The Grace

Every year it's like a switch.

The air grows thin and cold.

The leave's turn.

The wind begins to turn.

Graceful giants come marching in from afar.

Time to ride.

The Mariner

Ed Pitta

This winter was a Time to reflect on the life I have led.

My grandpa passed on.

He was a huge reason for who I am and always will be.

He was the one who taught me to always respect my elders. He taught me to not be afraid of the ocean. Not to back down, how to throw the perfect jab, and much more.

Life is not fair and never will be.

I never got to see him that much in my years as an adult because he lived in California and I have lived most of my life in Oregon. When I was little we spent a lot of time together. On the fishing boat, out with friends and just hanging out. He was always a fair person and always gave everyone a fair chance to be a friend.

Grandpa served in the Navy 1940-1945. He was in the battle for Midway and was serving on the USS Yorktown when she was lost. He would never talk about "The War" when I was little. The scars and the missing body parts were all from "The War". Later in life he started talking about the war a little more openly. I would listen close and not miss a word he said. I can't even imagine the hell he had to live through as a young man in that war.

I thanked him for fighting for our country and being a great grandpa more than once.

I will miss him.

Tow

Big fast waves. Huge turns. Long down times.

It has been a crazy winter. Offshore winds and monster swell kept us on the ski a lot this winter. Sometimes we were looking at each other saying "you want it?" with pail wide eyed faces, not sure if it was such a good idea to pull into that wave. But then you get a couple big ones and you want more. I got a little to relaxed on the ski and broke a toe. It always seems in that when all is going to well something happens to ruin your day.

We are learning a lot about this sport. And there is a ton to learn. Every time we go out we learn something new about the ski, boards, gear, and each other.

It will be interesting to see the progression of tow in and step off surfing with ski's. I think just having the ski's and the gear open up a lot more breaks. The search for the empty line up and great waves can be found on the ski.

Glass Of Juice

So after watching a couple heats of the long board contest I took the wife and baby girl to the local beachfront eatery. It’s been a while since I have lived at the coast, and some of the feelings I had growing up on the Oregon coast had faded. We were a lower middle class family living in Gleneden Beach. My dad was a fisherman and my mom a nurse. We struggled to get by. With four kids and a tiny little house, my parents were working hard to keep our heads above water.

We hunted and fished for most of our food. We lived just on the other side of the fence from Salishan. The huge houses, and fancy cars. I worked at the gas station at Salishan all through high school so I got to see a lot of the local people come and go. It always seemed so crazy how much money people would spend on stupid things. All the little coast shops with fake seashells and saltwater taffy; shops we never went into.

So after a good four days of making breakfast for the family and eating cereal for breakfast I thought it would be nice to go out for a bite. I ordered a ham and cheese omelet. Well it was diced lunchmeat and cheese $9.95. So I was a little drawn back when I saw the bill. I paid five bucks for a glass of orange juice. “Are you shitting me?” I said to the wife. My mind has been going nuts since. Have I become the type person I despised as a kid, blowing stupid amounts of money on lame crap?

Or was I just ripped off?

Sad

At last an abrupt end to a ever saddening life. The power of fame is a cruel and heavy burden to carry. It seemed every time he would fade from the spot light he would come back even a little more messed up. I cant even think of a life so under the micro scope as his. Not ever being able to be a kid. Always working. Always trying to make someone else happy. No days of strolling to the beach with board under arm with my friends. Not having to think of anything else other than if we wound meet some tourist chicks. mowing lawns to buy some new summer toys. 

 To me it is a true representation or the anti life. never true, never lived.

Pulling My Chain?

I found this link on "kelly slater wave company" blog.

I watched the little promo on it and i cant tell if this a joke or not.

Watch it for your self. It seems kind of way out there. 

A cell phone that makes coffee?

And has a HD projector built in?

Someone likes 4:20 a little much.

http://www.pomegranatephone.com/

For The Love Of Money

This Picture Is a testament to all human kind. 

Richard Branson kitesurfing with a very naked Denni Parkinson on his back