2014: Year End Review

August was a good month.  It was the beginning of the year of the Hurricanes, starting on the 23rd. 

2014 was a transition year for me, more so then 2013 when I moved from The Bay Area to San Diego. In mid 2013, I attended a book signing with Shaun Tomson over at Bird's Surf Shed.  Shaun wrote a book called "Surfer's Code" about 12 different codes or bi-rules a surfer must abide by in the water as a form of respect towards the history of surfing and for the safety and respect of others in the water.  But in addition, he reflected those codes as a metaphor for getting through life's challenges.  He challenged everybody that attended to create their own 12 codes.  Well,  with much thought, I took his challenge to heart.  Three months later, I worked out my 12 codes, and I came up with an additional code, giving me 13.  When the ball dropped in 2014, my resolution for that year was to live by those codes as much as I could in all areas of my life.  My 13th code is "Let it be yours".  In an effort to continue to live by that code, I'm not going to bore you and share my codes in this blog.  But if your ever in my home, and look to the bottom left of my imac, their posted for you to read and contemplate.

My favorite shot from 2014.  Slater during the Hurley Pro.

I was very dedicated in pursuing my resolution and sticking to the codes that I created for myself.  I stuck to it so dearly that I had to cut my ego in half during some very heavy hearted  conflicts, become more positive with others that were less positive, take bigger drops on bigger waves, learned to accept and sometimes let go of some really good friends, I had to learn to say less and do more, become braver in situations that I felt uncomfortable in, and become more of an individual.  It has been a very self defining year for me, a struggle, but I think I'm better for it, and it all came down to those (damn!) codes.  I wish I could go into every little detail about how defining this year was for me, and leave everybody crying and wanting more, but then that would defeat my 13th code.  And it's important to "Let it be yours", especially for me, who puts a lot out there on this blog.

One of my favorite Gopro Shots from this year while at Blacks.

Besides living by my 13 codes, I surfed.  And surfed a lot.  I'm turning 37 this year, and each year, I move closer and closer to the four - oh.  So I really don't have that much years left on a short board if you think about it, maybe 18 years left, 20 if I'm lucky.  I wasn't lucky enough to start surfing as a grom and 2015 is going to only be my fourth year surfing.  So 20 more years isn't that much time.  But I have learned different approaches in cross training to keep my body fit, keeping Yoga as the foundation, and more core balanced exercises that really have helped me become a decent surfer.

The year of the Hurricanes.  This one was during the first big one, "Lowell" and also my favorite of the hurricane season.

So how much did I surf?  Here is the breakdown:

Days surfed: 241
Sessions surfed: 282

Spots surfed:

Scripps:  88
Blacks: 30
South Bird: 22
N. Garbage: 17
K38: 11
Sewer Lines: 10
Cottons: 8
Gaviotas: 7
S. Garbage: 5
Hairmos: 5
Uppers: 5
Teresita's: 5
Windan: 5
Swami's: 4
Rincon: 4
Liscomb's: 4
Lowers: 4
IB:  3
Shores: 3
Osprey: 3 
Rock Slides: 3
San Miguel: 2
Beacons: 2
Church's: 2
Ponto: 1
Henneman's: 1
Bone Yards: 1
Barbwires: 1
PB Point: 1
OB (SD): 1
C Street: 1
3 Mile: 1
Moss Landing: 1
Middles: 1
OB (SF): 1

Boards Surfed:

M-10 (aka The Go To): 70
Webber: 61
Merrick (aka Air Drops): 40
Rusty: 34
Longboard: 1
NSP (aka The Kamehameha): 1
Sunset (new): 17
JS (new): 9
Steve's Board: 1


April from Kookingitup on Vimeo.

My Favorite sessions are in the video above. The Santa Ana's were screaming in addition to some decent swell, which created some really fun surf.  I had a blast at The Shores especially,  catching some really fun and long lefts.  But the best thing about those sessions were having my buddy Steve around.  I met him while surfing the Cliffs.  He ended up moving to The Bay just a little bit after these sessions, and we totally laugh on how we switched lives (he's a born and raised San Diegan).  But our friendship was one of the gifts of 2014, for me at least.  He is one of my best homies, and I'm really blessed to have that fucking guy as bud.

My favorite snap from the infamous Marie.

I hope 2015 will be a good year for all of us.  I was really taken back by some of the things that happened towards the end of the year in Ferguson and New York.  I'm all for civil society, as long as society is civil to all (which isn't really reality, but something we can strive for, right?).  And I'm a brown guy, half second, half third generation American.  My child is going to be a half third/ half fourth generation American, and I want the best for her where she can love and marry who she chooses and doesn't have to raise her hands in fear to survive.  I also want her to get tubed a lot.  And me too.

Another one from Lowell.  It was such a great hurricane for our region. 

I ended up at Swayze's house for New Years, and at midnight we had our glass of champagne with 12 grapes.  For each grape, you make a wish for the next year, giving you 12 wishes.  Well one of my wishes was to get tubed 10 times this year.  As for the other 11, Code 13 will apply ;)

PS.  Here is a link to my 2013 in review.