Lost Boys & Co.

Lost Boys & Co... A shot here of Andrew Steich (Geez, we hope we spelled that somewhere in the ballpark!)  Andrew is a real charger and scarcely misses a day when the surf is firing.  When we first noticed him, he had a red, white and blue board and the guys called him "Captain America."  He flailed a little, but you could tell he was serious about honing his chops.  These days, he's hanging with the best of them and over the last year he's really come around.  The funny thing is, we always thought he was kind of a little guy.  He rode a short board, so he floated really low in the water.  Well, it turns out he's actually pretty good size, knows how to handle himself and jumps out of airplanes for kicks!  He writes for a living and we're hoping he gets famous, so we can say we knew him when... P artly cloudy skies this morning and 15 miles visibility.  Winds are offshore by 7.8kts and the sea surface was smooth.  The air temp at checkout was 50.2° and th

Lost Boys & Co... G ood morning, leaders of the lovely.  We caught Mike "Poseur" McKinney this morning returning from an early outrigger session.  He's geting ready for the competitive season, coming up in a couple of months.  He happened to mention that he's been doing some work with infra-red photography and we asked him to share a couple of examples.  In both of these striking images you can see the Joshua trees, with a dusting of snow, silhouetted against the almost black sky.  No, no, the skies not black - it just looks that way when you suck out all of the infra-red.  We're always stoked to show Poseur's photography.  He's won numerous awards over the years and has done some trippy things including 3-D and stereoscopic imaging. A few hours away from Joshua Tree, here in the South Bay the sky was a brilliant black - no wait, make that blue and we had 20 miles visibility.  Winds were offshore by 7.8kts and the sea surface was smooth.  The air tem

Lost Boys & Co... O ur first photo this morning is the playing field at the Breakwall.  Quite simply, it lines up against the rocks and then breaks left down the line, just like God and Willard Bascomb intended.  Our second shot is of a young Turk charging the wave.  This was Sunday afternoon, so things had calmed down a bit.  But there were still some sizable waves and the wind and the swell continued to cooperate.  Some folks have expressed surprise at the fact that Redondo has big waves occasionally.  As a matter of fact, it's featured in "The Endless Summer" as a California big wave spot.  What a lot of folks don't know is that even before the Breakwall was there, Beryl St., which then ended at the water's edge, got some big waves.  Not unlike Avenue I, it focused swell energy into that stretch of beach.  We haven't ever seen photos of anyone riding there, but it would be great to find a couple! A beautiful morning as the sun came singing up out of t

Lost Boys & Co... O ur first two shots this morning show the proper way to split a peak.  We have José squirting off the bottom of this textured left, while the Professor gets a little more green on the right hand side.  Of course they both made these waves!  That's just what they do...  Thanks again to Mike "Sting" Ginther who shot so many great pics on Sunday morning! A t checkout time we had 15 miles visibility, with hazy sunshine (currently things are beginning to cloud up and rain is looking imminent.)  Winds were offshore by 7.8kts and the sea surface was lightly tacked.  The air temperature was 47.3° and the water is hanging in at 58.5°.  High tide is at 5:23am +5.8' and low tide will be at 1:03pm -0.7'.  The buoy is reading a variable swell out of the west (259°) at 5.9'.  We're calling it 4' to 5' with some occasional bigger sets.  We surfed Topaz this morning with One-Nut Mike and Birdie.  Secrets and Knob Hill were breaking with som

Lost Boys & Co... A great surfing weekend!  Let's start out with this fine shot of Birdie getting ready to turn off the bottom and get barreled.  Sting Ginther made the supreme sacrifice and instead of getting his own waves, took photos of the rest of the crew.  Birdie braved the Topaz side and this wave is some indication of just how powerful it was there.  Sting camped out on the Sapphire side for awhile and got the next shot of Jose getting ready to get tubed on a long winding left.  Jose had that left in the palm of his hand and this is just one of a number of good waves that came through.  Surf Coach Vince Toyama joined us for some action close to the jetty and shot number three is him getting ready to slingshot out of the bottom of this wave.  Finally, we have this shot of the Professor getting ready to pull into a tube that's probably just a size too small to fit him and his board.  It turns out that it hit him on the head, spit him out and told him to go faster or

Lost Boys & Co... O ur first pic is a lucky shot that we just happened to squeeze off while checking out the end of the breakwall this morning.  The Number 3 pole is well over 20' tall and the spray isn't having any problem blasting over it.  A lot of surge over and around the Breakwall.  Meanwhile, the inside of the Horseshoe Pier was calming things down and breaking from 3' to 5'.  We saw some nice little lefts and rights breaking from the corners to the middle.  We also didn't see any signs that said you couldn't surf inside the Horseshoe.  We don't know if they've changed their minds about that or if someone stole the signs.  We did see signage that warned about clamoring about on the rocks though.  So... we figured you just walk in from the south side and everything is fine... W e're under cloudy, rainy skies this morning, with rain light to heavy at times.  Visibility is 5 to 15 miles depending on the clouds and wind.  Winds are erratic, p

Lost Boys & Co... T wo shots of a couple of long time Topaz/Sapphire locals.  Number One is Mark the Poolman.  A mainstay at Sapphire he rides it when it's big and crazy everywhere else.  That itself is interesting, since he likes it big and crazy, no matter where it is.  He rides a long, thin zebra striped board and always seems to be just in the right place for the biggest, choicest waves.  Number two is Sandy Malpee, also a fixture at Sapphire.  You might notice that she looks a bit stiff in her foul weather gear.  That's because she's wearing a back-brace, the result of a recent surgery to repair a couple of bothersome discs.  She's about half way through her convalescence, so we hope to see her back in the water sometime in March. U nder cloudy, rainy skies (with rain heavy at times,) we have 3 miles visibility.  Winds are howling offshore by 25.5kts and the sea surface is blown smooth, with a bit of east tack.  The air temp is 51.3° and the water is holding i

Lost Boys & Co... O ur first shot this morning is of the Cove.  If you like a solid wall of white water across the bay, then this is your day!  Of course looking out to Indicator you can see that there are some pretty big bumps out there.  We watched for about 20 minutes and the peak kept shifting all over the playing field.  There was also quite a bit of bumpiness out there.  There wasn't anybody out, but you have to remember that we're basically chickens.  We surfed Sapphire, while Topaz was spitting guys out all over the place.  Rat was out of control and Haggerty's (see photo the 2nd) was like surfing with 25 of your closest friends, vying for the same 10sq. ft. of take-off real estate.  Hag's kept the wind off, while rockin' the point.  It would have been the choice if it weren't for all those bodies. A t the 7am checkout time we had 7 miles visibility and cloudy/rainy skies.  Winds were from the SSE at 15.5kts and things were pretty bumpy.  The air t

Lost Boys & Co... DUDE!  It's macking this morning!  Not that it hasn't been good over the last week.  The first photo is from the Longboard Prelims on Wednesday at Hermosa Beach.  This hapless Redondo stud went in with one board and came out with two.  Actually, we heard a shortboarder asking if he could have the front half to make a little rocket.  The guy said, "No, I think I might try to glue it back together..."  We're thinking that won't work so well either.  He snapped it when the lip came down on him and the board, cleaving it right where he stood. C loudy with 10 miles visibility this morning and intermittent rain, heavy at times.  Winds were seriously offshore by 15.5kts and gusting higher.  The sea surface was smooth, buffed by the strong winds.  The air temperature was 53.6° and felt considerably colder with the wind and cloud cover.  The water wasn't bad at 58.5°.  High tide was at 10:44am +4.5' and low tide will be at 5:28pm +0.5

Lost Boys & Co... Who are these people and what are they doing at Keegan's?  Actually, we can tell you.  Up to this moment, when someone took the photo, they had been dancing to Flashback.  Yes, this is the same Flashback that was the Wrynkles, Ronnie and the Heroes and four parts of sixteen other bands.  We have been asked by the Legion of Decency, to not name the participants.  The Flashbacks will flash back to Keegan's on the 29th for you listening and dancing pleasure. Stormier than shit this morning.  At checkout time the visibility was about 7 miles and it was cloudy with a light rain.  By ten or eleven o'clock the wind kicked up seriously and was blowing between 25 and 30kts.  The sea is now covered with whitecaps and the rain is falling horizontally.  Not exactly an example of virga, since upon hitting something it flows to the ground.  The air temperature is 52.4° and the water is 58.6°, due to drop with the upwelling and the accompanying wind.  High tide is a

Lost Boys & Co... I n case you're at odds-ends tonight we attached the flier for Keegan's.  Of course Keegan's is pretty damned odd to begin with, so if your not at odds to begin with, you will be by the time you leave. P artly cloudy this morning with 15 miles visibility and some grayness.  Winds were offshore at checkout time and remained calm through most of the day.  Glassy conditions were prevailing.  The air temp was 52.4° and the water is 59.5°.  High tide is at 8:39am +5.9' and low tide will follow at 3:46pm -0.7'.  We have, what seems to be a diminishing swell out of the West at 268°.  It's clocking at 4.6' and we're calling it 3' to 5'. T his morning the South Bay Surf League had the second half of their prelims at Hermosa Pier.  The waves were verging on too big for most of the competitors, but there were some excellent in-betweeners and even when some of the contestants got worked they made it look good.  There were also a coup

Lost Boys & Co... From Lethal Keithal One more from  Russia . Well,the photo's not, but the hat is!  Some poor red fox gave it up so some young girl back in the South Bay could make it through the winter. What a Fox X2 ! Once again, a beautiful day in the South Bay with 25 miles visibility and nary a cloud in the sky.  Winds were offshore this morning at 5.2kts and the sea surface had a pronounced bump from the winds yesterday.  It calmed as the morning progressed and ended up smooth before the onshores kicked up.  The air temp was 50.2° and the water was a cool 59.5°.  High tide was at 8:07am +6.0' and low tide follows at 3:19pm -0.8'.  The buoy is reading a 7.5' swell out of the WSW 262°.  We're calling it 5' to 7' with some bigger sets on the outside. Good news over the next few days though.  No rain until Sunday night and the swell is supposed to hold at it's current height (or a tad smaller) over the next few days.  The only thing that seems

Lost Boys & Co... O ur photos this morning are part of an ongoing project by Gidget (whose nom de photo is "Suzi") who has dedicated herself to taking photos of the ocean everyday in the month of January.  These were two of her favorite efforts.  She tells us that she didn't enhance or retouch them at all!  Kinda' makes you want to keep that Brownie at the ready... T he anticipated rain finally began falling early this morning.  We currently have 5 miles visibility, under cloudy moist skies.  Winds are offshore by 5.8kts and the sea surface is smooth to glassy.  The air temperature is 57.9° and the water is 59.7°.  High tide is at 7:33am +6.0' and low tide will be at 2:50pm -0.8'.  That low tide should provide some rather spectacular spitting tubes all along the avenues.  Ah, remember that camera...?  The buoy is reading a 6.2' swell out of 261° W.  We're calling it 5' to 7' depending on where you're standing.  Currently, the tide seems

Lost Boys & Co... T he South Bay Surf League Prelims for Shortboards, were held this morning at the Hermosa Pier.  Although the surf in the rest of the South Bay wasn't that hot, it was big and fast in Hermosa!  Our first pic shows a bit of late takeoff action, on what turned out to be a pretty good wave. S ome fog in spots this morning and cloudy gray conditions.  Visibility ranged from an half mile to 5 miles.  Winds turned onshore early out of the west at 1.9kts.  The sea surface has stayed pretty smooth though, with only a little tack on the outside.  The air temperature is 52.2° and the water is not too bad at 59.5°.  Watch for that water temp to drop as the incoming swell stirs up some of the cooler bottom strata.  High tide is at 6:57am +5.9' and low tide will be at 2:19pm -0.8'.  The buoy is reading an increasing swell out of the WSW at 4.6'.  In Hermosa it was running from 4' to 7', but it was considerably smaller on the south side of the harbor all

Lost Boys & Co... H ere's the jewel of Lethal Keithal's photos from Russia.  Popularly known as the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, it is actually called the Cathedral of the Intercession of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat.  It was erected on Red Square in Moscow 1555-1561.  Built on the order of Ivan IV of Russia to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan.  It marks the geometric center of the city and the hub of it's growth since the 14th century.  We always call these structures "onion domes," but they are designed to represent the flame of a bonfire rising to heaven.  It has no previous analogues in Russian architecture.  Incredibly, "Nothing similar can be found in the entire millennium of Byzantine tradition from the 5th to the 15th century... a strangeness that astonishes by it's unexpectedness, complexity and dazzling interleaving of the manifold details of it's design...  It has never been reproduced directly."  Except for ma

Lost Boys & Co... R emember how yesterday we said that we'd just walk across the street from the Kremlin and go to Starbucks?  Well here is Lethal Keithal and it's still -22 f'n degrees.  Once again he had to warm up the camera with some hot vodka breath to make the damn thing work.  We had to stand in the street dodging Ladas, Volgas and Moskvitchs, not to mention Zils and a bunch of foreign high-end limos to get this picture... N ot quite as cold here in beautiful LA.  We have 20 miles visibility and a few high clouds bumping around the ether.  Winds are offshore by 3.9kts and the sea surface is glassy.  The air temp is 52.2° and the water is 59.0°.  Low tide is at 11:05am +0.7' and high tide will follow at 5:14pm +2.9'.  Today is the first day of some radical morning tides - super high in the early am and low around lunchtime.  Might make for some interesting conditions.  The buoy is currently showing a rising swell at 3.0' out of the west at 269°.  At t

Lost Boys & Co... O ur first shot this morning was taken by Lethal Keithal in the snow at Red Square.  He said that it was still -22° and that his camera would barely open up to take the picture.  He was fascinated by the cobblestones paving the square.  They were worn almost perfectly flat from the years of marching and foot traffic.  He said it looked like they had been waxed and polished! T housands of miles away in California, we're having a beautiful morning.  Visibility is 25 miles across the bay and beyond and the skies are clear.  Winds are offshore by 3.9kts and the sea surface is glassy.  The air temp is 55.4° and the water is 59.0°.  Low tide is at 9:38am +1.2' and high tide follows at 3:15pm +3.1'.  The buoy is reading a 2.3' swell out of 249° WSW and we're calling it 2' and poor.  Wetsand tells us that the swell should be building and by the weekend we're supposed to have some rideable waves.  Not only that, but by the 13th it's suppose

Lost Boys & Co... " I f you're walkin' on thin ice, you might as well dance."  Thank you Jimmy Buffet.  Here we have the evidence of someone who didn't have the right dance steps or didn't dance fast enough.  Unfortunately, the hat sank before we could get the camera ready.  That little red beanie, just floating there...  damn... N o ice here in the Southland!  25 miles visibility under mostly clear skies with some high clouds.  Winds out of the east by 1.9kts and the sea surface is glassy.  The air temperature is 55.1° and the water is 58.6°.  Low tide is at 8:01am +1.6' and high tide will be at 1:31pm +3.7'.  The buoy is reading a 2.0' swell out of WSW 254°.  We're calling it 2' and a little bigger than yesterday.  Maybe tomorrow... T hen there's Lethal Keithal in Russia.  We see him here with the monument to the defenders of Stalingrad.  You might notice the lush countryside surrounding this shot.  You might wonder why Adolph th

Lost Boys & Co... " T he weather is here, wish you were beautiful..."  Thank you Jimmy Buffet for giving us a jumping off point this morning .  Indeed a beautiful day - so let's check the surf and see what's going on! U nlimited visibility, across the bay and beyond.  Winds are offshore by 3.9kts and the sea surface is smooth.  Some nice manes on the small waves.  The air temperature is 51.4° and the water is 59.0°.  Low tide is at 6:34am +1.7' and high tide will be at 12:15pm +4.6'.  The buoy is reading a 2.3' swell out of WSW 253° and we're calling the waves 2' and poor.  Of course the prognosticators are suggesting that things should begin to pick up in the next couple of days.  They also happen to be the people who are telling us that it's waist high today! O ur second shot is a little reminder of how cold it is in some of the other places in the country.  We took this shot at the local heavy equipment rental shop in Boise.  Somehow t

Lost Boys & Co... " W hen boards were wood and men were iron."  Okay, maybe they're just full of iron.  You know how those One-a-Day's can make you spit nails.  Here we have surfer/craftsman/shaper/woodworker Joe Lopez, with the Professor, sporting some serious wood.  Joe was over taking some measurements as he put the finishing touches on this 12' redwood reproduction.  Unlike the Professor's stick, which sports those light balsa inserts, Joe's is solid redwood and weighs in at a cool 100lbs.  We'll let you know when he's going to take it out, so you can get out of the way! A gorgeous morning with some high clouds and 22 miles visibility.  Winds were offshore by 5.6kts and the sea surface was smooth.  The air temperature was 50.4° and the water was 59.2° and felt at least that cold.  High tide is at 11:15am +5.5' and low tide will be at 6:06pm -0.5'.  We have a slightly diminishing swell from the west (265°) at 2.6'.  We hit Herm