Nick Cave

Baja Coast

 

Took these shots from the sketchy prop glider in the first picture. The "pilot" didn't instil much confidence before we took off he offered me a shot of tequila.

Guttermouth Gets Waxed

Guttermouth played in Wilmington last week. From what I heard, they were disappointed with the venue (The Soapbox) and the turn out. (it was in the middle of week) but they haven't exactly been turning out good music in a while.

So what does this build to, a tirade by the singer about how lame surfers are and what shit surf culture is. On that note I 100% agree. But, they were the background music to every surf film that came out between '98 and '03.

Anyways, someone in the crowd threw a bar of wax on stage and it hit a band member in the face. Why the perpetrator was caring a bar of wax at 11 pm is beyond me but it sounded pretty awesome.

Baja California

Years ago my best friend, Robert (see below), and myself converted a school bus into a makeshift RV and set off to California. We landed in Mission Beach, CA and lived next to a meth cooker, called Frankenstein, who was also a part-time pimp. Anyways, we caught plenty of surf and a few friends flew out and went to Baja with us.

Here are some photos I found on an old computer. I will be uploading some actual shot of the surf and coastline over the next couple days.

Lighting the Grill atop the custom patio.

Interior Shot. Can't you just smell the opulence.

Mediocre Reef Break

Robert, gearing up to hit the bars. Later, that night he was pissed to find out this was not acceptable attire to wear at a Mexican Beach Bar.

Dirtbag Taylor.

Costa Rica's So Gay Right Now

NE Trip Take 2 / OBX Surf

Pretty slow on adding photos from the trip mainly due to the poor surf. Although a couple standouts would be : Brian posing next to his early 90's Vette or 1 of the 7 pizza slices his brother, Adam, consumed the night before he paddled from Jersey to Delaware.

May be heading up to the Outer Banks this weekend, stay tuned and enjoy footage from last year.

Surf Art?

Photo by Francois Robert. http://francoisrobertphotography.com/

Sure, its no painted asymmetrical surfboard or some weird collage put together and nailed to a piece of driftwood found while cruising through Mexico. But, they sure do evoke feeling and thought.
And that is something missing from the surf/skate media, who cram the idea that anyone who hangs heels and keeps a journal has a point of view worth exploring in print or on the web. While images like these go unnoticed and Dane Reynolds every fart is chronicled and explained as a uniquely post-modern approach to the commercialization of surfing. FUCK.

Ronnie Burns, RIP

Incredible talent and style. RIP Ronnie Burns. Will be packing for my trip to the NE tomorrow. Looks like the tropical storm has fizzled out but there is still potential for surf. Hoping the system slows and regains some strength.

Blog of the Week

Surfr: Surf Nature

The blog is run by Tony Foster, from the north island of New Zealand. Who apart from documenting tons of surfing by way of high quality shots and countless videos also runs a houseboat tour out of Whangaroa Bay. http://www.houseboatrentals.co.nz/

On top of that he is the author of Plant Heritage New Zealand, an extensive look into the flora of of New Zealand.

Look out for his post about Folly Beach, South Carolina where he was of course ticketed for illegal parking! Good Job S.Caroilna

Photo by Tom Foster

Down South

Photos of New Zealand. Hamish Mathieson
http://ramboestrada.com/

New Board, No Surf

Just picked up a 9'2" Eavey pintail. First longboard I have owned in over a year and a half. (Thanks Taylor & Jess for picking up the slack). I am a little unsure of it, the Eavey's I have ridden in the past were a little sluggish. But I can not complain too much, I picked it up for a good price and can always re-sell it.

Will be heading up to OBX, Jersey, NYC and Montauk this Wed. Looking forward to some surf and the development of TD4.

Oil in the Gulf

Oil in the Gulf

Summer

*The world greatest backyard (The view from Taylor's Driveway)

Summer is upon us, and my weird bout with Seasonal Depression begins again. The past decade I have tried my hardest to be away from Wilmington in the Summer. With a guaranteed increase in traffic, tourists, humidity, constant SW winds, marginal South Swells and the impending oil spill. What's not to love about spending these months on the East Coast.

But it looks like a new trip will soon be in order for either the Pacific NW or Nicaragua for July/Aug. Stay tuned and enjoy these photos.

Oregon

Nicaragua

Lack of Updates

Just returned from a ten day trip to Panama, Photos and video will be uploaded shortly.

Also, will be introducing a new feature "Profiles in Radicalness," with the first interview going to Dave D.

"Radical"

The Flying Tomato

(Shaun White accepting his gold medal in Vancouver)

I love snowboarding. And at one point I was ready to pack it up, say goodbye to the coast and move to the mountains. But with anything there is always some lame shit associated with it. And basically you don't see many bikinis in altitudes above 1000 feet.

Well anyways I found this and realized how much I missed the mountains. Enjoy. The song is officially RADICAL. Throw Me The Statue About to Walk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW_79zfR8D0

Faroe Islands

"One ship drives east and another drives west

With the selfsame winds that blow.

'Tis the set of the sails, And Not the gales,

That tell us the way to go." - EW Wilcox.

The Faroe Islands are situated between Scotland and Iceland. Being on the other side of the pond they see no shortage of powerful Atlantic storms during our Winter. Check out some great video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7JDdxsALVI

Two New Correspondents

Have just checked in with Hippie Sean, who is currently living abroad in New Zealand. Last report he was on the South Island surfing point breaks with no one else in the water. He will be adding photos/music/stories/etc. and will be our Official Dirtbag Correspondent of Oceania.

Alex W. is off to Morocco for two years. He will be living in huts, working super hard and getting payed shit. However, I am sure it will be worth it.

Morocco.

And a hugely jealous congratulation goes out to Curtis S. on making it through US Coast Guard Training. I was speaking with D.B. Taylor and we were commenting on how terrible it would be to be stationed on the Gulf Coast and with Curtis' luck in life he would probably be calling Mobile, Alabama home. But that is not the case, he will spending the next few years on Maui! Congarats! Here he is on a trip to Mav's before shipping off to Basic Trainings:

Upcoming Events

This Sat. stop by and save some money for your next trip!

When: Tonight, Wed. Feb. 24th at 7:00pm
Where: Level 5 at City Stage, 21 N. Front St., downtown Wilmington
$5.00 at the door (all the treasure benefits WBLA outreach efforts and Paco Strickland).

Panama

Will be in Panama at the end of March, from the 25th thru April 4th. Will be staying at casadeestrella.com on the Azuero Peninsula.

While Dirtbags Taylor & Jess scored Santa Catalina, Panama this past summer. I will be exploring the more remote Azuero Peninsula. Which from maps I have seen holds a ton of potential.

Total trip budget including airfare will be roughly $450. Stay Tuned!

Santa Cruz Cont.

Santa Cruz

I ventured out to the Bay Area a couple weeks ago. You might have heard the hype everywhere from Surfline to the Weather Channel which dubbed the weather systems the "Western Wallop!"

Three major storms battered the West Coast, leaving flooded roads, mud slides, major rain, stormy surf and incredible snowfall in the Sierra Nevadas.

I spent a week there. 6/7 days was blown out with stormy surf in Santa Cruz while northern spots had 20+ faces with unridable conditions. I managed to catch Steamer Lane the day before I left. Sadly, I wrecked my knee before I paddled out and I could hardly make a bottom turn.

Highlights of the trip: R. Dorosko charging middle peak on a rental tuff lite longboard sitting next to a couple locals on their guns, and just barely scratching into a wave that I am saying measured close to 18 feet. He managed to get one that was around 16 foot though. *Point of interest, the Dorosko brothers are incredible surfers. R. and Dave surfed Todos Santos on a woman's rounded pin short board and an 80's fish, respectively.

Total Trip Cost: $400. Total Waves Caught: 6. Averages out to$66.67 a wave. Not what I would consider a successful trip by any measure but a fun trip none the less.

*These photos were taken after the session.