My Birthday

So... Sunday was my bday, so happy bday to me! I had a great time on Sat. night celebrating with all my friends. I think I got a tad too trashed though, especially since I was trying to maintain composer for surfing on Sunday morning. So, lets just say I didnt come even close to waking up, but my good buddy Joe shows up. He lets himeself in because everyone is in an alcohol induced coma, especially me. I dont even remember leaving the bar so that should say enough. He wakes me up, and eventually we get on the road. Im driving, and well, I shouldnt have been driving. Im wearing my shirt I made at kinkos, has a huge picture of horrible hurricane surf from hurricane Emily last year. She came way too close to us, and totally blew the surf to bits. Ill post the pic. Anyways the caption on the shirt says "The Life of a Texas Surfer", and the picture is just sooo fitting. Im wearing it from the night before, coverd in puke, and other shit. We head to the surf. Head high to head +, choppy. I love it!

We are walking out along the jetty to jetty jump in conditions like these and Im telling Joe I dont know how so many people fuck up jetty jumping. Its not exactly that complicated. Joe makes it off the jetty without an issue, and Im stupidly getting lower on the low rocks to jump off, not eyeing the approaching set. The first wave hits, not too much. Second wave, Im calf deep in water, trying to hold my ground, but sliding on the slippery rocks. Third wave, I get seriously rocked and I almost lose it. I start looking to higher ground when the fourth hits, water rushes almost waist deep, and I go down when the tail of my board catches water. Now here I am, sliding on my back, head first down the rocks and into the water/impact point of where the waves suck off the side of the jetty in a neet curling design and slam back into it. Full of treacherous barnacles and all kinds of lovely joyous shit. I go right through it, board still in hand. I make it out into the water rather unharmed, just a torn up hand and lower back, but still in good shape considering what just happened. The board looks ok despite alot of scratches in the glass around the nose and some chewed up part of my fin. Other than that, I had fun surfing. I love surf with size as it always gets me pumping. I had only 2 decent waves due to the still fairly impaired motor skills and nervous system but I still had a blast.

In all, I had a great time for my birthday and surfing, and Im looking to head down again tomarrow now that all this nasty rain/storm/flooding business is finally over. The winds are supposed to relax, and we should be left with clean head to head+ surf all day tomarrow. We will see...

No surf for me

Well I didnt get any surf. Texas did but I didnt. I was being a little bitch and didnt drive down. I really dont know what got into me, but I missed some great sessions as it was epic all week. O well. Im still working like crazy just trying to get my head clear for next summer. Joe and I hung out last night and looked over a road map of Guatemala for a couple of hours, deciding entry and exit points, points of interest, coastal geography, and other countries we might detour through (Belize, and El Salvador). Its all pretty much still up in the air though, but trust me my few readers out there, I will keep you posted!
Heres some Corpus Christi, south Texas waves from friday

Warning Captain...Surf Approaching

We are due to start recieving a fairly long period E E/SE swell tomarrow and through the weekend. Im seriously considering driving south for this one, and when I say south I do mean 4+ hours. The problem is my work schedule of the second crap job. I want to just call in for saturday but I will in the process be screwing a good friend of mine and I just dont see that happening. Im still considering it because of the fact that Im already getting screwed for the dates of my 22nd coming up. I will be turning 22 on october 15th, and I have to work all damn weekend. I have been trying my hardest to get it off, but the best I could muster from my crap-anager was "see if you can find some others in the store or district who will pick up your hours". Thanks again for shortstaffing the crap out of us while you reap the benefits. Anyways, Im gonna surf Friday no matter what and Im very excited. YEEEEEHAAAWWW <----- did I really just say that???

Surf AGAIN!

Well I got great chest to chest+ surf on friday with my friend Shane that went to Mexico with me. We scored it great deaspite the 20mph onshores. It actually was pretty clean and the current wasn't too bad. I got some great rides, mostly lefts. I keep botching up my rights lately and I dont know why, o well, it will come back. I really want to get on a new board, my fish just isnt my style. Its really fun sometimes but Im looking for a more aggressive style that I'm not quite good enough yet to pull on a twin fin. I still have my eyes on that damn Sashimi. I did get one good ride however after I paddled in and sat on the beach for about 45 min. I sat up there just thinking of the world, how I want to see it. I was trying my best to clear my head of my frustrations with my surfing ability especially after some kid next to me was pulling ollie 180's on the wave face. So then I paddled back out, missed a bunch of waves, then finally caught a nice perfect right that just totally stoked me. I didn't make any large manuevers but right at the last minute I made a hard turn back straight to align back in the pocket, getting on the rail pretty good. I think I might have actually thrown some spray because I caught a dirty look from a kid who was in the general vicinity of my hard turn. Who knows.

No I'm Not Dead...But it Feels Like it

Well... where do I begin. I have been working my second job and its just been driving me insane.(read the blog if you like, addy on the side) Im working a little over 40 hours a week with both jobs combined but the money is nice. Im trying to pay all my debt off and get my car ready for next summer's surf trip. I have decided to buy another car after I return next summer so the Rav4 is now my new hardcore adventure car.

Here's next summer rough guide trip plans, all laid out last early monday morning over some Miller High Life and a 20mph SE wind building the swell that I would be riding in a few hours. We have decided to drive straight through Mexico and down into Guatemala. We will surf there for a week or 2, then head through upper highlands into Belize. We will check out Belize and the reefs, hopefully coinciding with a hurricane or some sort of swell (I would love to be possibly one of the few who has surfed Belize). Then after a couple of days, maybe a week, we will drive back across into Mexico and follow the pacific coast for another 2 weeks or more. I know it sounds insane, but Im so excited about the prospects of this trip. What Im debating about now is one thing.

We had the idea to set up a website/blog and call it "Voyage of the Rav", and have everything about our trip, pictures, plus an on the road/off the road blog,some google ads, and paypal donate buttons. We are trying to drum up some extra cash to get the car some needed repairs (tranny rebuild, tuneup, roof racks, front brush guard). Well the problem is, I feel like Im selling myself out by doing these things. What do you guys thing? CMON, dont be shy, leave me a comment.

Moving on... That surf I had monday morning was NICEEEE!!! It was consistent waist+ to chest with some power. Only thing wrong was the hardcore current ripping down the beach. If you took 1 right out of the whirlpool that was forming at the end of the jetty, you were gone, sucked right into the flagship. The Flagship for those who dont know, is a huge Hotel on a huge pier out in the water. Surf usually lines up inside of it and there are some nice waves to be had. Luckily, this day the current would take you right next to it, and kinda die off. You still had to watch yourself, but it wasnt that bad. I got some good rides, especially some backsides. I have been trying to practice my backsides a lot lately, especially after ruining my time at that amazing Mexico left point break. I was amazed at my left drops that day. The waves breaking right at the jetty afforded more than 1 a nice headdip that day. Needless to say, they were walled up slammers with some decent speed for a windswell. I took more than 1 on the head, but I suprised even myself at my lack of hesitation when paddling into the peaks and taking a wave. My popup going left is still a little slow, and I paid for it, but Im working on it. Well will will have chest to overhead surf all weekend and Im super excited. I promise I will keep up more with this thing. See ya guys!

Nothing of Interest

I dont have much of anything to report about. Surf is still looking like a lake. I have surfed 1 TIME SINCE I HAVE BEEN BACK, JULY 10th. Is this my punishment for scoring amazing waves all month long while most were stuck at their jobs and lives? I think its just a reminder of why Im wasting my fucking life away living in this non surf having state. O well. Maybe Ill convince my boss to buy some territories in California or Florida. On a side note, I have gone back to work for Kinkos for extra cash for school and debt payoff and my trip next summer. I have also been coding and a great deal and just working on some neat things with my friends. Im working on a bunch of trolling programs for trollforge.net (warning, not for the fient of heart) and its coming along nicely. Im also working on a bunch of stuff for my work, and trying to get everything setup again for another tax season. Check out my new blog
www.thefedxblog.com
Until then...

Ernesto Sucks!

Ok so seriously, I had so much hope riding on this guy. Its just impossible that he can do this to me, and I mean literally. So Ernesto, all I can say, is FUCK OFF@!!!!

Here We GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to admit, despite all the nasty side effects of hurricane Katrina and others, Im very excited, almost giddy with anticipation for Ernesto. Luckily, we have bouys all over the Yucatan Striaght as he will march right through, possibly clipping Mexico and Cuba, and I will be able to monitor the building ground swell as he enters the straights and heads for open waters. My gut instinct tells me to head south, to South Padre Island, but with my new job in full swing, I just dont see that happening. Either way, it will get big here, and fast. Im praying for at least headhigh to 3 or 4ft. overhead. I just reeeeaaalllyy need this surf right now, Im feeling desperate. I have surfed 1 time, 1 FREAKING TIME, since I have been back from Mexico, on july 10th. Roughly speaking, I have surfed 1 time in a month and a half. This pattern cannot continue, and Im desperately seaking means to an alternative. Thats what the 2nd job is for hehehe. I will be putting back a large stash of cash and keep building it up until my moment is right. How will I know when that moment is right? Im not sure, but its coming very very very soon, I know that for sure. I can only handle so much more of this crap before I jet off to some unknown locale and try my hand at living there. I have considered California again, but the price of living and cold water keep deterring me. Im starting to consider Australia alot as an option. I have a good friend that can help me get on my feet, I can work illegally, and I can surf all the time. The water might be close to California tempts, but I would much much rather be surfing there than in California (no offence guys!). Blah who knows. Anyways, SURF IS COMING!

HEAVYYYYYY

This was South Padre Island, Texas yesterday!! DAMMIT! Thats a lie. It is South Padre Island but that was during Hurricane Katrina while she was wrecking shop on the Gulf Coast. Where are the waves???????? Well alot of Texas guys are saying that this could possibly be the flattest summer they remember, and these guys go back a ways. In other news, I now have a second job to start saving hardcore for some classes at UH in the spring (around 900 a pop) and for my next adventure. I wish I had some consistent surf to report about because Im starting to think I only have a great blog running while Im on vacation, and even then, thats questionable. I have been steadily thinking about my next trip and Im exploring all my options. I would really like to return to Costa Rica, but thats just so much money for the duration of time that I want to stay. Its quite possible that I will get 2 months paid vacation next summer to use for my dreams and my never-ending search for waves. I have been also thinking about the future alot. Im catching a little heat from the parents on my lifestyle/education choices and its putting unwanted pressure on me. Im really thinking about driving my car into Mexico next summer so I can have a little more freedom in my explorations but then again, the bus is just so damn cheap! Anyways, Im pretty excited about starting my second job. Its at FedexKinkos, my previous employer. Its a decent job and the pay is also decent but Im really hoping it will take up a sufficient amount of my time to save like CRAZY, relax, and get back into that wierdly missed world of the working. Im waiting for waves.... to come and save me!

Ramblings

Well there isn't much surf right now in ole texas. In fact, I'm starting
to feel like there may never be again. What the hell happened to this
huricane season? Frankly, I'm starting to get dissapointed. Yea yea its
horrible the devastation it causes but really can you blame the storm?
They have existed for who knows how long and no one was hurt. People and
their money hungry brains have built all over the world in major
distaster prone areas with SHODDY construction so I'm beginning to
wonder if I should feel that bad for hoping for a hurricane.
Anyways..... I had a good talk with my roommate tonight. All about
travel, being young and stupid and not following that path that has been
forcefully ingrained into my head since I was a child.
Ahhhhhhh........hhahah that was me really taking a big sigh while I was
typing this. I'm sitting in mollies, playing ping pong, sipping on my
favorite beverage, and I'm just thinking about all the random paths in
my life I have ignored because I was afraid. I'm thinking really hard
about next summer. Yea yea I know I'm living in the future but honestly
with the lack of surf in this place its what's keeping my soul alive,
and I really really mean that. O well. I start my second job hopefully
by the end of next week. Time to work my sillyass off until december
when my primary job will require my services a lot more. Hopefully I can
bring in an extra 1.5k or 2k, pay some things off, and start socking
back for next summer. My goal is at least 2 months in mexico or costa
rica, with 1.5k to spend or more, and possibly taking my car or buying a
junk van or something for the drive. Who knows. All I know for sure is
that this is going to be formatted like crazy from sending it from my
damn phone. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Pissed Off!

Well I came home from work today to find my apartment had been burglurized. <--- is that spelled right??? ahh fuck i dont care. Anyways, heres a list of the missing items. 2 laptops, 1 brand new desktop with 19" LCD flat panel, 1 older machine used as a server for my apartment, a video camera, my digital that took all those amazing mexico pictures, a playstation 2 with like 8 games, a nice surround sound system, a brand new iPod that my roommate bought as a birthday present for the girl hes dating, and probly some other shit i havent noticed or am just so mad im forgetting. I cannot remember a time that I was so pissed off. Its probably a good thing I did not stumble upon them in the act. I know they could have been carrying guns and all that mess, but I really feel like maybe I could have stopped it. If not stopped it, someone would have left definently limping or something. fuck im just pissed

Mexico Pictures

Here they are folks! Now I had a very hard time narrowing them down from a good 400+ to the 117 displayed here, but it had to be done. These are some of the pictures I consider to be the best. Now before hand let me just explain that I love photography, so there are some very random pictures in here of objects, especially pictures in B&W. Enjoy guys!!

PICTURES HERE!

Surf.... FINALLY!

Well, today we got blessed with a quickly building SE long fetch windswell. The only problem, the low that created this windswell is passing over all of coastal Texas, meaning its pouring like crazy outside. I surfed all day in t-storms, rain the entire time I was out, a very occasional solid 30mph sideshore wind, and super choppy conditions. The one joy, the swell had a decent interval at 8 seconds, and it was waist+ to chest+. I had a great day even in those horrific conditions. I so needed to get back in the water and Im very glad that I went. I was beginning to dry out and I needed some "seahabilitation". I had some very decent rides out there and all my practice in Mexico was starting to come back to me, despite a really shitty last week and a half there in Mex. I had a very long left, which is rare for me. I somehow stayed right in the pocket. My pumping going backside is a little weak, so I kept doing s-turns and cutbacks to stay right where I needed to be in the wave, a lot of fun! The board that I was on feels so much different from riding a true short board. I was riding my 6'0" fish, but not super thick like most fishes. This board is actually thinner than my 6'6" Al Merrick Kboard, a lot. I had a good right, got some good pumps and a couple of slashes. I took one left at the point that we had the bad 30mph sideshore, and I did a MAJOR cutback, Im talking fully on the rail. I dont know how the fish held it for as long as it did because this board will dig a rail fast as hell. I must have had some major speed from the drop and bottom turn because I have NEVER stood on a rail on a board like that before, especially on this one. As I almost completed the turn and started coming back up, I finally fell over, and the wind caught the board smashing it into my head. Damn sideshore wind. I was actually taking some super steep drops today, literally waiting until the last minute to paddle down the face of a crumbling lip. I guess thats just my Mexico coming out. Well, I might go back tomarrow but I doubt the swell will hold. Hell even if it does, Victory at Sea conditions wear me out. I surfed for almost 5 hours straight today, no breaks and I was paddling ALOT. Thank you Mexico for all you have done to me!

Ok, I was wrong

Well I went through her logs again of the Voyage of the Swell and I found one that I guess I had missed of her travel through Guata and El Salvador and Nica. I can totally understand her reasons for continuing I guess. I really dont see why she skipped El Salvador but maybe those reasons are good to her. The only thing I guess I still am wondering and dont understand about her is why she is hauling so much ass? Your on a worldwide surf tour, sloooooooooooooooooow down. Maybe I dont have much room at all to talk her, but if I was to set out on such a huge journey, I would plan to take my sweet time about it. Deadlines only piss you off on a surf trip. Thats why I meandered my way around Mexico at my rate, with no final destinations in mind. Just like Alan Weisbecker said, you never leave when the surf is good. O well. My apologies to Liz and her crew but... seriously, slow down. Enjoy these areas. Scout every FUCKING piece of coast because you can never be sure you will have the chance to do this again. Just using google earth I have seen so many point/beach breaks in Mexico/Central America it is sickening. Using these marks with wannasurf.com and other surf spot sites, a good deal of what I have seen just using google earth probably is not on the maps. I dont care you discover amazing spots and dont talk about them, just give us hints, like "scored an amazing unnamed break". Thats all I need to hear to know you are using that boat to its fullest potential. Please, once again, take your time. If you have major deadlines, then perhaps you should not have tried this trip, or perhaps thats the perils of being sponsored and having everyone pay for you to surf. You run on their schedule, not yours.

Why I hate Voyage of the Swell

In case you never read the interesting information on wetsand.com here is an update as to what you have been missing. There is this girl and her friend, sailing around the world in a 40ft sailboat and its all being sponsored by their parents, wetsand.com, and private donations. Take a look at it, its interesting stuff. Ohh and you will understand my argument/rant a little more thoroughly.

Ok, on with the rant. This girl is completely jaded in my opinion. She has the luxury of owning a damn 40ft sailboat while people pay for her to just globetrot chasing surf. Now normally, I would be totally supporting her and what she's doing and in a way, I still am. The problem lies with her opinions, her worldview, and her lack of true surf exploration. First of all, when reading through all of her posts, as soon as she makes it south of the border her attitude towards Mexico and its people immediately turns negative and almost pitying. She kind of looks down her nose at the people and frankly, I don't like that. Yes you are so lucky to be from southern California and rich and all that mess, but you need to have a little more compassion for these people. What you see crossing the borders and the people actually living there are 2 totally different things. Im not saying shes all negative, but it just looks that way, to me at least.

The second thing is her worldview. Im totally into and understanding of the all natural, oatmeal and fruit dinner type of stuff, but this is getting a little bit far. She gets invited to go with some Costa Rican fishermen to help pull up their nets and help with their catches, and she says "me and shannon had already talked and prepared ourselves for the carnage we knew we would see. We told ourselves this is a cultural learning experience". oohhhhh kayyyyyy.... thats not exactly what she said, but close. Ill leave that one alone.

The last thing is her lack of surf exploration. This girl has the number 1 way to explore surf. We happen to enjoy a sport or ritual or pastime that involves the ocean and a coastline. The number one way to access these coastlines, is with a boat. In my opinion, you cannot beat a sailboat for its cheapness to operate and overall lower cost than yahts. If you read through her blog, she basically hauled ass down the coast of Mexico. She passed up so many key surfing spots its sickening. She set out and headed to the most popular areas and bypassed what some would call the best secrets in Mexico surf, AND she's got a damn boat!!!!! Dont even get me started on her little stint into Central America. She completely bypassed Guatemala, which for the most part is largely still unexplored. This alone should go down in the books as pure bullshit. How can you even begin to call yourself a surfer and an explorer when you cannot even spare 1 week on the Guatemalan coast? After this she flys right past El Salvador which has some of the best rights in all of Central/South America. Some even consider the wave in La Libertad to be world class, and thats not a statement we just throw around. Next she completely passes Nicaragua. We have all heard the stores of uncrowded, and completely safe surf. I could maybe see her skipping El Salvador due to security reasons, but Nicaragua???? CMON! Then she heads straight into, ready for the drum roll??? COSTA RICA! The most fucking Americanized third world surf zone on the planet. She heads straight into Ollie's Point area, which again, is a well known and crowded surf spot. She sounds in her post like she even complains about the crowd a little. umm HELLO??? YOU HAVE A FUCKING SAILBOAT, STOP FARTING AROUND AND SAIL AROUND THE BEND! This entire post may sound like a huge jealousy bit and frankly Im not ashamed to admit that it is. I think I could do a HELLUVA better job with less surfing skill than her. She would obviously outsurf me and thats ok, but she lacks that true sense of exploring. You put me on that boat, and Im not complaining about low supplies and crowded surf. Ill eat fish raw, and be a damn sea hardy pirate and surf my brains out in untold lands in Central America. She sails her ass right into the shopping mall of surf spots and claims to be on a global surf expedition in daddy's boat. whatever im done with this shit.

Some beautiful waves

Here is a picture of a wonderful left point break to beach break that I "semi" surfed. I mostly hung on the inside trying to pick off a few closeout rights. I need to seriously up my skill of backside to take advantage of this firing left. God you lucky goofy-footed bastards.

why is my blog fucked?

lol im trying to fix my blog... k maybe im not at my soberest moment, but still. Im trying hard here and reading through all my html for errors in NOTEPAD isn't exactly the easiest thing right now. Im hoping that this post will clear the error, and if not, then I will have to find it somehow.

Im back

Well I got back really on tuesday morning. Im working and trying to adjust to life back in the states. Im not going to lie, Im depressed. O well. Hopefully Ill have something better to post soon.

Bleh

Well Im getting close to the end of my vacations here in Mexico. Wow it feels like it just started yesterday. Im trying to recap a lot of things in my head and it just feels like a blur. I somehow feel very pissed off at myself for my level of surfing, but isn`t this trip about vacation and exploring as well? I know much more about this amazing land than I ever did before and all my pre-meditated ideas and prejudices are completely gone. I no longer have any fear whatsoever of this country. The people here are amazing, the waves are amazing and a half, and the land is so beautiful. My goals for when I return are to drastically improve my level and style of surfing and really be ready for another trip. I know what I need to work on, and I now have new goals for surfing and my life. Like the cali guy Jeremy told me in response to my telling him I surf on average of maybe 4 times a month, "Dude, if you love surfing so much, move for waves". Not everyone can do such a big move, but Im young and he does have a point. He packed his shit and moved to Mexico when everyone said he was nuts. Now he surfs by himself pretty much and lives the Mexican life, free of crowded and localized lineups. I know I could do such a thing for at least half a year no sweat but its such a major life change, possibly something Im not quite ready for.

I return in 6 days. I MUST improve my surfing. I MUST get a second job to start preparing for a huge trip in my car. I MUST buy another board, something smaller and ready to start learning some very aggressive shortboarding. I have my fish but thats different. I will return to Mexico, advanced and ready to really rip. No more kooking out in the lineups. Something tells me I really shouldnt be too hard on myself, considering I have only surfed maybe 50 times in my career as a surfer. 2 years maybe 3, averaging 10 - 20 go outs a year. Im tired of this. When there are waves, no more second guessing. Its time to start ripping.

Slump

Well we left Mita and went camping in the south with some other SD cali guys we met up with. The first place, which shall go unnamed, was a heaaaaaaavyyy beachbreak and I only rode 1 wave there. First day there we got the damn trucks stuck hardcore and I dug one out, but we had to send Comanchio to get us a tractor to get the fully loaded Tundra out. Great camping but the next day the security came and asked us to leave because surfing and beach access was fine during the day but camping overnight was not allowd because it was private propterty. We took off and headed to another spot, super secluded. Today was very very nice and heavy but it was a left and my backsides were not fast enough. I only rode 2 waves at this place. The cali guys were kinda cool but I was very intimidated in the water and basically I kooked out. They probably think I totally suck. Anyways...Im back in Mita and I have only 9 days left here. Im going to surf in Mita a few more days then head out for interior Mex as I start working my way back home. I feel like Im totally in a slump but I know I have progressed immensly here. Im already thinking of my next trip here and I will probably drive next time. Driving here is cake pretty much, accept for the night we drove to Sayulita and almost hit 5 horses doing 50mph. And then I drove back that night and almost hit a cow hahahhaa. The camping I have experienced the past few days was amazing and as soon as I return I will be posting pictures and possibly videos if I can. Well, Im off to find some more surf! ooooohhhh and Gracefully, there are some very good surfer girls here. The attitude in the water is not aggressive towards them either, not from locals or vacationers. In all, alot of the locals here rip. In sayulita I was watching a guy doing 180 shoveits, 2 on 1 wave! He did a few rodeo airs as well. Some really talented surfers here. See ya guys soon!