The Daily HotShot

Friday, May 17, 2013

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So you think you're a good surf photographer? Ha!Guess again!

Click the photo below...

Another perfect tack sharp photo... From NewportSurfShots.com

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Back in the day what is now City Hall on 32nd St. used to be the police station. I know because at 14 years old I got thrown into a cell there with my wetsuit for not getting out of the water at Blackball. Anyway the building was later taken over by Newport's City government when the police station on Jamboree Blvd was built. Recently Newport completed it's new City Hall located near Fashion Island. And nobody is quite sure exactly what the land the old City Hall on 32nd St will be used for. This week the Newport Police Department has been using the building for tactical training purposes. So if you're driving by, and see Police and SWAT storming the old City Hall building, don't panic...

Newport's new parking meter enforcement team?? Yesterday outside the old City Hall..

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This is what the beach looks like when a big set comes in at Wedge...

Photo by HB surf photog Daniel L Patten

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It's out now...

Ghetto Juice #20 is now at your favorite surf shop!

Lost's Joe Alani & Arnette's "Bean-Dip", stoked on the juice... In Newport.

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Nobody does it like the Volcom Crew does, nobody!

Saturday @ the Volcom World Championships

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A Swell means one thing... A Surfline swell Feature.

Click the foto below.

The comedy duo of Chad & Brophy, excited about the feature.

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"Ah, honey, the money we've been saving to buy new furniture soon, may have to go elsewhere"... Last week, in Newport.

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Dale Kobetich is at it again! Again Really?? First time around he created a remote control heli. Then he put a camera on it. Then he put 2 cameras on it. And this time around... he's put a couple small spot lights on the heli to light the ground up with.

Not many people can get me up after just 3 1/2 hours sleep. But when Dale says grab your camera and be on the beach at 5:00am, you don't ask questions, you show up so you can see what he's up to now.

Dale preparing his lit up heli and then...

a UFO is spotted hovering over the Wedge. Last Friday @ Sunrise...

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If you weren't in town to see the surf in Newport in all its splendor yesterday, Thursday... You didn't miss much. Yeah there was swell. But it was lully, drained out and had a good amount of NW wind on pretty early.

Why is it the forecasted and hyped Good surf days end up being just Fair. And the forecasted Fair surf days that nobody gets excited about often end up being really good? Weird...

Newport below the lip and

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Yesterday was May 1st, and that day sucks in Newport every year! The boogie jetty, that always appears to have the best damn surf in Newport when sitting off the 44th st jetty, is no closed for the season. And The Wedge is now Blackballed from 10am - 5pm to boogie boarders and surfers..

There's swell today, go surf...

Photo copyright cozad

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This is a Doctor from Carlsbad that showed up late one afternoon after a big storm out at Todos. There wasn't anyone else out there but our small group towing, and Parsons and Greg Long paddling. The doctor wanted to tow for his first time, but everyone's tow boards were set up for Regular Foots, and he was Goofy. He had never had a photo of himself surfing, and really really wanted one, so he decided to strap in and try and catch a little wave and try and ride swtichfoot. Somehow though he got whipped into this beast and rode it all the way to the inside. And he got a pretty good photo out of it. In fact he was so excited about it, that he somehow got it run on the front page of his home town's magazine. Really nice guy, but never saw him again out there.

(photo copyright cozad)

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Newport Elementary's Trent C. has got this surfboard riding thing all backwards. Last weekend

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All types of families enjoy being in the water together on the weekends... Yesterday, Sunday, at Bolsa Chica Wetlands.

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People you should know...

Calvin Saxton

For a 14 year old grom, you don't get much more talented than this kid. He goes by the name of "Kid Creature". But friends and neighbors know him as Calvin, Calvin Saxton. Calvin has a gift. An extremely creative mind that produces exceptional art which rivals those twice his age. And if his art isn't impressive enough, he also shapes his own boards, plays the piano, and has a line of t-shirts through Volcom... All that and he surfs, a lot! Calvin is a surf stoked grom that can be found on anything from a tiny ripple to a bombing swell everyday around the Lower Jetties area, where he lives. So keep your eyes on this kid! His creative mind, his artistic talent, and his polite demeanor is going to take him amazing places in life... NewportSurfShots.com will definitely keep you posted.

Calvin scoring perfect Pavones, Last week in Costa Rica...

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One salt water enema, coming right up... Yesterday

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The Newport Surf Photog Onslaught

There's about to be an onslaught of surf photographers crawling all over Newport. You can feel it coming. It's been about 5 years since the last photog invasion, so it's about time, I guess. Caught You Ripping is one great new surf photo website that has recently launched locally, And I've consulted on another.

NewportSurfShots.com however isn't in the business of selling photos! Gave up on it years ago. This site's just here to present info that might on occasion be of importance to the Newport surf community. But on a larger visual and editorial scale than Facebook or Instagram offers. At times over the past decade this site has tried to support itself by selling images. But found it impossible. The 3 main reasons. One, within 6 months the surf photos will have saturated the market. Two, people will steal the photos off the internet. And three, the margin of profit per photo is extremely small and editing and uploading them takes too much time.

What NewportSurfShots.com would like to present however is 5 things that it's learned to live by when shooting Newport. Yes there's more, but these are the primarily ones new photogs should try and follow, when they can...

1. Wedge: Unless it's a big swell event. Don't post photos of the Wedge the same day they are taken.

2. School Yards: When shooting "School Yards" don't name it. And never show the playground in the foreground of the image.

3. River Jetties: You say you got an insane shot of River Jetties! No you didn't, it was taken somewhere else!

4. The Point: It should really only be featured when everyone shows up for big Souths. Don't ruin the place for the crew that checks the fickle place everyday.

5. The Newport Channel: Don't ever, ever release photos of the Channel during a big winter swell! Ever!

As far as The North Harbor entrance to El Mo, it's no man's land. The area takes care of itself. Shoot at your own risk.

NewportSurfShots.com would like to wish all the photogs about to desend on Newport this summer the best of luck. Happy shooting...

Go get em...

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Where else can you get a boob job, a butt lift, and see a juggling act while driving home, all in the same day? Saturday afternoon, Baja.

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Not real hollow, but real fun none the less. Yesterday, Thursday, in Baja.

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Wed. April 17th

Newport's Summer C., Kate G., & Spain's Marta T. above. And Newport's Levi Prarie below. Tuesday in Baja...

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The NewportSurfShots.com cameras have gone to Baja for the week.

Check back for the lame photos you've come to expect when the cameras leave Newport. -

Newport's Mona Webster, always surrounded by friends. Friday in Newport.

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Local surfers Clay Crandal and Cameron Faris, among others, had quite an interesting trip to Baja last week. Read their story below, one of the best written about a run in with the Police while in Baja.

And click one of the photos below to see a great short video of their trip.

Story and video by Gage Fisher.

“Amigo! Amigo!” we hear a Mexican vendor yell as we sit in the borderline. He runs up to the window of Clays Suburban. “No gracias,” says Clay, thinking the man is just trying to sell him another porcelain turtle. “No, no. Your amigos...policia! policia!,” the man yells as he tries to find the words in English. He’s pointing to the back of the borderline. The three of us in the car look at each other in confusion. The Mexican is still gesturing at us to look. Sitting shotgun, I stick my head out the window and see a white and green Federale truck parked on the side of the road, it’s blue lights flashing indicating some disturbance of Mexican law. There are two policemen handling the situation and they proceed to load someone into the bed of the truck. To my surprise, instead of seeing brown skin and dark hair, I see a gringo. “Holy shit! Dude! They have Jachin!” I yell as Clay and Cameron turn to look. Our luck had finally run out.

I’m not gonna say it was sheer ignorance that got us into trouble on this trip, but we had definitely started to get a little too comfortable down there. After all, we certainly have some experience going south of the border, and though we’re a young group of 18, 19 and 20 year olds, we’ve been doing these missions since we were little. Travel wise, Mexico has a terrible reputation but when you start going south of the border as consistently as we do, and nothing goes wrong, you definitely start to develop a level of comfort down there. Anyhow, this trip was to be like any other and the goal was simple: surf, eat, sleep and come home with footage to show for it. What could go wrong?

?In a couple of trips prior, we had stumbled upon a couple of new waves, which just happened to be pristine locations to pitch a tent and camp it out. We’d surf all-day and camp at night, while I documented the whole thing on camera. Our days under the Mexican sun had consisted of nothing more than surfing, siestas, and cervezas. The sun was hot and vibrant each day and the southern combo swell had blessed us with perfect surf each day. After three days of the dream-life it was time to pack up camp and return to reality. I had gotten a solid amount of footage and the boys were all psyched on how hard we had just scored. Salty, smelly and sun burnt, the six of us piled into the two cars; Christian and Jachin in one car, and Clay, Cameron, Gianni and myself in the other. It was a Sunday and we were expecting the borderline to be hell but to our surprise, the line wasn’t nearly as long as we thought. We’d be across the border in an hour max.

We were sitting in the borderline no more than 10 minutes when Jachin jumps out of Christian’s truck to go piss. Gianni decided to tag along. Neither Clay, Cameron, nor I thought twice about it, like, “whatever, go piss in a bush and come back.” No big deal. I started feeling pretty hungry by then. “Where’s the tamale lady? I’m totally gonna buy a tamale,” I say to no one in particular as I watch the countless food vendors pass by. A young Mexican man walks up to Clays window, “Hey man, you wanta turtle,” he says in a hard vato type accent as he holds up a green and gold porcelain turtle. “No gracias,” responds Clay as he rolls up his window leaving it cracked at the top. I notice poor old ladies and teen moms holding up their Styrofoam cups for any leftover change. I watch 4 and 5-year-old kids standing on each other’s shoulders, juggling their beanbags for any spare pesos we may have. There are beggars and merchants of all sorts and all I can do is watch their sad faces roll by my window and out of sight. It had been about five minutes since Gianni and Jachin had left. That’s when the young, poor Mexican man from the beginning of this tale ran up to Clays window, the language barrier making it a struggle to understand what he was saying. I looked back and saw Jachin and Gianni standing in the bed of the police truck. The two cops got in the truck started speeding towards the front of the line. With my phone dead, I grabbed Clays and took a snapshot of the two handcuffed to each other in the bed of the truck with the rest of the criminals. As they passed by, both of them were screaming “Help! Do something! Help!” Though it was a serious situation, Clay, Cameron, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that the two goofballs of our group had gotten arrested for pissing in public. The truck pulled over about 50 yards ahead of us. “Oh shit, what should we do?” says Cameron half giggling, half serious. “Fuck, I don’t know, go run over there! Bring some money!” says Clay frantically as we crawl closer and closer to the truck. Cameron, shirtless and barefooted, jumps out of the car and runs over to the police truck to try and bribe the cops to let our friends go. While Cam is dealing with the cops, I pull out the camera and start recording the situation while Clay talks to Christian on the phone, who is behind us in his truck, now alone, letting him know what’s going down. We’re now side by side with the police truck, watching the boys plea for freedom while Cam continues his efforts to pay the cops off. I’m still recording when I see a dark-colored SUV pass by on the opposite side of the police truck. As it passes, the skin-headed Mexican driver rolls down his window and yells “Take them to fuckin’ prison!” Then, one of the policemen points at me after noticing the camera and shouts at me to stop. That’s where the video ends.

At this point, the line had kept moving and the truck was now out of sight. Cameron runs back to the suburban with an uncomforting look and asks, “Where are Gianni’s shoes?” “Why,” Clay responds. “Dude, they’re taking them to jail.”

So there we were, Cameron, Clay and I trapped in a hot mess of cars and people in the borderline, with no idea where the Federales were taking our friends. Clay instantly calls his dad, Corky, who has years of Baja experience under his belt for assistance. Cameron does the same. With their parents unable to offer much support, we began asking all the people working at the border if they knew where the Tijuana jail was. One guy knew exactly where it was, but with a look of dread said “Oh shit mang, they don wanna be there. You guys better hurry.” Then Cameron’s phone rings. It’s Gianni. “Gianni, where are you guys!” says Cam. “Dude, we’re at the Tijuana Jail, but you guys gotta hurry. They say they’re gonna transport us to the Tijuana prison if you guys don’t get here quick enough,” responds Gianni in a sickening tone. “Alright, we’ll be there soon. Just stall them,” and with that the clock was ticking.

Our simple, carefree surf trip had now turned into a full-blown rescue mission. We decided it would be best to take Christians truck back over the border since Clays suburban was towing the trailer and ski. We piled into Christians truck, leaving the suburban and the ski at a friends house in San Diego. After a quick stop by Chevron to use the ATM, Operation: Save Jachin and Gianni was a go. Cameron and I had pulled out $400 each, because we had no clue how much it would cost to bail them out, if we even could. After all, in Mexico you’re guilty until you’re proven innocent or until you pay the fine. From what Gianni had told us, it looked like we were going to have to talk to the judge to negotiate their release by means of a cash transaction. With over $1000 in bail money at the ready, we crossed back into the Mexican madness.

After zigzagging through the streets of Tijuana, we finally found the jail where the Mexican merchant had said it was--right off the Tijuana/Rosarita 1 highway. It was a sketchy little building surrounded by police cruisers, cops and a collection of random civilians. It was decided that Clay and Cameron would deal with the judge while Christian and I stayed in the car. They walked into the building and ten minutes later returned with info from inside. “Did you guys see them in there?” I ask. “Oh, they’re in there alright. It’s like a movie in there, with all the criminals crammed in a jail cell; arms hanging out and what not,” says Cameron. “Smells like shit too,” adds Clay. We later learned that most of the people in the cell with Gianni and Jachin were crack-heads, conmen, or drug-runners. It would be at least an hour before Clay and Cam would even see the judge. Christian and I, still waiting outside, survey truckload after truckload of criminals being brought to the jail. After about an hour of waiting and watching the chaos of the jailhouse, we see Clay and Cameron come walking through the entry way of the building, smiles ear to ear, followed by Jachin and Gianni. Mission success. All four sprint over to the truck and pile in. “Thank God, lets get the fuck outta here,” says Jachin in a sigh of relief as he climbs in the cab. “How much did you have to pay,” Christian asks. “970 pesos. Only eighty dollars,” shouts clay. With everyone in the truck, they both instantly start describing the tiny Tijuana Jail cell:

Jachin: We walked into the jailhouse and the first thing I saw was, what I believed to be, a Mexican prostitute. Handcuffed to a jail cell she screams stuff like ‘You know you want this chico!’ to a man in another cell across from her. Getting a glimpse of my pale skin, she demanded my name. I did by best to keep my distance and act like I didn’t hear her. Then she started freaking out, and started banging her handcuffs on the bars of the cell. I watched a guard come up to her cell and literally roundhouse the cell bars.

Gianni: We marched into our already overpopulated cell in a single file line. The first thing I thought when I walked in there was ‘Thank God I’m not stoned.’ Each person in there had this weird, hungry look in their eye as they watched Jachin and I enter, almost like they wanted to rape us or something. It reeked of straight shit and piss. That’s when I noticed that same shit and piss was smeared on the floor and walls. It was almost unbearable. They locked the door behind us and me and Jachin made a pact that we would have each other’s back if anything went down.

Jachin: On the way there, we sat squished between fifteen criminals in the back of a white pick up truck. I felt so out of place. Every pair of eyes was transfixed upon us, as we made our way through the dense crowd of the market place. There was this one crack head, who was being pretty cool, and was saying, “don’t trip dudes, it will be alright.” When he said we might have to stay overnight, Gianni and I really started trippin’ out though. That same guy ended up having a mix between a seizure and an asthma attack once we were locked up, so the guards gave him a cigarette, which somehow helped him. Then he just passed out.

Gianni: There was another guy punching the wall over and over again like a machine in the corner of our little cage. He just kept hitting it, left-right left-right left-right. Another drug addict, with a white beard lied down in the corner of the jail cell. He would randomly start laughing at nothing and he kept smiling at Jachin and I. That’s when I noticed his hand was in his pants, and it was apparent that he was viciously rubbing himself off.

Jachin: Minutes before we were released, the guys in our cell showed their excitement for our liberation, in the forms of broken English and hand shakes. One little guy told me that we all learn from these experiences, and gave me God’s blessing. As they unlocked the cell door, I realized I had forged a bond with my newfound Mexican friends, and dreamed of being able to pay their bail along with mine. We were taken thirty feet away, were Cam and Clay awaited us in a small room. The judge accompanied them; an average looking man in civilian’s clothing, who sat behind a desk. He confirmed our misdemeanor of urinating in public and pointed to a piece of laminated paper hanging on the wall, which read our fine. We handed over the eighty bucks and with that we were free.

As we continue talking about what just happened, we make our way back into the borderline where it all started. Jachin and Gianni were even able to point out the same cops that caught them. “Fuck those guys,” says Jachin as we pass by them.

This trip was definitely an eye opener. We had developed a level of confidence south of the border, and had started taking our safety for granted. We were well overdue for something to go wrong. Looking back, I’m glad it was a run in with the law rather than a confrontation with the cartel. We finally pulled up to the window and showed the border patrol officer our passports. He waved us through, and we escaped the Mexican madness. Thank God.

 

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Another shot from a really tall ladder? Newport, from Above....

(Copyright Cozad)

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Without a doubt yesterday, Monday, morning between 7:30 - 8:30 saw some of the strongest gusts of NW winds in town over the past year. By a long shot. And while the ocean was a mess... Solid windswell and better conditions will hopefully be right behind it...

Yesterday in Newport

Photo by Robert Stubby Tierney.

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NHHS Surf Classic went down last weekend in solid combo swell surf.

Click here for local surf photogs Dave Mannings images of the event.

Congrats to the winners!

(Photos by Dave Manning)

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He surfs everywhere from River Jetties to spots in Baja that you probably shouldn't talk about. And surfs them all really well!

Alex Freyre. In Newport, at a place that you probably shouldn't talk about.

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Four local Newport surfers have reported contacting severe ear, nose or throat infections from surfing the shitpipe near 61st over the past week. And now the city of Newport in a move to derail any potential lawsuits from allowing the shit pipe to spew harmful bacteria into the local waters has halted their dredging project. Also as of late yesterday, and for the next 72 hours, the city has closed the water from 61st north to River Jetties. And from 61St. south to the 39th St jetty. A few signs were posted on the beach and lifeguard towers yesterday afternoon, and this morning the lifeguard surf report is reporting they will closely be patrolling the area. Those that were against this dredging project from the start knew this was bound to happen...

City sign posted yesterday afternoon at 45th St.

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Local Newport surfer Ryan Price can usually be found surfing the streets north of 56th st most days. During the recent run of combo swells Ryan has been surfing next to the dredge pipe, that is spewing sludge from the Newport Shores canal. Ryan now reports that he has come down with a severe ear infection. After seeing his physician yesterday he was prescribed an antibiotic (to battle the bacteria) and a steroid (to reduce the painful inflammation that the bacteria is causing). If you or friends come down with similar infections from surfing near the shitpipe, please send over an email...

Good Newport, minus the bacteria. Last weekend, south of the "Sludge Bar".

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Sunday was Funday. In Newport.

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Seals seem to be everywhere in town lately. On the jetties, in the surf, in the Bay. Researchers aren't exactly sure why a larger than normal percentage of the seal population are being found sick along our coast. But for you, the local surfer, know that seals are a California protected species. And it is against the law to touch or hinder their movement in any way.

Sunday this little guy was posted on the 52nd st jetty. He was cut about his face, and on the back of the head. The Seal Rescue organization in Laguna Canyon called the Pacific Marine Mammal Center was contacted, and they said they were full. If you have kids, it is a great place to take them to learn about these pretty cool creatures.... When Monday morning dawned, this little guy was gone.

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Spring is in the air in Newport when...

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Lots of bathing suits show up on the beach...

Lots of combo swell boosting goes on... And

lots of photogs show up to capture it all... Last weekend in Newport.

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Negotiating obstacles. @ 56th.

(Photo Copyright T. Cozad)

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Flash Back Thursday. Or whatever you want to call it...

Matt Doheny (Andrew's big brother), Sept. 2004. In Newport.

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Newport Shore's residences were told last week at their association meeting that the West Newport Dredging Project was coming to a halt before the project was done. The Army Corps cited that it was soon to be nesting season for the California Lest Tern, an endangered bird, they say, the dredging project is trying to protect. It is now being reported however, that the city has decided to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to continue with the dredge project until March 31st. What does that mean to you, the local Newport surfer? You get to enjoy 2 more weeks of sludge being dumped off your coast!

Click the photo if you'd like to read Laylan Connelly's story about the project extension...

The 5 Million dollar bird. The California Lest Tern....

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Combo season is right around the corner... In Newport

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"Thanks for that"In Newport.

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Today Newport Elementary starts their online charity auction. Local restaurant's, bars, businesses and services are on offer. Click the photo below and check out the goods. And help Newport's local elementary school out.

Pure Glass's Jim C. went all out again this year for Newport Elementary. He built a board for his daughter's classroom, and a board for the school's live auction to raise money for the Newport school.

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In case you forgot...

Pure Glass, Newport's one stop board shop.... Yesterday in Newport.

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Newport Locals

A few of the Tribe. Saturday in Newport...

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Last weekend NHHS placed 3rd in the California State Surfing Championships held in H.B., behind San Clemente and Edison H.S. respectively. And Newport's Colin Moran captured the Men's State Championship Title.

12 year old Colin M, Newport 2006.

(Photo copyright Cozad)

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The story in Newport last weekend was the windswell. Most windswells that filter into town peak in the dark of the night and are on a severe decline through the early morning hours. Saturday's windswell instead peaked around dawn, 8ft @ 8 seconds, which makes for solid mixed up surf in the areas north and south of Newport's underwater canyon. If you got some you were stoked. If you didn't, you missed a really fun paddle...

Newport's Justin Anthony. Saturday in Newport.

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I get offered to do projects. Most of which I turn down, because family time is what's important to me right now. One project I do hope to complete one day in the future however is a book on California piers. I have heli images of every pier from Point Conception to San Diego Harbor. And there's been a long standing offer to do a book with the photos, along with a write up on the history of each pier. Maybe one day... but for now the images just sit idol on a hard drive, or occasionally get thrown up here.

Guess the pier?

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Nicolai G. carving through the first round of SW swells this season. Friday in Newport.

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He's back! At least back in the state. And the next groom macking swell, he's coming to Newport...

Check out former preimeir surf movie maker Norwell's lastest creation of a recent swell in California.

Turn up your speakers and click the photo below!

Photo by Cozad 2012. Video by Norwell 2013

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A week ago Sunday an 82 year old man was found dead around 2:30 in the afternoon near the rocks at 40th st. Early yesterday morning a woman in her 20's was found dead near the water's edge of 71st St. Autopies are pending on both.

Friday, along the beaches of Newport.

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One of the stories last weekend in town was the surf. Combo swell, plus pristine conditions, equals good surf. I didn't shoot, but everyone else did! Without a doubt the photos will be flying all over Facebook, and Surfline.

The other story last weekend was the Arnette contest at Blackies. Yea, word was it was small. But Blackies is contestable when it's small, really. The Pro/Am was won by Cory Arrambide from Ventura. The 16 and under boys was won by Griffin Foy.

Tyler Gunter is coming off an ACL injury that occurred during this Hawaii winter. He's been out of the water rehabbing for the past 1 1/2 months, and is currently surfing in a knee brace. Having just got the ok to go back in the water, Sunday he surfed in the Arnette, and brought home a 3rd place finish in the Boys under 16.

Tyler, looking fit. Friday, in Newport.

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The Southern Hemisphere is starting to come back to life...

D. Shea getting ready for combo season... Yesterday in Newport.

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How did NHHS pull off a trip to Nicaragua last week? And did they score?

Click the photo below and find out.

NHHS's Kate G, in action..

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Innovative, creative, out side the box ingenuity! The thing is a really cool idea! But with all due respect. Why?

Packing it in. In Newport.

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Jeff Malanca is one of the local guys in Newport that's on it everyday. Small, large, stormy, glassy, perfect or complete and utter crap. Jeff is in tune on what the swell, wind and tide are doing, where the best place is to paddleout, and what the crowd is like at most every spot in the area. He's also one of the nicest guys you could ever surf with. Those in the know have him on their speed dial, and just hope he's not already in the water when they call him for a complete and accurate surf report in the morning.

Well, lucky for everyone else. "Surf Junky Jeff" is on the air waves, and is giving detailed surf reports to the masses. Check him out! He can be heard now on 98.7 FM radio Monday through Friday mornings!

This was undoubtedly the best place to be on this particular day. Jeff, In Newport.

Photo by Rick Chatillon

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Newport River surf grom Zach Granoff awaits the sunrise and his morning surf, and...

Newport surf grom Barron Banta reflects on his full day of surf at sunset... Yesterday in Costa Rica

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Saw a few familiar Newport faces...

NHHS surf team on their way to Nica. late Sunday night @ LAX

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"Ski Week" starts tomorrow for the local schools kids. And instead of them heading off to the snow. A lot of them usually head off to warm water. NHHS surf team students are off to Nicaragua. The NewportSurfShots.com camera is going to Costa Rica. So check back here next week for a few of the out of focus images you've come to expect from the Daily Hotshot.

Newport artist Mike Frank, with a picture of what NHHS students can expect to find in Nicaragua...

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Don't Forget!!!

It's Valentine's Day

Love is in the air... In Newport.

 

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What it should be called

The Shores Channel & Banning Ranch's Mud Disposal Beautification Project

Because it's doubtful that someone initiated a 5 million dollar project just for the birds.

Today the City of Newport's "Sand Replenishment" project is about to begin. And while the sediment that they are dumping offshore just north of the 56th jetty can potentially be unhealthily, within the Newport surf community there does not seem to be much of an outcry. Sand means a sandbar, right? Although with only 20,000 cubic yards of it being dumped, which isn't a lot, don't get your hopes too high.

Either way the crap coming out of the pipe is going to be highly questionable to say the least. And as a health care provider for over 25 years, I'd recommend not surfing the area as the pipe is actively spewing the marsh sediment. And if you do, shower afterward. Get to your doctor if you experience sinus, ear or urinary tract infection, or have nausea and vomiting. And most important. Clean all your open cuts with hydrogen peroxide after your surf. Necrotizing Fasciitis (flesh eating bacteria) can be found anywhere there are a mixture of unique pathogens.

Click the photo below for Laylan Connelly's excellent O.C. Register article on the Dumping Project.

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Da Pipeline... comes to Newport

 

The City of Newport Beach's Sand Replenishment project.

February 2013

The City of Newport Beach is about to undertake what they are calling a Sand Replenishment Project, again. But to be honest what they actually appear to be doing is clearing the area around the Newport Shores channel, which the resident there have rightly been asking the city to do for some time. And then trucking the contaminated sediment to a landfill in Orange. And dumping the rest of the sludge, or that which they deem suitable for human contact, 1000 feet offshore at 60th St. Don't get too excited however. They aren't pumping a lot of "sand" offshore. They are pumping it for less than a week. So in no way will there be the sandbar we got at River Jetties in the summer of 1992 from that sand project.

We've dealt with projects like this in the past in Newport. Going so far as to having to hire an environmental attorney in 2004 to prevent the city from filling in the jetties. Personally, I have a bit of reservations about this project, now that I know the scope of it. Because the goal really isn't to replenish the beach. It's just a way for the city to get rid of the sediment in the Marsh. Possibly at the expense of the surf community's health. But this website isn't about what I think. It's here to present info. Below are a few of the facts about the project as they are now known. Laylan Connelly from the O.C. Register is researching the project further. Her story will be in a forethcoming article, and the surfing community will then have a better understanding of what the Army Corps of Engineers is exactly doing beginning Thursday. Until then, here are 2 sides of this project's story.

The City of Newport Beach's stated project...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District (Corps), has hired a contractor to remove sediment along the channels in the Santa Ana River Marsh (Marsh). The project will restore design channel depths to improve circulation and tidal flushing - both necessary to maintain the salt marsh habitat which includes many endangered species.

The Corps' project also includes a beach sand replenishment component. Good quality sand will be pumped through a pipeline to the nearshore, located 1,000 feet offshore from 60th Street. The sands have been thoroughly tested and approved by EPA for placement in the nearshore environment. Area residents and beach visitors will see that a temporary pipeline is in place and runs from the Marsh parallel to the Santa Ana River, then down along the beach and through the surf zone to the approved nearshore disposal location. Sand pumping will begin February 11 (now said to be Feb 13th) and continue for about two weeks. The temporary pipe is expected to be removed during the week of February 25.

Sediment not compatible for beach replenishment will be excavated and disposed of at an upland landfill. The California least tern island within the Marsh will also be cleared of weedy vegetation to improve the nesting habitat of this endangered species.

The proposed dredging and excavation is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2013.

The Opposition to the project. Written by longtime resident Barbara De La Pena.

I've read (states Barbara De La Pena) the EA, and the samples for bacterial contamination and toxic chemicals was done in 2010 and 11. The bacterial contaminates only measured enterococcus. A two year old and 3 year old clean bill of health is not okay. I (Barbara) spoke with a vet with a masters in public health and she said there was a plethora or other bacterial and viral pathogens that could come from this. The EA said that none of the dredged material was suitable for direct beach replenishments and only 2 areas out of the 7 sampled 3 years ago were even suitable for offshore deposit.

I'm not convinced (says Barbara) that the dredge operator will delineate between the 7 areas with precision. When I (Barabra) spoke with the director of public works today he told me that they would "average" the dredging areas! Which was not reassuring. He also said if I was that concerned, to "go swim in another beach". Which I found personally offensive and not reassuring. The stated daily quality control sample is not enough, especially considering the high bird population in the least tern nesting area. Additionally, the homeowners were supposed to have been notified 14 days prior to the commencement of work. None of the beachfront residents in the area knew anything but this project however.

Please look for the O.C. Register article with more detail about this project. Check back here for more info. about the project. Stay informed as best you can about this project. And please spread the word!

Santa Ana River Marsh Project History

The 92-acre salt marsh restoration is located near the mouth of the Santa Ana River in Newport Beach, just upstream of Pacific Coast Highway and east of the Greenville-Banning Channel levee.

The marsh restoration was completed in 1991, providing eight acres of mitigation for project construction on the Lower Santa Ana River and creating new and improved habitat for wetland-dependent species. The restoration included grading and installation of tide gates to improve tidal flushing and create habitat for the endangered light-footed clapper rail and Belding’s Savannah sparrow. Since initial construction and the present, about 60,000 cubic yards of sedimentation has occurred within the lower marsh. This sedimentation reduces the tidal prism and reduces tidal circulation. The re-dredging of the lower parcel, part of the 2013 marsh restoration, will remove the sedimentation and restore tidal circulation.

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What a differnce a day makes...

Eric V. carving stormy bowls on Friday and

Jared F. carving sunny glass on Saturday. In Newport.

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INTELLISKIN

After being out of the water for quite a while recently with an injury. I decided to give Dr. Tim Brown's Intelliskin shirt a try. It's a posture performance enhancement garment. And I can't say enough good things about what the shirt has done for my shoulders, and more importantly what it has done to promote proper spinal alignment and posture. Below is a few key things I've discovered after living in the shirt for the past month.

The shirts promotes good posture, pulls back your shoulders, and really opens up your chest, and that stretch feels really good.

The shirt doesn't feel like a straight jacket, but is extremely light, and is easy to move in.

The shirts come in V-neck, short-sleeve, long sleeve and tank top. With each type of shirt offering a slightly different benefit.

The V-neck actually looks pretty cool under a collared shirt.

If you wear the shirt out to a club however, people will laugh at you and wonder why you're wearing a rash guard.

It's waterproof. And it appears to add to wetsuit insulation.

The fabric also breathes, so when you work out in it, it keeps you cool.

It prevents you from slouching, and the rolling forward of your shoulders.

Your improved posture helps to align your vertebrae, and stacks them neatly on top of each other.

It retains your muscles to move and contract the way they were meant to. So that when you aren't wearing the shirt. Your posture remains much improved.

After wearing the shirt for a month. I stand up straighter. And people have actually commented I look taller.

It feels really good to work out in. Muscles seems to glide more easily through the full range of motion.

I was a bit sore in the shoulders for the first few days after wearing it. That's an indication that the shirt is doing it's job, retraining, stretching and firing infrequently used muscles.

I've found the shirts are a bit uncomfortable to sleep in. But then there's no recommendation to sleep in them anyway.

You can throw them in the washer, no problem. But don't throw them in the dryer.

Wearing one is cheaper than chiropractor visits, and a lot less expensive and invasive than having surgery.

Wearing one now, will prevent you from being hunchback later.

Dr. Tim Brown researched, designed and developed the shirts. And Dr.Tim Brown is a legend in the field of Sports Medicine, and off the North Side of 56th.

And.... The company is from Newport. And everything that comes from Newport is good for you.

 

Click the photo below for the Intelliskin website.



Dr. Tim Brown. Straight and upright. 56th St. jetty, Newport.

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Back in the 60's and 70's all along the beach of Newport, stretching from the Wedge to River, there were these really really tall poles positioned every one mile in the sand. And on top of these really tall poles were yellow diamond shaped reflective signs pointed towards the ocean. These were "Mile Markers", that boaters could use offshore to gauge a traveled distance. And then sometime in the late 70's they were removed from the beach. The "Mile Markers" were kinda of cool to have for us kids, because we could figure out how far we rode our bike, walked, or ran along the beach. Or determine how far away something was.

Not sure how far the Wedge is from here, but whatever it is, the wave still looks really hollow.

Shot from the Newport Pier.

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This month Hurley ran a 10 page ad in one of the surf magazines!

Their in house photogs are obviously happy about that! In Newport.

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Surfllne's "Best Bet" this month is Baja. Good call! It's also sorta the best bet for March, April, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov...

If you haven't seen the Baja feature, click the photo below.

 

Baja breks a little in December too... Rusty Long, Baja.

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In actually pretty fun and glassy little afternoon surf. Newport's Micheal Bond won both the NSSA Jr. Middle School and NSSA Jr. High School Longboard divisions last Saturday at 54th...

Newport's M. Bond, and the fruit of his labors... Saturday @ 54th.

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I had to pull out some images for a Baja feature someone is putting together, and I came across the image below. This was taken in 2005, and was the first time I'd been out to Todos to shoot. The swell was the biggest anyone could remember. 20ft @ 20 seconds. Everywhere was huge!! I called Corky Crandel up not knowing him, and asked if I could get on his boat. Surprisingly he said yes, and we've been good friends since. We left Todos after a few hours, and I was kinda bummed about it, and we headed to this place. It was one of the best decisions I've seen Corky make! This place was incredible! The waves were so big and perfect, they didn't seem real. 20ft bombs outside, and waves going inside out on the inside. This is Damien Hobgood, nabbing one of the inside bubbles. Surprisingly it ended up being a center spread in Surfer magazine, which is pretty unheard of for my junk. The main reason I've saved all my photo dollars over the years and bought a ski and sled, is so I can be ready when a day like this happens again at this spot. If and when if does happen again, I really hope I'm there.

D. Hobgood. Baja...

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It's never to early to start teaching them? In Newport.

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The thing about shooting Geoff Moysa is he throws so much water with each turn you can never get the whole big fan of spray in the frame.

So you gotta move way back!

Moysa at 27th st. on Monday, doing one of his firehose imitations. Shot from PCH.

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The Pirdy Maverick's video during the contest weekend is out. If you haven't seen it yet....

Click the photo below.

5:50am. Half Moon Bay. Spencer P. Prepares for action...

Video by Daniel Shea. Shorescrew.com

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Up and coming young standout Newport longboarder Micheal B. "Reflecting". In Newport.

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One of the bigger waves surfed over the past few days. In Newport.

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Surf Check. Yesterday morning in Newport

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Spencer Pirdy goes Big! And lives to surf another day.

Click the photo below for Maverick's action...

Video by Newport's Daneil Shea. Shorescrew.com

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There was a couple hour window yesterday morning, when the wind laid down enough to make the accompanying windswell, kinda ridable. And if you didn't mind the cold water and chill in the air, it was actually kinda fun. By mid morning however the wind cranked back up, and Newport went back to being a winter time mess.

Boosting before the midmorning mess. Yesterday in Newport.

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Norwell (Motorcycle Dave)

About 7 years ago a mysterious guy showed up in Newport. He moved to the Oceanfront at 54th st, and spent his days filming surfing out front of his house, and nights editing the footage into surf videos. He would hunker down low in the sand far down the beach, with his headphones and a hoody on when shooting. And would pretend he couldn't hear anyone when people came up to him, or mumble that he didn't speak English when people tried to talk to him. He was as reclusive as a person can get.

Eventually this guy started submitting surf videos to NewportSurfShots.com. And we became friends. He was one of the most creative people I've ever met, and although he called himself "Dave Smith", and I got bits and pieces of his life story, I'm still not sure if much of it was true, and doubt that Dave was really his name. My take on him... He was a very intelligent entrepreneur that made a lot of money during the internet boom, and for totally legitimate personal reasons, decided to flush his old life away, head out West, and quietly disappear in California. But after a while, "Dave" and his surf videos started to gain notoriety, which he didn't want. And he turned his energy to shooting Formula One racing. And moved out of the state, and has been traveling the world for the past few years making racing videos.

The last time I saw him... In the Fall of 2007, forecast charts looked like there was going to be solid combo swells and howling offshore winds! I contacted Dave, and he drove his motorcycle, with his camera gear, 6 hours to Newport from his new out of state home. He then posted up on my couch and shot for 3 days straight. The video that he produced of that swell was one of the best. And will long represent Newport surfing at it's finest. Click the photo below to relive those days.

Well, word is Norwell is back! Not in this area. But at another high octane surf city on the West Coast. And hopefully he'll visit, and document Newport again one day when it turns on.

Norwell, undercover, as always...

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Trying to think back on the year 2012. What is one of the most significant things that happened in the Newport surf community during the year? Is it the bombing summer swell where Newport's own ruled the Wedge over Jamie OBrien's publicity stunt? Is it that the Fall season never really produced even one offshore day? Is it the Go Pro mania that continues to grip the Wedge? After much thought NewportSurfShots.com believes that the year 2012 was significantly and sadly marked by the numerous amount of great people we lost not just over the past 12 but over the past 18 months.. Russell, Carlos, B.G., M.A., Joe, Whitney,Tim... these are just a few of the local surf community heroes that have sadly passed away. With that... Good-bye to 2012. Bring on 2013, and bring on the waves!!! A Happy and Prosperous New Year to all.

The Sun Sets on 2012... Last weekend in Newport

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Story Time

On 19th St. near the Bay there's a few very large 3 story homes. They are probably some of the tallest residents in Newport, as you cannot build anything near that height anymore. In one of those homes is a gentlemen by the name of Tom H. Tom has a long history in Newport. He and his wife raised a great son that I grew up with, Steve. Tom was a respected Newport Realtor for decades. And Tom was president of a Peninsula Home Owners Association for many years.

When Tom was a young boy he used to travel from his home inland to Newport on the bus. He would come to Newport often, as he really enjoyed fishing on the public dock that's located on the bay at 19th street. During that time Tom became good friends with a local man who owned a home in the area. Tom and the man spent many a day on the dock, fishing poles in hand, waiting for a bite.

Sadly one day the man died. And Tom, who was a teenager at the time, was sad that he had lost his fishing friend. And very surprised to learn that the man had left Tom his house in his Will! The tall house on 19th St., that Tom has now lived in for most of his life.

Moral of the story. Be kind to your elders. They may give you a house... Yesterday in Newport.

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Surf Photographer Mike Moir. An absolute fricken legend!! In Newport

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Yeah, there was some surf this pre-Holiday weekend. But the big story in town was Friday's Sunset, and Saturday morning's Sunrise. Both of which many have said were some of the best the year. But the best part about the weekend, was that the world didn't end.

Friday's Sunset from above and...

Saturday's Sunrise from below... In Newport.

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For as long as anyone can remember. The Newport Beach Police Dept. flew Santa to local schools for a visit every year. This tradition went back many, many decades! For the past 2 years however, this has not been the case, no Santa visit! Why you ask? The City of Newport got rid of their helicopter a few years ago. Obviously in an attempt to save money. And now pull Huntington's heli into the area when needed.

 

Gone but not forgotten. Santa & Miss Claus... In Newport.

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Between storms. Yesterday, off Newport.

Newport was under water yesterday! Well sort of... 20th St. and Bay was pretty submerged, and was being pumped out by the city. And 26th and Balboa was about the deepest. Beyond that it was all media hype as 3 news helicopters buzzed the area yesterday morning looking for flooding from the highest tide of the year. A 7.2.

It's not the Wedge, but at least the city doesn't BlackBall it, yet. Yesterday in Newport...

Copyright Cozad

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Girls just wanna have fun.... Mother and Daughter - Sano

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If you were at Wedge last weekend, you saw it. A remote control helicopter with a what looked like a 5D camera on board. Some where waiting for Newport master mind Dale Kobetich to show up with his camera heli, and shoot this one out of the sky! Word is the remote control heli went down in the line-up late last weekend, floated for a minute on it's little pontoons, while those in the line-up looked on. And then sunk to the ocean floor... Ouch!

R.I.P. little heli...

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