by The Editors on March 17, 2009
In a story on an increase in Southern California shark sightings, The Los Angeles Times has an unconfirmed report that a Carlsbadistan surfer was “rushed by a shark” last weekend. That, coupled with the blob of “marine life” that washed up on Cherry St. sunday night, is making us wonder a little.
This is the season for increased shark sightings off Southern California. More people are venturing into the ocean and juvenile white sharks — before they become great white sharks — utilize local waters as a nursery area during the spring.
If you have any info on this Carlsbadistan report is urged to send us an email.
[Link: LA Times]
by The Editors on January 17, 2009
Longboarders could catch a few waves this morning, but the rumored swell has still not arrived. A couple divers said there was a pretty strong surge and visibility wasn’t very good. So maybe the waves are a little closer than we think.
by The Editors on January 15, 2009
It’s been weeks since Carlsbadistan has had any good surf. And the natives are getting restless. “Bro, it is the worst it’s ever been, and I’ve lived here 20 years,” said one surfer this morning as he forlornly scanned the horizon for the smallest hint of a swell.
At Knockout Pizza the mood was no better. A quick “how’s it going” to the guy at the counter was returned with a short, “Well, there’s no surf.” We mentioned that at least the weather was nice and he said, “I don’t care about the weather.” And that seems to be the mood of most surfers in Carlsbadistan.
At Witt’s Carlsbad Pipelines surf shop the mood was a little better. They’ve hung a sign out front promising waves: “Swell Coming” it says. And they’re right if you believe the wave forecasters at Surfline.com.
A trough of low pressure initially developed in the Western Pacific, between the Philippines and Japan late last week. This area of low pressure pulled up an exceptional amount of tropical moisture from the area around the Philippines, which really helped it intensify while it grew in size this past weekend. The Quikscat satellite recorded 40-50 knots of wind over a large fetch, aimed well at both Hawaii and California during that time. Long-period swell from this component of the storm will slam Hawaii Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday, with a smaller version of that surf reaching the West Coast Friday and Saturday.
It’s nice to read, but we’re not getting even a hint of it here. Maybe tomorrow, huh?
You know it’s bad when then the only people out at Cherry Street is the Tamarack SUPer club.
by The Editors on January 15, 2009
We may not have any waves here, but a couple Carlsbadistan surfers are cleaning up on the East Coast as The 2009 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) kicked off its season opener in the O’Neill Sebastian Inlet Pro, according to Tracks Magazine.
Heath Walker (Carlsbad, CA), 33, smashed the day’s highest single-wave score of an 8.17 out of 10 by utilizing speed and power to issue several forehand gouges on a racy righthander. The Australian followed up with a second solid score to claim his Round 1 heat win. . . . Ricky Whitlock (Carlsbad, CA), 21, was also a standout performer in the opening day of the O’Neill Sebastian Inlet Pro, claiming his opening heat by posting one of the day’s highest heat totals of 14.16 out of 20 to advance into Round 2. Whitlock applied his previous Sebastian Inlet experience to claim his heat win.
Nice work, guys. It’s good to have Carlsbadistan represented “as far inland as you can get.”
Watch Heath and Ricky live right here.
[Link: Tracks Magazine]
by The Editors on January 6, 2009
We received reports today that the Carlsbadistan-based action sports footwear and clothing company Reef dropped the axe on 42 employees as the savage retail economy continues to take its toll. Reef is one of 25 brands owned by VF Corp. Some of the company’s other brands include Vans, The North Face, 7 For All Mankind, Eastpack, Jansport, Wrangler, and Eagle Creek.
In a late December 2008 interview with TransWorld Business VF Corp’s President Americas Coalition Dave Gatto said:
We all know there can be a huge up-swing when the market recovers; it’s just a matter of adjusting the business responsibly to survive the lulls and hopefully emerge a stronger, more efficient brand.
Looks like Mr. Gatto just “adjusted” the Reef business to survive this lull. Hopefully, that was enough.
by The Editors on December 1, 2008
Carlsbadistan surfboard shaper David Barr was featured on the Surfing Magazine site as part of their Month of the Shaper in conjunction with their annual surfboards issue. Nice to see local surf craftsman getting a little global play in the surf media (even if his shop is in Oside). Here’s a little of what he had to say:
The custom board is what keeps me afloat, my clientele come to me for conceptually sound advice and much more personal customer service. Sometimes I feel like I’m delivering their first born not a 6’2″ hotdog board. This used to drive me crazy, but now I embrace it. . . . Right now I’m working on boards for really crappy conditions. Boards that you can have fun on in conditions that normally you would just pass on. Let’s face it, surfing is about having fun and staying wet. If your not surfing in the everyday crap you’re worthless when it get good!
Great, because those are exactly the kind of waves we’ve been stuck with lately.
[Link: Surfing Magazine]
by The Editors on October 28, 2008
Just got this photo from a Carlsbadistan reader who is currently riding perfect waves in Fiji, near an island called Tavarua. See that wave? It’s called Restaurants. If you’re nice it will barrel you, if you’re not it will cut you up.
If you’d like to take some Carlsbadistan stickers on your next trip click here and we’ll send you a bunch of ’em. Then just snap a photo of you with the sticker, email it to us, and we’ll put you up right here.
[Link: Free Stickers Please]
by The Editors on September 10, 2008
Carslbadistan pro surfer Taylor Knox gave it a charge at Trestles in the Boost Mobile Pro, the continental US’s biggest surf event. He made it past Timmy Reyes this morning, but in his next heat against current world champion Mick Fanning he got stuck waveless for the last half of the heat.
Sadly, he is now out of the contest along with Carlsbad’s Ben Bourgeois who was knocked out by Bobby Martinez in heat number five of round three.
[Link: Boost Mobile Pro]
by The Editors on September 9, 2008
A Vista Firefighter who saw a surfboard “sticking up in the water” around 5PM tonight rescued a surfer who was apparently knocked out according to a story on Sign On San Diego.
The surfer may have hit his head on the ocean bottom off a stretch of city beach between two jetties south of Agua Hedionda Lagoon, Carlsbad police Lt. Marc Reno said. . . The firefighter tugged on the board’s leash, pulling the surfer up from the bottom, and started CPR.
The surfer was revived before being transported from Canon Park at 6 PM by San Diego’s copter 1 to a hospital.
[Link: Sign On San Diego]
by The Editors on September 9, 2008
After a great year on the WQS Carlsbadistan surfer Ben Bourgeois is back on the WCT tour for the first time since 2001 and North County Times writer Michelle Esposito caught up with him to get his view on competing at the Boost Mobile Pro this week at Trestles.
Bourgeois will be among 48 of the world’s top surfers competing in the men’s World Championship Tour event at Lower Trestles. The Boost Mobile Pro, which began Monday and continues through Saturday, is the only WCT event on the U.S. mainland. . . . “I’m looking forward to Trestles because it’s right here and I know the break pretty well,” Bourgeois said. “I definitely just want to get a good result here. For me, it would mean a lot so I could jump up in the ratings. That’s my goal right now.”
Benny made it out of his first round head against Adrian Buchan and Tiago Pires. Carlsbad’s Taylor Knox surfs in Heat 15 today. Follow them both while you work, click here to watch the Boost Mobile Pro live on the Internet.
[Link: North County Times]
In a story on an increase in Southern California shark sightings, The Los Angeles Times has an unconfirmed report that a Carlsbadistan surfer was “rushed by a shark” last weekend. That, coupled with the blob of “marine life” that washed up on Cherry St. sunday night, is making us wonder a little.
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