I can't help it, I groove on gadgets. Combine a love of gadgets and a surf addiction and you have the makings of a mighty long list for Santa.
As the economy implodes it may be gauche to salivate publicly over unnecessary accessories, but even as I've been wondering if we can start celebrating the end of hyper-consumerism, I can't help but keep an eye out for new geeky surf gizmos.
Surfing moms are usually on a tight schedule and someone at home is bound to get upset if mom is late from her session. FreeStyle's 2.0 Sport Watch ($90.) for women isn't as big and bulky as most surf watches, and does a lot more than just remind you that it's time for your last wave. The promo is compelling enough: "This surf watch includes a 10-year tide history of 145 beaches worldwide, so you'll always know exactly when to call in sick". Although if I had the means to surf at 145 different beaches I probably wouldn't need a job, either.
As the water gets colder and my 4/3 isn't as toasty as it once was, it's hard not to fantasize about Rip Curls's new battery-powered heated wetsuit. Sounds amazing, but if I had pile of extra money to blow, I'd buy the same suit I've always bought AND get a new surfboard before plunking down $1,000. on the "H-Bomb". But still, imagine a nice, warm 3-hour session in Norcal in January. Hmmm.
Didn't get enough time in the water? Relive your session with a Go Pro Surf Hero camera. It attaches to the front of your board for full frontal narcissism. Check it out:
For the surfer who has everything there's always the Light Wave Surfboard. Its head lights, fin lights, and rail lights enable you to surf at night. The $3,000. price tag ensures that when you are night surfing in the pitch black ocean, you will probably be doing it solo.
If your wallet is tight, there's some cool low-tech gadgets that won't break the bank and will fit in your stocking. Before my trip to Trestles this winter I'm gonna pick up a Board Buddy surfboard carrier. Longboarding rocks, and for $30 my arms won't be worn out before I even start paddling.
If you are tired of accidentally mooning the entire parking lot, $20 will get you Toga Beach's Ultimate Changing Towel. This one is already on my Christmas list.
The Wetsuit Cinch Sac(Bionic Labs, $24.95) is the one surf accessory I use every session. It makes it easy to carry a wet wetsuit in one hand and a toddler in the other, keeps the inside of the car dry, and doubles as a changing mat. Two years of hard use and mine shows very little wear and still functions perfectly. The only downside is that when you forget to take your suit out for a rinse, it gets stinkier than it normally would laying in an open plastic tub.
Since my last visit to the ophthalmologist revealed a small bump on the white of my eye, called pinguecula, I'm strongly considering plunking down $50. for a pair of Sea Specs. Top off the look with a surf hat (Dakine Indo Surf Hat with Strap and Flap, $29.) and a slather of pink zinc oxide (Zinka Waterproof Colored Sunblock, $5.99) and you have reached the epitome of surf nerd fashion.
Really really broke? Stokemaster's brand new surf store is open, and so far we have one item for sale! Get your "SURF" or "STOKED" sticker now. (Bumper sticker, $4.99). Stay tuned for more tastefully unique stokemaster products.
Surf gear aside, the best Christmas present would be a year's worth of "Go Surfing" coupons. Redeemable anytime the surf is good, free childcare, no guilt attached, leave the watch at home. You reading this, honey?
If everybody had a home loan Across the U.S.A. Then everybody’d be serf’n Like Californi-a You’d seem em swearing @ their leaders Financial scandals too A Bush-y Bush-y bomb, we’re screwed Serf’n U.S.A.
You’d catch em serf’n in their cars Soup kitchen lines Santa Claus ain’t coming Austrian bold faced lies All over the island of Manhattan And down in every way
Everybodys gone serf’n Serf’n U.S.A.
We’ll all be planning that route We’re gonna take real soon We’re waxing down our home equity We can’t make it past June We”ll all be gone by the summer We’re on serfari to stay Tell Arnold we’re serf’n Serf’n U.S.A.
OK it's lame, I have no good excuses for not blogging. I have just been dinging around. Working, surfing, parenting, training and doing triathlons... who knows how it is that so much time passes. I even ran in my first ever running race, the San Francisco 10K Bridge to Bridge. 9.5 mile minute yea!
My camera broke, too. I know, totally lame.
Had some great surf this past weekend, Saturday at Capitola and Sunday at Cowell's. Big honking sets and plenty of waves for everyone.
Stay tuned for our soon to open Stokemaster Store. In the meanwhile, for your viewing pleasure:
This Sunday, September 21st I am competing in the Santa Cruz Sentinel Triathlon. My family will be down there with me, but if any Stokemasters are planning to surf in SC this weekend, stop by to cheer me on!
It is an Olympic distance triathlon - racers will begin by rounding the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf for a 1-mile swim, then cycle up Highway 1 to Davenport and back, and finally run along a 6.2-mile stretch of West Cliff Drive until they return to the finish line in front of the Dream Inn.
The race starts at lifeguard tower # 3 on Cowells' Beach - don't know exactly when my age group starts, but sometime after 8 am. It's a 3.5 low tide at 8:30 am at Cowells, so don't count on there being any waves.
Between 8 and 11am Highway 1 will be congested, the road is open but you will be sharing it with 1,000 cyclists. I'll be the one with the red and white bike, red helmet, and red shirt going slow on the uphills and fast on the downhills.
What makes surfing so great? Is it the adrenaline rush of a fast wave? Physically mastering a complicated skill? Being outside and connecting with the natural world?
For most of us, the stoke comes from all of the above. The sum is greater than its parts: remove any of the components and the experience is greatly diminished. Small, slow waves, day after day, is a bore. Conditions that pose no challenge are relaxing once in a while, but usually surfers aren't looking for repose. And one of the greatest joys of surfing is being immersed in the elements: the deep and wild ocean, unpredictable waves, big sky, and coming into contact with birds and marine life.
Many, if not all, of these factors are missing in the new sport of indoor surfing on man-made waves.
Indoor "surf centers" are being built from England to California to Japan. Even Disney is in on it. It looks fun, though not as fun as a real surf session at the beach. I'm not going to knock it until I've tried it.
Extreme Ironing, "the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt". Your day will be greatly enhanced by viewing pictures of this new sport.
Maybe it's denial, but engaging in an "extreme sport" seems like something other, more insane, people do. Like those maniacs that ice climb, base jump, and barefoot ski. Extreme sports typically involve heights, adrenaline, speed, and possible injury or death. Yeah, I guess surfing does sort of qualify.
The term "extreme sports" was media-created as ESPN sought to market and popularize the X-Games. While I'm embarrassed to be part of the same species as the numbskulls on Jackass, it's hard not to be impressed by extreme wheelchair stunts.
Pretty much anyone who surfs will get hurt at some point. Folks who haven't sustained any injuries consider themselves lucky, understanding that it's just a matter of time.
A study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine on the rate of injury for competitive surfers concluded that "there were 13 acute surfing injuries per 1,000 hoursof competitive surfing. The risk of injury was more than doubledwhen surfing in large waves or over a hard seafloor". It would be reasonable to double that number if you add crowded conditions and lower skill levels.
So, if the typical surf session lasts about 2 hours, and you surf two times a week (104 hours of surfing each year), you can expect some sort of injury approximately every 4 months. This week I only asked local surfers to describe their worst injury - not how often they get hurt while surfing - but getting a decent hurt three times a year sounds about right to me. In the last 10 years surfing injuries have increased by 50%. But the good news is that surfing is safer than soccer.
Other than staying out of the water, there's not much you can do to change the statistics. Core training to strengthen your body can help, as can wearing a helmet, using a safety fin, and staying away from kooks. In spite of the pain, most surfers seem to wear the memories of their injuries like a badge of honor.
Ava S. (SF,CA)
I got a big egg on my forehead that turned purple the day after and the migrated down my face. It took a month to heal. My friend had surfed right into me. Once, in Mexico, I stepped on a sea urchin and my leg swelled up all the way to my knee. The local boys took it out with a knife and peed on it. Otherwise, I've been lucky.
Vanessa A. (SF, CA)
I've gotten stitches from fin cuts before. I've also gotten jacked up on coral and been bloody bloody bloody all over.
Hector C. (Sacramento, CA)
One of my lower teeth went through my lower lip. I was surfing in Puerto Rico (where I'm from) and I duck dived and the board smashed my face. I've seen a lot of surfing injuries.
Brad R. (SF, CA)
I've never been injured surfing. I've been surfing for 5 years. I think it's just a good luck streak. I don't have a lot of fear, so at some point I'm sure I'll get injured.
Lance
I haven't had any surfing injuries. I thought I was going to drown a couple of times. I've been lucky.
Tom G. (Pacifica, CA)
I broke 3 ribs about 20 years ago. I dropped in late at Rockaway. It was firing. I missed 2 weeks of unbelievable waves. It took about 3 weeks to heal, but it was torture laying on a surfboard with a healing rib.
Krista H. (SF, CA)
I got hit by my fin and my head got split open. I had to get 16 staples. I got out of the water and everything was numb but by the time I got to the parking lot I was bleeding heavily. I had to take an ambulance to the hospital. Here's a photo of my injury. Note the black eyes!
Gil G. (Pacifica, CA)
I got knocked unconscious once. I was making a bottom turn on a good-sized wave and when the lip came down it flipped my board up and my face hit the rail. My friend dragged me out of the water, I was floating face down. I woke up on the shore.
Ren Volpe is the head of Stokemaster's "Surf Nerd Committee". She lives in San Francisco with her non-surfing partner, 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 3 hens and 5 surfboards. She's the dork in the water shouting "yippee!" every time she catches a wave.
And not a minute too soon.
