Ocean Paddler TV has been showing some awesome footage of both paddle sports and surfing in Hawaii.
This video of both the sailing canoe and the surf ski race had my blood pumping wishing to hell I could be out there catching a ride like that.
Surf Skis being 20 feet long and 19” wide and typically propelled with a wing paddle will make a well conditioned paddler fly!! And as there is little I like more, (ok I love surfing) than flying downwind in a long boat with the wind at my back this video made me want to buy my ticket to the big island in the pacific.
For the uninitiated in paddle surfing here is a video of some waveski surfing. Val posted this. It is not entirely indicative of the waveski performance alas, the paddlers are having difficulty making the power pocket in this wave. Some however do make it.
Waveskis are a different breed of paddle surfing. As a sit on top type of craft it is not entirely a true kayak as it lacks a cockpit, a coaming, and there fore you are exposed to the elements. It does however have significant advantages from a performance standpoint. A waveski is truly a sit on top surfboard you paddle. The waveski has a true surfboard shape, with shaped wells for the paddler to sit, and for the feet. The paddler uses a lap belt and foot straps to maintain contact with the board. As a result more a board like ride is possible. I have only tried one in the pool. They are typically made out of epoxy and foam, again like a surf board. This makes them crazy light and stiff.
Another advantage to the waveski design is that if you have a bad set and end up swimming, you can always climb back on and keep surfing. With a surf kayak, if you swim, that’s it, there is no getting back in you have to swim in and dump out. Friends from the message board have pointed out that the warmth of a surf kayak in winter is nice, but that winter surfing wetsuits also have their advantages. Another advantage is being able to get on in knee deep water so that you don’t chip, crack or ruin your fins. As any surf paddler will tell you can be a bit of a struggle from a rocky launch in a sit in kayak.
Surfer Getting Some Air on a Beach Break in Morocco
Surf and Travel. What better combination? Every Surf Paddler’s deepest dream is to surf a virgin break, with very little competition.
The photos from this surf trip to Morocco are really beautiful. Travel and surfing is something that I long to do. Laura and I keep talking about going to Costa Rica. I would love to go in winter to do some kayak surfing.
Morocco is very beautiful, and I had no idea it had any good surf at all. But I guess it makes sense if the Atlantic side has big swells you’re likely to see surf like they get in the Basque country. I remember getting excited when I saw how big the surf was in Baiko and Mundaka this winter.
It would be great to do a Paul Bowles Sheltering Sky type mosey through Africa to do Kayak Surfing on the west coast. Granted I would pass on catching a horrible disease and dying. But the traveling sounds great.
I am by no means a surf safety nazi. But having been on the receiving end of bad vibes for no good reason while paddle surfing in both northern california and southern california, this sort of thing makes us look pretty careless.
A 170 lbs paddler endoing an 18’ foot long sea kayak in a mixed break is asking to get himself creamed by some meth-heads and as a result the rest of us will pay the collective karma on this.
Of course it looks cool. Of course he might be further away than he looks in the photo. But even I will be the first to say a sea kayak has little place in a crowded break. I can just picture him high bracing and bongo sliding his way through the break zone wiping out boardies left and right.
Sigh. After the articles in the Santa Cruz Newspaper we need to be getting better, not worse.
Comedy Skit with Ben Stiller of the Locals Only Surf Beach
I’m not sure how old this skit is, or on which tv show it might have first appeared. Based on the fact that the Malone Brothers are in it, it seems likely it is recent. I’m pretty sure I met these guys on the boardwalk right next to Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz.
In the three times I’ve kayak surfed in California there’s always been a bad vibe from board surfers. Until you sort of creep out and slowly surf the premium part of the break. You have to show them that you aren’t going to kill them when you wipe out.
It sounded like the editorial was fairly balanced, but that the comments got a little out of whack.
For my part as a visitor, I always approach with humility, but if I lived there I am not sure where I would fall on the militant line of rights to surf where I like.
Had my first sub twenties commute of the year. I felt much warmer than last year. Ninjaclava from Outdoor Research was a plus, as were the Cyclone Booties from Pearl Izumi.
However as I had some new gear on that seems to be working out, I thought I would point out a few losers from last year that I thought would work out well but ended up failing miserably.
I bought two of these as base layers. They were comfy and next to skin good for about two days. Both of them developed holes in the armpits that grew in size. Either I have acid in my sweat like a Geiger alien, or Pearl Izumi needs some QC/QA.
Thermafleece Tights Pearl Izumi discontinued. These started out warm, snug, and terrific. They now have developed a hole in the arse and in the crotch. Again is it acid eating sweat, or poor QC/QA? Do the people that rave about Pearl Izumi all the time actually use their gear at all? For the price, almost double HIND or Sugoi gear; they better last more than a season.
Louis Garneau Cycling Gloves-these things suck as cycling gloves. They do not block wind in anything below 45 degrees, and they are not water resistant.
I bought two of these to replace the Pearl Izumi tops. One year on, they are still taking the abuse of my acidic alien armpit sweat. I’ve worn them under drysuits, ski jackets, and cycling jerseys. No rips no runs, still like new.
Great carving machine, many many fun rides in this downwave maniac. I can’t say enough good things about Mega’s surf boats. More fun than I am legally allowed to have.
