by The Editors on November 17, 2007
We got a Carlsbadistan news tip this morning letting us know of a notice that was added to the Tamarack Surf Beach sign on November 8. Apparently, California State Parks has filed a permit (#6-07-111) with the California Coastal Commission to install “an automated fee collection device in the Tamarack day use lot.” We know that in the past there have been some issues with the Tamarack parking lot and that the City of Carlsbad has paid tens of thousands of dollars to keep if free.
California Parks and Rec filed for a permit to build a “mechanical fee collection device” in the Tamarack parking lot in 1997, but that application was postponed when the Coastal Commission met on May 13, 1997.
We’re hoping this “fee collection device” is simply a tactic being used by California State Parks to encourage the City of Carlsbad to ante up, because if the Tamarack Surf Beach becomes paid parking, all it’s going to do is push all those people up into the streets of Carlsbadistan and that is not something we’re looking forward to.
by The Editors on November 14, 2007
Pat Weber, the owner of the Carslbad-based San Diego Surfing Academy, decided to escape the fires last month by taking his girlfriend to Baja for a short surf trip at Cuatro Casas. Things only got worse once they got into Mexico, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.
Just after sundown Oct. 23, two men wearing military clothing and ski masks confronted the couple. Weber said he initially refused to come out of his motor home, but surrendered after the robbers fired a shot into the vehicle. “They made us get down on all fours – execution position – and put guns to our heads. . . The gunmen sexually assaulted his girlfriend before stealing $10,000 worth of computers, video cameras and other gear, he said.
Weber stopped in Ensenada and reported the robbery. Apparently, they weren’t the first to be robbed at Cuartro Casas. Click the link for the rest of the story on the downside of Baja surf trips.
[Link: San Diego Union Tribune]
by The Editors on October 11, 2007
On Saturday morning join Carlsbad’s next generation of surf stars as they battle it out (just fun, prizes, and cash money) at Ponto’s north jetty Saturday morning October 13, 2007. The event, sponsored by Jedidiah, SurfRide, and Cold Stone, is open to anyone under 18 including divisions for Groms under 12, 12-14, and 14-18, plus there will even be an airshow, longboard open, and an open girls division. Don’t be surprised if you feel a slight SoCal Christian earnestness blowing through the event. Registration begins at 6:30 AM. Click here for a registration form or call 760/518-7370 for even more info.
[Link: Grom Bomb Surf]
by The Editors on September 9, 2007
Carlsbad High School’s Austin Ganz gets profiled in the San Diego Union Tribune today. A member of the Carlsbad Lancer Surf Team Ganz is apparently a competition machine who wants to steal that State title back from San Dieguito Academy:
He will enter approximately 36 contests this winter season under sponsorships from No Fear, Walker Surfboards, K5, GFH Skateboards and WNC phones.. . . Ganz is pretty certain that the Lancers team will regain its spot as the No. 1 high school surf team in the nation; San Dieguito Academy recently nabbed that position.
We hope Ganz helps make that happen.
[Links: San Diego Union Tribune and Austin Surfing]
by The Editors on August 23, 2007
Bonnie Cha is a senior editor at CNET.com. On her blog Miss Direction she uses, then writes about GPS devices. This weekend (August 24-26) she is hitting the road and heading for Carlsbad with the TomTom Go 270 GPS as her co-pilot.
My friend Kristen just moved there with her fiance Mike, so I’m going to visit their new crib and hit the waves at Tamarack and Moonlight Beach (you’ve been warned San Diego surfers; steer clear of the girl with the yellow surfboard). I’m looking forward to paddling out in warmer waters, enjoying the sunshine, and good times with friends.
Bonnie says she’ll be blogging the whole trip. So if you’d like to see what a NorCal tech diva thinks of Carlsbad and surfing Tamarack check her blog out right here. We’ll keep you posted as well.
And Bonnie, if you read this, leave a comment and we’ll go out for a surf.
[Link: c|net.com]
by The Editors on August 15, 2007
Being fans of both Kem Nunn and Deadwood creator David Milch we awaited their new show John From Cincinnati with anticipation because it featured a beach town (like Carlsbad) and surfers (like us, sort of).
The HBO series centered around a troubled family of formerly famous surfers from Imperial Beach (some claim it was loosely based on San Clemente’s Fletcher family) who encounter a strange, seemly autistic man named John, who claims to be from Cincinnati. John has come to get the family “back in the game.”
When the show arrived Sunday nights on HBO we were intrigued. Rarely does a beach community, (or surfers in general) appear in the mainstream media with serious representation. As the weeks wound down to last Sunday’s finale, however, the show drifted so far in to the metaphysical realm of surf as metaphor for spirituality and marketing as religion that even the show’s writers seemed to get lost.
They won’t be lost any longer. HBO has announced that it is canceling John From Cincinnati. The ratings never picked up, and the fact was, the show was complex and confusing. “A spokeswoman for HBO declined to comment on the reasons for “John” ‘s cancellation.”
[Link: San Diego Union Tribune]
by The Editors on August 13, 2007
Carlsbad’s legendary surf photographer LeRoy Grannis celebrated his 90th birthday with 150 of his friends at the Oceanside Community Center Sunday August 13, 2007. And as one would imagine, along with his wife of 67 years Katie, and son John there were a lot of legends in the crowd as well.
Donald Takayama, a five-time U.S. surfing champion and renowned board designer, said he first met Grannis in his native Hawaii. “LeRoy took a picture of me when I was a little kid surfing without any clothes on in Hawaii,” Takayama said. “LeRoy’s been an inspiration to me. (He is) one of the great surfers of yesteryear.”
On glassy mornings we still look outside the lineup hoping to see LeRoy, on his knees with his white floppy brimmed hat paddling by, but he’s not surfing any longer. Happy Birthday, Mr. Grannis. We’ll keep watching for you anyway.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on July 29, 2007
Carlsbad was well represented at the 2007 US Open of Surfing in Hunting Beach, California this week. While former US Open women’s champion Julia Christian lost out in the round of 24, Cherry Street charger Kyla Langen made it to the round of 12 before getting knocked out of the event.
Luckily for Carlsbadistan we still have US Longboard Champion Taylor Jensen. He is set to compete in the longboard finals today at 1:45 PM. Check him on on the live video feed by clicking here.
[Link: San Diego Union Tribune]
by The Editors on July 9, 2007
Carlsbad’s newest action sports neighbor, Reef, has finally jumped on the green marketing bandwagon, er, no, scratch that. . . they’ve decided they’d like to “leave a smaller footprint on the Earth” according to a story in the San Diego Business Journal.
. . . the company plans to give back to the environment while introducing new eco-friendly products and emphasizing eco-friendly business practices. Marketing Vice President Kevin Flanagan said the business launched its three-tiered plan as part of its new campaign.
Go green. . .
[Link: San Diego Business Journal]
by The Editors on July 9, 2007
According to the North County Times State Lifeguards recused a woman surfer from the rocks on South Ponto Beach.
The incident was reported at 3 p.m., as the woman and a man she was surfing with were attempting to return to the south side of the shore, which required moving against the current, authorities said. A wave then crashed into the woman, knocking her into jagged rocks, state lifeguard supervisor Brian Ketterer said.
She reportedly had lacerations on about 70 percent of her body and was taken to Scripps Encinitas Hospital.
[Link: North County Times]
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