23breaths

Back to the Races

2009-07-14T06:28:00.002-07:00

These days I usually skip the weekend surf

There are enough people out already

I figure it would be rude to add to my wave count

when so many others are just getting started for the week

That and it's super crowded!

So yesterday I had my first surf of the season in my spring suit

NICE!

A spring suit is about as little a wetsuit as I wear during the summer

I can use the SPF 10000 that neoprene provides

That and it nicely protects me from the wind

This year we had some nasty dips in the water temps to the mid 50's

in July

which, while not unheard of

is still chilly.

I do still trunk it when conditions allow

and I may have to get a pair of the

Patagonia Twenty-Threes board shorts

I had no idea they were such big fans of the blog

Let's make a deal

2009-07-13T10:37:00.002-07:00

Today looked like a surf day and my mat should be ready

but it was not to be

on my way to the car I notice the new surface was a little too tacky

So one more day on the fish

As it turns, out the surf was not as spectacular as I had hoped

and I ended up in a state park parking lot

talking with friends, drinking tea and wishing there was more swell

I took out the too fat fish for a couple

then returned to the beach to grab some fins

at least I could get a swim out of the day

Graham has decided that he wanted to trade his Fineline Ant

for his new Josh Hall fish and generously offered to let me ride his board.

Graham's new fish held by shaper Josh Hall

Now I occasionally ride long boards

I have a few good ones in the rafters

but that's where they usually stay

just not my usual go to surf craft

But the sun was out

the water was warm

and Graham always rides good stuff

so why not?

So I really took a close look at the Ant

I don't think you could find one flat surface on the whole board!

It was as beautiful a set of curves as I have ever seen blended together

on any surf craft that wasn't a mat!

The roll off the bottom into the bladed rails

not too thick nor too wide

I included a shot from the Fineline website but trust me pictures don't and can't begin to capture the shape.

Sort of what you would expect from someone who has shaped long boards, hulls, fish and everything else and put all that experience into a long board masterpiece.

I kept thinking how great this board would work at Trestles!

Thankfully the mat should be ready tomorrow or

I would be down at Shelter trying to work out a deal

Imelda Marcos

2009-07-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

Since I was resurfacing my mat I got the fin quiver out to take a quick shot

(Not too many blossoms on the plumeria this year, I need to fertilize)

The UDT's (size Large) have been thinned down by a drunken monkey.

Fits nice and snug with a full booty, normal winter wear.

The Super Extra Large Ducks actually belong to my son who has larger feet than me, if that's possible

The Comic book grn and blu ones (size XL) are spring and fall wear, good fit over a fin sock

The tri color fins (size Lrg) are summer fins worn with no fin socks

The last tri tips are size Medium

Circle shot with a few strays

I liked the Techs (blk and wht fin above) good strap and nice wide foot box but I find the longer blades work better for me.

I did a post HERE that talks about fins

Bronze statue in HB.

This shot still cracks me up so I throw it in anytime I do a post on fins.

At least today is a mountain stage

2009-07-10T06:17:00.000-07:00

resurfaced the mat yesterday.

It had needed it for a while but I kept putting it off

If you are unaware of how this works the nylon mat comes with a coating
of a bit of chemistry called Vulkem which provides the same function as wax on a surfboard.

But this wax job lasts six months

maybe more if you don't surf sandy beach breaks

any way it was time and I reapplied the stuff

and now I am waiting for it to dry

it take a couple of days

depending on the weather

So as I sit here waiting for paint to dry, so to speak

I can't think of anything except how much I want or need to get back in the water

on my mat.

But since I can't I have made a list of things to do

Call the California department of EDD to discuss what's up with my claim

Make some more bread
(the last batch was particularly good we used the last of it as garlic bread to go with the spaghetti)

Write something good
(doubtful I know)

"Network" with my "contacts" about an "opportunity"
(call people I don't know about giving me a job that doesn't exist)

Return books to the library
(Due today!)

While I sort through this cornucopia of choices why don't you sample a few links

Ku Yah! - a nice bit of work this morning

Whales might be as much like people as apes are - “If an alien came down anytime prior to about 1.5 million years ago to communicate with the ‘brainiest’ animals on Earth, they would have tripped over our own ancestors and headed straight for the oceans to converse with the dolphins”

At least today is a mountain stage

Lets do the Stingray shuffle?

2009-07-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

Still had some steep south in the water so I went to a beach that would only get a glancing blow from the swell.

Still a little walled but its been awhile since I'd gotten wet.

What was notable about the go out were the number of Stingrays in the water.

I must have startled a least a dozen on my way shufflin out to the outside

I suggest doing the time warp on the way outside.

Really scares the little buggers and the stingrays too!

Is it winter yet?

2009-07-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for a while.

This is either fireworks from the 4th or my camera has been to alpha centauri

Made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs!

Things have been a little hazy

The Tour, holidays, barbecue, fireworks, gardening

And prime examples of summer surf

Which is to say nothing

or not much,

if you are a glass is half full kind of person.

But there still are all sorts of fun things to do.

The online Body Surf magazine / picture fest has a new issue out.

The link above takes you to the main page

Picture above from Ryan Heywood's other blog Smart Casual

Make sure to click on the #3 for the latest issue.

Body surfing is the cleanest, simplest and purest form of surfing and I love it!

Here is a video

Please put the 45 back in it's sleeve when you are done, you know how the dust can ruin the vinyl or you might spill a Tab on it.

The Tour

If it wasn't for the Tour de France

I would go crazy this time of year

This one could be interesting

The Mat

I hear people say they will get a mat to ride on the marginal days. I have be riding my fish on the marginal days and saving my mat for the good days.

The Garden

The summer garden has peaked or is peaking depending on which plant you are looking at

The squirrels have been rubbing their hands with glee waiting for the sun flower seed to ripen.

More later must surf now.

Wipeout!

2009-07-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

I hadn't seen this before but found it on a twitter tip "seriously inspirational video" from Ed at Quality Peoples

From the YouTube page.

"The Style Evolution project pays homage to the immense treasure of surf movies over the past 50 years, many of which are sadly becoming rapidly unavailable due to new video formats. This short film is a collage of wipeouts from 19 surf movies from 1963 to 2005."

Gerr Now - North from New York

2009-07-01T06:12:00.001-07:00

The fine folks at Hi Shreadability are back at it with a surf trip / road trip starring Brad Gerlach and Chris Christenson.

Although I don't know the man personally, but Brad Gerlach has always seemed to me to be a normal guy that surfs really well.

As opposed to a lot of the ASP some of whom seem like abnormal guys that surf really well.

If your browser don't start playing the video below

CLICK HERE to go to the Hi Shred website.

The 4th of July

2009-06-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

You just have to have a plan

Daytime high temps in the mid 70's nighttime lows in the upper 60's.

Winds 8 to 10 miles an hour.

Four or Five separate swells running from the south.

Two maybe three feet, better on some sets depending on the tide.

Chest high for most people, well overhead on the mat.

Summer indeed

What could possibly ruin conditions like these?

The 4th of July

Now I have nothing against the 4th.

Actually one of my favorite holidays

I never leave my dead end street

sleep in until noon

barbecue

drink a couple of beers

light off the fire works

(it's OK I live in CM)

Then on the 5th I get up at the crack of dawn

go to the beach

fill my pockets with illegal fireworks left on the beach

and surf my brains out

while everyone else is nursing a hangover or arranging for bail

You just have to have a plan

The Art of the Surf Check

2009-06-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

Checking the surf this morning and not finding much got me thinking about the whole process.

Everyone has their own rituals, with variations, to looking at the surf. Some people have to have coffee (with milk and sugar) or the whole process falls apart. Some use a car (much faster) others prefer a bike (slower but you see much more detail).

After years of watching swells at your local breaks you should be able to tell a lot about how other breaks may be reacting to a particular swell or combination of swells. So if spot A is showing a lot of South swell you can leave the NW swell spots off your list to check. Unless, there is so much South that everywhere is walled so you may want to check the NW breaks for a chance at a shoulder. OR the south swell is really a south east swell which only lights up a couple of beaches every 10 years or so.

An then there is the wind to consider. Every breath of wind provides a new piece of the puzzle. Different wind directions can groom it to perfection or blow it to ribbons.

The surf check is really a riddle.

The cams can help but only to the extent that you know a break already. Sort of like being able to tell how a Big Mac will taste by looking a picture of one. If you had one yesterday you have a good idea. If you have never eaten one, you'll have no clue.

In the end it always comes down to, "either go out or go to breakfast".

Happy trails and good hunting!

Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables at Shelter

2009-06-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

d4riyntwha

The fine folks at Shelter will be hosting the first of their summer surf movie series this Saturday.

FFFRV or Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables

Shelter Surf Shop on Saturday June 27th at 7pm for the US premier of Steve Cleveland’s new film Fresh Fruits for Rotten Vegetables.

They will also have a live musical performance by Long Beach’s Light Music and Surfboards/Art from City Fog. Bring the gang, the beach chairs and the blankets. Refreshments will be served.

7pm - 11pm at Shelter- FREE

Surf Shop Shelter Surf Shop is Located in the heart of Retro Row on 4th Street in Long Beach

Shelter Surf Shop

2148 E 4th Street

Long Beach, CA 90814

562-342-4401

The Endless Solstice

2009-06-22T06:11:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite time of year.

As part of the Fathers Day extravaganza at my house I spent some time watching surf videos after the delicious dinner my wife made.

I have to watch Endless Summer.

Best surf movie ever!

I couldn't decide which movie to watch next so I put in Ultimate Sessions.

I stumbled across the directors commentary option.

In this case it's Sam George and Peter Townsend doing play by play, who was riding what that week and this wave chaged surfing forever.

Listen to this version the next time you watch it .

After that it was Five Summer Stories.

I have always liked FSS. The music, the short board surfing (pre leash), Lopez at Pipeline, the Huntington contest.

For me it was part fantasy, part scrapbook.

Here's to a great summer!

PS Summer surf movies starting up at Shelter this Saturday!

More details later.

10 Things you need this summer

2009-06-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

I try to live my life being not too dependent on things. Well that's not right since I have a computer, a house, a car and so many other things that I couldn't count them all. So let's say I try to see how dependant on things I really am ;)

Painting by Harry Dean see more at his website

So with that disclaimer out of the way here are a few things that may need in your quiver of stuff for the summer.

fins - With just a pair of fins, ok maybe just one all two is better but they don't need to match, you can conquer the world! Well maybe not but you can have a lot of fun!
*regarding fins and fit and other stuff see my previous blog entry
sunblock - Always a good idea but I have to admit I don't follow my own advice often enough on this one.
flip flops -The classic summer go to. Get a pair that fits. Something you can easily find in the pile outside your friends house. If you can keep track of these things get a pair that will last, if not just get a cheap pair from the drug store. Better get two cause they will fall apart.
trunks - You need to wear something, there are places best left un-sun-burnt! Unless you only surf at Blacks...
state pass - If the California state park system is still up and running the 130.00 annual pass works out to a dollar a trip. Cheap price for a place to park, a shower and a bathroom.
towel - You gotta have a towel! My current one is green and has a few dangly bits hanging off it (and needs to be washed!)
a hat - Especially if you are forgoing #2 sunblock.
a bike - Blogged a lot on this already. As long as it's not a car it's good!
a book - Lots of classics at the bookstore for cheap (required reading for school) or free if you go to the library.
a smile - What can I say? If you have extras, give one away!

As always feel free to play the home game and add other things in the comments section.

Mat Tastic!

2009-06-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

As promised here are the new mat photos of Warren Pfeiffer of Yamba, NSW Australia.

All photos by Dane Peterson, see more or purchase photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dpimagery/

Since these pictures came to me through a third party (Thanks Dale) I don't know anything about the day, the swell, the vibe, what Warren and Dane had for breakfast etc.

So the what I can tell you is that all shots are of Warren Pfeiffer and all pictures are by Dane Peterson.

I have traded some emails with Warren in the past and he is one of those guys who surfs his brains out and is always happy to share.

I have never met Dane but you have no doubt seen his work in the usually mags as well as his two recent cover shots on the Surfers Journal.

Nice flight across the wall of this wave. He is using the tip of his inside fin to extent his water line as well as pressure on the inside rail to stay high and drive.

The speed from the shot above puts Warren in the tube and staying there for the foreseeable future.

The next wave starts with a nice turn off the bottom. His edge is set and he is flying!

He is using his inside fin to extend his line and gaining some altitude for the drive through the inside section.

Burning the speed from the shot above, Warren stalls and sets up the section. Check the spray coming off the bottom during the stall, also note the arch in his back. He doesn't want to get to the party too early!

Warren about to enjoy the fruits of his labors!

Back dooring the tube, fins up to minimize drag for now, the mat is twisted to form a fast interface within the barrel. Warren focused and looking down the line.
In his mind he already there...

Warren, low focused and flying!

Opie rides a Mat!

2009-06-10T07:06:00.000-07:00

Found this snap shot at my mom's house.

Mom's a tech-no-maven so I used her scanner. Neat!

Judging from the shrubbery I would say this is 61 or 62.

I would drag the mat out as far as I could at the Huntington Beach pier, turn it around and scream straight in to the beach!

Learned about turning and shoulders much later.

Since then I have also learned to open my eyes, loose the rope and move a little forward.

On the upside it looks like I'm already using lower inflation.

PS In my possession I have some new photos of a world class mat rider taken by a world class photographer. Haven't had time to develop the full post yet. But it's coming!

10 Things to do this summer in SoCal

2009-06-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

1 Go watch the Wedge break

As nice a freak as you will every want to meet. Try to pick a day when there is sufficient swell to make it interesting. DON'T go out

2 Go surf Malibu

As close as Holy ground as California can offer. Expect it to be extremely crowded and for the local crew to not hoot you into waves. It's a pilgrimage ever surfer should make. Good luck finding a place to park and making it out alive.

3 Take a long board and go to SanO

Bring your longest board. Bring lunch and stay to watch the sun set. Another one of those places everyone should travel to. Try to check out the mellow family vibe and bring that back to your beach.

4 Load your family and just about everything you own and take it to the beach for the day

Cooler cooker a tent and all your gear including the kitchen sink. It helps if you have a trailer for this one to tow behind the RV. You will probably really like this one if you think “roughing it” is when room service doesn't answer by the third ring. (Not sure what the allure is for this one but can hundreds of thousand of southern Californians be wrong)

5 Take just your trunks and a smile and spend the day at the beach

ok better bring sun screen maybe a towel.
This minimalist approach is best if you really got a kick out of number 4 above.

6 If the circus comes to town (pro surf contest) stop by and check it out.

7 Ride something different!
If you ride a board grab some fins
If you body board grab a log
If you log try a hand plane

8 Go Fish!

Fishing off the public piers doesn't require a fishing license. A great way to spend the day with your kids or your parents. If you catch anything, throw it back, especially if it has three eyes. Instead opt for the pier burger, eaten outdoors on a nice day they are delicious!

9 Teach someone to surf. No don't. If you do you have to quit yourself. We are are aiming for zero surfer population growth (ZSPG).

10 Take some wood to the beach and have a bonfire.

In a pit please and throw your trash away in the cans. The kids will love it.

11 Pick up some trash when you go to the beach, Every time!

Thank you!

12 Yea I know I said ten things and we are up to 12 already. If you got this far you must have noticed I can't spell but you thought I could count? Number 12 is get a clue and don't believe everything you read on the Internet.

13 Go see a surf movie, preferably one shot on film and shown outdoors if at all possible. A surf film festival would be even better. They are around especially in the summer months. Shelter is showing a movie on June 27th. Patagonia Cardiff has some. Always a good time.

I could wax longingly about the old Surf Theatre in HB. Saw everything there in the 60's and 70's.

14 Find and old board in a trash can (or a garage sale) ride it a couple of times to figure out exactly why it doesn't work.

Then strip the old glass off and reshape it into something interesting.
Two things if it is long enough.

I will probably post part two of this post. It's been fun.

Let me know what you are doing this summer!

Gotta go make pizza dough for dinner now

Leashes killed surfing

2009-06-03T06:09:00.000-07:00

Image: © Andrew Sarnecki/Brand X/Corbis

Somewhere in my past I have uttered this phrase.

On the surface it's hyperbole, something that is said to get attention or make some other usually obvious point.

Looks good as a bumper sticker.

Yesterday, I paddled out on a board, with leash attached and my friend mentioned that I had made the statement previously and so I was forced to think about what it is I was trying to express at the time.

All without the benefits of coffee mind you.

So I stammered something unintelligible, further cementing my reputation as a babbling old fool whilst making a case for the immediate elimination of all blogs whose owners can't pass some sort of basic cognition testing.

So now with a little time to reflect and a good strong cup of tea, let me begin.

IT'S BULLSHIT!

No one thing can kill surfing, let's get that over with right away.

But the widespread use of leashes changed our collective approach to surfing in such a basic way that it deserves some thought and discussion.

Not that the all changes were bad.

Surf spots are ridden today that, do to shoreline or approach conditions, would be out of the question previously.

There is a very real safety benefit too.

A loose long board in the soup can do enough damage to visiting tourists that the local city fathers might want to reconstitute the black ball.

And no one wants that!

What saddens me is that with the advent of the leash whole generations of surfers learned to surf without learning to body surf. No time spent in the water without their boards at hand. The time spent swimming and body surfing in to retrieve your board gave you time to analyze your mistakes and did a fair amount for your overall conditioning as well. By the time you developed average surfing ability you were a better than average swimmer and had some knowledge of the local ocean. The time in the water also gave you a quick education in the motion of side shore currents, riptides and may have introduced you to a cute little sea creature we like to call the jelly fish.

Beautiful aren't they!

Perhaps one of the most troubling effects of widespread leash use is on the crowd factor.

Let say you have a group of 30 surfers surfing a lone beach break peak.
(I live in SoCal so this is entirely in the realm of possibility)
In the pre-leash days, you might have 10 surfers sitting and waiting for the next wave, 5 surfing, 5 paddling back out and 10 beginners swimming in after their boards.

Since the leash, you have still have 5 surfing and 5 paddling back out but now there is 20 people waiting for the next wave.

And half of them are kooks!

If you are talking about the summer months and live in Huntington Beach just add a zero to all the numbers and you have some idea of why I like the fall.

But that said, leashes are here to stay.

I even use one at the local sandy beach break, on occasion.

Photo courtesy of some paparazzi

But if you could stop ditching your board right in front of me just cause you get you board back right way I would appreciate it ;)

June Gloom - Three Views

2009-06-01T06:08:00.000-07:00

For anyone not familiar with the Southern California phenomena.

A representative shot pinched from Flicker

Note the complete lack of surf and the coastal fog actually clearing up momentarily.
No idea where this is, could be anywhere, looks like everywhere

Something Scientific (along with a description)

The sun-seeking know to avoid southern California beaches in the late spring. A period known to the locals as May Gray and/or June Gloom often darkens the coastal skies of sunny southern California with a layer of marine stratus. During this time, the coastal clouds may remain all day but often give way to some hazy afternoon sunshine. The number of days during this two month period that are gloomy vary from year to year. Cooler ocean temperatures (La Nina conditions) usually foretell a gloomier period.

One for the art lovers

June Gloom in April courtesy of Stephen Scheffler

Funny no one mentioned the south wind that usually blows out any swell we may get.

Did the Beach Boys ever do a song to go with this?

Didn't think so!

Part Tooo of the "what you need to get to the beach this summer" series

2009-05-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

More cars in the california beach tradition

Where did I park my SUV?

The Honda Ruckus has some strong points,

after you add a side rack and a basket

Thanks to Ed at Quality Peoples for pointing out the Ruckus

Everyone wants one of these

until they get one and have to remove and refinish the wood on a regular basis.

Everyone knows that truely core surfers drive Caddy's to the beach

Hey ClayFin are those 22's?

I think I take the bug

Has anyone seen my 8 Track?

NIGHT AND MORNING LOW CLOUDS AND DRIZZLE WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH SATURDAY WITH LOW CLOUDS PERSISTING ALONG THE COAST

Do you think they are sugar coating it by not mentioning the wind?

What you really need

2009-05-28T05:40:00.000-07:00

I did a piece on "the perfect surf car" a while back and readers really seemed to like it.

So I thought I would re visit the theme with a multi part series.

Today's installment is entitled "What you really need"

First off, if at all possible, driving to the beach should be avoided.

You should either live:

A) in a house on the beach

B) on a friends couch at their house on the beach

C) in the bushes on the beach

D) close enough to walk to the beach

Any of these options only require that you have a pair of these to get around

Your Carbon Footprint will be low and fluctuations in the price of a barrel of crude oil are no big deal.

I personally wear a pair of Crocs most of the time.

I plan on wearing these camo crocs when I sneak into Tresles this summer.

If you live far enough from the beach to require some sort of transport here are some options that will help get you to the surf on time.

AfricaBikes from Kona Bikes

The folks at Kona are part of a team who developed a bike for AIDS relief workers who needed reliable cheap transport to take them into the remote villages. This makes it a perfect bike for surfers. In addition, they will send one more bike to Africa for every two they sell domestically. Who couldn't use those sort of Karma points? It comes in a one speed or three speed model. Both versions include a basket, rear rack and lock standard. Also comes with thorn proof tires/tubes for those of you who can't keep on the path. I've seen how you drive your cars. I'm thinking I lash the mat and fins on the back and stuff my wetsuit and towel in the basket. Those of you without inflatable surfing devices could attach a side mounted surfboard rack and be down the trail in no time. A good bike at a good price for a great cause!

PS I really am looking to get one of these!

If you need to bring the family, the long boards and the kitchen sink and do it all under your own power I still have you covered.

The folks at Xtracycle offer bicycle frame extensions and accessories to turn your cruiser into a Sport Utility Bicycle (SUB) to replace the SUV that you are driving now.

Next time I will actually talk about some motorized options here is a picture to tide you over!

Dream Sequence

2009-05-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

I had a dream last night

My family had rented a house on the beach

I could out my bedroom window and see waves breaking

I tried to take a picture for a post

but the camera was broken

(it may be time for a blog vacation)

I when out to the garage

and all of my childhood surfboards were there

so was my brother Bob (he passed years ago)

All I could think about was how much fun it would be to ride those boards again

I think I have been out of the water too long!

I will be in CM over the weekend

the waves look small but thats ok

I hope to see all my water friend

PS "the present" showing tonight up by Shelter Surf Shoppe in Long Beach on 4th

etcetera etcetera etcetera

2009-05-18T18:38:00.001-07:00

I get several emails every day telling me about how good the surf will be somewhere I'm not.

Most of you do as well but the email that Adam Wright just sent out about the 2009 Hurricane Season is exceptional!

In addition to going over the hurricanes that create waves for Southern California, his discussion of wave generation in general a must read.

Now for something different

I get songs stuck in my head

Today the song was "counting flowers on the wall" by the Statler Brothers

You Tube had two versions I can decide which one is weirder so I am including them both.

Enjoy

Live from The Porter Wagoner Show

This was a big hit amonst the acid heads and flower children of the day. Here they are dressed in matching shark skin suits. I like the spotted ties.

The Statler Brothers performed this song at a Johnny Cash show in Denmark 1971, which also contained guest performances by Carl Perkins and the Carter Family.

Digging the hip matching outfits again.

I've gotta get out of the desert

Reminder!! The Present in Long Beach Thursday 5/21!!

2009-05-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Tickets available at the Shelter Surf Shoppe for $12

Two shows

7pm Show

9pm Show

The Theater is located almost directly across the street from the Shelter shop. They will be serving refreshments at the shop for those that make it there early. Our Friends at 4th Street vine will also be serving glasses of wine 2 doors down all night long for $3!!

The Art Theater is located at:

2025 E 4th St
Long Beach, CA 90814
(562) 438-5435‎
arttheatrelongbeach.com

for more info on the film including the trailer, photos and other dates, check out Thomas’ official site

Talkin' Story

2009-05-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

I just posted my first piece over on Talkin' Story.

Daniel, who owns Talkin' Story wants to bring together surfers from all over the globe to share their unique perspectives.

You will remember Daniel from his fine blog Wine and Woodsmoke.

So brothers and sisters grab a beach chair and join us around the campfire 'cause in the great post surf tradition, we're Talkin' Story.

Searching for Michael Peterson

2009-05-11T07:08:00.000-07:00

Searching for Michael Peterson Trailer from jolyon hoff on Vimeo.

If you haven't seen the trailer for Searching for Michael Peterson you should really check it out.

With the recent revival (although they never really went away) of hulls and stubbies, Peterson's cutback from "Morning of the Earth" has surfaced again and having passed the test of time is on the short list of THE BEST CUTBACKS ever.

So what happened?

After dominating Australian surfing contest thru the 70's he quit competing and fell from public view.

While stories are still told about the wild and drug induced antics of the man,his story is of teenage onset schizophrenia.

A sad tale, an amazing surfer