NEWSLETTER MAY 2021

 

Sweet Potatoes

As you all know, I love food and checking out different dishes and flavors, especially those that originate in Japan. At the same time, I am also always looking for ways to make my diet healthier and more nutritious. One way I have found to do both—eat healthier and more delicious—is through sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes aren’t actually potatoes at all. Instead, they are a nutrient-dense root vegetable with way more vitamins than normal potatoes. They are particularly rich in vitamin A, E, and C, carotenoids, and other antioxidants.

They are also high in fiber and have a relatively low glycemic index. While you can always cook your sweet potatoes at home, sometimes I like to get mine from Times Market or Don Quijote, where they are already steamed and ready to eat. They are displayed in a special case that has been brought over from Japan, which keeps them warm and tasty, ready you to eat. These particular sweet potatoes are of a variety that originates in Japan, but seeds have been brought over to Hawaii so that they can be cultivated here and we can enjoy them!

If you are looking for a delicious, nutritious way to enjoy a simple Japanese culinary delight, head down to Times or Don Quijote and check out the sweet potatoes! I love them, and will often eat them with some salad for my lunch!

A lot of times, we get so focused on waves during our surf trips that we fail to notice all of the other amazing things that surround us. We drive straight past incredible scenery and overlook unique opportunities and experiences because we are too busy obsessing about swells.

 

Your SUNDAY Twin Fin Single

 

Leave it to Rob Machado to design a surfboard for sleepy Sunday morning sessions. After all, there’s no one in the water as cruisey as Rob. The Sunday twin fin/single is exactly what it sounds like—a Sunday funday shortboard that can be ridden as a twin fin or a single fin, and that goes easy like a Sunday morning.

The Sunday is meant to be ridden with a few extra liters, and you can even size it way up if you feel like having an ultra cruise session. Rob rides both a 5'6" and a 7'0", depending if he feels like shredding or trimming. The single fin option gives you the opportunity to flow through clean turns that are linked together with ease, while the twin fin boxes give you the chance to liven things up a bit when you feel like getting radical. Combined with the Helium2 construction, this design gives you that Cadillac feeling whether you are boosting airs or high-lining toward the shoulder.

Depending on your size and ability, you can order the Sunday in lengths ranging from 5'6" (31.2 liters) to 7'3" (56.7 liters). Grab one and be ready for nonstop weekend fun with the family.😊

MEMBER OF THE MONTH: DJ BRIAN COXX

When and why did you initially get into surfing?

Well I suppose you could say I'm a newbie still. I didn't learn to surf until I moved here to Hawaii all the way from New York City in May of 2018 making this month my official 3 year anniversary.

Right away upon arriving to the island I could feel, especially coming from a big city, the simplicity of living here and the joy and excitement of new, youthful endless summer feeling vibes. Simple things like riding a bicycle, or skateboarding, or hiking around exploring the woods and mountains felt fun and vibrant AGAIN just as it did as a kid.

I always had a deep fascination and understanding for the always changing and moving energies of the Ocean. As a kid growing up some of my most fondest summertime memories was when I would get to stay a few weeks with my aunt in Long Branch New Jersey. Everyday I would get to take out her bodyboard and feel so much happiness while consciously knowing and acknowledging I didn't feel any worries, insecurities or pressure's of the world while catching waves in the ocean. It was the true essence of being in the moment and at night while laying in bed, still feeling and seeing the waves in my head I couldn't wait for the next day  to come and do it again. As years went buy my New Jersey shore visits ended and life happened along the way with all of it's responsibilities.

Through the years as teenager and then as an adult I always knew one day I would get back to the ocean and learn to surf. For like 30 years I would have this real vivid re-occurring dream I'm in some beautiful place in the world totally locked into a wave surfing rail to rail while the sun is sets.  NOW here in present day during certain sunsets and certain swells here in Hawaii when the waves are just right I have to stop for a moment and say Thank you to the universe for so many things but to also say "this is it"  this is that dream I had dreamt for so many years and is now my reality. It really is such a glorious feeling. 

Did you have a time period you laid off from surfing?  If so, when and why did you start back up?

What is your favorite thing about surfing?

Where is your favorite place to eat after surfing? What is your favorite item on the menu?

What other hobbies do you have besides surfing?

What type of work do you do?

Tell us about the board you recently purchased from us.

What model and size is it, and how do you like its performance?

 

 Adventures With Whales

 

Hawaiian South Shore’s itinerant surf adventurer Matt Rott has been doing trips to Baja California for over 20 years. He’s driven down the Mex 1 highway hundreds of times, straight past the turnoff to Bahia De Los Angeles without ever thinking of taking the exit. You see, the “Bay of LA,” as resident expats call it, is located on the Sea of Cortez side of Baja—so it doesn’t exactly have a promising swell window! Matt was always so focused on getting to the surf spots on the Pacific side that he never considered stopping in and checking out the Bay of LA.

This all changed a few years ago, when Matt was driving north toward San Diego and saw a car get forced off the road by another car, flipping, blowing its wheels off, and sending the driver into the windshield. Matt and his friends helped the driver, who fortunately survived, and once he was healed up, he messaged them and invited them to come visit him in the Bay of LA. They figured they might as well do something new, so once the swell had dropped during their next Baja surf trip, they drove out to the Sea of Cortez and got to know the man they’d helped rescue. As it turned out, he lived on a beautiful bay with a dozen islands and perfect, consistent weather—and that bay was home to some of the world’s most amazing sea creatures.

The Bay of LA is one of the most biodiverse bodies of water in the northern hemisphere. In addition to sea lions, seals, sharks, and a wide range of fish and bird species, it also sees a constant stream of oversized visitors who stop through to feed during their yearly migrations. Whale sharks, humpback whales, fin whales, gray whales, and even orcas stop into the Bay of LA each year—and if you are lucky enough to be there at the right time, you can see them up close and personal.

Matt got lucky this past month, when he stopped through the Bay of LA on the way home after chasing an early season south swell. Paddling a stand-up paddleboard out into the Sea of Cortez, he was able to spend three hours with a pair of adult gray whales—around 30 to 40 feet long and 30,000-40,000 pounds! They were thrashing around to churn up the food in the sand, and did passes back and forth for hours, coming so close as to spout right in Matt’s face! He even got in the water and swam with them for awhile, until he got too close during one of their thrashing passes and the karate chopped him in the leg with their huge fins!

While Matt scored a lot of fun waves during his trip, he tells me that he can barely remember any of them. Instead, the activity that dominates his memory is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with some of the world’s biggest mammals. These days, he always takes the time to see what else is available during his travels—to remember that there is more to life than just surfing, and to take the time to explore the areas he travels too. It took witnessing a dramatic car crash for Matt to expand his horizons and look beyond the lineup, but hopefully we can learn from his experience and start expanding our horizons without having to pull a bloody expat from his wrecked car. Who knows—we might just find ourselves swimming with whales!

 

Getting to Know Kai Sallas’ Stable of Team Riders and Quiver of Fins

 

Kai Sallas is a staple of Hawaiian longboarding. A multiple-time world champion, cutting-edge board designer and permanent fixture in the Waikiki surf scene, he has recently transitioned into a mentoring role with many of Hawaii’s best up-and-coming longboarders.

Kai recently released a new line of longboard fins, including signature designs from three of his top young riders—Kelis Kaleopaa, Keani Canullo, and Kaniela Stewart. These fins have a range of different benefits and work for different surfers and surfboards, depending on size, strength, conditions, and style.

Here’s a quick breakdown of each of the different fins in the Kai Sallas line, and the conditions they thrive in.

 

Kai Sallas Spiral Longboard Fin

The Spiral is Kai’s go-to fin for modern logging. The fin has a medium-size base and a drawn-in tip, which offers speed and drive down the line but also helps keep the board loose through turns. The Spiral is intended to support sharp, aggressive turns without sacrificing hold while noseriding, making it a great option for traditionalists with a penchant for flair. The fin is available in 9.0", 9.5", and 10.5" sizes, with the smaller options being better for lighter-weight surfers on shorter logs, while the 10.5" supports heavier surfers and surfboards in the 10'0"+ range.

 

Keani Longboard Fin 

Keani Canullo’s fin is specifically designed for lightweight women who combine

moderate power with poise and grace. The fin creates a lot of speed and drive (due to the wide base) while also supporting power turns. Designed with added flex in the tip, the fin creates speed coming out of turns and helps to maintain speed between maneuvers. The Keani is designed for both square-tail and rounded pintail longboards and works well in a variety of conditions. It is available in 9.0", 9.5", and 10.0" options.

 

Kelis Longboard Fin

 

Kelis Kaleopaa is known for her elegant, graceful approach to riding waves, and her signature fin is a direct reflection of that. The fin features moderate base and rake and has a relatively neutral, forgiving outline, which makes it a great option for a variety of boards and conditions. Geared specifically toward lightweight, graceful surfers, with a 9'0" options, the Kelis fin is a great option for young female loggers.

 

 

Kani Longboard Fin

Kaniela Stewart has quickly become one of the best loggers in the world. He

has taken down numerous big-name events and is currently ranked number one on the WSL Longboard Tour. His style perfectly fits the new criteria for modern logging, with extended noserides complemented by smooth, powerful, full-rail turns. His fin is designed to support all of that and more, with a touch of flex to create speed out of turns, but more than enough holding power to support extended noserides. Although powerful, Kani is a lightweight surfer, and his fin is available in 9.5" and 10.0" options.

 

Hi Pro Side and Center Longboard Fins

Intended to be used as a 2+1 setup, the Kai Sallas Hi Pro side and center longbaord fins are specially designed to maximize speed and drive without sacrificing maneuverability or hold during nose rides. Blending power with acceleration, these longbaord fins are perfect for any high-performance longboard with center and side boxes and can be paired with other high-pro fins for a different feel. That being said, they were built specifically to be used in a complete set, so we suggest using the Kai Sallas Hi Pro Center with the Kai Sallas Hi Pro Sides. The center fin is available in 6.5" and 7.0" options, while the side fins come in 3.75" and 4.0".

 

SURFBOARD REVIEWS

 

FIREWIRE FLAT EARTH 5'8 V30.4 Black Stringer FUTURES