Rapid Descent

The only thing that could make this film sweeter would be a sick barrel ripping through the final shot on the beach. Unreal footage.

A Hill in Spain from chris akrigg on Vimeo.

Bells Beach

A bone-chilling blast of wind greeted me as I exited the large black luxury bus, my large blue pack clenched tightly to against my shoulders. Now what, I thought, looking back toward the shuttered-up stretch of stores marking the town we had just passed by. After a few bewildered moments I spotted a wood-carved sign offering "camping" a little further down the road and began walking.

It was mid-October 2005 (early spring in the great down-under) when I arrived at the dreary and sparsely populated campground in Torquay, Australia. A raw cold-spell, spawned from depths of Antarctica, was relentlessly throttling Victoria coast with rain, and here I was- plodding through puddles rapidly reconsidering this glorious solo-mission down the legendary Great Ocean Road.

After checking in with the campground host, I quickly pitched my cramped single-person tent and hunkered down in a less-than-substantial 40+ degree bag. Why I had ventured south when the rest of my friends had chosen a week of R&R in Bali, I truly couldn't remember.

Propping myself up on one elbow, I finished my third jelly sandwich of the day and downed a VB (the glories of being a penniless fool while studying abroad); neither of which gave me much comfort, especially since I didn't even have a pad to combat the debris scattered ground. I then wrapped my extremities with any dry clothing I could find, struggling to shake off the dull numbness.

After a few listless attempts at shut-eye, I clicked on my headlamp and pulled out the beat up Lonely Plant guide for entertainment. Checking the map I pinpointed my location in the sleepy sheep-town of Torquay and my apprehension began to ease. Just a few miles to the west was the next mornings destination: Bells Beach.

Why I was so excited to see this wave, I was unsure, but hearing the pounding surf off in the distance, I felt like there was something magical to behold around the corner.

I awoke slightly damp and mostly rested, pulled on my boots and rain jacket, and ventured out to investigate my transportation options. My hopes were quickly dashed after talking to the host. He explained how the public transportation options were minimal at this time of the year and that even if there were buses swinging through, Bells Beach was too far off the main road for anyone to bother running a regular route out there.

The prospects for someone to pick me up while hitching with my board, suit and pack were even more dismal so I rethought my strategy. Peeling on my 3/2 I decided to try my luck at the local Torquay break. Turns out this spot held another Australian point not to be scoffed at. The water here was substantially more frigid than what I had been enjoying on the gold coast- but the rollers were playful and I surfed until my feet were substantially frozen.

Making my way back up the grassy hill to the campground after the session I ran into a few families enjoying holiday- hanging out around their RV's with barbie's blazing. In traditional Aussie fashion the asked me what I was doing there (they had spotted me struggling to get settled the night before) and offered me a beer.

A few rounds later I had explained my goal of reaching Bells and the unforeseen difficulties I was experieincing.

Borrow one of our bikes, Mate! One of the ladies readily offered.

While my intention had always been to surf the spot my options were limited and this didn't sound like such a shabby proposal, so I mounted up. After a half-hour of plowing over lush green hills I found myself on the bluffs above the break. There she was, double-overhead set's pumping with hardly a dozen guys out.

I walked down the stairs hypnotically watching the pack methodically rip turns along the face of the wave. The energy was unmistakable. This is one of those unruly sections of coast that dishes up sheer perfection where it's least expected.

Seeing this video promoting the 50th anniversary of the Bells Beach contest rekindled many memories from my trip down Great Ocean Road: to Bells, Airey Inlet, Lorne, the 12 Apostles, Appolo Bay, hitchhiking to random beaches, hiking along the hills of Port Campbell, sharing pints in little local bars along the way.

The stoke in a wild place like this can certainly be experience on land almost as well as it can by sea, reminding me how I wouldn't have traded my soggy Great Ocean Road adventure for anything.

Have you been on a solo trip that sticks in you mind or seen a wave that you will have to revisit and actually surf?

Front Salad, Back Salad

Owen Wilson-- YEA RIGHT!

You get the footie yet?! Psshhhhhh...

Imagine Eco Surfboards

A company we at OutsidePR is fired up about these days is Imagine Eco Surfboards. While many companies within the surf industry are finding ways small-scale ways to "green" their image, I am impressed and intrigued by Imagine's attention to detail through the design and production process.

From the company:

Our core, made from B-XP3 extruded polystyrene foam, is recycled, and fully recyclable. During manufacture, our polystyrene blanks emit 50 times fewer VOCs (volatile organic compounds) than the traditional PU foams. And this is just the beginning. The cores to our surfboards are completely waterproof, and do not out-gas. This means that your board cannot absorb any water if you put a ding in it, and we do not have to drill a series of holes along the rail, or install valves, to stop the board from delaminating like normal extruded blanks.

The boards are then laminated using a bamboo fabric rather than fiberglass. Fiberglass cloth is treated with toxic chemicals such as chromium, and breathing fiberglass dust is hazardous to the workers. Bamboo is a highly renewable resource. It takes in nearly 5 times the amount of greenhouse gasses, and produces 35% more oxygen, than an equivalent stand of trees, making it an efficient replenisher of fresh air. Bamboo fiber is also one of the strongest natural elements in tension (after the strands of a spider’s web).

The result is not only a very ecological board, but also a super lightweight board that is very resistant to snapping. This is a good thing.

The bamboo fiber is stretched across the core, so it is “pre loaded” giving the board a great springy feel. During the lamination process it is compression formed using a special vacuum bagging technique, literally fusing the resin into the fibers. This reduces the weight of the boards, increases strength, and cuts down on the amount of resin used overall. The bag itself is made from recycled plastic, and we are moving towards plastics not made from petrochemicals.

We use epoxy resins that put out 40 times fewer VOC’s than polyester resin, and we are now working on developing new epoxy resins from unsaturated vegetables oils. This will have a positive economic and environmental impact. Soon we’ll be making our boards from this biodegradable epoxy too.

And what about performance? Our focus is as always performance. After all, the idea is to help save the earth while we ride to the maximum of our ability, and not having to choose between the two is fundamental to our program. We have been adamant about putting performance first, and it shows when you jump onto one of our boards and take it for a spin. With a wide range of shapes, each targeted to a specific style of surfing, you can be sure to find the ideal board for the way you want to ride, and do something to stop the terrible tide of destruction that comes from the standard method of making surfboards.

This is what we mean by “perfect balance”. Using sustainable materials, for a natural feeling board and a pleasing ride. It’s only natural.

Imagine Eco Creates a range of shortboards, longboards and SUP's, and is even pushing the game a step further, offering a "split board" that can be disassembled, enabling you to avoid outrageous over-sized bag fees on your next over-seas trip... think that one over United.

Carmel Beach, CA

Two hours south of San Francisco is the little, not so well hidden town of Carmel. This cute artist community, packed with second and third homes of the upper-elite, boasts great dining, galleries, and a phenomenal white sand beach planted by god (and an annual installment of fine white sand delivered by dump trucks) for the purpose of unadulterated (or adulterated) romance.

What one might find surprising about this town is it that the expansive beach offers one of the best beach breaks in Northern California. Just off-shore is a thick kelp forest which effectively grooms incoming swell and as the waves meet the sandy shallows a shallow, hollow wave is formed. The aqua marine water is of some of the clearest I've found in NorCal and the proximity to Big Sur and Santa Cruz keep the area from getting too much attention from surfers traversing the coast.

This past weekend I scored two late evening sessions, dishing up a substantial helping of both lefts and rights. While I didn't get completely barreled- I did have a hell of a time on the fast, playful waves. The video below shows Carmel Beach on a slightly bigger day than when I was there, but the wave quality is quite similar.

If the surf is no good here take a scenic drive north or south to one of the more exposed beaches in Monterey or Pfeiffer State Park in Big Sur.

For post-session relaxing and romancing-- enjoy some grog at one of the many beach bonfires blazing on the beach, or take a walk into the heart of the town to one of the many busy restaurants, such as Clint Eastwood's own Hog's Breath Inn.

Any other favorite spots out there that offer such quality culture and romantic atmosphere?

Playa Grande, Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a land of simple beauty and perfection. During my second trip to this fascinating country we spent our time on the Nicoya Peninsula where the off-shore winds kicked up right around 10am each day, the swell was consistent, the people were super-friendly, and the sun was hot.

A recipe for success while in these little latitudes:

Wake early

Fill with banana pancakes

Down 2 liters of water

Apply sunscreen liberally

Shred

Repeat

And yea- I couldn't imagine anything better than finishing each session with an insanely-refreshing Imperial Lager.

Refined Stone

The Tempest increases,
Seeing less SF faces...
People settle in- building our own castles...

Hustling, bustling, no destination on the charts,
No golden ticket in sight...
Enjoying fair skys/stormy weather.

Always looking for the next thing,
Bigger, better...
Don't slow down/lose that frown...

Love for everyone, love for no one...

All there is is rest, at the end.