Extremehorizon surf blog providing: regular surfing news, updates, stories, surf pictures, product reviews, surfer interviews and anything from the world of actions sports which is begging to be blogged!
Its the end of 2008 and the time of year may be making me a little reflective but added to the fact that I've not been able to surf now for almost 2 months has provoked a few thoughts.
A back problem has kept me out of the water since late Oct, which is the longest for me without a surf in recent memory and I'm amazed at how its affected my world view. I knew that I wouldn't be able to surf for a while so I cut myself off from surfing, cold turkey: no checking the surf reports, no daily scanning of the pressure charts, limited contact with surfing mates, no trips to the beach, no surf talk...all of which were designed to take my mind off waves, because the thought of clean, lined up northerly groundswells peeling across our local sandbars without me sat amongst them was and is too difficult to contemplate.
I thought I'd be able to handle the injury imposed surf sabbatical with a positive view that it wont be forever, but my protective withdrawal from all things surf has taken its toll. Theres the obvious "lack of surf blues", but the way I live has also been affected.
Surfing fitted into my pattern of work, family and friends and effortlessly dictated an understanding of changing weather systems, a healthy diet, fitness, outdoor living and more, but all of that has gradually eroded. Worst of all, the act of riding a wave, with the timeless glide across a glassy face is only a memory for now. Part of my life is missing
There is perhaps a danger of spouting cliches here but it is so true that its only until something is gone that you begin to truely appreciate it. Each wave we surf is a gift and the benefits surfing brings to our lifes is a blessing. I will surf again and I hopefully wont have to wait too long, but I do know that I'll never take a wave for granted again and will savour every fleeting second.
So heres to all of our blog readers, wishing you a very Happy, healthy 2009 and may the Surf God Huey bring us an abundance of waves!
Santa has been spotted recently surfing at Pismo Pier California... the video footage below is actual proof. Or is it?... although I do of course believe in Santa (Who couldnt after watching Miracle on 34th Street!) I might have my doubts that this clip is of the real Santa. I mean, Mr Clause does need a little R&R, but so close to Christmas eve...its a little hard to believe! So that may be the fatal flaw in what is either an amazing piece of video evidence or a very clever hoax- you decide :)
We noticed and was intrigued by the story below which relates to a conman using big wave surfer Alec "Ace Cool" Cooke as a front for a scam. It makes a change from receiving emails from Nigerian "Generals" and Ghanain "Ministers" asking for help retrieving $25m from a US bank account! This one is a lot less ambitious and is targeting a most unlikely group (surfers) using a most unlikely surfer. Ace's most notable acheivement was paddling into a reputed 35footer at Outside Log cabins in 1985
Surfers Village: BE WARNED - Ace Cool (Alec Cooke) is alive and well on the North Shore this very day and is nowhere near London UK. This is confirmed to Surfersvillage today by reliable North Shore sources.
Below is the email message circulationg;-
From: Ace Cool [mailto:acecool45@hotmail.com] Sent: 15 December 2008 11:59 To: Ace Cool Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP URGENTLY
Sorry I didn't inform you about my traveling to UK for a program, am presently in London i am stranded here because i lost my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money,and other valuable things were kept.I will like you to assist me with a soft loan urgently with the sum of 1,200 GB Pounds to sort-out my hotel bills and get myself back home. I will appreciate whatever you can afford, I'll pay you back as soon as i return, Please send the money to me through Western Union money transfer by the details below.
Ace Cool Address, 199 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 4RY
After making the payment kindly back to me with payment receipt details needed to collect the money here.
Regards, Ace
Should you receive this email, it is recommended you ignore it.
First off thankyou to everyone who submitted their pics...there were some really nice shots, but there can only be one winner and that is Pete Furness of Aberdeen who took this shot of a wild looking Scottish North Sea. His win was based on the most views, highest votes and judges final decision
Congratulations to Pete who won a Surf goody bag which included Northcore Boardriders accessories, Matunas wax and Surfers Path mag in time for christmas... watch this space for future comps.
To avoid injury, stay safe and to be able to perform at your best in the water its essential to keep up your fitness levels especially at this time of year when Northern Hemisphere seas are cold.
Also during winter you might not be logging as much surf time but when you do paddle out the swells often have more size so fitness is a must. So we'd recommend buying or borrowing a copy of "Surf Stronger" which is a workout regime designed just for surfers. The equipment required is minimal, you can train at home and you'll be a stronger surfer if you regularly follow the exercises.
" Surf Stronger, The Surfer's Workout" is a total body, surf-specific workout. The 45-minute training session includes a dynamic warm up, the main workout, and a cool-down stretch. The video will teach you athletic movements that look and feel like surfing while focusing on building power, flexibility, and core strength."
The official opening ceremony for The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau "The Eddie", at Waimea Bay, big wave contest, on the North Shore of Oahu kicked off yesterday. This year’s invited surfers, including Kelly Slater, Bruce Irons, Andy Irons, Mark Healy, Takayuki Wakita, Brian Keaulana, along with the Aikau Family and special guests, will be on hand to celebrate the 24th anniversary of this unique big-wave riding event.
Though the swell was predicted to be sub-Eddie standards on the day, it was still expected to reach 15-18 feet Hawaiian scale, which translates into 25-30 foot wave faces, provided a valuable warm-up opportunity for big-wave riders invited to this prestigious event.
Scheduled to take place at the hallowed grounds of Waimea Bay, on the North Shore of Oahu, between November 30, 2008, and February 28, 2009, the event, otherwise known as "The Eddie", requires one day with a minimum of 20-foot surf (Hawaiian scale) in order to run.
It is the world's most prestigious big-wave surfing event and is the only big-wave surf contest sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the governing body of professional surfing. The opening ceremonies, which have been described as a cultural new year, include a group paddle and intimate session in the water.
To follow the event visit: http://live.quiksilver.com/2008/bigwave/
To an outsider, the world of a surfer must appear a strange one, we have our own language, we sometimes risk losing life, limb, relationships, jobs and more just to ride a wave that is gone in the blink of an eye. So its no wonder non-surfers or those trying to join the tribe, have difficulty understanding what it is to surf or how to communicate with surfers...thats where "The Bluffers Guide to Surfing" book comes in.
This title is a fun little booked filled with surf information basics, presented with a premise that it will offer the reader the essentials to understanding the world of surfing. The book is light hearted, it covers a lot of info and is up to date. Bluffers Guide provides an insight into our world and would be an ideal gift or buy for a curious non-surfer or beginner.
Check out the latest Northcore Boardriders blog entry below on their trip to the Orkney Islands:
"Big waves, unsurfed/undiscovered locations, huge swell windows, vast ocean fetch, endless variety of set ups, constant waves....its like a mini-Hawaii, so who wouldn't want to go to the Orkney Islands?!
For those who dont know, the Orkneys are a group of islands situated north of Scotland and the fabled reefs at Thurso. They lay on the same latitudes as Northern Canada and Greenland but although the islands do get bitterly cold in winter, the gulf stream tempers the climate and the ocean enough to mean that icebergs and polar bears arent local hazards!
We were lucky enough to visit one of the outer islands recently, partly to visit friends and partly to check it out for a possible future Northcore team trip and after days of looking at maps and swell charts I was dreaming of the seemingly limitless surf possibilities.The main drawback other than the aforementioned cold, is the length of the journey there, for us it meant a 450 mile road trip, a flight, a cross island drive, a ferry and a long walk, which meant that we could have flown to the other side of the world in a similar amount of time. The journey is worth it though as the huge skys, vast seas and remoteness of the Orkneys is stunning.
The drive around the whole island we were staying on is only about 45mins and a few potential surf spots can be seen from the road but most are well hidden and all involve long walks across steep fields, stone walls, dead sheep and streams. Winter swells regularly reach 20ft+ (it was only a 12-14ft swell when we were there) and all of the spots we saw were rock reef set ups, some only accessible by boat or PWC. This place is hardcore!I'm not going to give away anymore for now but watch this space for a possible trip in 2009..... "
