Swell Life

Paddle With Purpose

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:18:51 +0000

Surfer Jodie Nelson has partnered with Emergen-C Pink, The Keep A Breast Foundation, and Boarding For Breast Cancer to become the first woman to paddle the 39.8 miles from Avalon on the island of Catalina to Dana Point, California as a participant in Ocean Ohana’s Catalina Challenge. Jodie will be the first female to attempt this solo paddle, something only three men have ever accomplished. Last year Nelson participated in the Catalina Challenge as part of a two-person relay team; they completed the paddle in 8 hours and 52 minutes, which she describes as the “most physically and mentally grueling thing” she has ever done in her life. It is anticipated that it will take approximately 9 hours for Jodie to finish the race this year, alone on a Stand Up Paddleboard.

Having known many women affected by cancer, Nelson hopes to complete the race solo in an effort to bring attention and raise funds for breast cancer research and awareness. Jodie’s mother is a breast cancer survivor, her aunt is a cancer survivor, and one of her dearest friends is currently battling breast cancer. “I’m tired of sitting around, feeling like there is nothing I can do,” says Nelson. “I know that paddling almost 40 miles isn’t going to heal my friend or cure cancer, but I know that I can make a stand against this terrible disease that affects so many people. And I am determined to raise money towards research, education, and prevention!” Jodie’s fundraising goal is $50,000 and funds raised will benefit The Keep A Breast Foundation and Boarding For Breast Cancer.

Jodie Nelson is an accomplished surfer who is also very respected for her on-camera hosting at the X Games, Fuel TV, and numerous webcasts. Additionally, Jodie and a business partner recently started a company called The SUP Spot, which focuses on all things Stand Up Paddling.

Jodie will be paddling March 28, 2010. To make a contribution to Jodie’s Paddle with Purpose effort, please DONATE.

To learn more visit PaddleWithPurpose.com

Good luck Jodie!

Wax on Wax off – Responsibly

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:15:02 +0000

Petroleum has leaked its way into every aspect of surfing. We’ve all driven countless hours looking for surf only to put on our neoprene wetsuit, wax up our board with petroleum-based wax, slather on our chemical-laden sunblock, and paddle out on our polystyrene surfboard. And think about how far all of those products had to travel just to get to you. With the state of the world today, it is more important than ever to reduce surfing’s dependence on oil. More and more companies are developing products that work toward this goal and it is up to us to make responsible choices, vote with our dollars, and slowly swap out our petroleum-based surf products with natural, biodegradable, chemical-free ones. Not only is it better for Mama Earth…it’s better for you.

Surf wax is generally made up of paraffin and other hard waxes, as well as petroleum jelly, but now there is a wide range of biodegradable surf wax for you to choose from, available in local surf shops or online.

MATUNAS

Matunas has been around since 1998 and produces organic surf wax from their 25-acre farm in Santa Cruz, California. It is 100% natural, non-toxic, biodegradable, petroleum-free, and made using local California ingredients without any synthetic chemicals. There are no additives in the wax and organic strawberries, raspberries, and jasmine are used for the scents. The labels are printed from 100% FSC certified recycled paper with soy ink. Matunas comes in a full range of temperatures, including warm, base, tropical, cool, and cold.

FAMOUS – THE GREEN LABEL

Famous Surf Wax now has a “Green Label” line of eco-friendly surf waxes. The wax is 100% petro-chemical free and biodegradable, features recycled FSC certified packaging printed with soy ink, and is made exclusively in the USA. Green Label is part of the Project Blue Initiative and a portion of the proceeds from sales go directly to the Surfrider Foundation. The wax is available in five temperatures from tropical to cold and since it is free of oil it does not work well if put on top of or mixed with other petroleum based surf wax so make sure you use Green Label Basecoat for best results.

BUBBLE GUM – ROB’S ORGANIC BLEND (ROB)

Rob’s Organik Blend (ROB) was created by Rob himself using renewable resources and natural coconut oil scent. The label consists of recycled brown paper and is printed with soy-based ink on presses powered by clean wind-generated energy. A percentage of sales will be donated to the Rob Machado Foundation. The wax comes in three temperatures: warm/cool, cool/cold, and tropical/base coat.

And Bubble Gum now offers an all-natural wax remover. A safer alternative to toxic, hazardous, and dangerous petroleum-derived chemicals, it is made of food-grade citrus byproducts and it effectively removes residual surf wax, adhesive, and tar without any toxic chemicals.

STICKY BUMPS SOY WAX

Sticky Bumps has jumped on board with their soy wax, which they say team rider Dave Rastovich played a key role in the development of. The petroleum-free wax is wrapped in a label that is printed with soy inks on recycled paper. The wax comes in four temperatures, cool, cold, warm, and tropical – but is not offered in base coat yet. Sticky Bumps also has their Day Glo wax, which is made with a soy formula and comes in a variety of colors you can decorate your board with.

And if you’re really feeling creative, you can make your own surf wax.

Learn more on Korduroy.tv

10 Last Minute Gift Ideas

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:03:29 +0000

Still haven’t found a gift for that special surfer in your life? Or maybe you just need to fill a stocking with a few last minute gifts. Here are some ideas:

Calendar

Whether it’s special dates or just the tide they’re concerned about, these great calendars will do the trick.

Magazine Subscription

Give all year with these magazine subscriptions. You can even subscribe to some digitally and save paper!

The Surfers Journal Surfer Magazine Wend Magazine

Klean Kanteen Coffee Mug

Perfect for the dawn patrol. The Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated bottle is stainless steel, BPA free, can keep beverages both cold and hot, and has interchangeable lids.

Books

From inspirational to informational and from coffee table to backpack, books make a meaningful gift. Many of these and others can be found at your local bookstore or surf shop.

Saltwater Buddha by Jaimal Yogis In Search of Captain Zero by Allan Weisbecker

Caught Inside by Daniel Duane Surfing California by Bank Wright

The California Surf Project by Eric Soderquist and Chris Burkard

Fitness DVD’s

Gym memberships can be pricey these days. Keep your surfer in shape with these DVD’s.

Surf into Yoga with Rochelle Ballard Surf Exercises with Taylor Knox Yoga for Surfers with Peggy Hall

Bike Rack

Get to the surf without using gas with these awesome surf racks for you bicycle.

Carver Surf Racks Mule Surf Racks

Hood

Protect those ears from the cold wind and water that causes surfers ear.

Surfline Premium Membership

Sure, the online surf forecast may have killed surfing… but it sure is nice. Give a gift subscription.

Go Pro Surf Cam

Because it’s fun to make videos of yourself surfing.

Stocking Stuffers

Odds and ends to fill those stockings.

Eco-Friendly Wax

Ding Repair Kit

Sunscreen

Trunq Surf Utility Box

Korduroy.tv is here

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:29:59 +0000

Korduroy.tv is launched and live so keep checking the site for new content. My personal favorites are the Sea Movies. Enjoy the following…

WAVE CLOUD SAND from CIRCULATE on Vimeo.

Korduroy.tv is coming

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:21:19 +0000

Cyrus Sutton’s style, energy, creativity, and vision offer a breath of fresh air and a reminder of why we surf. He has developed a new website centered around making, repairing, and recycling things that correlate with the surfing lifestyle – from tepees, to smoothies, to bikes, and more. The site is Korduroy.tv and it focuses on just about anything that’s free, gravitational fun – surfing, snowboarding, climbing, downhill skating, whatever your pleasure.

The upcoming series will include:

All Yew – 2-4 minute shows about people shaping and riding a swell-propelled craft born of their own design and imagination
Surf Sufficient – Tutorials on how to make, fix, and repair all things surf
Super Eco Shaper Series – Profiling shapers who are using environmentally friendly board building processes.
Tom’s Creation Plantation - Mini stories about Tom Wegener and his alaia movement

All Yew and Surf Sufficient will be open for your contribution. All contributors will get a profile on the korduroy kollective profiles section where they can post bios and links to their work. So if you’d like to make your own surfboard or craft, or would like to share how to make, fix, or reuse something cool, drop a line at info@korduroy.tv. Also, visit Korduroy.tv to sign up for email updates.

And don’t forget to attend the Korduroy.tv launch party!

On Friday, August 14th at 6:30 pm, Thalia Surf Shop and The Surf Gallery will present the launch of Korduroy.tv in Laguna Beach (915 S Coast Highway). The launch party is free, Jon Wegener will be giving an alaia-shaping tutorial, and The Tyde will be playing. Be sure to attend and get your limited DVD release of Tom’s Creation Plantation. Check out the trailer below.

The Cove

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:42:46 +0000

In the 1960’s, Richard O’Barry was the world’s leading authority on dolphin training, working on the set of the popular television program Flipper. Day in and day out, O’Barry kept the dolphins working and television audiences smiling. But one day, that all came to a tragic end. When Kathy, the dolphin who played Flipper most of the time, died in his arms, O’Barry realized that capturing dolphins and training them to perform silly tricks is simply wrong. The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos, tells the amazing true story of how Psihoyos, O’Barry and an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate a hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The mysteries they uncovered were only the tip of the iceberg.

The Cove takes place in Taiji, Japan, a town that appears to be devoted to the wonders and mysteries of the sleek, playful dolphins and whales that swim off their coast. But in a remote, glistening cove, surrounded by barbed wire and “Keep Out” signs, lies a dark reality. It is here, under cover of night, that the fishermen of Taiji, driven by a multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry and an underhanded market for mercury-tainted dolphin meat, engage in an unseen hunt. The nature of what they do is so chilling — and the consequences are so dangerous to human health — they will go to great lengths to halt anyone from seeing it.

See The Cove at select theatres beginning July 31, 2009. Be sure to request a screening in your city if one is not already scheduled.

Want to take action? Visit Richard O’Barry’s site, savejapandolphins.org and The Cove website to learn more about what you can do.

Interview – Jeremy Sherwin

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:08:53 +0000

As a surfer, why do you think it’s important to live a healthy lifestyle?
As a human, it is crucial to have a healthy lifestyle. It’s all about walking the middle path, finding the balance between family, diet, exercise, fun, and work. The world is a dynamic and ever-changing place, so being able to adapt to the flow is super important. Leading a healthy lifestyle is critical to our collective well-being. I do it for me and also for my community.

What is your exercise regimen and how does it help you stay in shape for surfing, in particular?
I currently do not have an exercise regimen that I live by on a weekly basis. I have a stretching routine that I learned from Brad Jones of the B-project that I do every evening and it is critical for injury prevention and also allows me a moment of bliss to end the day on. I really enjoy the workout that riding a mountain bike in the local wilderness areas gives. Yoga is also an essential in my exercise portfolio. I strongly support the breath and motion mantra yoga emphasizes and I love the way I feel after a class.

What foods do you consider essential to your health and diet and why?
Colorful, organic, local, and vegan foods are essential. Organic foods are grown in a way that nourishes the land. Buying local reduces the carbon footprint of my food and puts money back into my community. A vegan diet has numerous health benefits for the individual: Read The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell. Cancer will literally be turned on by an animal protein diet and turned off when animal protein is substituted with vegetable protein. There are various environmental reasons to being vegan. It takes 10 times the amount of energy to produce 1 gram of animal protein compared to 1 gram of vegetable protein. The antibiotics used in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) are selecting for super bugs. These antibiotic resistant strains of e-coli and other microorganisms are extremely dangerous to human health and could be avoided by a simple lifestyle change. By eating in this way I feel great. I am full of vitality, helping my community, and nourishing it for future generations.

Are there any natural products or remedies that you swear by?
Eating a balanced diet of colorful fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. I believe that the remedy IS the food I put in my body. Couple that with a happy medium of play, exercise, work and viola!

How do you stay healthy while traveling?
Being on the road can be super stressful on your body. Sleepless nights due to crappy beds or jet lag, bad food, and long plane rides will all take their toll. I pack my carry on bag to the brim with fruits and veggies like apples, oranges, carrots and snap peas because they are a yummy treat and they can take the beatings of travel well. Nuts and dried fruits are a good call too. Sometimes the only thing that keeps me sane on the 14-hour flight over the Pacific Ocean is munching on some yummy treats. While on the plane, I always remember to drink a ton of water. The air conditioning just sucks the water out of you. The best thing I do for jet lag is not sleeping on the plane. Once I arrive at my destination, I stay up until it’s dark and then crash hard. I try to give myself a few days to acclimate before charging into my trip. The bad bed issue can be resolved by bringing a packable mini blowup bed.

What steps do you take in your daily life to lessen your impact on the environment?
I always carry reusable bags. I buy organic food and go to my farmers markets. I compost all of my garden and kitchen waste. I drive a car that gets close to 30 mpg (although I want to be getting 100 mpg!!!) and I am looking to get an electric bike.

What is one thing you would encourage others to do to move toward a more healthy, low-impact lifestyle?
Buy local, organic food.

What’s coming up for you in the future? Any new projects or travel plans?
I am diving head first into the solar electric industry. I am so stoked to be putting efforts towards reducing my community’s carbon footprint. I want to be on the front lines, giving people access to a renewable source of energy and lending the tools necessary to use their energy more efficiently.

What organizations or companies do you support that promote healthy lifestyles and/or oceans?

San Diego CoastKeeper

Surfrider Foundation

Danny Hess Surfboards

Algalita Foundation

Cradle to Cradle Design

Edible School Yard

Thanks, Jeremy, for supporting Swell Life!

Heavenly Hummus

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:12:03 +0000

Hummus is one of my favorite foods. Filling, satisfying, and full of health benefits, it is also incredibly easy to make. If you keep your pantry stocked with the right ingredients, this is one of those great recipes that you can always whip up. Hummus is a Mediterranean spread made of garbanzo beans and tahini, a sesame seed paste, and is perfect for those who live an active lifestyle. The ingredients are extremely healthful, including the garbanzo beans and sesame seeds which are high in fiber, iron, protein, and many beneficial minerals. Spread it on your morning bagel, top off your salad, put it on a sandwich, use it a as a vegetable dip, or make an amazing appetizer. Hummus travels well and will last for a few days in the fridge…but I doubt it will take you that long to eat it. The best thing about this recipe is that it’s my husband’s. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

1 can of garbanzo beans, drained, reserve 1/4 cup of liquid

3 Tbsp of tahini

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried parsley

1 small clove of garlic

1/8 – 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice - to taste

4 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

water

fresh Italian parsley for garnish

paprika for garnish

In a food processor combine garbanzo beans, tahini, salt, cumin, dried parsley, garlic, lemon, 3 Tbsp of olive oil, and 1/4 cup of liquid from garbanzo beans. If needed, slowly add water to achieve desired consistency. Garnish with paprika, 1 Tbsp oilve oil, and fresh parsley.

Variations:

Use roasted garlic

Substitute white beans for garbanzo beans

Substitute roasted eggplant for garbanzo beans to make Baba Ganoush

Serve with warmed pita, falafel, or on top of crostini.