Thursday, April 29, 2004
The Grey Whales are migrating up the coast right now, and the females are in real close with thier calves this time of year apprently. I've seen spouts off the coast two days in a row while surfing, and looking forward to more. Of other local viewing interest, last Tuesday one could see a Vandenberg Rocket Launch, of the Gravity Probe B.
Surfrider points to another article about the IV Parking situation is here and a meeting geared towards UCSB students tonight on campus:
Isla Vista Parking Permit Program
Student Strategy Meeting
Thursday, April 29, 6:00PM
Graduate Students Association (GSA)
(Above Multi Cultural Center)
link to this
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
We lost a friend today.
A friend with freakish talents and endless comebacks.
A friend that laughed and a friend that got mad.
A friend with a crooked grin and an infectious laugh.
A friend that never finished his soda but always finished his candy.
A friend that inspired everyone around him to surf better and skate better.
A friend that wrestled with my kids and play with my dog.
A friend who idolized his father, envied his brothers and thought the world of his mother.
A friend that never took his friends for granted.
A friend that will always be with us…
Brandon Yates was just 23 when he lost his battle with cancer on April 20th, 2004. His friends and family paid tribute to Brandon with a paddle out at Butterfly Beach. It was one of those beautiful warm and sunny Santa Barbara days with dolphins cruising the surf and even a whale surfacing on the outside. This silhouette is of Brandon. If you see it on someone’s board, or on the back of a car, you know we are thinking of him, surfing with him and laughing with him. -Darryl
My apologies for not getting the word out in time on the paddle out, and for condolences for those who knew Brandon.
Pope's News and Views:
With temperatures in the 80's and a solid south swell running anywhere but here, this seems like one of those days to see how your boss reacts to your own little version of "flex time."
Gaviota resident Henry Schulte, who sold Wetsand Magazine (now Blue Edge Magazine), has started a new surf photo site www.santabarbarasurfphotos.com which has local surf photos you can buy.
Unfortunately I also forgot to promote the latest meeting about the IV Parking Plan. They cleverly decided to hold it on April 14th, clearly knowing I would be cranking on my taxes. According to Scotty Bull the county is proceeding with full force and we only have one more time to express our dissent, which is Tuesday, May 18. Gary, just a normal non-activist guy, was so disturbed he wrote this great letter to the Goleta Valley Voice (it's the 2nd letter). In the meantime Scotty has drug up some local articles which you can browse here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Also, my rant on the Yakima Strap Thang has caused me to do even more research. My latest theory is that it works great for dawn patrol when the air is cool and the rubber straps have contracted, but after a long hot day on the car, they thermally expand and thus make my board fly in the air. If I re-adjust for this warm condition they will be too tight for dawn patrol. The search for the perfect strapping system continues...
link to this
Friday, April 16, 2004
Chance updates us with his Strap Thang thougts: "Sorry Pope have to disagree with you on the Yakima straps. I have mine on the roof, been up there for two years, no problems. I suspect you didn't start off tight enough. I put a Volan 9' Single Fin and a Yater HP up top double stacked with whatever my kid bring along too. Never had an issue."
Also, I added Santa Barbara Surf Seals into the surf schools section of the links page.
link to this
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Yakima Strap Thang Review:
Received an email from Wetsand saying they are now a Yakima dealer which is good news for Yakima fans. I checked out the "Strap Thang" which I bought some months ago. Wetsand is offering it for $56 (can be had for $45 searching with froogle).
When I was debating what to get for my next tie down system for my surf rack (having the last two last about a year each) I first thought of the Yakima Strap Thang because it looked quick and easy to use, perfect for those lunchtime sessions when you gotta hurry to get back to work. I read some very bad reviews on the product here. However I found a shop in NJ that was dumping them for $32 (now I know why) so I pulled the trigger.
The Strap Thang worked great at first. It was easy to install and I could load and unload boards in a flash. Driving at 75mph on the freeway with two longboards was fine, the boards didn't lift off the roof and there were no strange noises. However the breaking point for me came this past weekend heading up to Pismo with the longboard on top. I'm cruising along at 75mph and I do the quick 'look thru the windshield and see how the cargo is doing' check that I subconsciously do about every 2 minutes. What do I see but the front of my board about 2 feet off the roof of my car. I've seen cars like that, and I make every effort to get out of their way usually. So I stopped and cranked those guys down as hard as I could but down the road I had the same problem. Luckily I had one webbing strap that I managed to put on the front rack without problem.
So my bottom line is these things start to break down and become stretchy after time. These have been on top of my roof for a few months. I'm sure if you but them inside your car when you aren't using them they would last longer, but that takes away the quick and easy from the equation. My 3rd strapping system in 3 years, each having not lasted more then a year.
Update: Chance writes in:
"Sorry Pope have to disagree with you on the Yakima straps. Leave mine on the roof, been up there for two years, no problems. I suspect you didn't start off tight enough. I put a Volan 9' Single Fin and a Yater HP up top double stacked with whatever my kid bring along too. Never had an issue."
link to this
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Mank reports from SD:
I arrived at the la jolla shores parking lot this morning to meet my friend mario for dawn patrol. 
instead of a quiet parkinglot, I found 4 news crews, lights set up, over a dozen cop cars, lifeguards galore, and a coast guard helicopter w/a searchlight combing the beach. we asked a tv guy what was going on, and he said a surfer was pulled out to sea by the rip current. pretty unbelievable. most surfers know how to deal with currents and it's rare a surfer paddles out that early... it was only 5:40am.
we go up the beach a bit, anticipating a good swell, suit up and paddle out. mostly head high, the sets were very clean and remarkably well shaped. mario and I had a stellar session, ever though the loud as hell coast guard 'copter was above for almost the entire session. good times. not for that swimmer though.
funny thing... the surfshot cam caught mario in a wave. I missed my 15min of fame.
link to this
Friday, April 09, 2004
Some new surf fotos are starting to be sprinkled around the site, courtesy of jonah and his G3 on a camping trip along the Central Coast last weekend. Stay tuned for more coming soon.
link to this
Thursday, April 08, 2004
Rob from Brooklyn, NY has been running Coastal Survey for 9 years now.
CDIP is apparently in need of funding and forecast sites such as Storm Surf has written up a plea to help it's survival. (This link is down as of posting but check back.)
Don forwards the Shoreline Preservation Fund which is now accepting applications for funding. "Funds can be requested for community and campus organization programs, individual class projects, undergraduate and graduate research, or for fundraising activities for student groups."
The Santa Barbara Voleyballk Club is holding it's 1st Annual Spring Benefit Fundraiser on April 14th at SBJHS. Endless Summer II, Wingnut, Shaun Tomson, Sam August will all be in attendence.
Speaking of movies, it seems about time for some NEW surf flicks to start rolling thru town. We are in need of some Winter 03/04 surf movies, or something with some new content. There are only so many times you can fork over $15 to see one of Bruce Brown or Jack Johnson's films to support a good cause. Please email if you see a surf poster around town.
link to this
Santa Barbara Surfing. Created by Tim Maddux. Continued by Pope.
