 8' egg. It was a blast but my heart was stolen by a Neumatic surfmat.

just remembering my past boards this evening. funny how length gave way to surfmats and bodysurfing.

Canvas Quiver

Canvas Quiver as seen on Sea Walk.