Paging South South, South Swell you're table is ready...

After yesterday's Stand Up Paddle Surf session with old faithful I was hoping that I could break out my 9'6" SUPS board and have some fun with a new swell that we've been watching. Another family day outing to the beach!

We roll up and I was excited to see 3-5 feet of swell breaking down the line. Good shape, the ocean had the pre-swell jitters, a lot of movement going on. The nice thing was the crowd had yet to show. The was one other Stand Up Paddle Surfer out there and he was doing his part of sharing the Aloha. Good guy, not a wave hog kook.

As I set up the goods for the ohana I was watching and contemplating. See I also brought my 6'4" short board just in case it was a tweener kind of day. I know I would have had the normal Stand Up Paddle fun but I've been craving a little prone session lately. So I busted out the shortie and had at it.

By the way the water is still freezing. Rubber is a luxury.

Enjoy the swell. If you're learning to Stand Up Paddle Surf go to a SUPS friendly beach and have fun there during this swell. Keep it real, keep it safe and you'll keep it fun for all.

Aloha...

Stand Up Paddling to Stand Up Paddle Surf

I haven't done this in a while. Been kind of lazy for the past few years I guess, got used to pulling up and paddling out at Kaulapapa (a SUPS friendly beach). Back in the day (pre SUPS craze) the hand full of us that were Stand Up Paddle Surfing used to paddle up and down the coast and catch waves here and there, I had lowers to myself one winter afternoon!

So today I paddle to paddle surf. The water surface was great for ocean paddling, a tail wind to get me there a few minutes quicker and the sun is already shining. I paddle out past the buoy and take a line to a trimaran that is anchored off my destination spot.

Clear water, clear enough to see the Great White called Jesse James or one of his relatives, and a small small swell. Friends in the line up and a couple of hours of standing around and talkin' story. Good times.

Oh and when you're SUPing together at a practically SUP only beach, on an itty-bitty day, it's uncalled for to call someone off a wave. No worries, we all know you shed the California Waikiki.... Kook.

Paddle with Alooooha!

A clean suprise... Perfect for Stand Up Paddle Surfing

It's a beautiful day and the ohana and I pack it up and head down to la playa for some sand, sun, and surf. We headed down to our favorite beach, I wasn't expecting much in terms of surf so I brought ol" faithful, my 12 foot Ron House Stand Up Paddle Surfboard.

Conditions were small but perfect... perfect for Stand Up Paddle Surfing... and perfect as in sunny, great shape, long rides to the sand and refreshing water temp. I unload the car and setup the beach. Grab the board and paddle to peak. I would have said, paddle to the line up if there was any but nobody was out, again. 2-3 footers rolled in one after the other for about 20 minutes. The crowd was north on another "more consistent" peak and I was having a blast on my own personal wave machine.

After an hour of one after the other I cruised in and hung with the fam for a few as we enjoyed the summer that all of us have been waiting for.

Stand Up Paddle Surfing in Great White Shark infested waters

So last year I had a great time Stand Up Paddling with Fluffy the Great White Shark. Affectionately named by Kaulapapa locals. About this time last year big shark rumors and sighting were flying all over the sand and the net. Let's confirm... yep, there are great white sharks in the shallow waters, right off the surf if not in it, right at San Onofre Surfing Beach.

Chuckie P got this great footage of "Jesse James", Fluffy's little brother.

Good day for a LONG Stand Up Paddle Board

These past few days have been great for the BIG Stand Up Paddle Surf boards. What... I though all SUPS boards were big. When the surf is ankle to knee I like to bust out my Ron House 12 footer. This board has been the fun old faithful. I've paddled it 20 miles plus, surfed itty-bitty wind chop and bombed the double overhead stuff on outside reefs. It's the all around stand up paddle length. If you're new to the sport and trying to figure out what size you should consider all these boards can do. If you're menehune size you can go 10.5- 11 feet, most adult males should consider a 12 footer if building a SUPS quiver is not an immediate option.



Today looks like more of the same surf. Small 2-3 feet of we're lucky. Get there before the winds show up. It does look like there is some long period southern energy headed our way. Cross your fingers and keep paddling. Here's what today looks like.

Evening SUPS session

Sunday evening, the sun is out, the wind is calm and the tide is pushing. Papa-G, the Major and myself pack up and make for an evening session. As we drive south the sun starts to disappear and we start seeing signs of more wind than we didn't hope for. We pull up to see small lines, minimal crowd and an almost unwelcoming texture on the surface.

We paddle out and patiently pull through disappearing waves and the transitioning tide waiting for it to settle on the bottom. The sun starts to go down down, wind stopped and the tide settles. Wave height jumps two feet and "juicy" becomes the word of the session. Made some new friends tonight and hopefully was a good will ambassador for the sport of Stand Up Paddle Surfing.

Decreasing south swell. Get it while you can!

Saturday Stand Up Paddle Surf treat

Usually don't find myself in the line up on Saturdays but the stars and planets aligned and I was able to get wet and SUP before an afternoon appointment. Wave and interval was perfect for a little spot that I like to frequent. 2-4ft surf with no winds until around noon plus the weekend crowd disappeared around 9AM.

Lefts rights and lots of walls. Too much south for this spot and the tides were making it perfect for Stand Up Paddle Surfing. Big deep spot on the main peak was my friend.

So now that today's session is history, what will manana bring??? Maybe 2-3'+ as the new SSW starts to fill in throughout Sunday?? Maybe.... and maybe the sun will come out too!

Happy SUPin' and Paddle with Aloha. (which means don't paddle into a line up and snag the first wave right out the hands of the guy that was sitting there for 20 minutes in perfect position. You know who you are KOOK! I saw the whole thing and you were wrong!)

Mildly windy afternoon Stand Up Paddle Surf

Friday afternoon, the winds are blowing 10+ knots out of the northwest, pua hana for the day.... yeah it's time for some Stand Up Paddle Surf. Lately I've been mingling more with the lay-down surfing scene. Another of my buddies is going to pull the trigger soon and get a SUPS board. Today he had to pull out the longboard and the other guy was on a 6'0" with lots of volume so he could get into this dying south swell. I'm on my 9'6" and could have brought the 12 footer with the crumbly surf.

I think the wind ran off most of the crowd cause when we rolled up the line up was light. The waves were 3-4ft and soft, inconsistent but playful. We all had a fair amount of good rides. The sun broke out after about 45 minutes of surfing. Great way to end the week and start the weekend.

Saturday SUPS

It finally feels like a summer day here in San Clemente. The ohana and I head down to the beach to spend the afternoon down by the water. We grab our piece of of sand, the keiki gets his buckets and sand tools, momma has her beach chair and I slide out through the channel to catch some waves.

The line up is pinched together on this one peak, close to thirty guys. Long boards, shorts boards, soft top boards and now one Stand Up Paddle Board. The wind is blowing in such a way (combined with the funk in the tide) that the rights have an almost non-makeable section where the pack is sitting. And if one was to sit on what looks like it would be the shoulder, it would actually be the perfect spot to connect. So I choose to pick up "the leftovers" and NOT stand in the middle of the lineup.

So, these "left overs" are actually the place to be. Lefts and rights come in and it doesn't take long for the crowd to see that they're about 50 feet in the wrong direction. They move over so I cruise to a spot I little less inconsistent but with nobody there. Size wise it was a little bit bigger and every once in a while one connected right through the line and I ended up paddling a long way back :-)

After my wonderful SUPS session I hang with the boy building sandcastles. Life is good.

Remember to Paddle with Aloha and be a King not a Kook!

Stand Up Paddle Board

The title should be more like Happy 5th of July, not Stand Up Paddle Board, but what--ever. And since I'm rambling, I ate way too much this weekend.

So anyways, it's no secret, but if it is I'm not going to spoil it. Everybody is stuck in traffic and headed home from the long weekend... this year sponsored by the SEC.gov Everyone except those I was out with this evening enjoying post fireworks summer time lines. Me and one other Stand Up Paddler were sharing waves with a handful of locals.

Oh and we could use a little more sun to go with these waves, and a little less eddy please.

But really, Happy Birthday America!!! Be sure to recognize the ongoing battle for our freedoms, the cost associated with them, and may God continue to bless us.

Getting SUP religion after church

Ran into an old friend from back in the day at the Shoreline today. We quickly planned a surf for the afternoon. The reports were not in our favor but sometimes good things happen to those who just show up. Today was one of those days.

What was suppose to be an hour session turned into a couple hours 'cause the waves and conditions were just too good to get out. I was on my 12 foot Ron House old faithful and having fun but really was missing my 9'6"... cause "rip so hard". My buddy was on his log (non SUPr... soon he'll cross over)

Anyways, didn't do much catching up, just a lot of "catching". It was more of a surf rotation, one after the other. Yes, that sounds like we caught a lot of waves, and we did, but no wave hoggin' was going on. There was plenty of waves and nobody really out. Good times, good stuff!

rip so hard

Too much fun. That's how I should always start a Stand Up Paddle Surf post.

I remember when it happened. Back side smack of the top, I can still feel the board get loose. Not that I'm some kind of power surfer but I tend to break fins, always the same one, always on back side snap off the top. Almost every board I have I've had to had the fin system, fin box, fin re-glassed. Right hand trailing fin. Mikey I'll be calling you!

Paddle with Aloha!!!

Today's SUPS office

Here's the view from today's stand up paddle session. The sun was out earlier, it was a beautiful morning sunrise. Wave action 2-3 feet with some fun lines to be had. Shared the south side with Dennis and another SUP'r who paddled over. The wind was finally blowing the right way, good times.




I'd forecast today to be smaller than th past couple days, but size doesn't matter. However if the sun comes out expect crowds. Paddle with Aloha.

- Posted in the sun

lunch time stand up paddle surfing

The first day in a long time that the sun came out before noon. I was hustling to get some work done and get down there for some recharge. A buddy and I cruised down with the hope to surf but the intentions to just go check it out. After about 10 minutes we decided to paddle out just because it was a beautiful day.



On the paddle out we were welcomed with a set that seemed like it wouldn't give up. I stood in the inside paddling waiting for an opening. Once out there the wave machine continued. Gotta love the south swell. What a surprise session.

June gloom with waves plus SUPable surf

Slept in past sunrise, slow start out the door and had to run a quick errand before driving down to the beach chancing the winds/ tide combo yet still hopeful for a Stand Up Paddle session. The weather lately has been gray plus AM winds plus negative tides, if on Hawaii's 9th island (Vegas) I might as well write them a check with those odds.


I pull up and act as if I'm going to watch it before I go out. As I catch myself thinking that thought I backup and drive down to my spot (yeah I have a spot). With the low tide and exposed reef I choose to leash my 12 foot Ron House SUP Board. The classic old faithful. The crowds light on the south peak but they must have been giving away gold on the point just to the north, stupid crowded!


Paddled out and had some fun waves. Lefts, rights and about 20 minutes where the wind laid down and the faces cleaned up.


The big set for my session started marching on the horizon so I took it on myself to be the welcome wagon. Especially since the one other guy hanging out with me was stuck on the inside. I greeted the 5 foot swell with an Aloha and cruised back to my spot. Walked out in the sand, showered and started the work day.


So know I watch the winds hoping for a repeat.... with less winds.


Don't be a kook! Paddle with Aloha

Saturday morning Stand UP Paddle fun in the crowd

Saturday AM. Swell is here but it's Saturday and I wanna go Stand Up some fun waves with a little juice on it. So I cruise to a spot that breaks off a rock reef that has some new sand in it. The tide is good, wind is good, crowd is overwhelming... and I'm the only Stand Up Paddle Surfer.


I paddle through the line up and get a couple hecklers, but they're bruddahs from the past so it's all good and in fun. However I get that vibe from others, they don't understand that I come packing Aloha.


Watching the sections come and go I paddle over to a spot that no ones really at on a wave that is make-able only on a SUP. Right after right after right. I'm riding my 9'6" and having fun smacking it on the bing bong! The fin configuration is loose which makes for a lot of fun.


Another wonderful day in the water. Sorry no pics, the skies are too gray.

Morning SUPS session?

I don't even remember the morning Stand Up Paddle sesh it was so good. Too much to recall.

King and Queen of Dogpatch May 8th, 2010

Rainbow Sandals is putting on their 2nd annual King & Queen of Dogpatch tomorrow. It's a great event and a good time for all to have. It's a must see Stand Up Paddle Surf event. Show up early to get your spot at San Onofre's surfing beach, not the camp grounds on the bluff.

Stand Up Paddle without the paddle

This morning's May gray was in full swing and south wind from our local eddy but the good news is the south swell had enough energy to entice me enough to "paddle" out. A good friend was camping down at a favorite spot of mine and she put out the invite to come down for a morning SUPS session. So I invite another buddy and we get down there early enough for the cold and the wind to make us sit and watch longer than usual.

We're looking a couple of breaks from the camp site and wondering what's the best of the worst right now. A couple of other friends (wow... friends all over) are already paddling back from their Stand Up Paddle session. We went over and asked them how it was and they said, "it's getting better." Ok?

We're still watching where they paddled from, cause that's where we wanted to surf. BUT, this left out in front is calling our names practically. We decide to surf right there, only problemo for me is there is a NO SUPS rule where this left is working, grrrrr. So I ditch my paddle and take my 9'6" Stand Up board and have a lay down session with all the other scrappers out there. And it was the call.

Then the sun comes out, wind dies for about an hour and the waves we're lining up perfectly. We get out with smiles on out faces, jump in the warm showers and get treated to hot chili with BBQ spicy sausage. The way it should be.

SUP back on the water

I've been land-locked for the past 30 days. Why? Don't ask. Well... I guess not completely land-locked, I've been able to get out on the water and sail a couple days this past month. However there has been no Stand Up Paddle Surfing for me.

Still needing to keep a dry ear and going stir crazy with all the swell we've had this past month or so I figure I can go play it safe and make a couple laps down at Dana Point Harbor. So confident I don't even bring my wet-dry bag for the baggies.

The tide was going negative and the wind was blowing out of the west around 8-12kts. It was a good afternoon for a workout. I was up for at least a couple laps, still feeling my couple hour workout from this morning. The first lap was downwind the outside channel and upwind against the tide through the mid-channel. Everything was going fine until I rounded the corner where the Harbor Patrol station is. Between the negative tidal movement and the wind it created a weird eddy/ vortex thingy. It didn't really click until I went to dig and it felt like my paddle hit air and I followed up with a splash. I remember thinking to myself, "I just fell in...what the..." And then, "glad I didn't bring my iPhone for tunes..."

It was warm enough that I was pretty much dry by the time I reached Danalina and started lap number dos. This time I paddled down and back on the outer channel. The wind was better for the workout on the way back up.

There was nobody else out, really surprising. Oh it's Monday...

Paddle with Aloha