Heading West.

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Word from Mark Rogers who has been kind enough to offer board and lodgings to Phileas over Christmas. Alas it seems the poor fella hasn't been too lucky:

Happy new year to you.  

I'm gearing up to send Phileas west to San Diego tomorrow, so that it can try its luck with the Pacific El Nino wave season.  

The surf variables looked iffy yesterday, but I pulled the trigger & left pre-dawn with a couple of inches of snow on the ground to see if I could scrounge up a few waves.  A lumpy, building windswell, super high tide, fog, and sideshore winds apparently had other plans.  I checked & re-checked several spots, but it just wasn't in the cards, and honestly the fog was so thick that I didn't even get a decent picture of Phileas out at the point. 

Sometime you win some, sometimes you lose, but I'm bummed that I didn't get any decent waves on Phileas during its New England leg this winter.   

Thanks so much for the opportunity to host Phileas for a while.

The next contact that you gave me is:
Ken McKnight 

That's right... The name is Ken McKnight. Phileas is heading out to the Wild West.

ain_t_that_just_plain_beautiful__by_wild_west_nightfury-d7axehx.jpg

I believe the modern surf parlance is to say that "I'm frothing" over the next leg of the journey.

Cheers

G

A Quick CT Scan

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News from New England as Phileas shacks up with Mark Roger in Connecticut. Mark has been pretty under the weather of late but has found his fitness at just the right time it would seem:

"I'm feeling good and eyeing the surf forecast like a hawk for some rideable swell.  Can't wait & really looking forward to getting Phileas in the water soon!  

Attached are some photos that I took this weekend of Phileas with my wave sliding quiver of surfshapes.  I've had a great time for the last couple of years exploring these alternative crafts here at home in New England, as well as on my international travels to more exotic (& warmer!) waves.  

Wave sliding quiver (clockwise from Phileas):

Phileas - Needs no introduction

4th Gear Flyer Surf Mat - From Paul Gross in CA.  Noticeable weight difference between this mat & Phileas (Phileas being lighter).

Paulownia Paipo Board - Handmade (by me!) under the watchful eye of master craftsman Jon Wegener & the Grain Surfboards crew in Maine this year

Bodysurfing Handplane - Handmade by Tyler, a great travel board.

Brownfish Bodysurfing Handplane - From Brownfish in SD County, CA.  I've had this thing for years & years.....if this board could talk.....

Hawaiian Paipo Designs - Paipo board from Paul Lindbergh.  I can't even begin to describe how fast these things go.  Plenty of exploring left to do with this bad boy.

Handboard Sport V Model - Solid wood handboard from Kailua, HI

Hooking up with the Grain Surfboards crew and working with Jon Wegener in his wooden Paipo building class this fall has to be one of the highlights of my year.  What an incredible group of folks to learn from and enjoy some Maine waves & hospitality.  

Anyway, I hope that you're having a good week on the other side of the pond.  I hope to have some surf photos of Phileas for you soon.  

Mark"

Needs no introduction...

All we need now is the North Atlantic to play ball then. She’s done alright so far this winter so I’m hopeful.

Cheers

G