HURRICANE DEAN "SURF CAMP #3 2007"

This system reached category 5, lucky for us looking forward to this weekends surf camp #3, the "CANE" went ashore at lower latitudes in Mexico. I watched it carefully and was hoping i wouldn't have to cancel. I arrived on the beach Thursday afternoon, 24 hours ago the storm surge had 2 feet of water where our camp would be set up. The surge was gone and the beach swept beautifully clean, and all that remained were large 12 maybe some 15 foot faces, just awesome. Mr. Minor wasted little time after arrival and got his "Cane" out and into the line up, some 400 yards offshore. With my 10 foot Tide Guide Gun, I can drop into the outside bombs. Drops where vertical, waves would jack up in peaks, you had to move around out there to stay in the drop zone. Quite bumpy on the faces of this summer swell due to east winds, so not many people out here. Surfed an hour and a half before i was out of strenght.
Next morning I made the dawn patrol to meet with my big wave surf partner Kevin, there is less wind, and swell still in the 12 foot range, fairly clean and some terrific fast rail rides after long bottom turns, just what us longboarders come down here for. Saw a couple of old surf friends, makes you feel a little safer out here.
While I was out surfing some human being stole a board off the surf camp trailer. I've been doing this for 8 years, so I'm not to surprised i guess, it is one of my best boards though, a 12 foot teaching board. Constable Jim Rector filed a report, and Ranger Linda Davis and Ranger Jamie at the Ranger Station helped later in the day retrieve the board, what luck, i did not press charges against the people who had it.
First surf students in camp are Nancy and Mike, then Tiffany and her 15 year old cousin Kelsey call me after dark for directions, they where just getting off the fairy boat and i asked them if they could see the moon, and to just follow it, meaning drive east until they hit the beach, they thought that was a fun way to get to their first surf camp. Nate and Eileen arrive, and Mary Beth and her sister Kari. All students make it and i am glad we will have camp.
Saturday morning Dean is gone, however some nice rideable wind swell is up and everyone is out with me by 9:00a.m.. Four sessions are surfed, every one is doing well and with some help from Tide Guide most everyone has been able to stand up. After lunch Kelsy applied two different sun tan lotions and she had a cosmetic reaction and a slight rash on her face so she stays in camp in the shade, and Kari is a little amazed by the size of the waves and the size of the longboard i gave her, so she is just happy to watch her Big Sister Mary Beth surf. Mike is riding well and Nancy has gotten up, Eileen is a natural and Nate will not be outdone and he is going for lots of waves. Tiffany is using the Sand Dollar a 8 foot board just perfect for her and she has made some beautiful drops and carves. All is well we had a fabulous time at surf camp #3.

TIDE GUIDE "SURF CAMP" # 2

ieJune 22, 23, 24. We missed the rain by one day, this has perhaps been one of the wettest summers in texas for a long long time. Also heavy winds unti today friday, so when i arrived this afternoon there where 8 to 10 foot peaks out there, pretty tough to get out and the line up was 300 yards offshore, but i went out and caught some bombs. But got a little nervous, I made a decision couple of years ago that i wouldnt surf alone when its big, since i now support a 7 year old daughter. So i was nervous because the leash i had on was old. So i rode a big one in, and drove over to the Board House and boght a new one. All guests arrived, some after dark, but all is well. Saturday morn still overcast but no rain. Shawn Shultz, this is year 4, and he had me build him a "Cane" 10 foot 2 inch just like mine. wind has dropped from yesterday, the waves are pouring in, so i get all my new guests, acquainted on shore with the etiquette of surfing and then take the new ones out on the second sand bar and watch and help them. We do 3 forty minute sessions, then take a walk together down to the fishing pier to watch other surfers from up on the deck of the pier, and to have some ice cream from the snack bar. Back for session #4. Conditions have really cleaned up, and i get, Minh Phan, Derek and Shannon Englert set up again on the 2nd bar, Shawn Girl friend Laeni is staying ashore, and Shawn and I are going out to the outside lineup. OOOOOHHHH man, this turns out to be my best session this year, clean 8 some 10 foot peaks and clean drops, i had a blast, and Shawn is picking up a couple and he is getting it. Now what is the deal with these turtles, with my head down on the deck and paddling about as hard as possible to get back out thru the impact zone, I get Konked on the head by a turtle, about as big as a Stetson, I screamed, and the monster flapped its flippers on my bald head. This happened to Davie McGaughey last month. Surf camp # 2 was excellent.

TIDE GUIDE "SURF CAMP" # 1 2007

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This is Tide Guides 8th season running bonafide surf camps. 2 nights and 2 days on the beach, and surfing the shore break at Port Aransas, Texas. Very pleased to have some return surfers in camp, Jeff Mason, must be year number 4 now, he is a Hewlett Packard man during the week in Houston or somewhere on the globe, and is becoming a promising surfer. On Saturday both he and I rode a wave side by side, and in control enough to talk, so this is what makes these safari's so much fun. One of Jeff's colleages, Davie McGaughey whom hails from Scotland, was learning with us and had a sea turtle jump out of the water and land on the deck of his longboard, bumping into him. Davies girlfriend had a thick Scottish accent and a couple times i had to ask her "Could you please say that agian". We had a father, Daughter Toby and Kara Meyers with us. Kara surfed a little bit with her father Saturday, and then she became a little uncomfortable with the Sargassam Seaweed we had this trip. It was quite thick 50 feet out from shore, and she couldn't stand having it in her long pretty hair, she said, "i had to wash my hair 4 times". But she got up on the board and her father was proud of her. Troy Donovan, graduated class and rode his longboard over the 30 feet. Any one who can do this gets to sign their name on the awning in camp. So he is now in the 30 foot club. I had a chance to talk with Morgan Faulkner, we've known each other for a few years now, he runs a surf camp, and gets lots of the young kids, so he and i talk and have a good relationship. Also met Ted, the owner of the new surf shop in town. Surf camp #1 was great.

May 18-20 2007 Shell Bar Kayak Trip

Tide Guide met the University of Texas, San Antonio at the usaul rendezvous, friday morning. Weather will hold, something I can tell from all these years guiding down here. Six students and my friend and UTSA assistant outdoor director Eliot Howard are all set to paddle down to Shell Bar. And we are paddling even myself this time (see: "Mr. Minor Recieves a Citation"). I have'nt paddled down there and back in ten years. I've forgiven the Game Wardens by now even.

East wind so we glide down all the way to Shell Bar. Saturday we circumnavigated Steam Boat Island during the afternoon. Eliot had been talking about Eskimo Rolling this 17' Tide Guide kayak, and while flowing with an flooding tide, thru Steamboat Pass he executed a complete role, "well done".

Wind shifted, Sunday morning and is aft of starboard beam for an easy paddle back to the marina.