Deep 030217 marchapril

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GRE E N I S SU E

MARCH/APRIL 2017 VOL. 12 > NO. 2 CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SURFING MAGAZINE

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JUNE 2-4, 2017

WINE waves AND BEYOND 8th Annual Central Coast Surf Classic

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:

@805BEER SEE THE MATT ALLGOOD STORY AND MORE AT 805BEER.COM

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t yler Mobley hits the lip in front of the Morro Bay stacks. p h ot o : luKe Wi lli a M S

eDITor

pHoToGrApHers

WrITers

chuck graham

Branden aroyan glenn Dubock chuck graham craig hamlin colton haynes russell holliday Brent lieberman laura Morgan colin Nearman John Nordstand David powdrell David pu’u Jon reis William Sharp Shawn tracht luke Williams gaviota Wildlife films

christian Beamish craig comen Nicole De leon Derek Dodds chuck graham Daniel hamlin Michael Kew Brent lieberman David pu’u Shawn tracht

Copy eDITor christian Beamish

March/april 2017 Vol. 12 > No. 2 ceNtral califorNia SurfiNg MagaziNe

proDuCTIon & DesIGn Kristyn Whittenton ADverTIsInG sALes

InquIrIes & submIssIons: 805-684-4428 info@deepzine.com www.deepzine.com

Drew Merryman andres Nuño Shawn tracht supporT peter Dugré robin Karlsson rockwell printing

pubLIsHer: Mike VanStry AssoCIATe pubLIsHer: gary l. Dobbins

owned & operated by rMg Ventures, llc 4856 carpinteria ave. carpinteria, ca 93013 Deep Surf Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Deep Surf Magazine is a registered trademark.

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cOLi N Ne arm aN

d u BOck.cOm

46 ONe with Nature GaV i Ota w i L d Li f e f i Lm s

54 GaViOta cOast d aVi d p u ’ u

14 riNcON cLassic resuLts

32 uNderstaNdiNG OiL

InsIde thIs Issue

cO Ve r phOtO B y daV id pu’u

a saying amongst sur fers on our coast,“Our winters are the best summers,” Lars r athje enjoying the benefits.

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News

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BOard trachtiNG

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OceaN View

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shaper’s Bay

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GONe surfiNG with

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NOrtherN expOsure

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Ladies rOOm

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Gear Guide

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refLectiONs

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cascadiaN rhythms

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ceNter staGe

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cOmeN seNse

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GreeN rOOm

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fiNaL frame

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Prologue Single Fin Surf Event

April 1st - 2nd, 2017 Surfer’s Point - Ventura

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wHo’S on boarD?

TaMlorn Chase

FilMMaker/pHotograpHer

MoSt rewarDing aSpect oF your project?

Hopefully the future holds the greatest reward, and that would be knowing that our film, Gaviota: The End of Southern California, has contributed to the permanent protection of the Gaviota coast.

pHo t o : c Huc k gr a H a M

froM THE EdITor It’s time for my annual rant about people cleaning up after themselves, keeping their rubbish out of the oceans. I’m beating the same drum and knocking the hell out of the same old dead horse.

About two months ago I kayaked solo across the Santa Barbara Channel to Santa Cruz Island. I was to work the next couple of days and if the conditions were decent I was going to paddle out of Ventura the day before to the largest, most diverse island off the California coast.

Wherever I go paddling I’m always cognizant of the amount of trash I might encounter. It’s a huge pet peeve of mine, and admittedly it makes me angry. I realize we are all making an impact on Mother Earth but there is no excuse for dumping trash in the ocean. Unfortunately, the world’s oceans have become the biggest trash heaps.

While paddling I’ll do the best I can to grab as much trash as possible, while wondering what fish, seabirds and marine mammals are attempting to ingest it. How do we get through to people? It’s so simple but apparently so difficult for folks to keep 10 DEEPZINE.com

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Drew MerryMan SaleS/Marketing Director

their trash out of the ocean.

As I approached the oil platforms I was already ticked off. I was filling the hull behind my seat with a mishmash of stuff, but when I paddled past Platform Gail my mood swung around 180 degrees. It was all the splashing that caught my attention, bearing down on my starboard bow.

Thousands of common dolphins were torpedoing my way. Instantly goose bumps swept across my body. It felt like they were coming to my rescue because these animals are the Santa Barbara Channel’s best indicator of how healthy this region of the Pacific is. They’re very intelligent and maybe they know something we don’t, so for the rest of the 19 miles I lived off that encounter, pushing me through the shipping lanes to “the Galapagos Islands of the north.”

Enjoy.

Chuck Graham

How Deep can you go?

I’m an avid hiker and traveler, and I’m never happier than when I’m on the trail seeing what’s around that next bend, or getting on a plane to visit a new country.

When all is said and done, though, the central coast will always be home!

DaviD Pu’u pHotograpHer

Do you reMeMber tHe tiMe you FounD tar on you SurFing SanDS beacH?

The first time I surfed IV was in 1965 or 66. It’s also the first time I saw tar. Growing up surfing Sands, oil and tar were a constant source of frustration. Wind would turn onshore and the oil slick would come with it.

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CH E CK O U T THE NEW

DEEP ZI N E. CO M

Betty Belts | Ocean Room Gallery

Gifts from the sea including an immense selection of our very own handmade sea glass jewelry, wave jewelry and upcycled surf resin designs.

Canvas and metal prints of ocean, land and nature for your home and office by master photographer David Pu’u.

12 North Fir St. (Corner Main) Downtown Ventura (805) 648-6997 • www.bettybelts.com Promised Hours Daily 11am - 6pm

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Go Green. Go Vintage.

brodytravelsupply.com @brodytravel

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Rincon classic 2017 ResulTs

Rincon BReweRy PRo Division 1. Kilian Garland 2. Kellen Ellison 3. Adam Lambert 4. Nathaniel Curran KinG of The Queen, BaTTle of The suRf shoPs 1. channel islands surfboards 2. Surf N Wear Beach House 3. J7 4. A Frame PeRfecT 10 awaRD hawk Modisette Mens Division 1. colin schildhauer 2. Dylan Perkins 3. Robert Curtis 4. Frank Curren 5. Jeff Knell 6. Harrison Adler MasTeRs Division 1. Javi Moreno 2. Nate Winkles 3. Sean O’toole 4. Aaron Smith 5. Tony Degroot 6. Mike Cianciulli GRanD MasTeRs Division 1. Greg venable 2. Tom Dillon 3. Andrew Jakubowski 4. Tony Degroot 5. Chris Willingham 6 Eric Laurabee leGenDs Division 1. adam Brown 2. Mike Lamm 3. Ted Booth 4. Steve Hanson 5. Craig Kozlowski 6. Bill Urbany

JunioRs u17 Division 1. Dimitri Poulos 2. Josiah Amico 3. Matty Pierce 4. Jabe Swierkocki 5. Adam Hogue 6. Jeff Knell Boys u14 Division 1. Jabe swierkocki 2. Dimitri Poulos 3. Trevor Barry 4. Shaymus O’hearne 5. Marley Sapp 6. Liam Osborne GReMlins u12 Division 1. Pitus higgins 2. Jak Ziets 3. Talan Vodraska 4. Hamilton Jacobs 5. Tanner Vodraska 6. Curtis Jacobs wahines u17 Division 1. emma higgens 2. Makena Burke 3. Ashley Trevino 4. Sophie Simon 5. Maddie Malmsten 6. Angel Singh woMens Division 1. catherine clark 2. Sierra Partridge 3. Alana Moore 4. Lucy Oliveira 5. Glennie Rodgers 6. Cassidy Urbany lonGBoaRD 1. cole Robbins 2. Vince Felix 3. Evan Trauntvein 4. JP Garcia 5. Oliver Parker 6. Mark Carnaghe

P H OTO: DU B OCK. COM

2017 Th e ReT u R n of Th e Qu een

By CH Ri S KE E T

Sparks were flying at the 2017 Channel Islands Surfboards Rincon Classic presented by Hurley as the top surfers in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties went head to head in great conditions at the fabled cobblestone point break, Rincon.

Official surf forecasters at Surfline nailed the projections for surf and weather with the swell arriving fashionably late peaking mid day on Saturday, February 4 with 4-7 foot über glassy conditions.

Kilian Garland dominated the Rincon Brewery Pro division against a stacked field of local talent that featured Dane Reynolds, Kellen Ellison, Adam Lambert, Nathaniel Curran, Mike McCabe, among others. Garland took his 6th pro title which doubles his closest rival.

Check out the rest of the RC17 results here.

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Kilian Garland, 1st in Pro Division P h oto: Dav i D P ow D re ll

Kellen ellison, 2nd in Pro Division Pho t o : D ubo c K. c o m

adam lambert, 3rd in Pro Division P h oto: Du b ocK .com

Nathaniel curran, 4th in Pro Division Ph ot o: P o wDr e ll

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Pitus Higgins, 1st in U12 Gremlins

Rincon classic 2017 Results

PHo t o: DUb ock.c om

Jabe Swierkocki, 1st in U14 boys PH ot o: DU boc k.com

Hawk modisette, Per fect 10 Award P H oto: DU b ock.com

cole Robbins, 1st in Longboard PH ot o: DU boc k.com

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Colin Schildhauer, 1st in Mens Ph ot o: Dubo C k.CoM

Javi Moreno, 1st in Masters P h oto: Du b oC k.C o M

Greg Venable, 1st in Grand Masters Ph ot o: Dubo C k.CoM

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Rincon classic 2017 Results

Catherine Clark, 1st in Womens

adam Brown, 1st in Legends

P h ot o: Br anden a royan

Pho t o : d u B o Ck . Co m

emma higgens, 1st in u 17 Wahines P hot o: duBoCk.C om

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Dimitri Poulos, 1st in U17 Juniors, 2nd in U14 Boys and the Scosche In Rhythm Award P hot o: A R oyAn

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NEWS Sean Woods P hot o: li be rMaN

P I SMO BEACH H OSTS 8 TH ANNUAL WINE WAV ES & BEYON D Pismo Beach will host the 8th Annual Wine Waves & Beyond, a philanthropic event created by Boutique Hotel Collection, celebrating both Classic California surf culture, and Central Coast Wines and Brews from June 2-4, 2017.

Come celebrate the best that Classic California has to offer at several scenic venues throughout Pismo Beach and at the Fremont Theatre in San Luis Obispo including:

S u r f M o v i e N i gh t

Friday, June 2, at the Historic Fremont Theatre, San Luis Obispo Chris Burkard movie premier: Under an Arctic Sky. All proceeds benefit Still Frothy.

r a b o b a Nk ’ S b a r r el t o b a r r el

Saturday, June 3, 2-5 pm (VIP 1-5 pm), The Cliffs Resort, Pismo Beach Live music by Joe Koenig & the Homewreckers, and over 40 visiting wineries and breweries, and local cuisines.

8 0 5 Su rf ClaS SiC

Sunday, June 3, 7 am at the Pismo Pier Invitational team event with legendary surfers from the 805 area code, and an international adaptive event, while still maintaining a longboard component.

aNNu al v W ClaSS iC Car S h oW

Sunday, June 4, at the Addie Street parking lot, Pismo Beach (Free Spectator Admission) Vintage VW Display of three classes of VW buses, bugs and others.

8 0 5 ClaS SiC b eaCh Par ty

Sunday, June 4, the Beach House at SeaVenture Resort, Pismo Beach 805 Classic Beach Party featuring a FREE concert on the beach with live music by local bands and festive Beer Garden.

For more information on the 8th Annual Wine Waves & Beyond, please join us on Facebook and Instagram.

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A N O THER WAY TO FLY

P H OTO: LAU RA B E LZ E R

THE PROLOGUE SINGLE FIN LON GBOA RD EVENT COMES TO VENTURA

Longboard competition has always struggled to create appropriate judging criteria. The professional circuit, with its emphasis on quantifiable maneuvers, inevitably leads to the oxymoronic genre of “high-performance longboarding,” in which surfers replicate the floaters and cutbacks of shortboard riders on thinly foiled, multi-finned boards that resembled traditional longboards in length only. Yet the highly accomplished professional surfers who ride “performance” longboards are typically excluded from events like Joel Tudor ’s Duct Tape Invitational that focus on traditional logging.

Enter the “Prologue,” a single fin surf event, taking place in the cove of Surfer ’s Point in Ventura on April 1 and 2, 2017. With a format centered on individual performances in 25-minute heats with no wave limit, no interferences, no gender specific divisions, there is no pressure on competitors to meet a set criteria. “We wanted to create something soulful and a little

WSL C OMING TO P I S MO B E ACH

less sports centered,” explained Prologue founder Jeffrey Belzer.

More than thirty-two competitors are signed up for this year ’s event with a growing alternate list. The winner of the Prologue takes home a thousand bucks and bragging rights, and the local Ventura business community is involved with riders’ scores being tied to individual companies in friendly competition. A dinner, movie premiere, and live music round out the happening. For more information, email jblongboard@yahoo.com.

- Christian Beamish

Walter Cer ny P H OTO: LI B E RM AN

The World Surf League will be gracing the shores of the scenic Central Coast at the fabled Pismo Beach Pier November 17 – 19, 2017.

The inaugural Pismo Beach Open will be a lower level Qualifying Series 1,000 event that will host 96 surfers from around the globe in the men’s division.

It’s also a great opportunity for the local 805 contingent. There are high hopes of bringing a women’s event as well, but additional sponsorship is needed.

For more information, go to www. pismobeachopen.com.

-Chuck Graham

WSLUPDATE March/April2017 21

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NEWS

2 01 7 Ear th Da y FESti val

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) will host its 2017 Earth Day Festival at Alameda Park Saturday, April 22 from 11a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 23 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The announcement comes on the heels of Santa Barbara Earth Day winning a sustainability award from FestForums Convergence, a bi-annual festival industry conference held in New York and Santa Barbara. The award reflects the festival’s greening efforts, such as requiring that all food vendors use locally grown ingredients, annually recycling or composting upwards of 93% of all waste, and in 2016 reducing overall waste by nearly 30% through such measures as water refill stations and reusable beer cups. CEC was honored to share the FestForums stage with world-renowned groups, including long-time CEC supporters Jack and Kim Johnson, another 2016 sustainability award recipient.

The 2017 festival – which is free to attend – will encourage participants to share how they #actonclimate, highlighting the need for urgent grassroots action on climate change and summoning the activist energy that led to the first Earth Day in 1970. In support of this action-oriented theme, Sunday morning will feature a public forum and discussion focused on climate action and innovation. Hosted by LoaTree, participants will be asked to listen, discuss and engage.

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Event registration for vendors and musicians opens Tuesday, February 7 on SBEarthDay.com/exhibit.

In the days leading up to the festival, CEC and its partners will host a series of Earth Month events, including the annual Earth Day Green Drinks hosted by LoaTree in March. Details for Earth Month events will be announced in upcoming weeks.

For more information, contact CEC at 805-963-0583 ext. 100

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TH E BOARD R OOM INTERNATIONA L : H ONORs AL M ER R I C K

Pho t o : s ubmi t t ed

Legendary surfboard craftsman Al Merrick will be honored in the Icons of Foam Tribute to the Masters Shape-off presented by US Blanks. Ten international shapers will attempt to replicate one of Merrick’s classic designs. The competition takes place during The Boardroom International Surfboard Show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on May 6 & 7, 2017.

“I’ve been drawn to surfing and surfboard design my whole life,” said Al Merrick. “I am thrilled to be an Icons of Foam honoree. The list of past honorees, which includes John Bradbury and Renny Yater, is remarkable. I’m quite humbled and I look forward to a great shape-off at The Boardroom in Del Mar.” “Al Merrick’s surfboard designs are above reproach. You’d be hardpressed to find a surfer that hasn’t ridden one of Merrick’s boards.

And it’s no wonder, with an incredible amount of stylish, progressive and historic surfing from the likes of Tom Curren, Kim Mearig, Davey Smith, Willie Morris, Rob Machado, Shane Beschen, Taylor Knox, Bobby Martinez, Lisa Anderson, Sofia Mulanovich, Dane Reynolds and of course a gentleman named Kelly Slater,” said The Boardroom’s Executive Director Scott Bass. “All of us involved in producing the show are over the moon to be honoring Al Merrick.”

For more information please visit Boardroomshow.com. ♦

PHOTOS: DAVID PU’U

curb appeal.

The appeal of living the Ventura lifestyle has become more desirable in recent years. Marty Smith and Jeffrey Belzer have been working with both seasoned, and first time homebuyers on their dream of home ownership. By discovering what appeals to you, they can help make your dream a reality.

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ocean view

Po intb r e aks: b as eli ne b ar o me ters words + ph oto b y david pu’u

I

n contemporary surf culture, our world gets leaned into quite frequently with well-meaning yet ill-informed voices, directing us as surfers and a water tribe as to what is good and accurate care for our beaches and waters.

Unfortunately, these voices are quite frequently underinformed when compared to some of even the youngest members of our community.

The reason for this is a lack of understanding of both the definition of the term “baseline” and inaccurate application of in-

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Pitas Point, under a long exposure on a beautiful Fall evening. One of a lar ge number of right hand points on a coastline noted for them.

formation gleaned from baseline study with regard to our ocean home. This can create a wide variety of problems for municipalities and the state.

Loosely defined, baseline refers to the historic condition of a particular asset. It would be the starting point from which to draw conclusions. For us, one of the oldest historic baseline barometers on the coast is the point break.

The reason for this is that many of these points are ancient and have a water outfall (stream or river) as part of their morpho-

logical structure.

So if you really want to learn about the effects of various aspects of nature, and man-made impacts on the ocean, study the pointbreaks. Hidden in plain sight will be a complete living record of all land based changes, traceable back hundreds and in some cases, as in Pitas Point pictured here, thousands of years. It really is enlightening to do so, and helps us better understand what matters and what does not, in being good stewards of our resources. â&#x2122;Ś March/April2017 25

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Gone SurfinG with… director of development for santa barbara Channelkeeper, Cof feyenjoys some on-the-job research. p hot o: suBmitted

M o r Gan c offey: a caMpaiGner f or o p en S p ac e and a priStin e cha n n el

L

w ords By Ch ri s t i a n Be a m i s h

ineage is important to us surfers, but lineage cuts both ways—where a person is from can give entrée or present barriers in our too-often territorial pursuit. Still, the old adage “It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at” sets a more sensible tone. All this to say that my long time family friend, the woman who now calls me her brother (and she’s certainly a sister to me too), like me, grew up in Newport Beach.

And Newport conjures a lot of associations, not all of them positive. It’s a town overrun by glitz and aspiration, seemingly driven by people’s desire to be seen as having it all. True enough, some of them down there are so rich they actually do seem to have it all, with a place in Montecito and another at the Ranch to boot. But what the hell, there happen to be wealthy people in the world—that, in and of itself, is not a problem. Yet having watched our hometown transformed from a rootsy (yes, the words “rootsy” and “Newport” could once have lived side-byside) place of fishermen, boat builders, and a generally waterfocused population to a region of virtually unchecked “luxury” development is an experience that has deeply affected both me and my friend, my sister, Morgan Coffey.

“Having seen what happened down there,” she told me recently, “was really motivating in my work with the Santa Barbara Land Trust, preserving as much of the Gaviota Coast as possible.” For 10 years Coffey met with ranchers, sitting down at

kitchen tables to meet goals that included not only open space and natural terrain, but also the preservation of the culture of ranching, as these are aspects of a quickly vanishing California. Left to market forces, the coast will slip away in chunks until all a surfer will get, or any one else looking for the magic of the interface between land and sea, is a mere glimpse hemmed in by those same faux-Tuscan McVillas that now dominate the hills around Newport Coast Road, which, when we were kids (not that long ago in the scheme of things, in the late 70s and early 80s) was as wild as Gaviota, with bobcats and coyotes more a part of the surfing experience at the place we called Coves, than the Mercedes Benz SUVs are today.

Another part of Coffey’s past is her connection to the freak of nature that is the wave at the infamous Wedge. Holding her own as a bodysurfer there and engineering a combination of swimsuits that mostly stayed in place in the notoriously violent shore pound, endeared her to the crew, known from those times forward as “The Wedge Crew.” Of course, every break has its stalwarts—the devotees that form the culture of a spot, and The Wedge Crew occupy a particular blend of enforcement, hijinks and merriment centered on the art of bodysurfing (with a few exemptions given to certain kneeboarders over the years—sorry, no boogie boarders allowed). Like Santa Barbara, Newport also has an illustrious reputation as a party town and Wedge Crew parties, for better or worse, shifted the priorities of numerous attendees.

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… T H E WEDGE CREW OCCUPY A PA RT ICULA R BLEND OF E N F ORC EMEN T , H IJ IN KS AND M E RRIMEN T CEN T ERED ON THE A RT OF BO DYSURF ING…

The particulars matter, of course, and I’ll list them here: Coffey’s work in the natural health care industry that led to a vitamin company hiring her, which entailed a return to Newport (or Corona del Mar, to be precise) until her studies at Orange Coast College got her a scholarship to UCSB where she earned her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, which in turn led to her work with Santa Barbara Land Trust. She is married to fellow wave rider Scott Leon, a product of the Goleta coastline and many generations of Californios right back to the land grant days. She calls herself a mermaid warrior, and with her current work as Development Director for Santa Barbara Channelkeeper it’s certainly an appropriate title. She loves Anacapa Island and knows the place well—as in, she knows every stretch of kelp bed and rocky nook of cove, swimming deep, gliding underwater on a single breath.

A trained naturalist, she has led many tours there, helping others develop a personal love for the place based in knowledge and first-hand experience.

When she met Kira Redmond, Executive Director of Channelkeeper, to interview for the development position, Coffey said that both women just clicked and knew pretty quickly that their professional relationship would work. Putting on the Blue Water Ball each year—a gala event with speakers on the level of John Kennedy Jr. and Yvon Chouinard—is a major production that she handles with aplomb, raising money for the group she loves so well. “I joined the crew at Channelkeeper because of my love.

My need for saltwater led me to work with the nonprofit with the most impressive track record for championing clean water and a healthy ocean,” Coffey related, “getting things done that matter to every person who cares about our beaches and the Santa Barbara Channel.” And there is a little Newport Beach in all that —the old Newport Beach. ♦

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But out of this milieu—some crazed nights and punk rock exploits at the Cuckoo’s Nest on Placentia Street notwithstanding—Coffey developed an abiding connection to the sea, the clean sparkling waters of the Pacific and the running hills beyond. And with the Newport of her early youth when she led her dearly departed brother, the artist Glen Coffey, on many a skiff adventure under the bridges and through the docks of Lido Island, when sail lofts, Russell’s Brotherhood surfboards, and the Crab Cooker restaurant were the main concerns, when the Cannery was still a cannery, and in the days when John “the Duke” Wayne would saddle up to the bar at the Snug Harbor (is that place now one of those glass and steel structures like something you’d see in the “new” Venice?)— when the Newport she grew up with transformed around her, she did what a lot of folks from there have done (myself included): she packed up and headed North. Way North, to the forests of Marin County, where the fog is the reminder of the ocean and the redwoods make a world of their own.

Locally owned and operated for over 35 years!

14 State Street | 962-0049 | Mon - Sat 10 - 6, Sun 10 - 5

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ladies room

instead of a car, ride a bike. instead of a boat, paddle a kayak.

mak in g soun d ch oices e live and breathe in our ocean environment. We are enamored with the conditions, the tides and the times of day. We literally sweep the ocean surface with our hands, our fins, our toes. Some of us call our surf time “church,” yet many of us are not actively protecting it. What can we do as surfers to protect the environment? Does being a steward of the environment mean marching, advocating and petitioning for change, or are there things we can do on a daily basis that will have a material impact over time?

Local surfer and environmental advocate Kristi Birney, who is also the associate director of career development at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UCSB, says there are many simple things we can do to help protect our environment. Number one is to “replace three car trips with three vehicle trips per week.” What does that mean for us? Swapping a car trip with a vehicle trip takes a genuine commitment to change. Let’s face it—you don’t see many surfers with their boards on public transportation. An independent lot, we want to be able to check the surf when we want to, or race down the coast for an evening session whenever we darn well please. Even when we live locally and can realistically bike or walk to the surf

most of us haven’t engrained that into our daily routines.

Think about how many of us actually bike to our local surf spots instead of driving. If we are blessed to live close enough to the beach to bike or walk, then we are a step ahead of the game, and of course there are those of us who have created this kind of life for that very reason. But we all live in a world of convenience, and studies

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have shown that most of us in Southern California rely solely on our cars as the root of our transportation. There are currently 253 million cars and trucks on U.S. roads. Shocking amounts of greenhouse gases are being spewed into our environment every

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There’s something about the self-propelled sur f excursion

Stretch Hydro Planing Board Shorts are made from 100% recycled polyester with 2-way mechanical stretch and 50+ UPF sun protection.

day. Simply cutting back on daily driving or carpooling to the surf with a buddy could really make a difference.

Birney’s next suggestion is to use one’s power as a consumer to FCD SURF SHOP & SURFBOARDS effect change. She suggests only shopping at businesses that are 43 S OLIVE STREET • VENTURA 805-641-9428 members of 1% for the planet, local breweries, wineries, farmers MONDAY—SATURDAY 10AM–5PM • SUNDAY 11AM–4PM markets, and other small/local businesses. Next time you are (HOURS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DEPENDING ON SWELL) © 2017 FLETCHER CHOUINARD DESIGNS, INC. hungry after a long surf session and want to swing through the first fast food restaurant, try going to a restaurant supporting local farmers instead. And when buying items to cook at home you can make a big difference by avoiding large supermarkets full PAT_S17_Surf_DeepMag_Mar_Apr_FourthPg.indd of 1 1/31/17 plastic and styrofoam packaging and processed food, and shopping instead at farmers markets and local mom-and-pop stores.

Speaking of plastic and styrofoam, let’s talk about waste and storm drains: surfers are directly affected by storm drain run off and filthy beaches. There is plenty we can do personally to create less waste. That “to-go” coffee cup that gives us our pre-surf session caffeine buzz in the morning, or the straws and plastic holding our cold drinks on a hot day go straight into a landfill or our local beaches unless recycled properly. The convenience of a “to go” lifestyle has our coastlines littered with non-biodegradable garbage, so there is no excuse for us surfers not to have re-usable bags, coffee containers and water bottles on hand at all times. If we support restaurants, chains and stores that use styrofoam Awesome Selection and non-biodegradable bags products that don’t break down of Swimwear Separates & 1-Pieces in the environment for thousands of years if at all, then we are Frankies • Reef Infants to plus sizes, supporting an industry that directly affects our well-being as Luli Fama • Vix Men’s & Boys ocean-enthusiasts.

Billabong • Ipanema It is easy to get swept up in our day-to-day busy-ness and to O’Neill • Volcom forget to do our part, but if we really want to enjoy this natural Lucy Love • Maui playground we have to become less ambivalent and more proactive Babe & More about protecting it. The many surfers who are already vigilant about making pro-environment choices are awesome examples for everyone to implement important lifestyle choices. We surfers are not immune to the modernization of a society that strongly emphasizes convenience over environmentalism, so we must stand (805) 642-6281 strong and truly practice what we preach to protect the ocean and VENTURA HARBOR VILLAGE natural world. ♦

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Reflections

tony “Crow” Otero coming hard of f the bottom in the single fin days.

WORDS + Ph OtOS b y b Rent LiebeRman

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W

N IC K NAMES

hen Julie and I first moved north to the hinterlands in 1973, we landed at 425 South “A” Street, which was a really wonderful place to live. I was close to my favorite surf spot Abalone Reef, and we lived only two blocks away from the infamous C-Street house. We had been visiting our friends Dave and Robin there for a few years prior to moving in, and were getting to know the locals. They didn’t mind, and actually dug me making photos of them, “as long as you fly under the wire and don’t give away the locations,” which I agreed to, and still keep that promise today.

There was a crew of about 10 or 15 core surfers that surfed Abalone regularly, and they all seemed to have nicknames that appeared to be doled out by one big guy who went by Shamu. His brother was The Big or Biggie. Some of the other nicknames went like this: Hamil, Urbacide, Mars-Man, The Chode, Birdie or Crow, Steelie, Gilly, RG, PJ, Marko and few more.

The coastline in those glorious days was wide open and free of crowds. There were still “secret spots” that only a few knew about, and hardly any spoke about. Seemed like most of us all rode single fin Bradbury’s, wore hiking boots, had huge backpacks and all enjoyed the camaraderie and brotherhood that we shared. We had these amazing slide shows at the C-Street house, which sometimes turned into debauchery.

One of the crew, Tony Otero, a.k.a. Crow, Cro-Magnum or Birdie, and I became good friends and we cruised the beaches of the Central Coast quite often. We both had VW Variant station wagons and could drive to just about any beach for two or three bucks worth of gas. I loved shooting with Tony. He was a really good surfer and very exciting to shoot with because he always ripped. Birdie and I drove over to “Dreamland” in February 1975, and I made this photo of him surfing all by himself. There was no one else on the beach, except for me and the pelicans. I loved the peace and solitude then and still seek that out now as well. Later in life the rumors were that Tony moved to Montana and was a cowboy, but I recently found out he was a fisherman in reality. He now resides in Portland. ♦

Long-time photographer Brent Lieberman takes a long look back at the 1960s and ‘70s along the central and south coasts during the days before leashes arrived and those dreaded cell phones too.

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Sur fers know the hassle of oily water all too well. Rincon Pt, Santa Barbara Ca.

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Understanding Oil Pollution:

A Primer on the Santa Barbara Channel W o r d s + Pho to s by d av id Pu ’u

O

il was first discovered in this region and apportioned to be mined as a resource during the Lincoln Administration, but the history of oil in Central and Southern California goes back much farther than that.

In the 1960s when the nation’s first offshore mining began in the Santa Barbara Channel, the industry developed and pushed its tar-laden grasp deep into the earth under the ocean. The ensuing effects of the industry on the national and global economy became obvious as the resource was vied for and sought out.

It was a stark bullet point in oilfield development history when the first rig experiment failed at Platform Alpha and the Santa Barbara area suffered the affects of the first oceanic well head blowout, which led to what later proved to have been a failed attempt to stop the leak with drilling mud, and a succession of higher volume flow from leaks in ancient seepage points in the same field location over the reserve in the channel.

History illustrated that the leak eventually slowed and was managed as pressure within the reserve field bled off.

I was around for that event prior, during and after. Our coastline was a mess and the disaster created a call to action, which basically formed what we call the environmental movement today.

It is sad that it was necessary that Santa Barbara should be the example that had to bring it to the attention of the American people … “The Santa Barbara incident March/April2017 33

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has frankly touched the conscience of the American people,” said then President Nixon.

P resi dent ri ch ard ni xon

oil flows like a stream just a few miles up the Ventura r iver at sulphur Mountain where the ca. oil boom began during the Lincoln administration.

Nixon went on to advocate for an assemblage of preexisting environmentally related agencies into a new one in ensuing years. The new collective was named the Environmental Protection Agency. Concurrently, he assisted in the creation of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration as well.

Today, almost 50 years later, as industry leans towards renewable energy and begins to apply some available technology in a more fiscally realistic manner, what does the potential end of oil production mean for the Santa Barbara Channel and adjacent coastal region?

For many thousands of years the region has been puking pollutant into the ocean and atmosphere, and it is only in the past

couple of decades that the pattern had seemed to shift and the volume of oilfield presence had diminished.

So what is next? Will a shift towards usage of non-hydrocarbons for energy supply clean up our waters, air and coast, and rid us of oil presence?

It will probably have the opposite effect, according to various research studies and in a look through the arc of oil development in the region. The following illustrates some studies in science, research and industry, which are not common knowledge in the general public. The community should know what heads their way in the Central and Southern California coastal regions, as it affects ocean goers and the state in significant ways.

Backgrou nd “Pollution,” loosely defined, is a resource out of place.

oil service boat plies pristine waters of the s anta Barbara channel with santa cruz island in the background going green from the recent rains.

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Toxicity (Pollution) is resolved through dilution, which is a basic rule of toxicology.

It is an integral aspect in understanding how pollutants (resources in the wrong place) affect organisms.

CHON +S is a formula known to be the acronym for the chemical building blocks of life. Listed in a rough order of importance it reads: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur.

The oil reserves located in the continental shelf off our area were created as a result of a series of cataclysmic events that occurred around the Pleistocene Epoch, at which point the continents had moved into the relative position they occupy today and then man arrived on earth.

The organic material that became the hydrocarbon resource we know as oil is the result of these events and massive die offs of large groups of animals which were sealed under the various geological structures created at that time. We call these pockets of organic debris, oil reserves. The bulk of these animals lived in the Mesozoic (middle) era, which was comprised of three periods: Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic.

It should be noted (Think CHON+S) that atmospheric carbon during this period was approximately 2.5 times what it is today.

That is a large qualifier in understanding the large volume of organic material that existed, which later became the content of the hydrocarbon (oil) reserves. The earth was far more full of foliage and in turn exceedingly large collections of animal life, which fed off that foliage, the largest being herbivores.

The S a n Ta B a r B a r a C h a n n el According to archaeological evidence, artifacts illustrate that oil in the form of tar was being used by the Chumash Indians in the southwest coastal regions of the North American continent as far back as 5,000 BC as a resource for boat building and manufacture of containers, fuel for fires, etc.

The hydrocarbon seeps which exist throughout the region under pressure, created by both geologic forces and actions of microbial communities (which create methane as they process the oil into CHON+S) has been constant through time.

Think of an oil reserve like a balloon that fills with gas until it begins to degrade and leak, and you will have reasonable understanding of what goes on beneath the Santa Barbara Channel.

rainbow over east Beach Santa Barbara, ground zero in the 1969 oil spill.

Today it’s clean beaches are a major asset in the Santa Barbara tourism industry.

Site of where of fshore oil rig drilling began and where it may soon end. a sentinel that shadows the retur n of the historic presence of lar ge amounts of oil in the Santa Barbara Channel and on our beaches.

There is a lot of oil in our area. It has been well documented in the logs of both Juan Cabrillo and James Cook, early explorers of our region.

“The surface of the sea, which was perfectly smooth and tranquil, was covered with a thick, slimy substance, which when separated or disturbed by a little agitation, became very luminous, whilst the light breeze, which came principally from the shore, brought with it a strong smell of tar, or some such resinous substance.” George Vancouver, noted in his Navigator ’s log under Captain James Cook The point of discovery during the Lincoln Administration, which is thought to have started the oil industry in California and ended the whaling industry, is cited below.

“California will be found to have more oil in its soil than all the whales in the Pacific Ocean. The oil is struggling to the surface at every available point and is running down

the rivers for miles.”—Professor Benjamin Silliman, Jr., Yale University, describing natural oil seeps near Sulfur Mountain in Ventura County (1864) That this resource is naturally occurring in the region’s water columns does not change the fact that it is indeed a pollutant.

Being a resource out of place costs the biome energy to manage it, which it does via the benthic (microbial) communities that exist all around the seepage vents.

Hydrocarbon seepage from the world’s continental shelves affects ocean chemistry and provides a natural source of petroleum pollution. — Geological Society of America 1999 In spite of the fact that the Platform A disaster created a consciousness about the danger of a large spill event, what it really did was lead people to believe that oil drilling in the Channel causes oil and tar to pollute the coast.

The opposite is actually true. By collecting March/April2017 35

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A rare sundog ice halo over oilfield support pier and island at Little Rincon. A new swell just beginning to fi ll in.

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and removing the pollutant, the oil industry is actually converting the hydrocarbon health hazard back into a resource by pulling it out of the biome, which allows for the system to focus energy on biomass creation evidenced in marine life which abounds in the region and always has, in spite of the previously uncollected pollutant prior. Removing the oil made the channel healthier.

In fact, via a series of studies conducted by the US Geological Society, UCSB Geology Dept, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst, Bren School, Santa Barbara APCD and the oil industry itself in the Coal Oil Point oil seep zone mined by Platform Holly, irrefutable evidence was presented which conclusively illustrated the potential which removing the oil has had in dramatically reducing air pollution, as well as increasing system health and decreasing the amount of tarhydrocarbon pollution on our beaches.

The spatial coincidence between offshore oil production at Platform Holly and the observed decrease in seepage around Holly are probably related and attributable to the impact of oil production on reservoir pressure. Oil production from the Monterey Formation oil and gas reservoirs caused subsequent declines in reservoir pressure, thus removing the primary driving mechanism of the seepage. This finding implies that worldwide oil production may lead to declines in natural emissions of hydrocarbons on a global scale. — Geological Society of America. 1999 So as we return the Santa Barbara Channel to its state before we mined the reserves, expect pressures to build and oil to once more cover our coast, not unlike it has for eons before we showed up.

The point was illustrated well when after the pipeline break at Refugio two years ago, the County of Santa Barbara denied a trucking permit to carry oil out of the storage facility to processing plants located in Bakersfield. Storage facilities rapidly filled. Production was halted.

Two kayakers soon reported a large spill south of the Coal Oil Point seepage area and the County announced an investigation into the source. A couple days later a never mind statement was issued: “The source of the oil slick was determined to be naturally occurring “ But it is still a pollutant. ♦ March/April2017 37

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C e n t e r s ta g e

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T im Curran, known for his prowess in the lineup, testing one of his hand-shaped boards during an exceptionally lar ge winter swell.

P h oT o: W i lli am Sh arP

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Green room

trash pick-up in the Carpinteria marsh

Five Wa ys To Become a m or e ec o -c o n sciou s surF er in 2 017 W ords By d e re k d odds

I

Ph ot os B y Ch u Ck Gra h a m

’ve made a list of five ways that we can all be more ecologically-conscious surfers in 2017. This is also my personal New Year manifesto.

You would think that that the following suggestions would come naturally to lovers of the sea, but it seems that we surfers need a kick in the boardshorts now and again to help remind us of our duties as stewards of the ocean.

1) do a mini BeaCh Clean-uP of your home Break After every surf session, grab some trash and put it in your home garbage can or find a receptacle near the beach. This is your home away from home, so take a little time and help keep it tidy.

2 ) sh are a r i de to th e BeaCh I know, we are all busy and your wife has requested a Trader Joe’s run after your surf session. You can come up with a hundred other excuses why you need to go solo, but try to make a rideshare work.

3 ) Bu y eCo su rf Gear You all know I had to throw this one in, considering I do own an eco-surf company. However, though this is a tiny plug for Wave Tribe products, I’d like to encourage you to buy from any company that is producing more eco-friendly surf gear.

From surfboards to board bags, there is a nice selection of ecogoodies these days. Don’t forget those surf T-shirts either—cotton

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I hav e a theor y t h a t t h e happIer and kInd e r w e a re to each other t h e m ore consI d er ate w e w Il l be to the pl an e t .

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on your old wax will create a nice surface that doesn’t require further wax application. Using less is always a great way to help the environment.

5 ) Be Ki nd & s h are yoU r Wave s

is a gnarly crop and buying organic clothing is a wonderful step in the right direction.

4) U s e L e s s Wa x + B Uy a Wa x C o m B This recommendation is a combo judo move: First you should consider purchasing a non petroleum wax. Most of the wax companies have an eco option these days. Consider combing your wax on a regular basis. You’ll find that using a wax comb

I know, you’re thinking, what does that have to do with ecology?

I have a theory that the happier and kinder we are to each other the more considerate we will be to the planet. It doesn’t make sense that we can be jerks in the water and then think positively about our oceans. Ecology starts with yourself and your “inner ecology,” the way we move through this world— understanding that ride is the most important wave in our life. ♦ Derek is founder of Wave Tribe and a local surfer. He can be found spreading kindness and taking his friends to waves in and around Ventura. Write him at derek@wavetribe.com

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Board TrachTing

ecstatic calmness. Tracht in the flow of Zen trim. -- v.Bowls p h oT o: Jon r e i s

“v . Bowls...re .Bowls” Tr imcra fT s urfB oa rd s w ords By s h aw n T ra ch T

W

hat is the difference between the re.Bowls and v.Bowls from Ryan Lovelace? A lot of people have been inspired by the v.Bowls that Lovelace and a crew of Rincon groove-stylists have ridden with generation-transcending style for the last seven years. But with the creation of the re.Bowls a number of questions arise: What’s the difference between the two designs? Which one do I want first? And would I want both in my single-fin quiver?

s ha pe r s Ta k e: The Trimcraft brand/project is one that keeps 100% hand shaping alive. The brand features both new and old designs, and is a sort of mentorship to some of the best local up-and-coming

hand shapers. The re.Bowls is a Trimcraft model that stems from its predecessor, the v.Bowls, but better suited to a wider variety of waves and surfers. Where the v.Bowls demands a lot of your attention and has a steeper learning curve (“It’s easy to surf, but hard to surf well,” is my favorite quote from a friend), the re.Bowls has a little more rocker in the front half, more down rails for planing speed on less pockety waves, and a flatter deck line that still allows for smooth rail-to-rail transitions, but is a bit less hypersensitive.

The idea was to pass this design to the Trimcraft guys in hopes of providing something technical for them to shape and extremely approachable and applicable to surf in a range of waves while keeping a lot of the bones of the original v.Bowls intact.

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Travis Harder (re.bowls), left, and R yan Lovelace (v.Bowls) / 100% handshaped, right P h OTO: Trach T

S u r f e r S Ta k e:

re.Bowls With the re.Bowls, you can increase your soul surfing style points 1000 percent from the first wave you catch. It surfs nothing like a short-board, fun-board, long-board, or fish; however, the bottom contours are more normalized to what you’re used to riding, which is a single to double concave with V. Though the board will make you groove, which is the epic reason you got it, pushing down through bottom turns and cutbacks feels more like something you’ve felt before. The beauty of the re.Bowls is that you can ride it easily from the first wave on, and as you learn how to lean and groove in your rail-to-rail transitions you can learn the art of single-fin style at your own pace. v.Bowls The v.Bowls, on the other hand, is not a board that is going to be pushed around—it is what it is, not what you want it to be.

This is where the beauty lies. Lovelace, smiling from ear to ear on his v.Bowls, recently said to me “I’m in no hurry to get anywhere fast.” He was in the perfect Zen trim, just letting life happen— no trying, just feeling and flow. “If I had to sum it up,” Lovelace says, “I would say the re.Bowls is going to be a better board for all around surfing. Slightly more conventional the re.Bowls lends itself well to a really wide audience of surfers. It also allows for very smooth stylish surfing in a diverse range of subpar to very good wave conditions. Conversely, the v.Bowls is more difficult to master in your first few sessions but holds an extremely unique mind-opening ability in the long run, which is why it’s developed such a cult following. Hopefully they are a gateway into each other, as any good pairing is.” ♦

rya n L O v e La ce S ur F c r a F t Shaper: ryan Lovelace LabeL: Trimcraft: Lopez.Lovelace.Pavel Location: Santa Barbara ~ funk Zone board ModeL: re.Bowls & v.Bowls FinS: Ryan Lovelace single fin model tracht’S norMaL Shortboard: 5’10 x 18 x 2 tracht ordered thiS board: 7’4 x 21 1/2 x 3 board’S SpeciaLty: re.Bowls : Groove On style with a learning curve built in. v.Bowls : Groove On style through and through.

The master stylist’s board board iS perFect For: re.Bowls: anyone board SpeciaLty: re.Bowls: anyone wanting to learn how to transcend surfing generations, but wants a board that is easier to learn the counter balances of surfing in subpar waves too. v.Bowls: perfect for the groove-stylist surfer.

All groove, no stress, no hurry, full Zen. Shaper’S contact: 805-845-8885 WebSite: TrimCraftSurfBoards.com eMaiL: Trimshopsb@gmail.com

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S H A P E R S B AY PROCTOR SURFBOARDS

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SHAPED BY JOHN PERRY 5’0” - 6’0”

Ideal in waist high to a couple feet over head and for inter mediate to advanced sur fers.

Combines ‘the beerbelly” rail line rocker, the ‘inverted fulcrum’ shift in the centerline curve, and a hull contour that gathers all the elements together in a ‘hydrofoilesque’ tearing away at the extra guts and unnecessary foam that impedes water travel through the engine of the board. All the innards have been tor n asunder from the belly, engine releasing a beastly e ngine that allows water’s most natural state to torpedo through a foil unhindered.

Fin setup: thruster/Tail options: swallow, round, squash

For lack of a better description, “Doodle Bug” best describes it’s per for mance values. Compact, wide bodied and full volume right between your feet, you scroll curvy yet tight arches on the waves face, as if your Doodling on paper. Because it’s Compact and buoyant you’ll always be in the right spot on the wave.

Accelerates through the Cutbacks with the pulled in tail. W ith or without channels it beats most sections as your on plane as soon as your up and maneuvering… silly model name, but impressive design for mula…

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SHAPED BY MATT MOORE 6’ 3” x 19” x 2 5/8” The Rincon Round Pin, is a great point break board. More outline curve, high per for mance in steep take of fs and hollow sections.

Sizes up to 7’ 6”.

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FEVER

SHAPED BY BRITT MERRICK 6 ’ 1 ” x 19 1/4” x 2 5/8” 31.3L The Fever has its roots in Al Merrick’s trusted and proven high per for mance short board designs.

The goal in designing this board with Mike Andrews and Patrick Gudauskas was to create a more accessible tour level per for mance board that anyone who jumped onto it would “instantly feel the speed and zest for creativity.” Borrowing Pat’s favorite elements of the Proton, Rookie and MBM, and combining them with a subtle single concave and lower rocker resulted in a board with a huge sweet spot. W ith a slightly more parallel outline and for giving rocker the Fever has proven to be an allaround design that excels in a wide range of conditions and wave types.

www.cisurfboards.com C h a n nel Is l a n d s S u r fb oa r d s 36 A n a ca p a S t . ( S a n t a B a r b r a ) SU R FB O A RDS B Y MATT MOORE

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I

could see the conviction and passion in Cory Jones’ face when I talked with him about One With Nature. It was clear it wasn’t just a business to him; it seemed more like a mission. One With Nature (OWN for short) was started by a group of friends with a passion for the outdoors.

Cory says, “A foundational element of our company and its mission stems from the belief that the more one goes outside, the more connected one becomes to the natural world, therefore, one is inspired to act on behalf of preserving nature.” Seems like a very straightforward and simple concept, which might be part of the reason why OWN has been steadily developing a strong and enthusiastic following. Cory continues, “Many people, especially those who love to go outside, tend to place a high value on the environment and One With Nature is a platform that aims to represent those values in the community and when necessary, in politics. We understand that there are many problems our generation will face moving forward and we believe our company can act as a catalyst in the fight to make caring cool again.”

One of the things I appreciate most about Cory and the team at OWN is their

perspective. They realize the magnitude of becoming an advocate for the environment, but they also realize the reality of the world we live in. They don’t claim to have all the answers, but they are doing their best to have a positive impact and one of their main goals is simply to start a conversation about the ramifications of our actions; a conversation that is worthy of having, indeed.

Founded in 2013, OWN has already had a significant impact on the Central Coast: they assisted in the effort to ban Styrofoam in the cities of Pismo Beach and Arroyo Grande; they led the charge in urging the city of San Luis Obispo to move forward with a plan to implement hydration stations which will allow people access to purified drinking water and reduce the waste of single use water bottles; they have been working with the city of San Luis Obispo to place informative hiking trail signs across the region in an effort to deter littering and limit user impact; and recently, they pitched the Straws Upon Request campaign to the SLO County Waste Management Authority, which would require restaurants to only serve straws upon request and with to-go orders because straws are single use plastics that cannot be recycled. It’s practical

When you and your amigos can’t put on your wetsuits fast enough.

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Chilly paradise. Big sur, Califor nia.

After noon paddles with Quaid Birchell.

Morro Bay, Califor nia.

the one that got away.

Central Coast

Here is a shot of R yan & Casey Higginbotham in preparation for their 7 month unsupported prone paddle from Alaska to Mexico.

P H ot o: Co lt on HAy n es

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front row seat into space.

Big Sur, Califor nia.

solutions like these that have gained OWN the support of so many around the Central Coast and beyond.

OWN is run by a small group of friends with a passion for the environment. They are, in no particular order, Cory Jones, Colton Haynes, Shea Weidler, Doug Swarts, and Colin Nearman. Recently I was able to talk with the team at One With Nature, here’s what they had to say.

Weidler: In a much simpler form, we are just a group of friends with a very unique and broad set of skills that have allowed us to influence others around us by making changes in our own lives and by showing that caring is cool! Truly though, OWN is everyone! At least that is what it feels like and what I want people to feel when they see our brand.

h ow di d i t Star t?

S o w hat iS on e w i t h n at ur e?

Nearman: OWN to me is an outlet for like-minded, environmentally conscious folks around our home. An idea, dream, movement, etc. works better off a platform filled with willing hands and people who are simply stoked on what they are a part of. It has turned into a community that old friends and new can use to raise their concerns about what we see hurting our earth, and the 7.5 billion lives that reside on it. It’s not about taking the task of “saving the earth” so much in my eyes; it’s about taking to simple tasks day-to-day that collectively will make a difference.

Weidler: Cory and I felt the need to do more than what we were doing at the time.

It started with the typical conversations of, “What exactly are we doing in life and what can we do?” The central coast had provided so much for us growing up and is still providing so much, but we can see it being abused and taken for granted. Many around us felt the same so we decided to try and do something about it.

Jones: Shea and I were best friends that loved to seek out new experiences and more so than not those experiences involved nature. As we grew we were able to build a thick collection of experiences that helped us

form a very strong bond with our home and all of its beautiful natural resources. In an effort to share the life we lived with others, but doing it in a manner that set standards of respect for the places we cherished, the idea of OWN was born and has continued to evolve. Then Colton got in the mix, he was someone we knew, but were not friends with yet. He put a name to the idea and had so much enthusiasm for the concept it put some fire under Shea and I to keep pushing.

Haynes: The Central Coast is full of open space. The freedom our land gives us to explore gives us a sense of belonging and hope. We aim to inspire everyone to get out and enjoy what this world has to offer, because we are the only things stopping ourselves from protecting its natural beauty.

w h at i S th e m iSSion of own?

Haynes: We are here to inspire the lives of others by preserving and improving the environment we live in while advocating for community involvement.

Jones: Ultimately we want to help connect people to the outdoors in an effort March/April2017 49

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Its hard to beat the glow of the central coast. Flight through evening color always creates some interesting visuals. Austin Neumann, Shell Beach.

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Braden Jones finding a session to himself. Cayucos, Cal ifor nia.

to raise their environmental consciousness.

A group can tell people to care about an environmental issue, but unless a person has their own relationship and personal respect for nature, those words will fall short of making a difference. A major goal of our brand, which will continuously draw us into new projects, is the tagline, “Conscious Beyond Convenience.” Society is oriented toward convenience and out of that stems legitimate avoidable waste-streams that pose serious threats to the world’s ecology.

Therefore, we make an effort to tune in to where there are very addressable problems and we use our platforms to promote shifts in behavior that will make a difference. We believe we can meet success in this effort as we’re approaching it in an unconventional manner because we acknowledge that we ourselves are consumers, and that we are a part of the system that poses these problems.

Therefore, when we advance issues where reform can occur people are not scared to stand behind us in our efforts.

S o w hat do eS t h e fut ur e l o o k l ike f o r ow N ?

Jones: We will continue to tell stories, collaborate with other companies, non profits, and leaders of environmental initiatives.

OWN will maintain its independent branding and storyline, but more and more we begin to tell the stories of other innovative ideas and solutions that advance environmental progress.

Weidler: We see huge benefits in producing web content to get people stoked and to get people on board with different movements. I see our video and web presence expanding, hopefully helping others with marketing their own environmental and lifestyle movements. ♦ WATCH for IT…one With Nature is currently involved with a documentary being produced titled Sacred Waters. The film is being created with the intent to inform the public on the issues surrounding the potential designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, which would span from Gaviota Creek north to Cambria. This would connect the Channel Island Marine Sanctuary to the south and the Monterey Marine Sanctuary to the North. The film is to remain unbiased in presenting both sides of the case, but it well help the public become informed on an issue that will heavily determine the fate of our coastline.

No waves in the valley, but lots of vibes. w inter mor nings in Yosemite.

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NortherN exposure braden Jones finding solitude in slo County while the rest of Califor nia was flat.

PHo t o: russel l Hol l iday

Di rt p a th s tewa rDs

I

w ords by d a n i e l H a m l i n

watched as an eagle glided effortlessly overhead. After weeks of scouring the coastline of the Pacific Northwest for waves I’d become quite fond of the frequent encounters with this impressive bird. It looked as if it were at complete peace, knowing full well that when it was in flight it was untouchable by predators. Its confidence was enviable.

The previous night I was kicking myself. I had passed up a quality right-hander thinking there would be something better up the road, only to get skunked. I’d made the cardinal sin and I ended up missing good waves as a result. The conditions deteriorated the next day and I thought I’d missed what could perhaps be the only window of opportunity for quality waves during my time in the Pacific Northwest. Conditions can be harsh up there and it’s not uncommon to have to wait out weeks of bad weather in order to get a small window of good surf.

But as it turned out I would only have to wait another day.

The fact that I’d found waves of that caliber again so quickly was nothing short of a blessing. I couldn’t believe it. The forecast didn’t even look that good, but as I pulled up to see wedges fire up and down the beach I knew I’d found something special.

Toward the end of my time in the northwest I happened to drive by an eagle perched on a post. It just sat there, confident, content, and carefree, almost as if it were a king looking out over its kingdom. I wondered how many years these birds had flown over the peaks I had just surfed, how many times they saw barrels spit with no one around to enjoy them, or if they even knew what a special place it was that they got to call home.

As surfers we get to see firsthand some of the best nature has to offer. One of the reasons I love to surf so much is because we get to be immersed in nature every time we paddle out. Nature is integral to our pursuit of wave riding. Surfers generally don’t have to be convinced of the importance of nature—we see it for ourselves.

There is a stretch of coastline not too far from where I live that brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. It sort of reminds me of the Northwest, except for the whole rainforest thing.

But it’s a lonely and isolated stretch that doesn’t get very many visitors, and that’s part of why I love it. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy it since my childhood. It’s remained relatively the same all these years, and I can only hope it remains the same for years to come. I’ve camped there without another human in sight and woken up to mountain lion tracks around my tent. It’s still wild, and that’s the glory of it.

To me the annual Green Issue is a reminder to cherish nature, to steward it. It’s ours to enjoy, but it’s also a limited resource so that means it’s ours to steward as well. I had the privilege of sitting down with the folks at One With Nature recently and I was inspired by their vision. They don’t claim to have all the answers to the environmental issues we face today, and they understand both sides of the proverbial coin. But they do believe the more people get outside to enjoy nature the more inclined they will become to be good stewards of it. In my own experience I’d say they are on the right track. As John Muir once said, “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” ♦

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Full Immersion on the

GavIota Coast w ords By Ch uC k Gra h a m ph otos B y Gavi ota w i l dl i fe fi l m s

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T

he Gaviota Coast made an early impression on a young Tamlorn Chase. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, he spent many of his days camping and surfing at this northern end of Southern California, one of the last bastions of undeveloped coastline.

As time went on, the Gaviota Coast and Channel Islands National Park became places of employment, where Chase has worked as an outdoor guide leading kayaking and hiking tours since he was 21.

Chase also realized early on that this diverse environment surrounding the Gaviota Coast was worth preserving, so he immersed himself in the natural history and science surrounding this rugged coast.

While earning a degree in environmental studies from Antioch University, Chase partnered up with best friend Shaw Leonard to produce their documentary Gaviota: The End of Southern California. Their film explores one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots in the world, it’s ecosystem from the bottom of the Santa Barbara Channel to the rugged peaks of the Santa Ynez Mountains.

“The combination of my experiences guiding and the knowledge gained in the classroom gave me a new perspective and appreciation for the coastline I had always known as home,” said Chase, now 30.

“Along with this new outlook came the

realization that I shared in the responsibility of protecting it.”

When one travels from San Diego to Santa Barbara, it can appear as if our natural heritage vanishes forever, especially with nearly 90 percent of Southern California’s coast lost to development, but once the northern border of Southern California is reached, urbanization trickles out. This is where the Gaviota Coast begins and stretches for 76 miles west, then north from Coal Oil Point to Point Sal. Chase’s and Leonard’s documentary encompasses the 20-mile stretch between Coal Oil Point and Point Conception. This section of the coast is under the greatest threat of development.

In 2008, Leonard brought the plight of the Gaviota Coast to Chase’s attention. Leonard was then neck deep in directing a short film about the Gaviota Coast for the Naples Coalition, The Future of the Gaviota Coast.

That film involved the cultural history and general ecology of the Gaviota Coast, but also the environmental challenges facing the Naples Coalition against Orange County developer, Matt Osgood, in 2009.

The Future of the Gaviota Coast was accepted into the Santa Barbara International Film Festival that year. However, shortly after its run at the festival, Shaw and Chase realized that almost as soon as the film had been released, it had become outdated due to the ever changing politics regarding land-

The open spaces of the Gaviota Coast provide predators with the territory required for their survival.

Low tide at Naples of fers a glimpse into one of the healthiest reef systems in Souther n Califor nia.

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On rare occasions winter stor ms meet freezing temperatures on the highest peaks of the Gaviota Coast.

Tamlor n Chase, producer and cinematographer, enjoys another day on the hunt for wildlife.

use and transfer of ownership.

“It was then that we decided that the only film which could help save the coast and protect it forever was one that concentrated on its ecological importance,” continued Chase. “We knew that it was time to focus the camera on the animals, plants, beaches, canyons, and mountains that make this place so special. We wanted to make a film that would stand the test of time and inspire people both locally and beyond to get involved in protecting this natural treasure. The dream of Gaviota: The End of Southern California was born.”

Covering all their bases, Chase and Leonard embarked on their own homegrown adventure by documenting the natural wonders of the Gaviota Coast. They shot aerial footage from a single engine plane, bushwhacked for days through thick chaparral and scuba dove at Naples Reef. Arguably their biggest challenge was deploying infrared trail cameras to capture nocturnal activity of secretive wildlife like the mountain lion.

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old sick”, recalled Chase. “I’ve been bed ridden for days with poison oak in my eyes and everywhere else. We’ve lost thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment to the elements and missed special moments with our loved ones while chasing animals and storms. The sacrifices have all been worth it though, because we’ve known the entire time that these have been some of the best years of our lives.”

Funding for their documentary came from a variety of sources, including a grant from UCSB’s Coastal Fund, which launched Chase and Leonard into production and provided them with a team of interns overseeing their social media and field work. That was followed by grants from Patagonia and the Gildea Foundation and equipment from Jannd Mountaineering and Leatherman. They also held several fundraisers with local businesses and they received many generous private donations.

A good amount of money also came out of their own pockets.

The film premiered at the 2017 Santa Barbara International Film Festival and

has been submitted to various other film festivals around the country. It will soon be released for free on YouTube.

“Our goal with this film was to create a place for the Gaviota Coast in the hearts and minds of those who view it,” said Chase. “We hope our audience falls in love with this coastline, for people protect what they love.”

To view the trailer and for more information on the Gaviota Coast, go to GaviotaMovie.com. Also check them out on Facebook and Instagram @Gaviota: The End of Southern California. If you’re interested in protecting this precious coastline, check out GaviotaCoastConservancy.org for more information on how to get involved.

Shaw Leonard moved to Santa Barbara 17 years ago. Overwhelmed by the natural beauty of the region, he was impressed by the activists of the area and how passionate and committed they were in preserving the beauty for which Santa Barbara is world renowned. He became especially interested in the mission of preserving the Gaviota Coast. ♦

Shaw Leonard, director and cinematographer of the 42 minute film.

Norther n elephant seal bull frolicking in the waters of f the Gaviota Coast

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Winter Fury an exercise in patience. p hot o: Luke W iL L iamS

S p r e ad

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d ph o to

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Geoprene warrior deep in the Pacific Northwest.

CasCadian Rhythms

P hot o: la ura MorGaN

the GeopRene d Rea m w ords by M i ch a e l K e w

A

mid a wet land chilly West Coast January, DEEP chatted with John V. Campbell, founding partner, president, and CEO of San Diego’s Matuse, Inc.—a kingpin in the modern ecowetsuit movement—to talk geoprene: your green friend in the black world of wetsuits.

DEEP: What’s geoprene?

CAMPBELL: Geoprene is limestone rubber that is 98 percent water-impermeable. Standard petroleum rubber—what most

wetsuits are made from, especially the kinds that are initially ultraflexible—is maybe 69 percent water-impermeable. This means a geoprene suit is lighter, warmer, and remains insulating for a longer period of time. Everyone knows what an old wetsuit feels like and what a poor job it does with insulation. Geoprene suits retain their insulation qualities because of their unique microcell structure.

In 2005, when Matuse was still just an idea, only scientific aficionados and wetsuit wonks knew about limestone rubber.

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Today, limestone rubber has become much more commonly known among the surfing populace. There is—and probably always will be—a huge gap in quality between the Chinese versions of geoprene and the materials made by Yamamoto in Japan. Moreover, to take things up another notch, there’s a marked difference between standard Yamamoto rubber and the geoprene used by Matuse.

DEEP: Why are geoprene suits pricier than neoprenesuits?

CAMPBELL: The best customer understands the difference between price versus value. And consumption is the biggest enemy of our environment. The longest-lasting wetsuit is arguably the most eco, like a car that gets 200,000-plus miles of use before trade-in. The way for a wetsuit to last long simply means keeping the customer happy. Wetsuits that keep their customers happy are consistently warm, comfortable, flexible. Solid, reliable suits have an MSRP of $300 and above. Excellent suits have an MSRP of $500 and above.

Either way, paying $200 or $300 more for a suit that lasts another two years equates to X amount of dollars per day over the course of 365 days—effectively a depreciation schedule via wetsuits.

{

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… e a rt h ’s rema in in g petr ol eum reserves a re eit her not e c o n o mic a lly f ea sible or ar e c o s tly f ro m a n en vironmental s ta n dpoin t . mo t her natur e d o e sn ’t dig drillin g b ig hol es o n spec ula t ion.

DEEP: How do geoprene suits affect the environment?

CAMPBELL: Geoprene is essentially bubbles or foam that forms like a loaf of bread. The bubbles, or cells, all have the same size and cell-wall thickness. With the constant compression and elongation every wetsuit endures, the pressure is evenly distributed throughout geoprene’s perfectly aligned cells. Hence the cells remain intact. Long-lasting rubber cells make for exceptional heat retention and efficiency.

Standard neoprene wetsuits have a cell structure with irregularly shaped cells and randomly thick and thin cell walls. Over time, the oil-based neoprene cannot withstand in-use rigors and will not retain its water impermeability/insulation. This is why an oilbased suit is much warmer the first time its worn compared to the 10th time it’s worn. Oil-derived suits function like kitchen sponges because they absorb so much water.

Petroleum is a dwindling resource. And tapping into the earth’s remaining petroleum reserves is either not economically feasible or is costly from an environmental standpoint. Mother Nature doesn’t dig drilling big holes on speculation. By comparison, there are estimates that there are roughly 3,000 years worth of readily accessible limestone (99.7 percent pure), which is used to make geoprene. Geoprene suits make for a compelling functional and environmental alternative, especially when evaluating the sustainable raw-materials they’re made from, the customer ’s demands, and how they fulfill the intended utility of a wetsuits.

Plus, I think they look better. matuse.com ♦

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Comen sense

Lots of wide open spaces in norther n iceland p h oto: Ch u C k g rah am

D ream Green

I

w ords by Cra i g Com e n

s it enough to recycle boards, eat vegan, buy used clothing, make things last beyond their years, recycle, reduce, and everything else that one does to be green? Maybe not.

Here’s to dreaming big, imagining a world that exists without pollution, without corporate greed, without obsessive consumerism and over population. Utopian? Whatever.

As Hawaiian Larry Bertleman said about surfing, “Anything is possible.” So why not a world that flows naturally with alternative energies, abundant foods, clean air and water for all, and open, wild spaces. We read about these places. We see them in photos. We even visit them once in awhile: Byron Bay, Australia, Mendocino, California, islands in the Caribbean and the South Pacific and South and Central America.

Every continent has these amazing things happening, with people doing the right thing, living outside of the box, living the dream, creating their own world. Why? Because they are dreaming it, believing it, and then making it happen.

However, we need to ask if this is really possible for all humans and other beings on the planet? Is sustainability in the true sense of the word really possible? The mind boggles to think about it when in a giant city, driving on an overcrowded road or at a mega store. Have we gone beyond our tipping point?

On a recent trip to Chile I was trying to wrap my head around this one. Buildings upon buildings for miles upon miles in Santiago, and not a one that I could tell had a community garden, state-of-theart waste disposal, water heating or the likes of anything modern in the sense of bridging the gap between looks and environmental function. I’m no architect, no eco-designer, just a super critic of how space is used, how efficient things are, and how much better things can be designed. God knows how I ended up running a twobit kayak company, because I sure have a big opinion.

I think right now I’m urging all of you to think the same way, start with yourself, and critique your life, your way of operating, your consumerism, your usage, so to speak. Now close your eyes and dream the world that you want and desire as individuals, as communities, as a global entity: What it looks like, what it functions like, what can you leave behind, change or add? Perhaps if we all dream together we can ride a wave into the future that has space and resources for everyone to thrive under, get the waves they want, feel safe in their homes and have healthy full lives. I was once taught that less is more, and it rings so true in every sense of my life, although I have not embraced it completely and often enough. I guess that’s being human? ♦

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