018: Easy Noriega
Posted on September 28, 2008
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After kvetching about how competitive things can get at Kelly’s Cove, my good friend Ben Forsyth, himself a 12-year SF transplant from New England (and a surfer), pointed out that Kelly’s is one of the more localized spots in the area. Which I guess I knew, but still… it’s right here and gets really good.
Anyway he suggested trying Noriega Ave, which is near the middle of Ocean Beach. So I checked it out yesterday and had a blast. The waves weren’t big, probably chest high with some plus sets, but really nice and easy A-frame peaks, rolling in under a bright hazy fog; the sun was trying to poke through, and it finally did. Super clean and super fun, nothing critical, but there were some hollow sections to be found for sure. And a lot more room to stretch out, several times I had a peak to myself, or only had to share with at most a couple people. The talent level was lower, too; which was fine by me. And people were actually friendly. None of the pissed off sneering and constant jockeying for position. Ha. I’ll definitely be heading back to that stretch of beach.
The photo is from a Brazilian festival that was happening down the beach near VFW’s.
017: The Inverse Proportion
Posted on September 24, 2008
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I figured it out. The proportion of days with no waves here at OB is exactly equal to days with waves back east in New England. Actually that is not even true… it seems there are always waves here. There hasn’t been a day I’ve seen since arriving here that hasn’t been at least rideable. Sure, conditions aren’t always epic, sometimes (like today) it’s small (and by that I mean waist high) and the winds can be devilish. But it has been remarkably consistent. I’ve also noticed that even on the smaller days, there seems to be these sneaker sets that make it all worth it; like there is always a chance that something will roam in from the deep pacific and give you a decent ride. Back home, when it’s small, it’s small and that’s it. That said, I do miss the classic fall days back home, and the endless stoke of the boys.
Biked to the beach again… it was small and got a bit windy. But since I had schlepped all the way down there with all the gear in tow, and it was sunny, I pretty much had to go out…
Portfolio Updated
Posted on September 24, 2008
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My portfolio has been updated with some of the work I produced during my stay at Arnold Worldwide in Boston. My resume has also been freshened.
016: Tubed if by bike
Posted on September 23, 2008
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The truck is in the shop, so I had to pedal to the beach to surf. Was actually really fun… well, on the way down to the beach that is. Coming back up the hill to the apartment with board in tow was a different story! I scored (for free) an old Schwinn 10 speed from a neighbor who was moving. It is actually in decent shape, if not a little heavy. But it’s way easier to ride with a board than my fixed gear, which would be nearly impossible on the hills while carrying a surfboard. And the bike is not as much of a worry as my nice Surly would be at the beach while I surf. So no photos of the surf this time, since I didn’t want to bring anything valuable down to the beach.
The sunny and warm weather continues. Fog, schmog! It’s been amazing actually. And fun surf to boot, the onshores have stayed pretty much away. I’d say it was chest high with plus sets. And glassy for the first part of the session. The photo is actually from last week. The lifeguards have been around a lot, in trucks, on jetskis, on foot… probably due to all the people heading into the water with this great stretch of weather we have had.
015: Just another Monday morning
Posted on September 22, 2008
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Warm and sunny… and surf. Interesting crew out there today; a bunch of old guys for the most part. Kneeboards, helmets, boogie boards, a longboard with the nose chopped off, older guys pushing it on shortboards, older guys who couldn’t surf, a guy who was really good at making sound effects (vocally) he reminded me of an old timey radio show sound effects guy, sirens, barking seals, three stooges type stuff. They all show up. Surf was pretty good; smaller and glassy. I’d say about chest high and fun.
Andrew Molera State Park
Posted on September 21, 2008
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This was my first trip to Big Sur and it truly is incredible. We hiked in about a mile to the beach and headland in this park, which looks to have a setup for a wave that apparently gets good every now and then. But it wasn’t big enough, so it wasn’t really working today. The wave in the photo is about waist high; and even those were few and far between. Really nice scenery though, and there is camping. Definitely going to head back down to camp when it’s on… and there are more waves to discover. There is an epic wave that turns on with a big south; but it’s highly localized from what I hear. I won’t even mention the name here…
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hanna House
Posted on September 21, 2008
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Frank Lloyd Wright has always been a big inspiration of mine. In high school I studied architecture pretty extensively and if it wasn’t for the math part, I probably would have headed in that direction. Anyway, I have visited several Wright houses and buildings over the years; Falling Water, the Guggenheim, and the Zimmerman House, to name a few. Now I can add the Hanna house to the list. The house is on a hillside near the Stanford campus in Palo Alto, and is open to the public for tours on a very limited schedule. Our guide did a really great job, and we had about an hour total in the house and on the grounds.
If you aren’t familiar with Wright’s work, it’s worth investigating, regardless of what field of art or design you are involved with. Wright’s work was so far ahead of it’s time, and at the same time, timeless. The Hanna house (and others) look as though they could have been designed and built today, and featured in Dwell magazine as contemporary architecture. Historical photos of these houses with old Studebakers parked in the carports throws one off a bit; the Hanna house was designed and built in 1936. As with all of Wrights designs, the house was so well thought out, right down to every detail; even the direction that visible screw-heads are pointed in! Which happens to be horizontal, matching the sightlines of the house. The Hanna house is a concept house based on a hexagon, and proportions that come from that. The floorplan renderings alone are a work of art.
Perhaps I’ll add more information to this post later; I could go on and on about details of the house and of Wright. But maybe a look at the photos of the Hanna house and some cursory research can explain much more.
Update, Sep. 28:
Charles sent over a couple historical photos of the Hanna house; the landscape was a lot more open then, and it shows the somewhat out of place looking period cars in the carport.
014: Evening session
Posted on September 17, 2008
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I wasn’t expecting much surf today based on reports, swell models, etc.; and I was busy with other things most of the day. So I did my surf-check ride a bit later. Eight blocks west (via bike) on Anza Boulevard brings me to Sutro Heights Park, with the birds-eye view of most of Ocean Beach. And it looked fun! Wind was on it, but not too bad. And the sun was out; something that hasn’t been happening much lately out here at the beach. Surf was chest high with some plus sets… again, the NW and SW swells crossing gave the best peaks.
After a wave, I was paddling out and a seal popped up about three feet in front of me, staring. Way inside! I could have reached out and petted the thing! Got me wondering; why was he so far in? Running from something perhaps? yikes. All that and I stayed out after sunset.
More swell is on the way, and I am excited about a trip south to Monterey this Friday and Saturday. Can’t wait to check out those areas, and hopefully catch some good surf also.
013: Small and punchy
Posted on September 15, 2008
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Smallest surf yet since moving here, but still some sneaker sets in the chest high range. Some of the sets had me wishing I had my fish to ride (I left the fish on the East Coast), but the larger sets (chest high) were very much short-boardable. But this is the first time I’ve missed it, which is saying a lot; I rode the fish more than any board I have back home. Sun finally poked through after several grey days. A utility session, if you will.
012: Gray… and hollow
Posted on September 11, 2008
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Forgot the camera today, so no, this pic isn’t from this morning. The spell has been broken, the past several days have had gray skies (at the beach), and hard onshores in the afternoon. But, the mornings have been glassy for the most part, and still plenty powerful. Surf has held steady; similar to last week; again, except for the blown-out afternoons. Some fun ones for sure, and I also keep getting the beatdown; some of the waves, just when you think you’re set, the bottom just drops out.
The photo is from last week at Sloat’s. (Thursday, I think.) Classic California surf ride. The dogs were barking like mad, as basset hounds will do.
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