1998
Brazil, January 1998:
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998
Hasta Barney, Mexico, April, 1998:
On Wed, 18 Feb 1998, rob cummings wrote: Have any of you Kooks surfed this part of the world? Any pertinent, or impertinent, advice?
hola,
leaving beautiful san cristobal this evening. zapatista situation has been quiet. thought i heard gunshots last night, but it was only kids setting off bottle-rockets for santa semana. taking the overnight bus to puerto escondido: 12 hours and 21 bucks US.
should be there friday morning.
adios amigos,
barney
For a very well written (indeed literary) account of Barney's Mexico adventure please see
Citysurfer: NYC and check out his journal entries.
Life and Death in the Hurricane Zone, or Bonnie for Breakfast/Danielle for Dinner, NJ, NY and RI, August and September, 1998:
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 13:32:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: Joao Paulo Aumond
Subject: I'm buck!
kOOks,
I'm back after 3 weeks in Brazil with my Danish friend and roommate Steffen. After all this time wearing only baggies and flip-flops I'm having trouble getting used to socks again.
We first went to Rio, but it was pretty flat, and with temperatures around 110 and a blazing sun, we decided to avoid the dangers in the water and chase the dangers on the sand in the form of lethal skimpy bikinis.
We then did the 15-hour hell drive to the Santa Catarina, in the South of Brazil, where some of the best breaks in the country can be found. It was 4 to 6 ft every day for two weeks, with a couple of 8 to 10 ft days.
The problem were the screwed-up sand bars, which were making most waves close out. Believe me, a 4ft wave in Quatro Ilhas will give you plenty of abuse, it's a very hollow and fast wave. It was like paddling, standing up, wondering who took the wave from under your feet, getting that "Puerto Escondido" feeling and then going for the rodeo ride. But I ain't complaining. I got the best surfboard I've ever had, a very nice 6'5'' thruster a little thicker than usual for that extra paddling power. Steffen had a hard time learning in the closeout bombs, but by the time we left he had already mastered the duck dive and was paddling
pretty good, after eating half his weight in sand. It's just a matter of time until he catches a wave. He was going out everyday for 2 or 3 hours, really dedicated.
I saw lots of women on surfboards this time, as opposed to the sponger girls, which is nice. But the most interesting addition to the surfing fauna are the Argentinian surfers. Everybody knows Argentina sucks and they have no decent beaches, so they invade Brazil every summer. Brazilians are quite happy to
take their money, but now they want to surf too. They've got the carbon fiber stringers, the Quicksilver rashguards, the satin baggies, even the full suit (on a 90F day!). Very chic.
I saw a couple of them with matching yellow hair, getting pounded on the shorebreak, so I pointed to one of them that if he paddled a little further up the board and kept his legs together he might make it past the shorebreak. -What do you think about my hair?, he asked. -Very nice, you look just like a surfer, I said.
I don't think he paid much attention to my advice, because his paddling style didn't seem to change. I later saw him being pitched with the lip of a 6 footer,
doomed, but looking like a million bucks.
Good to be back. Now that my brother Bernardo is getting a 4/3, I hope to actually see some of you guys in person this winter.
Aquele abraco,
Kiko
A sudden change of circumstance (got downsized out of a job) has led me to reassess my career path. I think it's going south: to Mexico. I got the tickets today. I'll be in Palenque in time for the Vernal Equinox, March 20, and spend a few weeks in the jungle before heading to the coast. Probably base operations in Puerto Escondido, but I don't fly home until April 29 (out of Alcapulco), so I'm open to suggestions as to where to surf on Mexico's southwest coast.
hasta, barney
hope you guys are getting some waves. will post from the coast, if i can find a cyberstation.
P.S. Don't forget to come back to the kOOks!!
From: KevinO
Subject: Drop everything and Surf!
Dear kOOks, Bonnie's swell is lighting up the Jersey shore, and SW winds are on it. Look for the swell to build into tomorrow possibly into the overhead range (I feel the flu coming on...) Bonnie has been stalled and is picking up steam having reached Category III status with sustained winds of 100 kts. She continues to draw a bead on SC much as Hugo did. There will probably be waves into the weekend, but conditions will probably deteriorate into onshore slop starting on Thursday into Saturday if the storm continues up overland into the North East. The extended forcasts is optimistic for clean surf in the Northeast on the weekend. South of Hatteras the opposite will probably hold, it will be onshore until Wed. and then clean
up in the latter part of the week with a diminishing swell during the weekend. Of course if a miracle happens and this thing stays offshore...
Later, -KevinO
Image and Storm Track of Hurricane Bonnie.
The satellite image is from NASA, the hand plot is from NWS data by KevinO.
Click on the thumbnails to zoom in.
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 16:06:37 EDT
From: Skegs007
Subject: Rhode Island Beaches: Closed to surfing!
Newport, Rhode Island has closed it's beaches to swimmers, surfers, kayakers and humans in general!!!!! Westport, MA has closed Horseneck beach as well. All because of the media hype over the storm! I've seen it bigger before and
not had any problems getting in the water!!! This is infuriating!
Damn local and national news.
Time for drastic measures!
--Henry (ballistic in New England)
I grabbed my shortboard and went to 2nd Beach in Newport. It was our plan to park and quickly run into the water before the cops could stop us. When we got there the detail had changed and there were no cops! Wave size? At least double overhead, sloppy but FUN (7:00pm). I got a few great rides. It was huge and gnarly but I was a happy camper. I took my last wave in and who greets me at my car? Da Police and Fire rescue guys! Shutting down the beach again.
I was talking to a guy after my session who had been at ruggles earlier in the day and he said it was at least 15' and pretty clean all day. I'm going out again today, I imagine although I can't believe it, but it is going to be bigger. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeg, giant, house sized waves and only 8 guys out. Thank you
Newport Police for thinning out the less amped surfers.
--Henry
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 22:44:21 -0400
From: rob
Subject: Bonnie Score!!!!!!!
Tuesday was the day in North Jersey. Brendan and I checked Sandy Hook first where the swell was ridiculously small. We checked a bunch of breaks before settling on Loch Arbor Somethingorother (Brendan, what's the name of that spot?) which had about a dozen guys out in solid head-high swell. We got in the water there right after high tide and stayed in until midafternoon. Wave count wasn't that high, but it was great to be out in
real surf again. The break shaped up on the outgoing tide, offering some fine walls and hollow sections in the steady offshore winds. The longboarders were snagging a few 150+ yard rides of the jetty. Those of us on shorter boards had to settle for some fast rights and lefts. Later we went down to Sea Girt to photograph some A+ beachbreak and then further south to the melee at Manasquan. Brendan and Barney finished the day riding short, choppy waves at Sandy Hook.
-Barney
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 08:51:30 -0400
From: Christopher
Subject: Blessed Bonnie
I must say that Bonnie has blessed us with some sweet as cotton candy surf. Today at Long Beach there were light winds keeping things pretty clean with some chop here and there. I was out in the dark so who knows it could've been frothy. Waves were well overhead... a treat -got my ass kicked a couple of times... I guess that's Mom Oceans way of keeping me in check when I get a little cocky and get too stoked. Anyway, looking at the reports from the military and other wave forecast websites they
are calling for this possible scenario: If the storm bounces off the coast and continues to travel NE, they are looking forward to welcoming 15-20 foot waves on Saturday. I got my ass handed to me on a paper plate during Fran 2 years back. They said it was 22 foot but all I'm concerned with is that I'm still alive. I will be making a trip out East on Long Island towards Montauk... Maybe get a little ankle slapper(HAHAHA) out at Ranch, Hither, or at the Ditch. Hope to see some faces out there, and
best wishes on a good and safe sesh for all. Respect Mom O and I will hopefully hear from you all early next week.
-Christopher
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 13:06:04 EDT
From: Skegs007
>Please exercise restraint in accessing Web based information since many people in imminent danger also require this information. Likewise in the surf... if you are afraid then listen to yourself!!!
-KO
(Applause) In all the excitement we are experiencing as surfers it's important to remember that people's lives and property are at great risk here. It's also important to realize that our egos and our peer's (innocent) ribbing could put our lives in jeopardy. Hope for the best to the people who are ill effected by
this storm and surf smart everyone. Let's not have any surfer funerals after this blows over.
Your friend in the lineup--Henry
I was watching the local news last night after surfing waist + super clean waves at coast guard (It was a bit pitching though), and the news cast showed footage of a guy that had been "thrown from his board and washed into the rocks."
Bad press for us surfers who know our limits and go out during these swells and have fun. It happened at Ruggles, by the way. Then the very next clip, they interview some guy that snapped his board and they made a big deal of him "not packing it up for the day, but instead went to water bros. and bought a new board so he could continue on." Sounds like nothing, but I got a few questions this morning about how safe surfing actually is during huricanes from some of my clients. Bad press is not good. That's why the beaches close and surfers start getting arrested for surfing at closed beaches. A couple of true "kooks!"
-Matt
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 11:46:59 -0400
From: Lee F
Subject: Bonnie Report
Hi All, Surfed Matunuck and Greenhill, RI Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday, the onshore breeze kept things mushy at Matunuck. The size compensated, however, so it was still fun on my 7' Rusty. Surfed from dawn till about 9:00 A.M. by myself in extremely heavy fog. Couldn't see shore most of the
time. At 10:00 I jumped in at Greenhill. Good size. Head high and sometimes bigger. Waves breaking on the outer reefs too. Bottom conditions at Greenhill make for a severe top to bottom break. The Beach Club at Greenhill is well known for short barreling rides and a horrendous shore pound if you take it too far. I surfed it on a 7'6" Becker to give a little breathing room on the take-offs. Sand on the bottom is almost
non-existent. In many places it's down to the compressed peat from when the area was a salt pond back in the dinosaur days. (Ahhh - I remember them fondly. My pet Tyrannosaurus, Rex, is buried close by.) Back to Matunuck for a short session later in the afternoon. Onshore winds had kicked up considerably, making it a disorganized mess.
Back to Matunuck for dawn patrol on Wednesday. Great session on the 7'6" - surfed 'till almost 10:OO. The air was almost still most of the time. Head high and higher faces that were easy to catch. There was so much south to the swell, however, that it made for close-outs on the longest walls that reached over to in front of the Ocean Mist. Jumped back in for a brunch session at 11:00 on the 7'. The unwashed masses had finally made their way to the shore. Surfed with about 12 or 15 others in the lineup. A typical mellow Matunuck crowd with a mixed bag of longboards, shortboards, and sponges; grommets, shreaders and a kook. The on shores had kicked up just a bit so there were a few lumps in the gravy but all-in-all very good conditions. Came out at about 2:30 for lunch with every intention of getting back in. Unfortunately, the wind had kicked up considerably and made things too disorganized. Mowed the lawn.
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 20:48:21 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 10:27:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: KevinO
Subject: MEA CULPA BONNIE
On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 [email protected] wrote:
> How about that drop that you did not make and ran me over!
> For a while I thought kOOkish roles were switched!
> But then I claimed it back in style, didn't I!
I have an admission to make, after not surfing since early July, Brendan called me Sunday afternoon and I met him at Lincoln Ave. in Long Beach. There were waist high choppy waves coming in at a 14 sec period, the beginning of Bonnie. I was totally kooky, dropping in once on a long boarder and then again on Brendan who I stuffed on a nice little right. I guess I was overexcited.... its true on Tuesday morning I blew a a drop on a 5 ft. shoulder and took the minigun and myself right over Holger's head. So far surfed 4 days in a row... last night caught sloppy waist to chest shorebreak at the first jetty Sandy Hook with Doug.
To H the H's everlasting credit, he was charging a solid 6
ft. closeout set in Deal on Tuesday at about 3 PM, and was half way down the face in a late takeoff when he got slammed in the head by a pitching lip which drove him into his board. It was truly glorious to see the former KOY emerging from the water with blood streaming everywhere. The groms on the beach were all suitably impressed... one of the grommet's moms who had given them a ride to the beach helped administer first aid. Holger the Horrible... The Legend Grows!!!!!
-KevinO
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 13:58:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: Myriam
Subject: Need Help!
I just looked at the WAM and it scared the shit out of me. I'm still at the beginner level (can't bottom turn really yet), and seeing FNOC pics makes me revise my plans for going to Hampton Beach, NH, this weekend. I know the FNOC is not the most
reliable source, but I'm wondering if it's safe for me or not. So if anyone can interpret this picture well enough to give me an advice, please do so before 3:15 p.m. I have to decide if I go or not. I won't make the drive if I think I'll be so scared just looking from the parking lot and not even jumping in the water. Does anyone know if the strong winds will be close enough to the shore so that it'll be blown out and I'll find my
tent Saturday night 10 miles from the campground?
La Kanook
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 15:13:39 -0400
From: Kiko
Subject: Re: need help!
>but I'm wondering if it's safe for me or not.
If you're wondering, then it's not safe. You should only go out
in these conditions if you are absolutely sure you can handle that kind of situation. Since you have no experience in big surf, it's probably a good idea to sit this one out or go to the beach to watch more experienced people and learn from them.
-Kiko
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 15:19:35 -0400
From: Lee F
subject: need help!
M, Everybody, no mater what condition they're in, is subject to accidents like getting bonked on the head by a board. But beyond accidents like this you need to ask yourself a few questions.
1. What's the likelihood that I'll get caught inside? Paddling out in overhead conditions is considerably harder than when it's only shoulder high or smaller.
2. If I get caught inside, can't make it out, and get pounded back to shore, will I land on soft sand, in a boulder garden, or get pounded on a jetty or cliff?
3. What would happen if I get separated from my board? (Leg ropes break and deck cups pull out!) How far will I have to swim and what will I be swimming through? Rips, cross currents, and heavy surf or is there an easy way back to shore?
4. What condition am I in. Have I been surfing, swimming, or participating in some other exersize program to stay fit? How long can I hold my breath these days? How about holding my breath after struggling desperately to try to beat out that sneaker set that's looming outside?
If everything's a go then jump in. A couple words of advice.
Don't paddle out directly behind anybody! If they loose their board (or bail - boo hiss!), you get it - probably in the face. And if, when paddling out, somebody paddles across your bow, change your direction to minimize your time behind him.
Don't sit inside the take-off zone hoping to catch one of the smaller waves. You'll be in the way of folks waiting for the bigger sets. If the worst happens - don't panic. It uses too much air and energy. Go with the waves. They'll probably push you in the direction you want to go. If they don't, paddle or swim parallel with the shore for a while and then try heading in again.
Have a great time!
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 16:22:36 EDT
From: SurfSwell
Re: need help!
lee... thank you for scaring the shit out of me... brings back memories! ah.. to be caught inside with a broken board -- those were the days.
Let's hear some of the terror stories about getting "Caught Inside" and the like...
-KT
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 17:12:16 -0400
From: Lee F
Subject: Re: need help!
Wednesday, while paddling back out I was undecided whether to go over or under a big set wave. At the last minute I decided to go over the top thinking that its only just starting to feather and won't break. We'll, as luck would have it, I should have gone under. The lip suddenly pitched just enough to flip me backwards and over with it. Me and my board did the equivalent of a back-dive. Needless to say, I lost my grip on the board,
got driven under but not all the way to the bottom, and became totally disoriented. I couldn't tell which way was up until I reached down for my leg rope and reeled myself back to my board, which luckily, was still attached to the other end. That initial feeling of disorientation is weird and scary. I could do without it thank-you-very-much. And then, to add insult to injury, the next wave was even bigger. Awwwww-shhhiiiiiittttt blub blub blub... !
Another day (a couple years ago) I got caught inside on the south side of the Point Judith Lighthouse on an overhead day. I took a left just a little too far. I kicked out and started paddling back out but it was too late. Along comes this huge set. Must have been twelve waves. I'm paddling my butt off trying to get through but each wave is pushing me further and further over in front of the boulder garden. Finally I said screw it. I fliped the board around and let the next wave take me. I pushed it as hard as I could to the left in hopes of getting around the two boulders on the far left side of the reef - especially that one with the steel rod stuck in it. It was mid tide and both were covered but I didn't know by how much (or how little). As the wave pushed me through, I'm watching for swirls and suckouts, but it's nothing but clear sailing. So now I'm feeling OK, thinking I've got a chance of making it through unscathed. I had maybe 25 or 30 feet to shore at the most and then, KAARRUNCH, and now my east fin is pointing west.
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 17:41:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: KevinO
Subject: bonnie reports
kOOks, Saturday Aug. 30: Scored a classic day of surf with fellow kooks Surfswell, H the H, plus fearless newcomer Katherine M. fresh from Palo Verdes and no stranger to rocky point surf. The Horrible was back in rare form (almost shredding) on his new Wayne Lynch Evolution. Also had mega-kook Gernot from Germany as the latest viking invader with us. Checked in with da Minister and houseguest/garden assistant Lowell who caught the Ditch going off in the AM. Great rides were snagged by all. AM Robert Moses State Park field 5, chest to head high with NW winds, a
light crowd and semi-clean conditions. Second hand reports had Demo Pt. going off with overhead barrels at dawn. PM a Semi-secret Cove Montauk with no one else out but the kooks. Waist to
chest high with some shoulder high sets. Winds SW with moderately choppy conditions.
AM Robert Moses State Park field 5, chest to head high with NW winds, a light crowd and semi-clean conditions. Second hand reports had Demo Pt. going off with overhead barrels at dawn. PM Cavett's Cove Montauk with no one else out but the kooks. Waist to chest high with some shoulder high sets. Winds SW with moderately choppy conditions.
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 23:12:46 EDT
From: Holger
Subject: Bonnie for Breakfast and Danielle for Dinner...
Thats right kOOks, my new motto! - "B for B" originated in PR and means "Barrels for Breakfast", and THATS WERE ITS AT!!!! HHHHMMMMMMRRRRR!!!!!
I stayed with da Viking overnight and we wind up sleeping in the car, after we were not able to find a frickin room, which we saw plenty of openings when we first got there early Sat. afternoon, but surfing comes first. And kOOk me parked in the dirt lot at trailor park, fucking cops came at 5:45am and woke us and fucking gave us a summons! Ministure!! See what all my painting got me? I mean Gernot the Viking does not need to pay, but I don't feel like it either, it says on it " if you fail.....warrant for your arrest". I need advice.
But we scored great waves all morning at the overlook, still up to head high (Kevin, at the point, did you use Gernot to measure the waves or what?) shoulder high for Gernot is double overhead for Katherine. I had so many more good rides today, even took out the Log (9' 10") Cinnamon Rainbows and scored great drops, turns and rides.
Man, I'm so stoked, Thanks to all surfgods for this life.
H the H.
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 10:44:29 -0400
From: Christopher
Subject: RE: Bonnie Reports
Sweet as well for field 3 1/2 in front of the tower at Rbt. Moses on LI. Surfed overhead waves here and there Sat & Sun. Mostly shoulder-Head high - nice power. Put a nice snap in my board (9') and needed to take out the 8'... problem was I forgot my leash 'cause I went in my friends car and left my leashes in the trunk of my car. Went out anyway was sooooo fun, but I wish I had the leash. Went and saw a flick during High tide, came back with a leash and surfed occasional shoulder till dark. It was an insane weekend. I hope for more to come hope all are safe and
healthy.
-Christopher
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 11:24:35 EDT
From: SurfSwell
Subject: Re: Bonnie Reports
You should've done Montauk brother -- we were looking for you out there! We surfed field 4 (western pt of field 5) and caught some outside mushy stuff -- nice drops. The general consensus was to head out to Montauk, and the KooKs invaded the place in full force. Looked at Overlook -- nah. Checked out Ditch -- eh -- mushy, crowded. Same old scene. Then we ventured down to
Cavott's Cove -- well worth the walk (I had no sandals, had to walk on fist shaped rocks -- killer!). Scored good stuff -- one break had some gnarly, head high stuff -- Holger charged it like an animal. KO and Katherine were catching alot of long rides in a nice bowl that dished out some chest to head highs... and ME? Well, I just sort of paddled around, a bit confused, and just stoked to be out there. Living in the city takes its toll on your surfing, that's for sure. But hey -- I came home with a pulled groin (don't ask -- just be sure NOT to do splits
on your board), bad nipple rash, and sore feet. That's gotta count for something!
It's always great to surf with fellow KooKs. KO and the crew definitely get you stoked, no matter what mood you're in. Their "fuck it, let's just surf" attitude is refreshing. Thanks guys (and gals!).
-The Spackler
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 12:52:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: KevinO
Subject: kOOk's Anon Weekly Planner
Dear kOOks,
We have been good boys and girls and the kOOk Kahunas are showering down blessings upon us... Today, reports have NJ firing off some clean waist to chest high groundswell. For Tuesday, my call is for Long Island to be chest to shoulder high or better and hollow. Danielle's ground swell will be kicking into high gear on Wednesday, so kall in sick... Look for the
swell to kontinue to build into the latter part of the week, with a repeat of last week's scenario, plan to show your face at work on Friday when it will probably be blown out. The jet stream is being cooperative this week and unless Danielle drifts rapidly north on Tuesday and Wednesday, the lifting trough may leave her to drift safely offshore into the weekend. This could mean a replay of 1995's classic Felix Da Cat storm, a small
kategory I hurricane which pumped in swell to the East coast for nearly 10 days. Another Depression is forming in the Gulf of Mexico and is likely to become a kicker with alot of strong convection during the next 24 to 36 hours...
-KevinO
Image and Storm Track of Hurricane Danielle.
The satellite image is from NASA, the hand plot is from NWS data by KevinO.
Click on the thumbnails to zoom in.
Believe it or not, I saw a Bic plastic board bent at SST, Dean said the guy went over the falls holding the board tightly. And I saw a picture of Kelly Slater surfing Rye Rocks in January at Pionners; the guy even knows the "secret spots" or what?
-La Kanook
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 10:27:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: KevinO
Subject: Tropical Outlook
Dear kOOks,
Get on it today, winds are forecast to go SW this evening... Danielle is heading out to sea. To see a pretty rare pic check out TWC website: "http://www.weather.com/weather/maps/current/curwx_440x275.html" It not too often you'll see two tropical storms and a hurricane on one map. TS Earl promises to bring some inclement weather to the east coast during the weekend. Unfortunately right now things do not look too favorable for a Nor'easter to develop from Earl's remnants as they move
over the SE USA. A low pressure system will be stalling over the Canadian maritimes toward the latter part of the week. Still there should be rideable if choppy surf through Labor day... Aloha.
-KevinO
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 16:19:52 -1000
From: Brendan
Subject: Seal part 1
Here is the initial story. I had heard that they had been hanging out in a bar just before they went out. Note: pre-dawn, pitch dark, two went out and one only one came back. Anybody pick up the irony of the name "Seal" and flyingseal.com=kooks?
Long Beach Surfer Missing, Feared Dead
by: Blanca Monica Quintanilla
A 27-year-old Long Beach man is missing - and presumed dead - after he failed to return from a pre-dawn surfing outing with a friend yesterday morning. Identified by officials as Andrew Seal, the man disappeared from the choppy waters off Tennessee Beach at about 5:30 a.m., said Stephen Kohut, chief of lifeguards for the City of Long Beach. "There were a number of rip currents on the beach, and the water was dangerously rough," he said of surf conditions at the time of disappearance. "It was pitch dark, and there were no lifeguards." The Long Beach Police Department launched an all-out search for the missing surfer, who went into the water with a friend. Several fire and police departments and the U.S. Coast Guard also volunteered in the search. Authorities called off the search at 12:30 p.m. "Now we wait," Kohut said. Copyright 1998, Newsday Inc.
Long Beach Surfer Missing, Feared Dead., 09-06-1998, pp A34.
Say a prayer for a kook.
Long Beach Surfer's Body Recovered, by: Errol A. Cockfield Jr.
The body of a surfer from Long Beach who had been missing since
early Saturday was found floating 100 yards off Tennessee Beach shortly after noon yesterday, police said. Three lifeguards scanning the waters spotted the body of Andrew Seal and swam out to pull it in, said Stephen Kohut, chief of lifeguards for the City of Long Beach. Seal, 27, had gone out with a friend shortly before dawn Saturday when there were strong rip currents. No lifeguards were on duty when Seal went out. His surfboard was found later that morning. Copyright 1998, Newsday Inc.
Pasta Ma Fringnut, Italy, November, 1998:
Subject: Italian surfari
Just got back from Italia last night. Last year when I was in north Italy it was stone flat, but caught good waves down south near Rome. Here's the kOOk report for north Italy this year:
Arrived in Milano Friday Oct. 30 and drove straight to Levanto, one hour south of Genoa, where it was breaking about chest high, offshore wind. The setup was off two jetties, one offering a right, the other a left (the left that you see in pictures of Italian surf). The drops were fast and steep, the right had a tubing inside section that skimmed over some shallow, sharp rocks (submerged jetty rocks!) that I bounced my tailbone off of! Also chopped the tip off of one of my swallowtails and nicked a fin! Powerful waves. About a dozen guys out.
Saturday, Halloween, the waves were a little bigger, offshore again, the left was working like mad, rides all the way to shore. I rode the left with one other guy out, Massimo - he was the first guy to surf Levanto ten years ago. Sunday Nov. 1, was onshore, huge and building all day. Went out in the afternoon. The entire bay was closed out but you could paddle out alongside this castle/jetty structure and then get sucked right into the lineup in the middle of these macking waves. Not a great place to be in my opinion. Caught two waves and got the hell out of there. As big and thick as any wave I've ridden. Insane drops and half the waves were closeouts. More than double overhead.
Monday, Nov. 2, it cleaned up, tons of fun, the right and the left worked all morning. Not too many guys out, everybody sleeps late. Tuesday, Nov. 3 torrential rains, the lineup was muddy from runoff from the river, didn't go out, too dirty. Wednesday, Nov. 4 drove 5 hours to a spot south of St. Tropez in France and rode some small beachbreak in a beautiful cove in a gated community.
As I said in Part 1, I was lucky this year. Italy does not have consistent surf. When it's flat in Italy, it's totally flat, not even a ripple. They do get waves about every 2 to 3 weeks and the swell usually lasts more than two days. The surf scene in Italy is very up to date. They approach the sport with the seriousness that they do other sports, like cycling or skiing. Everyone rides the latest equipment, newest wetsuits, etc. Right now, everybody wants a fish. The level of surfing isn't the greatest, and multiple riders on one wave occurs a lot. Droppin in on your friends is accepted behavior!
I was riding a circa 1974 6'8" vintage single fin swallow tail winger, but there is really no appreciation in Italy for old classic boards. I left that board there for a friend to hang in his surf shop (also available for traveling kOOks!). I will probably keep going back there, the vibe was great, and of course the food and culture are always worth experiencing. (The women are gorgeous. I should have started surfing in Italy when I was single!) I still haven't surfed Sardinia, an island off the west coast, where it's supposed to be a little bigger and more consistent. (Surfer mag had some shots of Donovan Frankenreiter in Sardinia about a year ago).
For more info on surf spots in Italy, check out the October, 96 issue of the Surf Report. I also recommend the book Stormriders' Guide to Europe, it shows spots that break along the entire Mediterranean coast.
Website Links: (check out the pictures of Levanto and Varazze!)