Carlos
Burle, Maverick's Surf Contest, last Saturday.
Click
the image above for coverage on the event.
(photo
copyright T. Cozad)
______________________
Friday,
Feb 12th, 2010
Mav's
6
years ago I drove 8 hours in the rain to Half Moon Bay and then slept in my car
to shoot the Maverick's Surf Contest. I'm not sure why I did it. For the experience
I guess. There weren't many people at the event back then. And while floating
around on a boat in the channel, a guy next to me got a call from a new website
at the time called Surfline. They asked him for some video of the event, and when
they heard the guy next to him was shooting stills, they asked me for images...
That started my long association with them.
Over
the years I've looked forward to covering the Mav's event, and hanging with Surfline's
editor at his Ocean Beach home. And year after year the event has grown, to the
point where it's now pretty crazy.
Months
ago, due to a torn biceps, I gave away my Maverick's Contest shoot. And was glad
to learn that photog Frank Quarte was willing to shoot it for Surfline. Frank's
Maverick's premier photographer. Not only does he take great images of the place,
he knows everyone in the lineup personally, and they rely on him and his waverunner's
sled to help them out if they get into trouble. Frank's images of Maverick's are
simply the best.
With the Mav's waiting
period starting earlier this year, in November. Not in a million years would you
have thought it would've been held this late in the season. There must have been
a half dozen days that they could have held the event. But for whatever reason
they didn't, until now. Tomorrow the Maverick's Big Wave event is set to go.
Biggem
Surf....
____________
Thursday,
Feb 10th, 2010
The
waters of Newport...
(Photo by Trent
Friedmann)
_____________
Wed.
Feb. 9th, 2010
Last Saturday, with windy
conditions and stormy seas, Newport's Greg Gladstone's Memorial was held on the
beach, with Greg's good friend Jim Smiley leading the service. As the group was
gathering on the beach, the Harbor Patrol boat, piloted by Orange County Sheriff
Jim Slikker, arrived offshore and saluted Greg with a giant fountain of water
billowing towards the sky. This was the same vessel and crew that pulled Greg
out of the water the day he was found floating unconscious.
For
more on Greg and the memorial, click the image below...
Saturday,
February 6th, 2010
____________
Mr.
Mike Marshall
Legendary shaper
and Newport's premier surf historian, Mike Marshall, suffered a stroke, secondary
to Acute Leukemia last Monday. Sadly Mike took his last breath early Saturday
evening at his home, surrounded by his family.
The
impact that Mike had on the surfing and shaping world was enormous and will be
well written and talked about in the weeks, months and years ahead.
Click
the image below for more images of Mike. Word is a paddleout memorial will be
held towards the end of winter, when the weather subsides.
Mike
Marshall, Jeff Parker and Skip Snead...
Mike
Pells, Dick McCoy, Mike Marshall and Randy Johnson
Wherever
he went, Mike was always amongst friends...
___________________
Friday,
Feb. 5th, 2010
Michael
Spence
Michael Spence,
who many may recognize as the surfing Santa, unexpectedly passed away Wednesday
evening, after returning home from spinal surgery.
Michael
Spence.. Always a happy Santa...
_________
Thursday,
Feb. 4th, 2010
Bigger
and Better
Paddle Surf Warehouse,
a one stop shop for everything paddleboard, has moved. Now located directly across
the street from Trader Joe's on 17th St., the shop is bigger and better than ever.
Stop by and check the place out.
Stocked
and ready to serve....
__________________
__________
Monday, Feb. 1st, 2010
Near
and...
Far...
It
was all good, with the extreme high tides last weekend in Newport.
_________________
Friday, Jan. 29th, 2010
After
2 shoulder surgeries over the past 4 months, I was finally told that while I still
can't do much, I can start some light swimming. So yesterday I did some light
swimming, with a camera waterhousing in the other arm.
Eric
V. laying it on edge. Yesterday, in Newport.
Check
back for more attempts at water images in the weeks ahead, because sitting on
the beach waiting to heal, sucks.
___________
Wed.,
Jan., 27th, 2009
NHHS's
Max C., with an audiance. Last weekend...
NewportSurfShots.com's
images from last weekend went to an internet site and some publications, and a
few will end up here. A ton of great photos can be found at
Lugo's Shorescrew.com and photog Jeff
Picasa's album.
Tuesday, Jan.
26, 2010
Click the image below to see what
the swell of the year, so far, did up and down the Pacific Coast last weekend.
Before
the Circus arrived.
Last Saturday,
Jan 23rd, 2010, 7:40 am
____________________
Monday,
Jan. 25th, 2010
It started out like a typical
morning of fun surf in Newport. Head high groomed runners with a camera or two
quietly shooting from the beach, and a few of the local crew on it. It quickly
however turned into solid overhead reeling bombs, and a media circus that included
nearly a dozen video and still cameras. Plus WCT surfers Jordy Smith and Brett
Simpson, as well as a slew of other WQS and local rippers. And it unfortunately
included a facial laceration to Newport's Scott "Spides" Madison, as
well as the sad death of Greg Gladstone, a local surfer.
Newport's
not used to being in the spotlight in the winter. Nobody cares about it. And that's
a good thing. But blame it on cell phones, texting, twitter or wave models, a
quiet stretch of sand in the area turned into ground zero Saturday for one of
the largest winter swells in years.
. 
Saturday,
Jan 23rd. It does not get better.
____________
Sunday,
Jan. 24th, 2010
Greg Gladstone
Yesterday 38 year old local surfer Greg Gladstone died while surfing Newport.
A longtime resident of the area, Greg leaves behind a wife, a 6 year old daughter,
and a son less than one year old.
RIP
Greg
___________
Friday,
Jan 22nd, 2009
What
do you get when you borrow an outrigger, put 5 of your outrigging friends, without
life vests, in it. And then paddle the outrigger out of the Newport harbor entrance
into 50 mph onshores winds, for fun?
You
get a ride back to the harbor in the harbor patrol boat, without the outrigger.
Yesterday.
______________
Thursday,
Jan, 21st, 2010
For Sale
Like
new Toshiba computer monitor. Graced with a rugged and stylish look. It has a
high resolution Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), contains water tight construction,
and it floats extremely well.
Cash
only please..
______________________
Wed.
Jan. 20th, 2010
Jordy
Smith, contemplates where to go... Yesterday.
______________________
Tuesday,
Jan. 18th, 2010
Harbor
closeout
Big,
cold, bumpy, unsurfable, and under the watchful eye of the Harbor Patrol...
Yesterday
___________________
Jan.
17th, 2010
3 large storms, with 5 plus days
of forecasted rain, of up to 20 inches...
Storm
Watch 2010 has arrived...
____________
Friday,
Jan. 15th, 2009
Click the image below for
a big swell preview...
Alex
Gray negotiating the boil and
"Twiggy"
negotiating the kelp and barrel. Wednesday
Photos
Copyright Tom Cozad 2010
_____________
____________________
Thursday, Jan . 7, 2010
Whoop,
Whoop, Whoop....
A long trail @ Blacks
Last month, as the "Biggest
swell in 40 years" had just hit Hawaii, and was fast
approaching the California coast, surf photogs were scrambling
to get in position. Being about a week out of shoulder surgery
I was regulated to staying at home and missing out on the
swell. But I eventually succumbed to all the hype, and against
some people's advice, started planning.
Todos was graciously offered as
an option. But bouncing around in an arm sling during the
crossing out to the island would be rough. And I didn't want
to blow my fresh shoulder repair apart, again. So I passed.
A second option was a heli mission.
Heli missions are without a doubt one of the most interesting
things to put together. Pin pointing a 2 hour window of time
when a couple hundred miles of coastline will have both good
surfing and shooting conditions, and committing to that window
of time days before, is difficult.
Last months heli shoot was no different,
I asked for a mid day shoot to coincide with the swell's arrival.
Plus, a legendary surf photographer from Hawaii once told
me mid day aerial shoots look really cool with the sun shining
on the water. So I figured we score.
Days leading up to a heli mission,
emails and texts always come flying in from forecasters willing
to respond to my dumb questions. The morning of missions however,
everything goes silent. People consulted for these missions
undoubtedly feel they've done all they can, and want no part
in the final decision to put a gas guzzling million dollar
piece of machinery up into the air.
Anyway, we went. And while some
good aerial images were taken, the hit or miss swell, as well
as the glare off the water, wrecked havoc on much of the shoot.
Mid day sun on the water might look great in Hawaii, but we
found it doesn't in California.
Click the image above to check out
a slideshow of some Southern California aerial images...
____________________
Tuesday, Jan 5th, 2010
Dawn... Yesterday
morning
______
Jan. 3rd,
2010
Kaleigh Gilchrist ends her Christmas
school break with one last snap...
Yesterday
in Newport
_____________
New
Years Day, 2010
Predictions
for 2010? With El Nino in full effect, Mother Nature will
continue to deliver...
(Photo copyright Cozad 2009)
Wave good-bye to the surf
of 2009...
Tuesday,
Jan 12th, 2010
There's
not many people that are as relaxed on the nose of their board... Grant, yesterday
morning in Newport
_______________
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