Lost Boys & Co.

Lost Boys & Co... J ust a quick report to kick out at the end of this year... W e just got back from skiing in Idaho and the Professor was complaining about a pain in his second toe (note the small dark spot on said toe in image #1).  When he started poking around, out popped an urchin spine!  Not a ski urchin, but a SEA URCHIN spine.  Who knows how long it had been in there, but at least since last September when he got dragged over the reef at Tennis Courts and thought he had pulled out all the offending spikes.  It was about an eight of an inch long...  much too long to lug around all that time... C lear skies today and 20+ miles visibility.  Winds were light out of the south and the sea surface was calm.  The air temperature was 57.0 and the water is 60.3.  Low tide was at 6:10am +3' and high tide was at 11:50am +4.3'.  We have a WSW swell out of 251º at 3.6' and it was 1' to 4'.  Of course if you were with Milo, you might be on the North Shore watching Waim

Lost Boys & Co... B ack door Taj Mahal, with LoLa just before the contest (#1).  You always see the front of the Taj Mahal, but in the back the river runs right behind it.  Paver and the Professor were slated to surf in the standing wave contest, but it began to rain and they cancelled the event...   Next year's contest will be in Benares on the Ganges... Y ou had to hit it early this morning before the wind changed.  It was on by 8:30 and things deteriorated after that.  10 miles visibility and partly cloudy skies, with rain on the way tomorrow.  The air temperature was 47.5 and the water is 59.4.  High tide was at 7:16am +6.6' and it's low at 2:26pm -1.1' for some wind driven sea glass collecting.  We have a west swell out of 262º at 3.9' and it was 3' to 5' and poor to fair... I n Croatia they make a big deal about going over the falls.  Some pretty spectacular falls at that (#2)...  Here we have Plitvika Lakes National Park and the site of the 2020 O

Lost Boys & Co... G etting ready for next year's SUP season we have sister Sara (#1) practicing her paddling technique on some hot salsa.  She beat her previous time by a minute fourteen this morning... (#2) L ook at this little peeler right off of the 10th St. tower...  Beautiful...  that is until you take a look at the outfall in the foreground.  Yuck...  But it'll be okay tomorrow and the tide will be better at checkout... R aining this morning and we have 5 miles visibility.  Winds are variable but predominantly offshore to 16kts and the sea surface is reverse chopped.  The air temperature was 54.0 and the water is 60.3.  High tide was at 6:38am +6.5' and low tide will be at 1:43pm -0.8'.  We have a west swell out of 261º at 5.2' and it's 3' to 5' and mostly walled, but if you can score a corner, it just might make your holiday! I n March we found ourselves in New Delhi (#3) with Paver looking for the elusive call center that keeps threatening us

Lost Boys & Co... I ce exploring in Montana with the Delameters and the Larkins in February(#1).  It was a bit of a leap to get behind this frozen waterfall, but it was amazing! A nother beautiful morning with 10 miles visibility and partly cloudy skies.  Winds were offshore at 7kts and the sea surface was smooth to glassy.  The air was a chilly 44.4 and the water is 59.9. Low tide was at 11:08am +1.3' and high tide follows at 4:46pm +3.8'.  There's a west swell out of 260º at 3.3' and it was 3' to 5'+ with some dredging barrels.  This morning Jon Fox got two gaping back to back tubes that had his classmates cheering.  He didn't make it out of either of them, but it looked like an early Christmas present for Jonny... T he sun is just starting to light up the sky at 6am, so when we saw this figure on our way to check out the surf (#2) it looked like someone standing on the berm checking it out.  As we got closer, we thought that they looked like they were

Lost Boys & Co... A handy tip for all of you installing your Christmas Trees:  Take the tree off of your car first!  Now you can certainly run around with a lit tree on your buggy (#1), but we've found the extension cord doesn't quite make it to Hermosa Beach...  That's the reason we surfed Sapphire this morning... M ore pics from 2019, like this shot of René, Clarke and Kimberly (#2).  This was from a chilly day in February where a little body heat was a welcome addition to the pier checkout... E ven chillier this morning at 43.7 and the water hit the fifties at 59.7.  Mostly clear with a few high clouds, visibility was 15 miles.  Winds were from the east by 5.5kts and the sea surface was smooth to glassy.  Low tide was at 9:53am +2.1' and high tide follows at 3:16pm +4.0'.  We have a west swell out of 270 true at 5.2'.  It was 3' to 5'+ and there were some brisk little tubes to wake you up... (#3) P olitics aside, Trump does not surf... I t appear

Lost Boys & Co... "Good King Wenceslas " is a Christmas carol that tells a story of a Bohemian king going on a journey and braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (December 26, the Second Day of Christmas ). During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by following the king's footprints, step for step, through the deep snow. The legend is based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia or Svatý Václav in Czech (907–935). The name Wenceslas is a Latinised version of the old Czech language " Venceslav "."  It's a good metaphor for us to heed, since we all follow in someone's footsteps.  Like Jah Morgan in photo #1.  If you followed in her footsteps you'd have surfed 352 days this year!  So, let's get with it and greet that cold air and chilly water with good cheer and a 4/3 wetsuit... C

Lost Boys & Co... R edondo vs Palos Verdes tomorrow at 6:30 for some surfing competition at the Hermosa Pier...  Speaking of, in #1 we have what appears to be the Redondo Union High School Male Surfers Chorus, featuring soloist Carlos Price-Gracida.  Actually, they can surf better than they can sing... C hilly willies today with partly cloudy skies and 15 miles visibility.  Winds were strong offshore at 8.3kts and the sea surface was rippled.  The air temp was 48.3 and the water is listed as 60.3, but it felt like 59.  Low tide was at 6:34am +2.8' and high tide will be fat at 12:21pm +5.0'.  We have a west swell out of 263º at 2.6' and it was 2' to 3' with some fabulous manes blowing off the waves... H ere (#2) we have the original home of the Walt Disney studios where they did some of there early feature cartoon work...  Snow White and Cinderella were done here, that's why it looks like the Seven Dwarfs built these places... Y ou've got 8 days until Chr

Lost Boys & Co... J etski has now figured out how to park for free in Hermosa Beach.  He's using this borrowed (#1) sweater (it wasn't ugly enough to qualify for the party) and when he wants to park he just puts it over the meter.  If there's not a meter he just stands there... C rystal clear skies and 20+ miles visibility.  All that wind yesterday rarefied the air.  Winds are light offshore this morning at 3.0kts and the sea surface sis smooth to glassy.  The air was a chilly 41.9 and the water is still 61.0 even after the wind.  Low tide was at 5:11am +2.8' and high tide will be at 11:16am +5.6'.  We have a west swell out of 267º at 3.3' and it was 3' to 4' with some fatter outsides... T his could be the reason there aren't more women glossers.  It's one of the few jobs where you come to work and the first thing you do is take off your shirt ( so you don't get any lint in the resin.)  Here (#2) we have a virtuoso of the art, Jimmy Barah

Lost Boys & Co... P ea soup foggies this morning and you can decide the visibility from photo #1.  Winds were light offshore by 1.7kts and we're assuming that the sea surface was smooth.  The air temp was a gray 51.1 and the water was an equally gray 62.1.  It's the middle of December and the water's still 62º.  This is the part of global warming we're having trouble hating.  High tide was at 8:58am +6.4' and low tide follows at 4:21pm -0.9'.  We have a WSW swell out of 250º at 3.9' and when you could see it, it looked 3' to 5' and a bit walled and wobbly... T his (#2) is this morning's blue plate special.  It's an i-phone 6 on flour tortillas with no cheese... H appy Hour will be at Laurel Tavern this evening at 5:30pm.  Look, the holidays are rolling around (depending on your level of holiday anxiety they might be "steamrolling") and this would be a great time to avoid the mall, stop e-trading and hang with some folks who will

Lost Boys & Co... W hen you get up at 4:30am and aren't really sure about the time and you decide to check the Hermosa Pier (#1)...  "Oh, the sun's not close to being up yet..." P artly cloudy this morning and 8 miles visibility.  Winds were out of the east by 2.7kts and the sea surface was smooth to glassy.  The air was a chilly 48.8 and the water is still holding in the 60's at 62.1.  High tide was at 7:50am +6.3' and low tide will be at 3:00pm -0.7'.  There's a SSW swell out of 209º at 2.3' and it was 2' to 3' and fun to funner... L ater it's high tide and the kiddos were having a good time (#2), of course we had to report for jury duty.  What hasn't been said about jury duty.  Maybe something like it's really a worthwhile experience.  We're one of the few societies that have a peer justice system.  That's right.  The judges don't decide.  The attorneys don't decide.  It's a panel of twelve citizens w

Lost Boys & Co... I n photo #1 we have the irrepressible Scarlet Lee Fast, who for this photo, preferred to be called "the elf on the shelf."  We tried to get her to put on an elf hat, no way.  How about pointy shoes?  Nope.  Maybe you could drape your legs over the shelf so we'd get the idea that you are on a shelf?  "Look, I'm the elf on the shelf and take the picture so we can move along here..." C loudy this morning with 10 miles visibility.  Winds were light offshore by 2.7kts and the sea surface was smooth to almost glassy.  The air temperature was 51.9 and the water is 62.1, but with the wind and the clouds it felt a bit chilly.  High tide was at 7:20am +6.1' and low tide will be at 2:25pm -0.4'.  We have a SSW swell out of 201º at 3.0' and it was a fun 3' to 4'... #2   "Okay Brad, could you get us a little closer to the pier?  This isn't the best angle to see the fireworks..." T he objective reality of winter (#3

Lost Boys & Co... I t started out as a bright clear morning and until about 7am when the fog rolled in from the east.  It made things hard to see (in photo #1 you can only see about half way out the pier), but it also created an excellent "fogbow".  Like a rainbow except with fog...  Let's keep going with the stats, since we've covered the visibility and wind.  The sea surface was smooth and the air temperature was 48.9 and the water is 61.7.  High tide was at 6:53am +5.8' and low tide will be at 1:51pm +0.0'.  Good tide swings this week with a full moon on the 12th.  We have a west swell out of 260º at 4.3' and it was 4' to 5' and some fun ones at most spots... P hoto #2)  Another thing you can't do when you have a mustache...  Okay, you can do it, but set aside some time to pick out the chiclé... " H oney I shrunk the Professor!"  Not since the Monsanto® ride at Disneyland ("Better Living Through Chemistry") where they

Lost Boys & Co... I f you're still wondering why we give it a day or two before going in the water after a rain, take a look at this (#1) shot of the outfall just south of the pier in Hermosa.  There was finally enough rain to get this puppy to blow last night.  Considering how long since the last big rain, there was a copious amount of evil lurking in the pipe.  This isn't even remotely the outfall with the biggest watershed.  The Chart House pipe probably covers about four times the area and can really unleash some nasty detritus.  Likewise, the Torrance Beach pipe can run black for a couple of days.  Are we going to give it a couple of days?  That, of course, depends on the quality of the surf, not the water... L et's start with the tides, low at 10:32am 2.8' and it's high at 3:23pm 3.7'.  Gray and raining this morning with 5 miles visibility.  Winds were offshore by 5 to 9kts making for some nice little manes on the waves (#2).  We have a SSW swell out o

Lost Boys & Co... W hen in Idaho, do as the Idahoans do (#1)...  Or, wear your flip-flops like you always do, even though it's 21º in the shade...  Julia said it would be fine and it was... G ray and cool this morning, with winds out of the east by 3kts. The sea surface was smooth.  The air was 51.5 and the water is 62.2.  Low tide was at 8:58am 3.2' and high tide was close by at 1:49pm 3.9'.  We have a WSW swell out of 256º at 3.9' and it was 3' to 5' and depending on your 1020 it could have been fun to challenging...  Rain forecasted for tomorrow... O ur friend Hugo Vau up to his old tricks on this monster at Nazare' (#2).  He said that this was one of the smoothest rides he's ever gotten there!  As always he gave props to his driver and all those other warriors out there... L ast Friday at Hermosa (#3).  We sent the RUHS surf team out into what turned out to be almost double-overhead waves.  You can see the spray washing the bottom of the pier at