All Photographs, Writings and Other Content Copyright
© Tom C. Marshall and © San Diego Beachlife Magazine®
Ok... Everyone knows surfers are cool and have "a way about them" women find us irresistible and employers don't... So anyway... I'll be answering any and all questions... good ones will be posted here with the answer... So...need love advice? Advice about your parents, your children, your house plants getting a little brown around the leaf tips... house needs a new roof but you're not sure if you should spend the money on the hot blond your wife don't know about?
Whatever your questions are I'm here to help!!
Just email your question to: __________________ASKASURFER@sdbeachlife.com
January 16, 2009
Statement: ____"Your magazine it not respectable!!! It is ridiculous!"
Annaa881 - Novosibirsk, Russia (also known as - Freeze-Your-Ass-Off, Siberia)
Dear Annaa881,
You may be right... Maybe San Diego Beachlife Magazine is ridiculous! But please stop to consider this; It's the middle of January, I worked in my garden for a couple of hours this morning after sitting outside with a cup of coffee and then I went surfing for most of the afternoon. Tonight I enjoyed a wonderful sunset and now I'm sitting here with the windows open, wearing shorts and no shoes... OK, I'm as you say "ridiculous" but you're freezing your ass off in Siberia...
Surfer-Dude says: Keep in touch Honey, I like your attitude.
_______________________________________________
June 6, 2000
Question: Hey Surfer Dude
I've been surfing around the pier for a couple of years now, and I was wondering if you could tell me where I can find a map of the ocean floor around the OB coast? I have a few favorite places to catch waves and I'd like to see what's going on under the surface that makes those places work they way they do.
Thank you Surfer Dude!
-- The Surfer Formerly Known as Iron Cross
Dear "Surfer Formerly Known as Iron Cross" aka Zagar,
I'm not aware of anyone "publishing" any hydrographic survey's (that's what they are called). The US Navy and Marine Corps have access to that type of information for potential Global "Hotspots" where they might have to do an amphibious assault (like the opening of "Saving Private Ryan"). But even if you could get the surveys, the data which would have been hand collected by swimmers trained for that task, I doubt that the level of detail you are looking for would be there. My suggestion, make a mental note of the "breaks", where they line up with significant and visible landmarks and then wait for a super calm day this summer. Usually when the Ocean has been flat for a few days, all the sediment in the water sinks to the bottom and the water's visibility get super clear, use a good face mask, snorkel and fins to go take a close-up and personal look. There is no substitute for this if you really want a "Zen-Level" understanding of what causes a wave to "Jump-Up" in one spot while 20-yards away it rolls smoothly by.
Way back in the late '60s I was doing this type of survey work in Vietnam, think I must have swam the whole coast. All I really cared about was "can landing craft get to the beach and then back out to sea again, what were the in-water obstacles and could I blow them up with a few pounds of plastic explosives". Yes, I did care about "reefs, shoals, sandbars, points, ect." but not in the detail needed to understand a good surf-spot. During that time I only saw four to five "classic-super-clear" days. So be patient, if you are willing to take this time and put forth this effort you will be rewarded with a level of understanding you were here-to-for unable to believe existed or thought was attainable. Then in years to go, you will be surfing a break for the first time and by looking and reading the waves you will be able to understand exactly what the bottom contour looks like. And the bonus is, you'll get more waves than the other surfers.
Surfer Dude has Spoken.
© Tom C. Marshall and © San Diego Beachlife Magazine®
______________________________
September 28, 1999
Question: Surfer Dude
I live in OB and I try to surf the cliffs but I always get yelled at and told to go home. I don’t know if it’s my bright yellow wetsuit or my pink and purple 8’0 egg? I think the guy with the long hair looks like a cool surfer and I bet he surfs good too. I was wondering if you could ask him if he would teach me some tips on surfing in a one on one surf lesson , or a group of lessons? What would be the cost and I would like to have the lessons at the cliffs preferably at Ab next to Sub’s? I would appreciate it a lot if you guys could help me out! I want to surf really good, get lots of chicks, and hang out with cool surfers too.
Thanks!!
Dear Kook, It doesn't sound too good for you. You have to understand that surfing (along with skydiving, deep-sea diving, snowboarding, snow-skiing, Mountain Climbing, NAVY SEAL, Recon Marine, Army Airborne Ranger, etc.) is kinda like a "morality play" if you will. Not everyone can be cool... It's a birth-right, not a life style choice... You can't all of a sudden, one day outa the blue, decide to be cool... We're talking Darwin's Natural Selection here... And You Seem To Be Selected Out!
Yes, Scott, the guy with the long hair is a great surfer... Look at the signs here... He surfs good, graduated from a highly respected University, is polite to his elders and has an outrageously beautiful girlfriend!...
And what do you have! A yellow wetsuit and a pink & purple surfboard. What is the Universe trying to tell you! First of all surf lessons will not help someone like you... By the time you approach the "Non-Spaz" state of surfing the Ocean will be too polluted to surf in and all the "cool chicks" will be great grandmothers by then...
Let's look at the signs... The yellow wetsuit... why not try entering a Buddhist monastery in Thailand... or... The pink & purple surfboard... why not try being a "pimp" in say... Outer Mongolia... The fact that the surfboard is an 8' egg (a classic shape) just represents what people like you do to good things... You Make it Ugly for Everyone...
Surfer Dude - Has Spoken.
The Kook Within
"He who can acknowledge the Kook within is one giant step down the path to above-averageness."
August 20, 1999
Question: Surfer Dude
I can do a switch blindside 540 Rodeo with an indy grab poke, but I just can’t seem to bring my rotation around the rest of the way to stomp a fat 720. Surfer Dude, maybe you can help me out here because I’ve heard that you are definitely "DA MAN" with all the answers! However, on the other hand my frontside 720 misty’s with a mute slap seem to be no problem, what am I doing wrong bro? (Mt. Kook)
Answer: Dear Mt. Kook, The 540 Rodeo and the 720 Misty are all very cool moves... Sounds like you are well on your way to above averageness! Moves like these are very important when applying for graduate/medical school or when trying to impress the hell out of your girlfriends rich father. These moves will convince him that you are defiantly worthy of his daughter...
OK... Back to your question... 720 rotations are NOT EASY! Remember this "The body's spin axis seems to be the shoulder-blades, not the waist... This holds true if you are spring board diving, Sky diving, Surfing or in your case, snowboarding". Turn your head in the oposite direction that you want your feet to go. At the very end of the manuver you can snap your head back in place (looking at the camera) and try to look cool.
I suggest you try and get lessons from either Jeff Warwick of Mammoth Mt. jeffwarwick@sdbeachlife.com . You can also check out Jeff's web-site.
Another person who has mastered these and many other
snowboard moves is
"The Valkyry from Virginia", she normally rides the Lake Tahoe area.
Surfer Dude - Has Spoken.
July 5, 1999
Question: Where are the damn pics
of Scott's and Matt's b-day party?
HangTen010@aol.com
Answer: The're in with the "Ocean Beach Street Fair" photos.
Surfer Dude – Has Spoken.
June 28, 1999
Question: WHOA. What is that camera?
Nikon?
Kristin V. - San Francisco, California
Answer: Why, yes Ma’am it is.
Surfer Dude – Has Spoken.
Sunday, June 27, 1999
QUESTION: Askasurfer;
Who is this long haired cutie named Scott? My friends and I want to see more of him. Does he have a girlfriend and where could we see him in real life? Does Scott hang out at the cliffs and surf a lot? Please let us know. We love him!!!!!!!!!!!!
ANSWER: Scott has a "Super-Babe-O’Licious" girlfriend named Chrissy.
Chrissy has a #9 walk and is an amazing full on total Goddess! Scott does surf the
cliffs in San Diego and the outer reef at Wiamea on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii.
Scott also has a dog named "Puka" that is trained to attack and kill on command.
Surfer Dude - Has Spoken.
Sunday, June 27, 1999
Question: What color should I paint my house?
Answer:
Muskox,
Painting your house is like riding a wave... If it's a big house and you "wipe-out" it ain't pretty. Also, painting a house is not as much fun as riding a wave. (this is experience speaking) but if you must...
Where is your house located and what type of neighbors do you have? Not that it really matters, who cares about that anyway. You can never go wrong with your basic White except that it shows stains. When I painted my house last year I used a Cream color about the same color as the "Crème-de-Brule" they serve at the Hilton Hotel on Maui… with Green trim… No the "Crème-de-Brule" didn't have green trim (and won’t unless it’s spoiled, in that case don’t eat it).
Anyway, Dark colors fade in the sun quickly… So unless you want to repaint often, stay with a lighter color. There is a product called "Elasto-meric" that all of the major paint brands have. This is the best and it’s only about $70.00 for a five-gallon container. Remember, prep your surface really well and for painting the trim… If you’re not good at it, it’s like staying in the lines in a coloring book, then have a pro do it for you.
Surfer Dude – Has Spoken.
All Photographs, Writings and Other Content Copyright
© Tom C. Marshall and © San Diego Beachlife Magazine®
Tom C. Marshall
PO. Box 70053
San Diego, CA 92167
Email Publisher@sdbeachlife.com
(619) 222-5489
