El Porto Fridays

Diamonds of Metro Valley Screening in Amsterdam

Jeff — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:00:41 +0000

Seems like all the El Porto gang are up to crazy shenanigans lately. Aaron and his lovely wife Mary will be screening their new film The Diamonds of Metro Valley at the BUT B-movie Underground and Trash Film Festival in Amsterdam on September 10th at 8pm at Nieuwe Veste Theatre 1. If you happen to be in Amsterdam that Friday (instead of surfing at El Porto) check it out.

Read Cinema Suicide’s review of The Diamonds of Metro Valley.

Click here to view the embedded video.

See the Sinking Ship!

Jeff — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:49:41 +0000

If you are looking for something awesome to do in the LA area this holiday weekend, I suggest you make a B-line for the Machine Project in Echo Park. Sunday, September 5th from 5pm-10pm is the debut of the Sea Nymph that our beloved Josh has been working on for the last few weeks. Machine Project is located at 1200 N Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90026.

A Quick Little Session

Jeff — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:48:58 +0000

Stole a quick hour to paddle out and catch some waves. Still have a lot of work to do today, so I forewent video and pics (sorry) to help save time. What a fun little day it was. The waves were great 2-3s with some bigger set waves on occasion. The water was clear, the sun was out and the breeze was ever so slight. I still manage wind up in the sand more times than not, but was mostly my doing. For some reason, I have been adamant about staying up until either a) the wave peters out or b) the wave ejects me. The petering out is tame enough obviously, but the ejections are taking a toll (e.g. my torn suit last week). It’s definitely made from some thrilling moments in the last few weeks. I’m not 100% about my reasoning for this new rule, but I’m guessing my thinking is that if I keep forcing myself into those critical situation, eventually it will make me a better surfer. But much like when I started surfing, it’s only resulting in wipeouts thus far. Though I have some momentary barrels before the wave exacts it vengeance on me, so that’s promising.

EPF 18: Dawn Patrol v. The Tide

Jeff — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:55:13 +0000

The tide and the Dawn Patrol are swinging out of sync again. Aaron and I paddled out early and were able to snag a high wave count before the tide elevated and the crowds arrived. The early waves were fun, a little slow, but otherwise good size and length. Aaron and I barely had time to catch up on conversation because one of us was always catching a wave or paddling back.

But once the tide started rising, the break moved closer to shore and stared closing out. They were the mean little waves too. You either just eeked through or got eaten up. Saw lots of people doing headers, face plants and going over the falls. (Personally, I ate it every which way.)

I did have a chance to test out my new fins and my new wetsuit again (both with reviews to come). Fins are promising and wetsuit is still totally worth the money. Even with the short sleeves I was crazy comfortable today. At one point I paddled over to Aaron (who was in a full suit) to ask, “Is it just me or is the water finally getting warmer?” But before I got the words out Aaron said, “Man, it’s extra cold today.” Go Patagonia wetsuit.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Support the band and buy the song:
Artist: Atlas Sound
Album: Logos
Song: Walkabout [w/ Noah Lennox]

Buy Song

Short Video of the Big South Swell

Jeff — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:33:01 +0000

I packed up my camera & tripod, suited up and took my board down to the pier today. My intent was to get some footage of the apex of the south swell rolling through, then paddle out myself. But I was surprised to only find 3 dudes out in the water when I arrived. I’d never seen Huntington so empty of surfers. And after watching the waves for a bit I could see why – the waves were choppy, sectiony and mean. So not only were they difficult to negotiate, they were big, strong and unforgiving. I took a bit of footage from the pier then headed down to the beach to paddle out. But at beach level I saw some firemen and lifeguards tending to a guy I’d seen eat it earlier. He looked pretty beat up. No one in the water + surfer requiring medical attention + no buddy for buddy-system = lay day. Here’s a quick minute of the footage I picked up:

Click here to view the embedded video.

New Wetsuit at Crabs

Jeff — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:03:34 +0000

I’d gone up to Harbour Surf Shop to see about getting O’Neill to repair my torn wetsuit. Probably they will, but the catch is that my suit will be in the shop for 4 weeks or so. With the water temps in the mid 50s I was not too keen on sending it off. But, with the air temp being as high as it has been these last few weeks, I’d been fancying a full/short sleeve suit. And what should Harbour have at 40% off today? Why, Patagonia R2 full/short wetsuits of course! It was meant to be. (Although the one I bought was a front-zip, not shown in the pic. Detailed review to come after a few uses.)

Having purchased the new suit I was forced to try it out immediately. Forced! Luckily I happen to have my board in the car anyway, so I meandered down to Crabs in Seal Beach, which I’d heard about but never surfed before. It was a nice spot. There was lots of room, several breaks to pick from and the crowds were minimal. Its only drawback is that it sits right at the San Gabriel rivermouth. As such, it is out of commission anytime there is a runoff situation. But in the summertime with no rain and a south swell, it is a sweet spot. I paddled around to each of the various peaks and tried them all out. Best of all I was crazy comfy in my new wool-lined wetsuit. It’s like being wrapped in a flexible blanket!

(I don’t know how much longer the 40% off lasts at Harbour, but based on what I’ve experienced with the suit so far, it is a smashing deal.)

Edge of My Comfort Zone

Jeff — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:14:55 +0000

Oh how things can change when you are gone for a few days. I was camping with my family this weekend (awesome). When I left on Friday the waves were waist-high at best. Today they were waist-high at worst. Today’s sets came in easily at the shoulder-to-head range and were often overhead. The forecast indicates this swell is going to build over the next few days. But anything more that what I was in today, and I’m going to have to use the buddy-system out there.

Most of my rides were in the “hold on!” category with the wave in total control. But I did get one superb right that went all the way to the beach (where I paid the price for riding it all the way in). I was just gliding up and down, up and down, just having a grand ol’ time until I realizes the beach was nigh and I had no exit plan. But it was totally worth it.

Bummer news from the day: my wetsuit finally gave up the ghost. It’d been starting to fray as some of the seem junctions, but today one of them burst open. With the water being as cold as it is, I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to tough it out now with all that arctic freeze rushing in at every seem.

Click here to view the embedded video.

EPF Episode 17: Oh, Summer…

Jeff — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 02:13:20 +0000

The summer doldrums continue to rain blows down on the southern California surf world. Another week of 2-footers goes by. But as always, a dumpy surf day with friends is ten times better than a great surf day alone. Mike, CW and Josh all turned up to make the best of the teeny waves.

I watched most everyone walk three-quarters of the way to the water with board in hand and high hopes. Then they’d see the small summer offering, slump their shoulders and continue into the water. There were two dudes who really made something real out of the waves. One guy even threw a few airs.

There’s rumors of a swell coming from yonder south… Here’s hoping.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Support the band and buy the song:
Artist: Papercuts
Album: You Can Have What You Want
Song: Future Primitive

Buy Song

Same Summer Surf

Jeff — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:31:09 +0000

The good news is that the sun has been out for two days straight, like it’s summer or something! Otherwise, today’s session offered nothing unique to anything else I’ve been getting over the last few weeks. Water is still in the VERY low 60s, but with the sun is out it a lot of hot top/cold below. Summer crowds continue jamming in, trying to get in one last beach day before vacations ends. (Not complaining – I totally get it. I used to live inland too.) The wave period was long and waves moving slow which meant the waves would slog along. Tough to catch and even tougher to stay on. Occasionally a decent 3′+ sets would roll through, but everyone was hungry for it so everyone really had to fight to get on. But despite the crowds, most everyone was still very cool and there was very little dropping-in going on. Surfing etiquette held true.

When I did finally “ride” one in, I found two of my little nephews and my sister-in-law playing on the beach. That made the surf all worthwhile. I pushed the elder nephew (who’s 5) around on his boogie board and set him into some shallow crumblers. He totally dug it. After every ride he’d tell me, “That was a pretty big one!”

Click here to view the embedded video.

More Will Than Waves

Jeff — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:32:58 +0000

While on a conference call this afternoon the power went out. I immediately took that as a sign from Poseidon that I was supposed to go back out and surf. As fast as I could I got my trunks on and my bike loaded before the power came back on.

But the afternoon winds blew out the glassiness from this morning and the crowds were insane. The chop was ferocious and waves were blending into other waves, all mostly unridable. It was a real effort to catch a wave. It was even more of an effort to catch a wave that really counted as a wave. Mostly I just paddled laps between two lifeguard towers while waiting for something workable to ride. When I did catch a wave, the entire ride was precisely dictated into a particular slaloming path through the spongers and beachgoers.

Still, I got to paddle out a second time today, and the air was hot enough to go in trunks. Thanks Poseidon.