OG video: Hung up

Two weeks worth of good waves and this is all I have to show for it.  I'm such a kook!

Hung Up from Kookingitup on Vimeo.

Pictures from the bottom of the drawer

Her patience was rewarded.

Five days straight of some very big, sometimes freakish swell has past.  After clearing my sinuses, letting each drop of water clear my nose, I dug around my SD cards and found some pictures from this last weekend's swell.  I must be truthful and say that I did skip a day because it was just too gnarly.  After Friday's early morning incident of pearl diving to the bottom after getting hung up on what had to be a 14 foot face, I was a bit nervous.  But I did make it back out on Sunday  and catch the other side of the bell curve, which was really fun, somewhat manageable waves.   My wife decided to come along and snap some pictures while I was in the water.  Enjoy!

This was Friday.  The swell was suppose to hit San Diego hard that night, but it seemed as if the swell was fast and began entering into it's peak mode that morning.  It seemed relentless at times, 8-10 wave sets that just stacked one behind the other.  I did get some, but I almost drowned on one.  Ying and Yang I guess...

 Robin catching a chunker on Friday.  Days like this is when I give Long boarders who come out props, cuz there isn't any escape for them when a rogue rolls in.  Which happened multiple times.

I give this kid some props.  He was going for it.

Spelling was off, but not the waves at this spot.

I headed deep south for some international Las Olas.  Waves were still pumping that morning.  Casualties resumed.

 

My wife snapped some pics of me at this new spot that we found.  Lots of really cool locals, 4-6 feet, just glassy rights.  Caught a dozen or so fun waves.  I had a blast.  Can't wait to head back to this spot on the next big swell. 

One of the fun waves I caught with my GoPro at the new international spot. 

My wife and I had to stop over and say hi to Tacho and Roberto.  Always the best fish tacos in the T.J./ Rosarito area.

With an approximately 5 minute a 34 second wait with our Sentri Passes, we were able to cross back north and catch some fun ones back in The States.

Seemed to not have much luck with getting cut off on a bunch of waves, but after, me and this guy talked about the pictured action (from two different angles), we became pretty good buds.  Really nice guy, just forgot to look down the line. 

Who's going to win this race?  Short boarder or long boarder?

Blessed.

If you haven't and want to check out the waves from Saturday, click this Link. Have a great week in and out of the water!

Twenty's

Convertible weather in January.  

I've been keeping tabs on this swell in and out of the water.  Large and sneaky, this swell caught me by surprise a few times during the last few days.  You know it's real after you take one on the head, lose your board in the process, pop out into foam after getting tumbled and seeing everybody else in the foam scratching for their boards.  Yeah,  I was both of those guys during the last few days.  Looking forward to the next few days on the other side of the bell curve.  My heart needs the rest.  It's been pumping continuously when I'm out in the lineup and also while I'm behind the camera.

If you know that roof, than you know whats up.

Here are a few shots from tonight.  It was just a wave show.  Felt bad for the fellas when that rogue set came through and cleaned everybody up, no matter where they were sitting.  I'll be posting a few extras here and there on Instagram through the week as I scavenge through the footage.

Can I have an extra large A-frame for a dollar more?

Taking it down with a little style. 

Lined it up nicely.

This guy was caught inside for half an hour. 

It was a beautiful San Diego sunset tonight.

Fun one.

Pocket, don't knock it.

Solo for once.

Another capture of tonight's beautiful sunset.

Last shot of the night.

Be safe folks.  If it's too big, sit it out.  There is always another swell around the corner.

It's no secret...

Lines.

A really good week of surf is headed towards the West Coast this week.  I was lucky enough to get the first piece of some of it today.  Not as big as I thought, but there is always tomorrow...

A Monday cruise.

Even boogies get some love today.

Crowd check.

Head stand left.

And Than He Made Reefs

Riding with a big smile!

Got a text from Knapp's around 10ish this morning.  Hung over and disheveled because of the beat down his beloved Chargers received from Peyton Manning and crew, I decided to try and brighten his Monday afternoon with a surf session and some good swell.

I got the sun on my shoulders and Pacific O' under my feet.  That's all I need.

Variety.

Share a wave and meet a new friend.

Not my best of moments...

Wet ramps.

When you know it's good. 

Shadow bomb.

Monday is a funday. 

Tom Curren

Mr. Curren.  Speed, control, and grace.  My all time favorite surfer.  And he's older than me so it's cool to look up to him. 

Video: Wind/Swell

Wind/Swell from Kookingitup on Vimeo.

I don't know what it is about windswell in San Diego, but if it's is above three and half feet and the interval is at eight seconds, beach breaks become one fun place to be.  Peaky, sectiony, and sometimes really good hollow waves (if you catch it at the right tide) are pretty common when a decent windswell hits.  And let me tell you, I never thought I'd write "decent windswell". 

Frothy Sesh

The Bearded Bandito and I decided to hit up a couple peaks at Scripps Thursday morning.  Caught some waves that went from fun and hollow to mushy in about two hours.  We couldn't figure it out because the tide was draining out.  But we had fun anyway, playing around with a peak at the Green Wall to just north of the Pier.  But first, please welcome the Bearded Bandito (who has made several appearances so far) to the blog!


Welcome the Bearded Bandito from Kookingitup on Vimeo.

Now for the pictures from the latest session where the Bandito and I act like three year olds at a playground full of sand and swings.

The session started with some semi - hollow fun waves. 

It was fun for an hour at this little spot we had to ourselves.

Catching a little head splasher here and there.

The Bearded Bandito finding some open spaces. 

We headed to this side of the beach and found some fun ones after the other side turned off. 

Take1...

Take 2

Met this guy who was happily sharing some stoke with us.

Taking video of the Bearded Bandito while he Hollywoods me.

Peaky and sectiony.  Reminded me of home.

"Bird"

I found this video on Vimeo, filmed all about a man and his shop who welcomed me with wide open arms into the San Diego surfing community.  That man would be Eric "Bird" Huffman, and his shop "Bird's Surf SHED".  To be honest, Bird's Surf SHED was the third shop I visited when I first moved to S.D.  I visited a couple shops around where I live, but one felt vibey and the other was just o.k.  But when I went to Bird's, the first person I met was Bird, and the first thing he asked me was my name, and we shook hands as he welcomed me to town.  Not many places do that now days.  And he hasn't forgotten my name since.  I walk into his shop and it's always "Hey B.D.!"  This is all an addition to the Surf Mecca that is Bird's shop, filled wall to wall with surfboards and history.

Since we first met, Bird's is the only shop that I go to on a regular basis.  From buying my Merrick (which I got for an absolutely awesome deal) to attending two events in a row where Swayze and I scored two wetsuits each by winning a raffle at both (one being a Patagonia wetsuit) to just chilling out with Bird and Isac, there is no other shop that I'd rather go.  Even The Bearded Bandito won't shop anywhere else now days but at Bird's!

We met Dan Malloy at an event @ Bird's during the summer.

Last thing before you watch, I think I actually walked in to Bird's Shed while they were filming this.  He was being interviewed, and I just hanged out for a minute, waiting on some advice on how to repair a ding for my M-10.  Bird saw me waiting, told the guys who were filming him to hold on, walked over to me, checked out my ding, described to me the type of foam that is needed and that it needed to be professionally done because of where the ding was situated.  He than referred me over to "Roper's" and told be to tell them to give me a "Bird's" discount, which they did and than warmly gave me a hand shake and headed back to his interview.  That moment hooked me for life.  And that's what Bird is all about.  Which I think is just being authentic, real and all about Aloha.  


Bird's Surf Shed from SnowGlobe Studios on Vimeo.