Word from Mattitude

James "Mattitude" Sowell has taken over the reins and has got into some waves with Phileas. As you will remember, he got in on the un-photographed session at Wiggums with Scott Reeder and Ken McKnight.

James didn't really feel the love on his first go out. Obviously he rode well, being one of the world's very best mat riders, but he described Phileas as feeling a bit full.  Second session sounds like they developed an understanding:

phileas and i had a good lets get acquainted session today .

took her out to north side hb  pier down at taco bell reef.
surf was a good combo swell with alot of windswell from the  north. breaking a good  2+ feet overhead in big  mushy tapered peaks that were connecting to the shorebreak.

it was  kind of big no channels  and my first thought were phileas i hope you like ducking !
i adjusted the air much lower then when i rode it at wiggums. ended up well  under 180 more like 200-210.  i could grab a big corner of the  mat while it was 180 and it still was not tight.my first wave was a big outside right  i pivoted a turn off the top and highlined it. the  mat took off like greased lightning.
as i came across the face i hit a  pretty big  chop while up on the rail. I braced myself for a big chop hop but to my surprise phileas sucked it up and absorbed the  chop  enough so i did not get thrown.
I had it at 180 at wiggums and  that was  way to much air all the negative feelings i had at wiggums disappeared at the lower inflation .
was able to make some connections that surprised me doing some dolphin kicks as i  was connecting to the shorebreak.

phileas was able to climb some  foam on a wave that was  sectioning on me  down the line  turned sharper then i have felt before on a mat .

it was not  as rail to rail feeling as  my last impression of it  with more  air it  just turned  fast and sharp. and best of all i  made a shorebreak tube with  so much authority. was not even expecting to make it  but had such a strong speed thrust as i entered  it  came busting out after about a 2 second tube totaly blew me away.
I am so stoked to have had a chance to ride her I Really connected to the magic today with the g-mat.

there might be a ride or  two on the 17th street cam today but i have not checked
i drifted through the cam  area between 9 and 10-45 am

stickneys gunna go crazy when he rides this  thing.

should be a beast on the  river waves

No pics then, and I have no idea how to check said cam!!! Jamo has had another sneaky go out since which looks like a great session:

James says:

phileas took a  boat ride today.   got a few nuggets   much more to come 

Judging by Matt Pierce's Facebook activity it looks like a matmeet could be on the cards.

Great stuff!

G