Messages

16

General Discussion / Re: Is anyone just SUP Surfing anymore?

« on: June 16, 2021, 07:43:03 AM »

I SUS from about 2013 to 2018 continuous, but it sort of drug me back into the surf world and I find myself mostly prone surfing now. The last time I SUS was in 2019 in Maui. I will probably SUS this summer a few days.

My surf time has been limited this past year due to my kids' interests. My youngest daughter is getting into tournament golf and it just sucks a lot of time. The simplicity of the equipment is what I like about prone surfing. I have migrated back towards mid lengths (7-2 to 7-6) just because I can throw one inside my truck cab, and most of my surfing is done before and after business meetings near the coast. My favorite is HPLB, just because they are easy to catch waves on and still fun to ride.

17

Random / Re: the Corona Virus, One year of Covid-19

« on: June 01, 2021, 09:39:14 AM »

CV-19 will definitely become/is endemic. What is the argument that it would not? The only question is the severity of the attenuated version. It is currently the 4th most common respiratory virus circulating in the globe and it could stay at that ranking and bump back to the top for years. The severity of it will determine if it is vaccine worthy in coming years, right now it is vaccine worthy as it can clip you pretty hard.

It is rampant in my community right now. 50% of people are vaccinated, but I know at least 20 people who have it as I type this. Literally within a week I went from "its over" to "everyone has it". Most people had minor colds, some had fevers for a few days. This is the first time I have personally known more than 1 person with it. One lady (one of my friends mother) is going to die in the next couple of days. No surprise in that she has pretty much all the comorbidities you don't want to have with CV, but still sad.

What I think the "science" needs to determine is how well did any of the NPIs work? Why did we change the playbook from 200 years of study of infectious disease over 2 months in 2020? They have determined that less than 10% of the infected can spread the disease, thus the exponential spread model is not exactly correct. We just saw the huge spike in cases in India and the rise and fall was so steep, that there is no way it could have spread that fast from 10% of carriers making contact. The only reason I can determine the curve has a gaussian profile is timing of the reporting and hours in the day to test people. Uruguay and the supposed model compliant society of Taiwan also just experienced their big spike in cases.

We keep hearing things like "we let our guard down" and there were "unsanctioned events", but maybe human interaction is far less important in the spread that we think. Why do meat packing plants and nursing homes get outbreaks, while airplanes and dentists offices never have them? Everyone is wearing masks in those places. How does a rural area get sudden spread without large parties or events, when only 10% of people with the illness spread it? The math can't keep up for just interpersonal contact within 6'.

My mind keeps going to fecal aerosols, but clearly the tiny aerosols can hang in the air for a long time. Maybe the "contact tracing" is just not effective enough to ever really point out any correlation.

My family was impacted far, far more by the NPIs than the CV19. I will remain pretty steadfast that had we treated 2020 as a very bad flu season without the myopic draconian measures the excess deaths could have been less (still more than normal), but we could have cut out missed cancers, failure to thrive, obesity and long term mental health.

18

Random / Re: the Corona Virus, One year of Covid-19

« on: May 14, 2021, 07:00:27 AM »

In one fell swoop the CDC ended mask mandates. Allowing individual areas to determine if they are required. WA and OR have both ended their mask mandates "for vaccinated people". Which of course should have been the direction from the outset of vaccinations. There would be a lot more vaccinated people had they done this.

I just spent 10 minutes on Facebook (terrible) and 90% of the responses I see to the news story is: "I'm still wearing my mask as I don't trust other people. I follow the science. I am protecting the vulnerable!"

I can't get my head around it. There is 4 solid months of vaccination data available that show they are working really well, and that vaccinated people don't spread any disease. Masks have become some kind of religious dogma for people. I imagine that the news cycle will pivot towards how good the vaccines are now that CDC has finally got this message out and the mask weirdos will calm down. But maybe not, for many people there is no better feeling than smug pretend martyrdom.

19

Technique / Re: Improve your surfing: Clayton Nienaber Surf Coach

« on: May 13, 2021, 10:05:29 AM »

Thanks for this. I have been looking for a new podcast and have never really listened to a surfing podcast before.

20

Training, Diet, and Fitness / Re: At home training ap?

« on: April 28, 2021, 12:30:05 PM »

Quick comment on the Joe Blair technique. I use a big rubber band (available at any sporting good store) to do those exercises that Joe shows. I never saw his video but do those every year in the months leading up to a vacation where I will be prone surfing.

Can confirm, they work really well. I usually run out of general energy, or cramp up, long before my shoulders get whacked.

The other thing to do is to face the hook point and extend your hands down and behind you. This works the lower deltoid and teres minor and major which get tired quick as they help you raise your arm out of the water at the end of a paddle stroke.

I prone surfed this morning on a board that was a little too small for the conditions (and my ginormous gut).  My shoulders felt strong the whole time, the rest of me got tired quick.

21

Random / Re: the Corona Virus, One year of Covid-19

« on: April 23, 2021, 08:38:06 AM »

Daily vaccinations have peaked I believe earlier this week. Even though it is now available for anyone who wants one, the demand is waning. I talked to my pharmacist buddy last weekend. I said "We can't be more than 1 week from having no demand for this vaccine, right?" He disagreed and was seeing such strong numbers through the little vaccination clinics his pharmacy was running, that he thought his gravy train was going for another month. He texted yesterday and told me I was dead on and that vacc appointments fell off the table on Wed this week. He went from full bookings to 50% utilization, and cancelled weekend clinics. Public clinics cannot find enough arms to poke either.

Again the "public health" people have failed to understand human nature. If they said "GET YOUR VACCINE AND GO BACK TO NORMAL", vaccine demand would stay elevated. The people I know who don't have the vax are all the same, none of them are political, or science'y reasons; they are all "What is in it for me?". The pundits are saying things like "we need to increase access to vaccines, etc" The access thing is in the rearview mirror. They need to increase demand, if we are following the carrot and stick methodology the stick (fear) people have the vax, we need to make the carrot more enticing.

22

SUP General / Re: What to do when caught inside?

« on: April 21, 2021, 10:47:40 AM »

I have one little wrinkle that I picked up from lonboarding. My log is probably nearly 90L, with a wide nose. My SUP is 135L. I have done this with both of them in all sizes of surf.

One thing I like to do whenever possible is turn the board nose first to the white water or breaking waves and give the nose a side hug. Gripping the board as hard as I can under my arm. Just before the wave hits, sink the nose and yourself as deep as possible, basically trying to get the tail out of the water. It is the reverse of using a tail handle, but you can get prone on the board a lot faster, headed the right direction if you think you can escape the impact zone. It also keeps you away from the fins.

I haven't found too many waves where this didn't work, and when it did rip the board out of my hand, it was a lot closer than if I was dangling at end of my leash.

The next key is to try and wipe out without your board squirting away from you. Usually just pawing at the rail as you fall is enough to get it under control before the next wave. With a sup you can use the paddle to paw at the board.

Also to the other points, the harder you can push down your nose or tail before the wave hits the easier it is to hang on. I have always just used my tail pad and pushed down and it works pretty well.

23

Random / Re: Surfing Quotes

« on: April 19, 2021, 02:21:23 PM »

At every beach there is a pack of locals, mostly older guys. All of them with vans. Some moderately employed, some moderately retired. They love to stand on the bluff, car park, trail head, or pier entrance and drink coffee. Stand close enough and you can hear these same quotes from LaJolla to Tofino:


"Can't believe the number of kooks in the water today" - Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff

"If the tide was right this would be a good day to go out" - Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff

"There's so many groms in the water its not even worth going out today" - Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff

"Can't believe how many fuckin' pansies show up when the weather is warm, where were you when it was 38 degrees and raining?" Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff

"Look at this kook, trying to go right on a left" - Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff

"Wind is going to pick up in 20 minutes or I would be out there"  - Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff

"Didn't even put on my suit Saturday it was a zoo" -  Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff

"Doesn't anyone work anymore?" Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff

"This pier/jetty used to break perfectly until (insert agency) built the (insert object), mother fuckers." Old guys with arms crossed on the bluff



Never hear this stuff in Hawaii, the old guys all actually surf there.

24

Random / Re: the Corona Virus, One year of Covid-19

« on: March 22, 2021, 03:20:43 PM »

I played basketball last night and talked to our local basketball coach/P.E. Teacher. She basically lifts weights and runs like a border collie, probably hasn't had candy bar in 15 years. I would say her body fat percentage is basically zero. She got the same vaccine and passed completely out the next day. Had to get on an EKG machine, etc.

I wonder if people who metabolize better have rougher outcomes with the vaccine?

What was her age?

I work with a guy who is a fit 30 year old.  Plays hockey regularly and was an aspiring near pro level player (10 years ago).  He got the 1 shot J&J Vaccine on Weds.  He was knocked OUT the following day.  24 hours of flu-like symptoms down for the count.  Couldn't even e-mail. 

The theory is it hits the younger harder (truth or not).  I would suggest that if older people are NOT impacted as much its because their systems have seen the offender before, in some related form.   

The overarching evidence is that this virus doesn't kill 90% to 99% of the people it infects because our immune systems know how to deal with it.  The only way to get to 99.99% survival however is to get the darn vaccine.  I am amazed by the 'older' people that are rebelling against vaccination.

She is early 30s, was a D1 basketball player and if you have to guard her would swear she still is.

I ran into my pharmacist in the bar on Saturday night and gave him a bitch slap for how sick it made me. He had 2 theories, the one above about younger peoples immune system being more active with a new virus introduced and the other being that I already had CV-19 and somehow that caused it. He told me anecdotally, that he heard more reaction to the first shot from people who had the virus before.  He bought be a couple rounds for pain an sufferin'.

Anyone see that Krispy Kreme will give you a donut every day for a year if you show your vaccine card? https://www.krispykreme.com/promos/vaccineoffer

Big Pharma and Big Donut are teaming up to make sure Americans never get off sugar and pills.

25

Random / Re: the Corona Virus, One year of Covid-19

« on: March 22, 2021, 10:05:28 AM »

Update, I felt better after the above episode and then had dinner - to bed. Once I laid down my fingers and toes were on fire, felt like getting tapped in the funny bone for hours straight. Could not get any sleep. Fine now.

I played basketball last night and talked to our local basketball coach/P.E. Teacher. She basically lifts weights and runs like a border collie, probably hasn't had candy bar in 15 years. I would say her body fat percentage is basically zero. She got the same vaccine and passed completely out the next day. Had to get on an EKG machine, etc.

I wonder if people who metabolize better have rougher outcomes with the vaccine?

26

Random / Re: the Corona Virus, One year of Covid-19

« on: March 19, 2021, 11:12:05 AM »

I rarely wear a mask, get scolded less and less frequently lately.

I have the vaccine. Got it yesterday. Left shoulder. Left arm has been tingling since last night, now I have a sore throat, headache in the back of my neck, ears ringing and fever. Had to cancel a tee time for this afternoon. Haven't been this sick since Jan 2020.

Fuck you vaccine.

I should not have this vaccine per the "vaccine phases", I lift weights, surf, run, golf and have no comorbidities (except 20 extra Lbs that comes and goes). I have been called no less than 5X by my local pharmacy when someone did not show up for their scheduled vax, yesterday I was in my office that is only 1/2 block from one of the pharmacy branches and so I got the vaccine.


Each time I said, "Isn't there someone who is older, fatter or more needy." They always said "Yes, but getting to those people who are not on cell phones or can't drive is really hard, we need to have these shots used up by 5pm." You know why I got priority, because they knew I could be counted on to show up and have an insurance card in my hand - low hanging fruit gets picked first.  Big Pharma wins again.

I regret it now, I am going to waste this Friday being sick when I should be playing. There is basically no spread of cv-19 in my local community currently, and my chances of a bad outcome from the disease are extremely low.

I don't know what I was thinking agreeing to it. Although I guess now I will unabashedly throw my dirty old masks away, so that is an upside. I also think we may have to get cv tests to travel, which should be avoidable with the vaxx I am really going to try and figure out when to get my 2nd shot. Probably schedule some continuing education webinars for the day after.

27

General Discussion / Re: Politicians are getting crazy

« on: January 26, 2021, 02:31:05 PM »

Pay no attention to the vaccine that can't get doled out efficiently, the tents and trash covering every piece of empty ground with less than a 10 degree slope, opiate addicts with no where to go, the kids falling through the cracks, and the hospitality sector withering away.

"My constituents (testing company buddies) want boating courses for paddlers, without boating courses there is anarchy!"
 

28

General Discussion / Re: Wow, I suck at SUP surfing

« on: December 24, 2020, 09:00:55 AM »

Great post.

I'm sort of Mid-life (I hope), but it just seems like every year that goes by, the less muscle memory I have. Age makes things that were once easy hard.

I have been mostly prone surfing the last couple of years, I just like the simplicity and my kids are doing it. Last year I decided to spend a few days SUSing and damn, the waiting for wave and paddling for waves part was rough. Once on the wave I felt pretty comfortable, except the paddle was always in the way.

29

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: December 11, 2020, 10:44:47 AM »

With regard to the fin, the shape has a lot to do with how stable the board is. A wider fin makes the board far more stable, and rigid. The in between is a "pivot" style fin, which is wide at the base and narrows at the tip.

A fin with a wide base, or wide throughout will require you to be a little more prepared to "turn and burn". Meaning you have to be strong with your movements to rock the board back on its tail, pull the nose around, flop back on your belly, and start paddling. A thruster is much easier to do this move, as the fins are meant for turning. You don't have to pay as close of attention, you can steer a thruster much easier from the prone position.

I enjoy surfing a single fin on a cruiser longboard, it is all about trim and glide. Turning a wide single fin is pivot turning which is actually a little harder than standing over a tri fin or quad set and leaning. I should not say you can't turn a single fin from the back 1/2 of the board it is just more of a swoop, than any sort of quick turn (unless its a pivot turn).

@Dusk Patrol - Ukulele is the brand that Chris Ruddy used to shape for. He still makes the Drifter.

http://www.chrisruddysurfboards.com/shop/a449cajndkwyxnf21paqj698f6dr5v

30

Random / Re: Moving to NZ because of the virus

« on: October 13, 2020, 10:59:45 AM »

My wife is a school counselor and most schools are not open here in WA except for private and a few in rural areas. What keeps me up at night is my wife dealing with kids experiencing actual trauma caused by these school lockdowns. Literally, last night I was up consoling her between midnight and 2 am. Every student gets a school provided Chrome book and if they are in grades 1-5 every time the kid triggers a key word "abuse, suicide, kill, etc" it pings on my wife's computer and she gets to try and deal with it. What is really troubling her is that she had a case load of kids she knew would suffer, but is now getting a lot of extra kids who she would have never expected to suffer. Last night was sobbing "These are babies!" "They are doing their best, and their parents still can't handle this stress." Even worse are the kids she can't even find. Teachers come to her every week asking where students that they had concerns over are, and no one can find them.

She calls Child Protective services, but states that the CPS staff is so over taxed with called in abuse cases that they will not even look at a keyword case unless it is already on their case list. You can't blame them, they have to triage in some way. Sometimes her and the vice principal drive around last known address just to try and get eyes on the children.

Closing schools has been medically useless for children (at best). Seeing a generation of students caught in the middle of a political issue makes me sick. I have emailed my school board, county commissioners and county health department as these guys are the un-elected bureaucrats setting the case load requirements for schools to open. Nothing more dangerous than an unelected bureaucrat.