Great Lake Surfers Unite - Beer Night Sucess

       

 A great night was had by all at the Steam Whistle Brewery last Thursday. Local surfers and friends hooked up to party, watch vids and not feel guilty for chatting exclusively about surfing and/or surf related issues. 

There were lots of good friends, familiar faces and new ones as well. VonZipper, Boardsports and Billabong hooked us up with some goods for silent auction and little sandwichs. James G. brought his custom built Five surfboards with him and showed off his newest long board creations, a raw carbon fiber deck and a deck with wood sandwiching a foam core, super fun light rides.

Everyone was very festive and many of us stayed until the staff were politely pushing us out the doors. 

Great success, can't wait for some surf to stir up and to see everyone in the water again. 

The room....

 slowly filling at Steam Whistle Brewery, surf movies rocking, food to the left and sweet auction deals to the right.

 

Five boards and their creator James....

high quality local Toronto boards. I've seen his boards make the transition from lake Ontario to Pacific ocean with out missing a beat. 

Robin  of the wahine crew....

representing the freshy girls.

The many faces of Marston Clarke.....

 who is a lovely guy for real.

Testing out the new Five carbonfiber longboard model....

way too much fun.

We love swag......

among many others I will not have to buy another bar of cold water wax for at least a few years/forever.

Team kills it....

spreading the love.

A brief flash of alumni nostelgia....

and the end of a great night.

sssssshhhhhh its a secret

Oh what a perfect day of tropical storms, shifting blankets of fog and surf. Biking around Toronto is magic for finding secret places. Rolling through sand, mud, pavement and puddles I had a feeling that I should have brought a surf board even though the forecast was practically yelling flat. 

The skies opened up. It took about ten minutes of wind, rain and rushing gutters before once dry feet were ankle deep in water.



The rain stopped as quickly as it started. We sat and watched micro waves crash perfectly into shore.



We ventured further to find out these micro waves had bigger rideable brothers crashing left and right around a small pier. I couldn't contain my joy at the sight. 

Before too long a lanky red haired man sauntered up to us to tell us his story. We learned of a party boat that had come and gone a few more kilometers past us. I couldn't help but assume that he was just as pumped on the surf and very excitedly pointed it out to him. He thanked us in between his constant and almost alarming fits of laughter. I worried our seclusion might fast become our enemy, but we soon parted ways and were left with the waves, the fog and a feeling of disbelief. 

YAY, fun times in the 7mm

Finally got to go out in the new suit. So happy. I was toasty warm all evening. Mind you my limbs were tired and sore from maneuvering it and getting the hood on seriously took me back to my birth, but by the end of the night it was feeling much more worked in than the beginning. 

Waist high waves, shining sun, and a three person line up who could ask for more. I didn't take any photos, my whole effort surrounded getting into my new suit and then taking advantage of it. 

Granted it wasn't the best of the best conditions but it was very fun, a new spot to me at Abay and some good people. There is something so great about being able to walk to the line up. 

Oh and did I mention Costa Rica is a mere nine days away!

Its January and we're surfing on Lake Ontario

I use the title term "we're" lightly. I spent maybe 45 minutes in the water this time. This was nothing compared to the time many of the others spent. I heard times of over 4 hours. My little 4:3 wetsuit with detached hood was just not sufficient gear to keep warm. The air temperature alone hovering around zero. I was awesome, may I repeat, SO awesome to see so many guys out in the water in January. The crowd peaking at 12 riders. 

There really is nothing like that first splash of cold water in your face, expect for maybe the second, third and forth. Just getting my body in motion and reaching the line up felt like an accomplishment. For me it was just a couple kinda, o.k., decent waves and I was done. I was super stoked to me in the water but I could feel my body going Walt Disney (you know frozen? bad joke? too soon?) way to quickly. 

Afterwards a water-cooler of hot water down the wetsuit was just the trick to bring my body, more urgently my hands back from the brink.

There is a crew out shredding Lake Ontario and the rest of the Great Lakes every possible day, I'm so proud but kinda jealous until I can get back out there to. The bottom-line is I was and am so happy every time I get out, the proper winter suit fund has been spent on a ticket to Costa Rica and spring is just around the corner.