Surfing the 3rd Coast

Check out the latest Surfing Trip to Galveston TX (America's 3rd Coast).  While it might not be too big, at least it's WAVES...

G-Town

Well we have arrived and as usual we "should have been here yesterday!". At least that's the story I'm getting.  It appears they had a little swell from the tropical storm in the Carribean. Not what I wanted to hear!   But tomorrow I'm going out for a dawn patrol to see what's there. If all else fails, I'm pulling out the SUP.

SUP - A River Adventure

So...International Surfing Day 2012 (June 20th) was awesome, but today I finally got to use the plentiful bounty I received...in particular the GoPro2 camera for my SUP!  

This morning I took the GoPro2 and attached it to my SUP for a little show.  It was fun paddling around the Red River with this on the board.  The only thing I didn't like was that I didn't have a big enough memory card for the camera and only got a little bit of the days events.   Good thing I started off with a little paddling and turning to catch it on video.

Then after  paddling around a little while, I decided to head South toward the Lee Davis bridge.  It was ways off and I wasn't sure I was up for the long paddle since I had some issues yesterday.  In fact, I think I may have broken my hand while out on Cross Lake on Saturday :(  It is still swollen a bit (okay a lot) today, but I don't want to go to the Doctor since I have a TDY in a few weeks and I have a beach trip planned in the middle of August.  No need in them putting a cast on my hand, because I won't be able to paddle out into the surf along the Galveston Seawall.

Italiano -- molto buona

La mia famiglia (mia moglie) mi ha fatto un meraviglioso Italiano pranzo di sabato! È stato divino! Abbiamo avuto caprase con prosciutto e melone.

For those who can't read Italian, here is the English text --

My family (my wife) made me a wonderful Italian lunch on Saturday! It was divine! We had caprase with ham and melon.

Again, it was simply amazing lunch.  I couldn't have asked for it to be any better -- unless we were actually in Italy!

Filling the Gap

This a.m. I decided to finally "fill the gap" on the edge of the board where the planks didn't cover. I pulled out the right tool (my table jig saw) and cut out the pieces straight away and glued them up. After the glue dries I'll do some more sanding on the board as I continue to research what I'm going to do with the rails. I thought I had it figured out...only to realize I can't find 1" cork board at Home Depot. So now I'm off to find a suitable sub!

It could end up being some glued up wood slats, but I'm still working through that.

I can't wait to get this board in the water.

International Surfing Day 2012

My fav Surf Hat...given to me by 3 Doors Down

As always, I'm looking for a reason to surf and this came through on hump day! What a needed, refreshing time out "surfing" in LA.

Who would have thunk it, but I was able to participate in this year's International Surfing Day. It's not like last year when I was at "an undisclosed location in SWA", that didn't lend itself to participating in Surf Day, but today somewhat, made up for it. \m/

Immediately after work. I jumped into the car to head home, load up and make the trek across town for a little water therapy. However, I had a late meeting and got a much later start than I expected. On my way over, I passed a co-worker on the hi-way sporting my board on top of the CRV. He followed me across town before I exited...I'm sure I'll here about it tomorrow. At least I wasn't caught "playing hooky" from work (which 3 doors down encouraged when I was closer to the beach).

Arriving for the sess...

However, the sun is staying in the sky a little while longer and therefore I was able get a "paddle" out! It was pretty calm on the water today, but a little "off shore" wind made it a little rough in spots. BUT...I like it rough since it makes me work a little hard for the enjoyment. Anyhow, it was very enjoyable tonight...

To top off my surfing, I received a little show that had me laughing :D. As I paddle in for the evening, I noticed a local fella was dropping off the spousal unit at the pier so that she could back the truck and trailer into the water and load the boat. It started out all fine and I was thoroughly impressed that this little lady was all gang-busters to perform this most difficult task. However, it only took ONE attempt at backing and the show had begun. She gave it a go -- one, twice, three times a lady --- with no success. She just couldn't get the trailer going in the right direction. So a few other fellas on the shore went over to offer assistance, but she refused their offers while the male spousal unit in the boat began to get frustrated and head in to tie off the boat and back the trailer himself. However, with a little "coaching" from one of the fellas on the shore, she backed it up into the water as her man arrived at the truck door. Whew...tragedy averted.

It was a good day...surfing and a show!!!

After my surf session....STOKED \m/

BTW: Tomorrow is Go Skateboarding Day...

Board Bottom

Tonight I put on the bottom of my board. A few innovative clamps and here it is! I know I'll need to do some touch up gluing, but we are getting closer.

Fini

Today was another day closer to the day a good friend moves on. But that's the way of theBlue...people move, others come and we make new friends.

GImocjam is one of those people everyone likes. From day one here in LA, he made me feel like we were friends. Now we are!

He is one funny guy. He makes everyone feel at ease and really understood what needed to be one. As we sat through countless meetings over the past year, he made interesting comments...yes, interesting is the word I will use. While sometimes I think he thought he was using his inside voice, it did keep meetings FUN :)

As my personal confidant and someone I love being around, he will be missed. Even though he reminds me that he won't be far away, just across the street, it seems like around the world.

Today, he made his fini flight and got soaked. I hope this isn't his fini flight in the AF...he needs to be in the cockpit more since his type of leadership is needed with the young flyers. But if it is, he made it flying an old workhorse for our nation. It's amazing we are still flying the Buff after 60 years...

And...just to keep things from being mundane, he decided to have an IFE on engine #1! No biggie since this lifetime aviator landed with ease and who would expect less.

GImocjam, YOU will be missed! Good thing you'll be close by!

Mondays

Whew!  I'm sure glad this day is over...  It's a MONDAY and those are always very interesting.  I'm not sure what happens over the weekend, but it seems like we have too much "extra work" on Mondays.  

Maybe it was all because we had visitors here this weekend.  That really tires me out!  I don't sleep well, I eat too much and I don't get to exercise enough.  All that and more...

So today we continued to work the exercise, but again...more work than needs to be done.  You would think we knew how to do this since we've made the trip UpNorth so many times.  However, I find it hard to believe we can't account for PEOPLE!  DiamondW has called me several times which I know he hates to do!  However, I very much appreciate him being willing to call and get things going.  So I made a few calls and we are on track.  However, I told DiamondW that if he could account for all of the people to LEAVE them UpNorth!  That will surely prove a point and get some attention!!!

Since today was interesting, I decided to end my day on the water.  So after coming home a little later than I wanted...I loaded up the SUP and headed back to the Red River for a little paddling.  It was just what I needed...some time on the water.  There is something about the H2O that is mesmerizing.  It's like my "Water Therapy"...who needs a shrink?  I tell you this, if everyone would hit the water (especially surfing) we wouldn't have so many stressed out people.  Have you ever seen a stressed out surfer...I think not!  Why do you think they aren't stressed?  Maybe it because of the H2O they find themselves surrounded by!  Life seems to just melt away when you are out on the water. 
  
Tomorrow is another day...I hope even better.

BTW:  I always ask MrsBlue if I have told her I love her today!   It's my standard question for her each and every day...  You may ask WHY I ask her this, but it's simple!  I want to ensure I tell her and show her that I love her EVERY day!  She is special and I never want to be without her.  

Have you told the one you love that you LOVE them?  If not.......do it NOW!

Board Buildup

Underside with the reinforcements for fins

ALL of those wood shavings

It's been Slooooooow going of late on the Hollow Wood Surfboard build. I know, why can't get this thing done. However, it's a labor of love building up a board that someday I hope I'll get to ride! My own ride...made with my own hands, how cool.

It has been very interesting "learning" how to do some of this wood working stuff. I thought I knew what I was doing, but lo and behold...I had some learning to be done.

It's often funny to hear MrsBlue when I'm making a mess in the garage. She doesn't like the sanding sawdust floating around. It provides a nice fine coat of "dust" on everything. Usually, I take it outside, but every once in a while, I just get at it right where it is -- in the garage.

The slow down has been because of family visits, SUPing (got to get in the water when you can) and exercises (of the government kind). I know, excuses are not what I should be providing...but it's all I have. I do put a few minutes in when I can...like last night! I couldn't sleep so around 2 a.m. I was out there trying not to make too much noise. But it was nice...just me, the night and the wood.

Isn't that PRETTY...just look at those lines....can you say FAST

The pictures attached today are recent. I've added some internal structure for the fins, just in case I decide to have removable fins vs glassing them on. As you can see, a hand plan is a good thing...just look at the wood chips all over the place. Also, the top of the board looks like some fine racing stripes. I'm sure this board will be Faaaaaaassssssssttttttt! Once I have the internals in place, I'll be ready to add the bottom skin, which going to be a piece of plywood. It'll look nice! Then it's on to the rails!

Good looking pointy nose.

Sleek and fine looking