Field Report, Dolphins of the Rincon, July 4th, 2013

Quad Pod

It was back in April I think when I started hauling the DLSR down to the beach again. I got lucky and saw some fins the first day. Sadly... I didn't see any more fins until yesterday. Well, umm, that's not entirely true. There were a few occasions where I didn't have the Camera due to one of the following reasons. 1. Too windy (Auto focus loves those white caps) 2. Surf too big (Dolphins swim too far out and I'm in a too much of a hurry to get out there myself) 3. Picking up seaglass (Too much sand. Sand, seaglass, and camera lens, are not a great combo) 4. Too heavy!  (Seriously. It digs into my shoulder big time, while that iPhone slips nicely into my back pocket) A backpack would probably be more comfy, but with the Sling Styled Tamrac Velocity 9, I can have my camera out the pack and shooting in 6 seconds flat. And believe me thats the kind of speed you need when it comes to dolphin fin notch photography...

New Fins.. 090 & 091aka Micro

I do haul it that thing down there quite a bit, but the dolphins clearly knowing what I'm up too, just wait until later to come by. So I was stoked yesterday to actually have the camera, and simultaneously spot a small pod of four dolphins just a couple hundred yards north of me. Now, if the dolphins are just cruising, I would gage their speed somewhere near a brisk walk. That means, if they are a couple hundred yards ahead of you... You will need to get running. So I did. Like I said there were only four of them but I got two new legit ID shots, with the other two being no-notchers. (Having no-notches) Anyway job well done. Thank you.

Haven't see S'ha in a while but he showed up today.

So this morning at exactly 6:47am, with Riley and Wilson bouncing off the walls, the bed, and the couch, I pondered the idea of dolphins showing up two days in a row. "Not likely," I told Riley, but I grabbed the ball and chain and threw it over my shoulder anyway (Canon 50D EF 100-400mm L Lens) As soon as we emerged from the tunnel, there they were, straight out the back. Six seconds later I had my camera in hand and was shooting away at five frames per second. Seventeen frames later the battery died. Yes, as a matter of fact I have learned this lesson a few times, and I still don't have a back-up battery. These lessons never end do they? I do have extra memory cards at least. So a few weeks ago when I took what I thought was a ridiculous 700 pictures at Kelsy's wedding I was fairly satisfied, only to find out later that Sammi's photography team took over 3000 at her wedding. Yep.. The lessons never end. Dead battery. Just like the dead battery on my e-bike that conked out on the way back from Ventura yesterday. Dead battery. Just like that day La Conchita's Beach Break was solid eight foot and doing a very persuasive job of looking like Puerto Escondito, with only Bobby and Tarik in the line up. Dead battery. Bummer too because there were at least a dozen dolphins out there today, probably more. Fin 090 from yesterday was there, along with S'ha who I hadn't seen since Callie Bowdish got a shot of him/her of Sands back in January of 2012. Those were the only two I could make out. 17 photos does not tell the whole story. Dead battery. Lesson learned.

Happy Fourth!

Now, if I didn't spend my last forty bucks* on a fuel injector for the Syncro sitting idly in the nearby driveway, I'd probably buy an extra battery today. Why do I hang on to the that thing anyway? Oh yeah it's just the best vehicle every made, and Tom Hanks just paid $114K for one, so I'm told. Ok well.. That's the report from just south of Rincon today. Happy Fourth! Well.. Maybe not for my dogs.


 *does not include money previously allocated to semi-mainstream-hoppy-craft beers

ASP Power Rankings after the US Open

Dane on his way to first place at the 2012 Rincon Classic

The Surfline Pow3r Rankings is one of the few features I look forward to these days as far as conventional surf media goes, not to mention, considerably more entertaining than their C-St Surf Report has been this summer. I like the way they switch around writers a bit for different perspectives. I thought JOB did a good one, and like Kelly said, "he's a credible surfer, but distant enough from the tour"  That was before blocking him on twitter of course. And I can't speak for everyone else, but Louis Samuels unfiltered approach works for me. I'd like to see him back. Anyway JOB probably surfs better than me, and I'll give Louis the nod at Ocean Beach. But hey, I'm unfiltered, I'm unsponsored, and I'm unemployed. So as the elite field of thirty-six surfers hit the water in Tahiti, and I make my final picks for my Fantasy Surfer Team, I thought I'd  throw in my two cents. Here's the power rankings after the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, La Conchita Style.

Number One: John John Florence.

He wins at Pipe. He wins in Brazil. He wins at Margaret River. And he's a threat to win anywhere and everywhere in between. Huge hacks, incredible barrel riding skills, the full air program, speed, style, and flow. The Judges love him, and so do I. JJF is sitting comfortably at number one in the world rankings, which in my opinion makes him number one in the world. It's time to end this two tired ranking system before we end up with two world champions.  The elite events are great, higher prize money, more points, limited field, maybe too limited. But as far as crowning your world champion based on just the WCT events. I disagree. I say take your top eight events regardless whether it's a prime, 6 Star, or the Rincon Classic. Basically, anywhere in the world. Ok, back to John. He's doesn't claim a lot, he's down to earth, skates all the time, is sitting high on top of the money leader board.  Plus, if that's not enough, he rides Pyzels, charges huge Cloudbreak, and has a super hot mom.

Current WCT Ranking: 5th
World Ranking: 1st

Number Two: Kelly Slater

Ke12y?

Yep.. He's still that good. A win in Fiji, a controversial second place at Bells, a fifth at Snapper, and a third just a couple weeks ago in Huntington. A few of the young Brazilians seem unfazed by his super human powers, but he can take out just about anyone else out with a simple handshake before a heat. Ask Yades. The best competitive surfer ever hands down, and despite the incredible amount of new talent coming up, it's unlikely anyone else will ever even come close. Eleven World Titles and a definite threat to win Twelve.

Current WCT Ranking: 2nd (Tied with Parko)
World Ranking: 3rd

Number Three: Dane Reynolds

Don't blink or you'll miss his entire wave.

Dane picked up an equal fifth at the US Open. That's the best I've seen him do since he won the Rincon Classic over Bobby Martinez in February. That makes him number three in my first power ranking. Dane is unmatched in explosiveness period. He surfs on the edge of disaster with the unpredictability of a shark attack at Leadbetter Beach. With Shark like speed too. I predict he will win the next dozen Rincon Classics in a row. If the Tour ever switches to a jam style skate format, Dane would probably do pretty well but, trying to get two good waves when you surf at the speed of Dane. Well that's really a matter of luck. Bummer for the tour, bummer for the fans, but I'm stoked he lives around here, where I can occasionally spot him in some blurry photos of mine.

Current WCT Ranking: N/A
World Ranking: 57th

Number Four: Mick Fanning

This was a tough one. Mick is currently sitting at number one on the World Championship Tour but fifth on the world rankings. You see where I'm going with this? Medina, Slater, ADS, and John are all ahead of him. Still in Mick's defense he has only been concentrating on the WCT. Good thing too because he, along with fellow WCT Surfers Taj, Taylor Knox, and Ace Buchan, were all blown out in the first round by so called."Lesser Quality Surfers"at the US Open. That's where Bobby's argument doesn't hold water. These guys in the WCT live in a protected bubble of two man heats, and the priority system. Fact: The QS is tough. Fact: They are coming to get you. Still Mick rips. He is fast and fluid, and in my opinion deserved that controversial win at Bells over Slater. Mick surfed Bells like it should be surfed. Kelly pulled out a huge hail mary air that could have won in New York. In Huntington. In San Francisco, or just about anywhere. But a one maneuver wave regardless of how incredible and timely that one was. It just doesn't cut it at places like Bells, Jeffery's Bay, and especially that spot just north of here.

Current WCT Ranking: 1st
World Ranking: 5th

Number Five: Adriano De Souza

This was a tough call too. But this guy is a fierce competitor, surfs solidly, and is sitting number two in the world rankings. So I gave him the edge over Number Six... On the other hand, while I haven't met him, he seems like a bit of a jerk in the water, and is clearly the most despised surfer on the Fantasy Surfer Forums. Kelly seems to have a problem with him more often than not, but I remember Kelly being a bit of a hassler back in the day too. Well, its different in Brazil. That's a good argument, I guess. Just like those kids down at Zippers who kept dropping in on me. At first I took it personally but then I realized they were dropping in on each other too. Anyway. Okay, so it's not the gentleman's hour at Indicator. It's pro surfing.

Current WCT Ranking: 4th
Current World Ranking: 2nd

Number Six: Taj Burrow

Wouldn't mind surfing like this guy either.

At this point your'e probably wondering where Parko is? After all he is tied for second with Slater in the WCT race. But.. He is way down at number 10 in the world rankings, and he'll be lucky to make it that high on my list. Especially after that crab-stance comment back at Lower's last year. Hmmm.. Taj... I would like to surf like Taj. He surfs like his board is part of his body. One of the best ever but not likely to win the world title.

Current WCT Ranking: 5th (Tied with John)
Current World Ranking: 7th

Number Seven: Josh Kerr

What's not to like about Josh. He has the best post heat interview hats in the business, impressive at Chope's last year, and killing it everywhere else around the world. Third at Snapper, Fifth at Bells, Third in Rio, another Fifth at Margaret's, he's definitely "in form". Nothing worse than a 13th on the CT. Australian transplant living in So Cal, I like him. Ok. Come and surf Rincon anytime. Just not during the Gentleman's Hour.

Current WCT Ranking: 7th
World Ranking: 6th

Number Eight: Julian Wilson

Sorry no Jules.. Here's Sally

Jules was my favorite surfer as things winded down last year. Ton's of tricks, solid turns, and a great competitive drive. At one point I thought he as good as Dane but actually mangaged to stay on. That was before Dane started showing up in the cove last winter. Still I'm stoked for him to win the US Open a couple weeks ago taking down a red hot Miguel Pupo. That drop at he made at pipe last year was unmake-able, and he was one of the only pros to tow-in at macking Chopes. Too bad it won't be like that this year. First heats in the water as I write this. John John, Miguel, Pat G. Miguel is in the lead with twelve minutes to go.

Current WCT Ranking: 10th
World Ranking: 8th


Number Nine: Gabriel Medina

Gabe, Miguel, Gabe, Miguel, Gabe, Miguel. Wow another tough call. I like Miguel's style a bit better and he rides his dads boards, but Medina is tough to beat when he doesn't fall. Two WCT wins right out of the gate and well, he doesn't fall.  Picked up a second in Fiji, a win at the Nike Lowers Pro and an equal third at the US Open. Personally he needs I think he needs to mix it up a little or the judges are going to get bored. I'm bored. Maybe he makes it look too easy.

Current WCT Ranking: 13th
World Ranking: 4th

Number Ten: Jordy Smith

This is my last official call, and a real tough choice.  Miguel could have got it, Owen maybe, Joel, sorry nope. Jordy is a big guy and throws a lot of spray. He's also pretty impressive on point breaks. Looks like John John has this heat wrapped up as the Billabong Pro is well underway. No surprise on that. Yeah. Jordy's cool. Come on up.

Current WCT Ranking: 8th
World Ranking: 9th

Parko still might have a chance depending on the Parko Push. Otherwise, I can't see anyone outside of my top ten with a chance at the world title. Don't get me wrong. I think Parko surfs well, good style, but I'd still rather surf like Taj. Some of the my top ten may already be eliminated if you did the math, but I didn't.Ok, So here's some quick thoughts on the bottom two thirds.

Pat G.. Or one of his brothers..

WCT#2... Parko: Congrats on that Molokai to Oahu paddle.
WCT#9... Owen Wright: Last year was your best chance. Avatar.. More like Robotron.
WCT#11.. JFlo: Crazy Chopes heat last year. Like!
WCT#12.. CJ: Legend
WCT#14.. Heitor: Future World Title.. No chance.
WCT#15.. Ace: Nice guy. First round exit at the US Open.
WCT#15.. Tiago Pires: Like
WCT#17.. The Spartan: World Ranking #37 Needs a result!
WCT#18.. Miguel Pupo: Better than Gabrial Medina?
WCT#18.. Simpo: Solidly in the middle of the pack.
WCT#20.. Alejo Muniz: Best CT Result. Equal Fifth in Brazil
WCT#20.. Kai Otton:  Suprised me how hard he killed it in 2 foot Huntington Beach. On my team for Chopes. Like!
WCT#22.. Bede Durbidge: Um..World Ranking 48. Desperately in need of my idea of a bigger field for the elite dream tour events.
WCT#23.. Damo: Legend
WCT#24.. Travis Logie: Needs some results.
WCT#24.. FreddyP: Coming back strong. Like!
WCT#26.. Raoni Monteiro: Charged it at huge cloudbreak. Like!
WCT#26.. Adam Melling: World Ranking #40.
WCT#26.. Brother: Over-hyped? Over- Coached?
WCT#26.. Wilko: A cross between Dane, Juien, and Jeff Spicoli. Like!

Yades. Near Home.

WCT#26.. Yadin: World Ranking #52. Rincon Transplant. Like!
WCT#31.. Kieran Perrow: World Ranking #73. Na Na Na Nah...Hey Hey... GoodBye,
WCT#31.. Jadson Andre: World Ranking #80. Nice knowing you..
WCT#31.. Pat G: Best drop ever at Cloudbreak. Unless it was one of his brothers.
WCT#34.. Dusty Payne: Just finished last heat heat one.
WCT#34.. Taylor Knox: Legend
WCT#36.. William Cardoso: On the bubble.

Kelly.. Testing equipment like Kelly does.

How much would you pay to surf here?

Rincon Point, April 1, 2012

A dollar an hour, two dollars an hour? Three dollars a day, five dollars a day? Ten dollars a day? I would stop visiting. What? These are some pretty bad choices to say the least but unfortunately, they are the only ones offered on the Santa Barbara County Parks Beach Parking Fee Survey.  I lied and told them I would stop visiting, but where was the option for "None of the above." Or the, "I am opposed to the idea of any fees on land previously set aside for public use, especially when it was originally misappropriated from the Chumash in the first place." Okay, how about, "You've got to be f@#king kidding me!"

One of seven parks under fire.

Parking fees at the Queen of the Coast are not the only threat. What about Lookout Park in Summerland, Loon's, Hendry's, Goleta, Ocean, and Guadalupe Dunes. How much would you be willing to pay to park there? How much are you willing to pay to take your dog for a walk, dip your toes in the water, or just relax with a good book? How much would you pay to fish, take a romantic stroll, a jog, or obsessively hunt seaglass? How much would you pay to just stare at the sea and clear your head during your lunch break. If I had to suggest something, it might go like this. First 90 minutes free, after that, $1.00 per hour, $5.00 max.

That might work for a lot of people and it is pretty similar to the downtown parking arrangement, the city might even go for it. That might be enough for Bob and his big old Rottweiler Sissy who I see there every single day. It might be enough for that older couple that enjoy a cup of coffee nearly every morning on the bluff, before heading down the ramp for short walk on the beach. It might be enough James and his German Short Hair, Finley, and the countless other dog walkers, and beachcombers I see every day. It might even be enough for a quick surf. Two hours would be even better, but that would still not be long enough for me. Rincon feeds my soul, and I know I am not alone on that one.

Surfing for free. January 22, 2012

The good news is this. I did confirm that the Lower Lot is unaffected by Santa Barbara's inability to run their city. First off it's in Ventura, but the deciding factor is that lot is run by the state park system. Hey, it's not my preferred spot to park, but it soon will be if this ridiculous plan goes through. Unfortunately the state is in far worse shape than Santa Barbara, so it probably wouldn't be long before someone up at the state park commission says, "Hey, why aren't we charging for parking at Rincon? We do it at San O, Malibu, El Cap.." Suddenly it's $10.00 a day to park in the Cove. And please don't give me some story about how the county or the state is in such bad shape. I'm in bad shape. Half the people I know are in bad shape, financially speaking, anyway. Santa Barbara County had close to $800,000,000.00 in revenue last year. Yes, 800 Million! Certainly they can figure out a way to keep our parks open and free to the public, or at least have the guts to take it to a public vote.

Free Parking... For now.

Some people, notably the Planning Commission themselves, are already writing this off as a done deal. Sure, what do the restaurants at Hendry's and Goleta care? It's a not a problem for them. They'll be able to validate those parking stubs just like they do at Stearns Wharf. What does the planning commission care? Hey paying for parking is a Southern California Tradition. Ventura, Hueneme, Malibu, LA, Huntington, it's endless. UCSB!!! It's a outright crime to not have free public access to Campus Point. Okay thanks, at least I don't have to carry around a bag of quarters anymore, they take debit cards now. All of this should be enough to make your stomach turn. I'm sure, well I would hope, they'll have a annual pass for locals but those aren't cheap either. The Port Hueneme Annual Pass is $100 Dollars a year! The California State Park Pass is $125.

That still doesn't sit right with me. What about you? Now normally I tend to head off on a few different tangents on these blogs, but today I want to get straight to the point. It's not too late for your voice to be heard. There is another meeting coming up later this month. And even if you are like me and would rather be hit by a truck than speak in public, maybe you can just bring a sign, or show up for moral support. Let's keep surfing free in SB! Mark your calendars.

August 16, 2012 5:30PM

Santa Barbara Planning Commission Hearing Room 123 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

*Remote testimony is available in the Santa Maria Board of Supervisors Hearing Room

Shane Orr.. The Bounce. No parking allowed.

All of this comes on the heels of the losing 212 parking spaces along the highway here in La Conchita. Yes you heard me correctly. If you didn't know already, beach access here will soon be restricted to Mussel Shoals to the south, the new pedestrian tunnel in La Conchita, and the existing parking lots at Rincon Point. Any way you slice it, it's gonna be a mile walk if you want to surf the Bounce. At present I'm lucky enough to be living in LC. So other than losing that left hand turn into town, and the fact I have to drive an additional six miles every time I leave home, I'm pretty happy with the Cal Trans US 101 Carpool Lane Improvement Project.  I'm not ecstatic about six lanes of traffic, but yeah overall, I'm pretty happy. There's the brand new eight foot tall pedestrian tunnel to the beach. Ramps leading to the beach and up to a shiny new beachside class one bikeway. Yep, no more back breaking, head scraping trips through the four foot drainage tunnel thats served LC since 1955. And a protected bike path taking me pretty much the only place I need to go. It's like a dream come true.. If you live here. 

CHP has already issuing warnings.

Unfortunately for everyone else who enjoyed the free and easy access to over two miles of sloping, usually uncrowded beach, and the occasional surfable wave... I would say it's a pretty big loss. Some of the best times of my life were spent down at the north end of LC teaching my daughters to surf. I guess it's no surprise that Cal Trans can mow down Surfrider, the Coastal Commission, and anyone else who gets in the way of their dream of a super highway extending from Ventura to Goleta. Gosh. Even the fine folks of Monticito couldn't stop them.  At the very least they might have considered a second tunnel along with some additional parking at Tank Farm to access to the northern end of La Conchita. Maybe it's not too late to do something about that but for now, according to Claudia Gomez spokeperson for Cal Trans, "There are NO plans to replace the 212 spots lost in the $162,000,000.00 project. Yes.. Millions." 

No Parking! Bobby.. Somewhere along two miles of sloping beach,

   

10.10.10

View from the porch.. I think I'll stay awhile.

10.10.10... Nothing too scary with that. I don't even hear too many people talking about it. In binary code it is the number 42. Sally Fitzgibbions tweeted that this morning so I thought I would toss it in. For me it marks the one year anniversary of moving to La Conchita. LC as it's called by the locals.

Excerpt from the novel.. The Innocents..

The '66 Bonneville eased out of Rincon Park and turned south, Wil nudged on the pedal conjuring up a throaty exhaust. He still had the hots for the car, virtually stolen from a widow during the gas crunch. The Bonnie had style; it went like a white bat. It's also carried a 9'6"longboard in a partition he'd punched through the back seat. To improve it's handling he'd replaced the suspension and steering. Other than that, the car was mint.

Wil rested his arm on the open window, to his left, La Conchita appealed to some inner sense. It was so unexpected: half a mile long, scrunched against the coastal cliffs, a vest pocket community not even on most road maps. North-bound drivers escaping LA for the red tiled splendors of Santa Barbara another 15 minutes up the road rarely caught two blinks of it in the rearview. Which suited him fine.

Like most locals, he dug the closeness of it. People co-existed.. like the mobile homes, beach shacks, stucco houses, redwood decks. Roses grew next to cactus, fuchsias next to Spanish bayonet. And up the street at the north end, bananas, the fruit tree-ripening in bright blue bags. La Conchita itself hadn't grown much, though. Laid out in 1924, it waited for the movies stars and city folk to come, some made it as far as Mussel Shoals. After a while the coast highway brought others: oil workers, smugglers, retirees, surfers, all attracted by cheap lots, and two miles of sloping beach...

Richard Barre pretty much nailed it in his 1995 description of LC. The banana's are unfortunately gone, and there are probably more nurses than smugglers these days though. It was late '94 when I first took a look at a house for sale on Vista del Rincon. Theresa quickly shut that idea down? The first slide happened about 3 months later when I was at the Ski Industries trade show in Vegas. I clearly remember the watching it on the news along side Chuck Barfoot, snowboard pioneer, and long time LC resident. Well..Chuck on is on the front row and so am I so I think we have more to worry about with the global warming and melting polar ice caps.. lol.

It was Jenny, Julia, and my daughter Kalie who brought me to La Conchita a year ago to this day. Well.. Long story short. That didn't quite pan out. So it was Jenny, Julia, who went back to Santa Barbara, leaving th big house, and mortgage, and myself. Thank you. I found Susy and her daughter to rent the uptairs. Problem solved.

Driving home last night on the way back from the Carp just in time to catch the sunset, there was a big ol dolphin show going on. Dolphins stretched from the curve all the way to the middle of town. Jumping, playing, racing, generally flying all over the place, speaking to me once again.. Yes.. I think I will stay awhile..

Bobby.. Some of the biggest LC Beach Break I've seen.

Eppic Surf

Eppic Surf Session: La Conchito Escondio... January 21th, 2010