Surfing Out of the Box - by Paul Finley
2012 Columns
October, 2012 The Mirror Looking In We had a beautiful swell light up the coastline a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, I was out of the water for the better part of last month due to a minor operation and trying my very best to follow doctor's orders. During this time out of the water I was able to reflect on the feelings that abound as a swell approaches our coast and the nagging reality of not being able to surf.
September, 2012 The Silly Side Of The Story
The most common outline of a surfboard that comes to people minds would be a basic outline with symmetrical rails leading to the meeting points at the nose and tail. My question to challenge this idea would most likely be, "Does the water really know, or care if the rails are symmetrical?"
August, 2012 This is . . . uhhh . . .
Have you even gone to introduce your neighbor or a close friend to someone that you know but you just can't remember their name? This creates an awkward situation in which I usually retreat to saying "dude" or "man." This unfamiliarity is usually sprung from a lack of effort from my part. Now imagine you knew that person for a long period of time and could never remember their name, there would most definitely be some form of disconnect in that relationship. Now imagine you raised a child from infancy to adulthood. Do you think that you could forget their name?
July, 2012 Project Surf Camp: a Volunteers Perspective Note: Duplicate of article published Aughst, 2013 in the column Surfing Through Life
For the past four years Paul and I have been working alongside Project Surf Camp. Project surf camp is a local non profit organization, based out of Morro Bay, that works with kids with special needs and teaches them to surf. They have specialist on hand and in the water that are professionally trained in special education. PSC also has many volunteers come out every year to come along side each child.
June, 2012 Things to Do When the Surf is Lame
My family gave me a wonderful Mother's Day this year. While looking through the many photos I took on that day, it made me think of all the amazing things we are blessed to be able to do because we live on the Central Coast and our backyard is the Pacific Ocean.
May, 2012 Sand, Water and Kids, what a Beautiful Mixture
As you might have guessed from some of the photos we have put up on our articles, we have kids and we go to the beach with our kids. Three little girls go with us to be exact. We are living proof that going to the beach does not have to stop when you have kids.
April, 2012 Polyurethane/Polyester vs. Hand Lay Up EPS/Epoxy as I See It
This article is my opinions and comparisons of the two most commonly used board construction types on the market. Since I work with both types and see advantages of both, I have tried my best to give a non biased evaluation.
March, 2012 So You Want to Marry a Surfer Part II Note: Duplicate of articlepublished under”Surfing Through Life” January, 2013
Last month I highlighted the difference between being a surfer, and someone who surfs. This, for some, might not seem that important, but it makes a difference when you are dating someone or are married to someone who is a surfer verses someone who just surfs. As I said before, I have had eight years of experience with being married to a surfer.
February, 2012 So You Want to Marry a Surfer Note: Duplicate of articlepublished under”Surfing Through Life” December, 2012
Last month I highlighted the difference between being a surfer, and someone who surfs. This, for some, might not seem that importan
January, 2012 When the Water Meets the Land
There are many factors to consider when looking at waves and their quality. This article is going to take a general look into storms and wind, generated swell lines, and the waves which end up on our shores to ride. Storms and wind are a surfer's friend if located in the right place at the right time. The higher quality waves that we surf are generated by winds moving rapidly out to sea. When the offshore seas have a low pressure system building, there are a few things that surfers need to tune into. Is there good wind speed? Is the storm or front developed and enduring for a long period? What is the "fetch," or size of the system? We are looking for more power and time in these areas in order to create a solid swell. Unlike our "have it all and have it now" cultural mentality, these are things that we must patiently wait for as we see them developing.