There’s Something About a Crowd…

…a certain atmosphere, a certain excitement about seeing a row of surf rigs along the beach side of the pullout, more on the bluff side, only a narrow route between them; still early, with those who stayed overnight just making some coffee, arranging their brunch items, and way too many people in the water, with others arriving, or, going by the adage that ‘it must be good, people are out,’ suiting up; with no question that they’ll be going out, joining in the fun of sharing waves. After all, it’s just lucky to have waves at all, and, if one knows anything about the break at all, one should know that the high tide, already working on this, will mush the waves to death in the next hour or so, that is, if the swell angle doesn’t move two degrees that way or the other; and, sometime before the tide switch, the side winds will be chattering across the lineup.

Maybe, as my friends say, I’m getting soft, not pushing my way into the lineup. Maybe. I took some photos before I left. I’ll have to go through them. Bypassing my backup backup spot, figuring the collective prayers of those who can only surf weekends had been answered, I took the circuitous route to a different spot.

There’s something about an empty lineup, an empty wave; a certain excitement, a certain… you know, you must know. If you don’t, look for the crowd… it must be good.

“Locals Only,” Story to Follow

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under Uncategorized

I’ve been thinking of a story in which, on a marginal day at a somewhat remote, not-secret surf spot, a surfer who made the mistake of catching a wave another, already quite frustrated surfer wanted gets out of the water to find the air let out of all four tires, and a message written in wax on his windshield.

localsonly

The surfer riding with the frustrated vandal rides back (and not that local) to the perpetrators house, returns on his own with a compressor and a small generator only to find the waves are pumping and the owner of the damaged vehicle is out in the water.

I’ll work on it further, including a drawing, when I get a chance. It’s not a morality tale (no, of course it is), but it’s probably a result of my thinking about how the aloha spirit has been replaced by a begrudging acknowledgement that the surf is going to be increasingly crowded, and being a local local means you are probably going to be equally welcomed at another, and possibly better spot.

And, meanwhile, I’m trying to figure some time I can go and get quality waves without having to be cordial. Aloha. No, I mean it. Really.

Surf Side Trip South to Northern…

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under hipster surfers, northwest surfing, surf adventures, surf photos, surf satire, surf sessions, surfer Archie Endo, surfing, surfing in Washington State, surfing stories, surfing Westport Washington, Uncategorized, writings of Erwin Dence

…California, and I only started it this way because I was avoiding saying ‘NorCal,’ or is it ‘NortCal,’ or ‘Callie De Norte’;’ the cousin to ‘SoCal’ and ‘Cali (sp? it’s not Callifornia);’ each of which sort of bugs me and smacks of attempts at coolness and/or familiarity; as in, “Whoa! You’re from Cali?” “No, I was raised in Southern California, but I was actually born in Surf City, NorCar (pronounced ‘Nor Care’).” “NorCar?”

Yeah, that was me attempting to sound cool and/or familiar with a place I left at three years old. BUT, here’s this story. My friend, Hydrosexual (his rampant relationship with all things water, including the frozen and powdered varieties, is explained elsewhere) Stephen Davis, down and working in the coastal foothills of Northern California, took some time off to cruise down to Santa Cruz. He called to see if the waves he predicted for the area in which I surf actually showed up, and if I, part of the ever-increasing surf population in the area I will no longer reference (explained in a minute), actually caught myself a few.

They did, I did, but now, as he was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, I was headed to a Ghost Conference in Port Gamble. No, first to Costco, then on to the conference to meet up with Trish, our ex-daughter-in-law, Karrie, our grandson, Nate (or N8, cooler spelling), and our daughter, Dru… and various ghost hunters, busters, believers, skeptics, groupies; the festivities under the direction of Pete Orbea, married to Mollie, lifelong friend of Dru’s.

SO, a shoutout to that event. BUT, and MEANWHILE…

santacruzdavis And, then, on the way back… fortpointdavis OH, wait, are these secret spots? Will showing these images increase the number of surfers and hodads and posers (same as hodad, but, if you didn’t know that, you, well, may actually be a poser, poseur if you’re a more-nuanced hodad) and power couples and enthusiasts and parking area maestros and lineup primadonnas?

DEFINITELY, and that’s why I will never again mention anything about waves, surf, or surfing in ____ ________, ____ _______, and any other spot on the ______ __ ____ __ ____, or even ______; though I will continue to boast of the merits of Westport. Go there, go now.

NOW, it’s hard for me to believe that my site has done all (or even much of) the damage, brought 40 souls last Saturday to the lineup at any (unnamed) spot that surfers who have survived the high-percentage of skunkings, the driving, probably surfed barely-big-enough-to ride waves, endured endless hours of waiting through ‘almost’ conditions, and occasionally found a few peelers.

NO, I BLAME the folks who lucked-out, then told their friends, bragging, exaggerating the size and cleanness and uncrowdedness and length of ride and… AND, having lucked-out, these same surfers try to repeat the rare session; with a few friends.

My friend, Keith ______, is willing to go through my site, remove/redact any reference, quote or tag pertaining to ????CXCkkppplmnno (it’s a list); so, if you think there is any secret info or insight on finding waves on the _____, better just start here and keep reading. START NOW.

MEANWHILE, Archie Endo, still in Thailand, is improving, doing some Facebooking. Archie Endo; worth looking up. AND, HERE’S SOMETHING I’ll make into a whole post: It seems the welcoming ALOHA SPIRIT has been replaced by a sort of disgruntled, begrudging, half-hearted acceptance of increased numbers in chilly waters. AGAIN, working on that. OH, and I’ve decided the swells seem to peak a mathematically irritating number of times on weekends because more people are praying for that. Like the 40 surfers at ____ ______ last Saturday.

Not my fault. I was sliding a few at _____ _____. And Stephen was sneaking up on the main peak at some no-doubt well known Santa Cruz spot. He didn’t actually tell me which one. No, I understand. It’s okay.

Do Musicians LOVE the Music?

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under Uncategorized

the ghost of Rincon, adapted from a Ron Stoner photo of Miki Dora, both feeling the music

I mean LOVE the music, Live IN the music. Do artists LOVE the line, the shading, the glow, the contrast, the kinetic movement, the depth, the reality and the magic, all on a flat surface?

Hopefully. No, I know they do.

Do some of us long for the ocean; miss the coldness, the moods, the transparent and so-briefly lifted remnants of such wild and distant violence?

Yeah, when we’re binge-watching something on Amazon (not that I mind) with the rain blowing sideways from the completely wrong direction. But, I still feel the music, hear the music, the beats and silences between the interval, still can, at will, see the visions stored away; somewhere behind too many walls, lines of passion, and boredom, and broken or delayed or destroyed dreams, and those already-fulfilled, dancing to music through time and distance; coming in in waves.

While You’re Praying for Surf, how about…

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under Erwin Dence illustrations, Erwin Dence surf illustrations, northwest surfing, real surfers, real surfers coloring book, realsurfers illustrations, surf art, surf flyers, surf illustrations, surf posters, surfer Archie Endo, surfing, surfing art, surfing blogs, surfing drawings, surfing illustrations, surfing in Washington State, surfing the strait of juan de fuca, Uncategorized

…adding World Peace?

Yeah, sure; but, I mean… okay, world peace… and some uncrowded and perfect waves.

MEANWHILE, I’m working on a commissioned (not, like, for a lot of money) poster for Franco Bertucci’s band, Locust Street Taxi. Here’s kind of the progression:Actually, I had to add a lot of copy in the blank space; and then add color. I’m getting the final poster copied today; I’ll post it tomorrow. Or tonight.

MEANWHILE, Archie continues to recover from his recent stroke; supposedly is using computer. I’ll write him, see what happens. MEANWHILE, continuing to get November weather in October here on the northwest corner; always praying for some alignment of the swell and wind direction… oh, and world peace.

Don’t Wanna Hunker, Baby; Even If It’s hunkering with you…

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under Erwin Dence illustrations, Erwin Dence surf illustrations, Uncategorized

…I was hoping to go surfing, girl, almost any waves will do. Though I’d rather have some long smooth glides, glassy faces, spinning tubes; With some outside sets and a few friends, shouting, “Hey, this one’s for you.” But the swell just won’t cooperate, despite prayers, chants, voodoo; And the next storm’s bearing down on us, Guess I’m hunkering with you… and… wait; let me check the buoys… Oh, um, hey; wait-a-minute, whoa; Baby, Honey; oh, oh, oh; You know my stuff’s all loaded up, and I’m ready to explode; It’s, uh, looking like it just could work, and, I mean; What would you have me do? You know, um, you could just go with me, and, if it’s blown-out or it’s flat… we could hunker in the parking lot and… No? Oh. Okay; thought you just might be liking that.

So… I’ll be back before you know it; with my batteries recharged, and… no; it’s, like a metaphor. Okay, bad metaphor. And now… now I’ve lost my musical thread. Yeah, sure; once I’m heading out, anticipating and hoping… no, not ‘stroking the other woman.’ Wait, I’ll check the buoys… sometimes… oh. Yeah, still looks, you know, good. No, I didn’t say ‘enticing.’ Oh. So, “Go,” you say, “Just go.”

Okay. You’re the best. And I’ll be thinking of you while I’m…I’m…

…I’m headed up the highway, blasting Dylan on the way, the storm on the horizon, but no wind out on the bay; and my other woman’s back at home, tucking in among the sheets. It’s an image so enticing, I could easily turn back, but the swell’s now rapping perfectly… and my board, after all’s, already tied down to the rack.

My only woman, Trish (work and surfing, oh, and drawing and writing, are the ‘other’ women) said the dark swoop (and I was trying to keep this simple, possibly for a t shirt design) looked like a big sea snake or something, so, now the drawing’s more complicated. Fine. Simple is too difficult.

Meanwhile, I should probably do some updating: It’s raining, TV weatherpeople hyping up the next storm. During the past few days, even the NCBC, National Data Buoy Center has had high wave warnings, hyping the storm that’s been hitting the coast with unsurfable waves, the angle just too south for the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I thought I might go today, just like I thought I might go yesterday; and just like I think (hope) I might go tomorrow. I got skunked the last two times I went (counting one trip, with five ‘step off on the beach’ rides as a non-skunk. A week ago yesterday, a Friday, I went to my Dad’s in Chinook, arriving too late to attempt another go at Seaside, and thinking it would be blown out, anyway. It wasn’t. On Saturday I got up super early in a driving rainstorm, drove to Westport for the SURFRIDER’S CLEANWATER CLASSIC. Horrible conditions. I did hang out with DARRYL WOOD, and another Port Angeles guy, JOE; and we did sell quite a few hoodies and t-shirts for the OLYMPIC PENINSULA CHAPTER of Surfrider with a design by TODD FISCHER. Oh, and I sold a few Realsurfers Coloring Books, gave one to the first surfer I met in Washington State, Darryl, and another to DARRIN, who I never seem to immediately recognize, but the surfer who gave me a ride to the beach when I was caught in a rip last winter. The contest was shortened and shut down due to the crapfest conditions, heats moved to Sunday. On Sunday, the conditions had to have been better. I was home, looking at buoys and forecasts, a bit bummed because I hadn’t even ridden a crappy wave. OH, and I did sell my commissioned work (see next blog down) to TOM BURNS, a judge at the contest, headed immediately afterword to California.

SO, TRUMP continues to grapple with having groped, we’re getting November weather in October, BOB DYLAN won a Nobel Peace Prize in Literature, and, HYDROSEXUAL STEPHEN DAVIS, who I criticized for going to La Push ahead of the storm (and he scored), is also heading for California (he’ll be working Tom Burns surfing) … we finally did get some news about ARCHIE ENDO. He’s still in Thailand, conscious, but unable to speak. He’s communicating with the aid of a board, words and phrases in Japanese. Longterm plan is to move him to Japan where his father lives. We asked his daughter, Lillian, to let him know a lot of Northwest surfers are pulling for him, and I’m waiting a chance to go surfing with him again.

SUPER UPDATE: Keith just called me to tell me I really missed it this morning. Yeah, thanks for going along with the policy of not calling anyone, the “If they don’t know, don’t tell them.”

Going to Chinook, maybe Seaside, then Cleanwater. Classic… and, Damn, I’ll Running Late

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under northwest surfing, old surfers, oregon surfing, real surfers, real surfers coloring book, surf culture, surf culture events, surf stories, surfer Archie Endo, surfing, surfing in Oregon, surfing in Washington State, surfing Westport Washington, Uncategorized

I stole this photo of a typical Westport contest scene from Drew Kampion. Knowing I was headed down to my Dad’s in Chinook, Washington; and maybe checking out some post/during/pre-storm surf at Seaside, Mr. Kampion, top-tier surf wordsmith, and someone who spent some time judging heats and doing various contest-related chores, sent this photo. I did reply, saying I’m stealing it. He was (and I can’t guarantee it’s actually his photo) encouraging me to give his love to the Surfrider folks who brave harsh conditions to help run the annual contest, or, whoa, even compete in it.

kampionwestpt

Yeah, south wind, sideways swell, sixty yard impact zone, waves that look like the stuff you paddle through to get to the waves you want to ride, roll-throughs, closeouts; welcome to the Northwest Surf City.

I have some notion that I may be able to sell a few Realsurfers Coloring Books while I’m down there. It is a great time to hang at the surf circus that Westport can sometimes be; so, if you’re going; see you there.

Here’s the second drawing I did (on commission) for Tom Burns, a northwest surfer for, for, forever; with all the stories to prove it. He sent me two photos, thirty (might have been forty) years apart, same classic spot on the Strait. I completed a first drawing, but Trish said he looked like he had a big ass. He’s thinner here. I expect a bonus. Tom will be judging heats at the Surfrider competition. I did judge last year, but, I don’t know; I’m kind of loud, fool around a bit, judge harshly, perhaps… still, kind of hoping they’ll ask me to fill in while one of the judges takes a bathroom break or has to be treated for hypothermia. We’ll see; and I’ll let you’ll know.

UPDATE ON ARCHIE: I’m thinking no news might be as good as we can get. Recovery is slow and probably lonely, half the world away. Still sending whatever good thoughts I have; and I’ll pass on anything I hear.

Atsushi “Archie” Endo in Classic Form…

Posted on October 1, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under Uncategorized

…and maybe you recognize the stance, even the spot, quite a bit different now, and changing as we speak. The shot was taken by Archie’s friend, and mine, Stephen Davis, making use of his water housing.

archiepapt

While a favorite surfing spot recovers from over a hundred years of being restrained, Archie, hopefully, is moving toward recovery. Steve and I, and some of Archie’s many other friends (not all at once) are waiting and ready to slide a few sparkly rollers with him. Again, not like a party wave, but, after a ride, watching from this very angle, maybe hooting just enough to embarrass him.

Archie Endo, Strait Surfer and Retro Maniac, needs some prayers and…

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under surfer Archie Endo, Uncategorized

…whatever wishes those who don’t pray can offer. The Strait of Juan de Fuca longboarder, known for long rides on long walls, the Japanese-American guy with the classic American cars, ten foot boards, the parallel stance, knee paddling into waves from tiny to slightly-bigger, who can milk a wave at Archie’s Reef from the boil to the river; yeah, that guy, is in a hospital in Bangkok, in need of an operation on his brain.

Information is sketchy, but the situation seems dire. Archie, who learned to surf in his native Japan, and, in a show of independence, never had an interest in shortboarding, was raised a Buddhist, no doubt, but is willing to embrace all religious experiences. As part of our ritual in heading for surf together, particularly when going down those winding curves on 112, I’d cross myself, traditional Catholic symbol, with an extra throwout of my right hand; just for a little extra; and Archie would repeat the gesture.

First, waves; then, size; then, lack of side or onshore wind; then, lack of crowd; then, maybe, a little more size. “It looks… surfable.”

Archie, a salmon roe expert, has been around the world working in the industry; and, for the last two years, has been working in Thailand, with a recent and prolonged sidetrip to Mozambique; coming back to Discovery Bay once or twice a year. This was a big break for him, part of a larger plan. Hopefully this is just a setback. I love going surfing with him; his mellow attitude (oh, he’ll go for a wave) seems to balance my own non-mellowness.

2013 photos 407

Yeah, that guy; Atsushi “Archie” Endo. Offer what good thoughts, and prayers you can to whatever gods you believe in. “I think this day, maybe it wasn’t quite ‘surfable.’ Or maybe this is a lull.

UPDATE 9/27: Archie may have suffered a stroke, fallen, hit his head. He was able to move, good sign, semi-conscious, but unable to speak as of the last report.

UPDATE 9/28: According to Facebook, with a lot of his friends from around the world commenting and ‘liking,’ word coming from Archie’s daughter, Lillian, is that he won’t need an operation; he still can’t speak, but has been able to smile; so, maybe the trauma is relaxed a bit, but the drama continues. I was working with our mutual friend Stephen Davis yesterday; couldn’t help but recall a few Archie adventures. Steve, who has actually known Archie longer, Lillian being the same age as Stephen’s son, Emmett, spoke of a trip he and Archie made to a difficult-to-access rivermouth break on the Strait that helped solidify their friendship. I can’t help remember the first time I saw Archie, one of those mid-winter crystal days, the only one out, knee-paddling into a peak, standing up, dropping-in, turning into the face, riding it all the way to the shorebreak. Not having surfed the place for twenty years or so, I ran over to meet him. Having worked in Alaska for months, this was Archie’s season. “I take a break,” he said, “then I go back out. And you?” “Can’t wait.” And I can’t wait for our next session.

Fully-Packed Realsurfers Coloring Book Ready for… you

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Erwin A. Dence Jr. under Erwin Dence illustrations, Erwin Dence surf illustrations, real surfers, real surfers coloring book, realsurfers illustrations, surf art, surf illustrations, surfing, surfing art, surfing illustrations, Uncategorized, women surfing illustration

THE LATEST version has 56 drawings, ready to color. AGAIN, I didn’t draw with a coloring book in mind until recently, and, perhaps, I’m now simplifying the lines a bit, allowing a bit more blank space. MOSTLY it’s a way to get my work to an audience that probably has walls filled with surf photos, posters, paintings; coffee tables stacked with coffee table surf books, shelves, maybe boxes filled with old surfing magazines.

HERE are a few examples:

realsurfers realsurfers 002

OKAY, I added a couple of colored-in drawings two that aren’t in the book, kind of as an example. I’m still figuring out how to market the book. Sales is not anywhere near my comfort zone. I’m checking out Paypal, getting some copies ready to, hopefully, sell at the Surfrider Cleanwater Surf Contest in Westport in a couple of weeks. The plan is to contribute a couple of bucks from each one to the Olympic Peninsula Chapter. We’ll see. MEANWHILE, I’d be happy to mail an autographed copy to anyone willing to send $20.00 to Erwin Dence, P.O. Box 148, Quilcene, Wa. 98376. OR, maybe you can contact me at realsurfersdotnet@gmail.com

Real Surfers

Shoulder-hoppers and name-droppers