Surf Break: Weekend in San Clemente

Well, hello again. Yes, I've been busy for a while! Hey, I knew this blog was going to be a major time commitment, and unfortunately I've had *zero* to devote to it for a while. It's not that I haven't had good intentions, trust me! But the last couple months have been a blur (a long story, but all good). And I was too busy to report from another conference, as I did earlier this year from Demo and PC Forum. Anyway, a few weeks ago, I was in Southern California again for a quick business trip, but I of course stayed in my favorite beach city for the weekend prior... :-)

Had some beautiful weather, great waves, warm water, and had a chance to shoot some fun pix -- which I thought I'd share with you here. Also got to hook up with my good friend Jim Moriarty, executive director of The Surfrider Foundation, who offices in San Clemente. He'd just returned from a nine-day surf vacation in El Salvador with some buddies. Very fun waves, he told me -- though he dinged up one board, and gave the other one he brought to a local kid. (That's their tradition when they travel to these special surf spots of theirs.) I met up with him a few days later at his office, and he said he was still tired after three surf sessions a day down there! Here's a shot of Jim in his office.
Pretty cool, huh? He has a view right out to the blue Pacific (of course) and is just a few blocks to a couple of great breaks: the SC pier and T-Street. Tough duty for the office staff, huh? :-) The other shot is their goodies room. [Full disclosure: thanks for the hat and t-shirt, Jim!] Part of the way they make money for the cause is selling this great stuff at their online store.

By the way, don't try to find a sign for the Surfrider Foundation's offices -- it's purposely very low key. (I had a hard time finding it!) I guess they'd never get any work done at all if surfers and people in general just kept dropping in all day long. And they do a lot of very great work! I'm continually amazed at all their initiatives and programs. But Jim will always tell you that's the power of volunteers -- fifty-some thousand members worldwide. Don't think the efforts of Jim and his staff aren't part of it, though! They are amazing. Just take a breeze through their site. These folks have been pretty savvy about the power of online communication and community for a long time....

And it all emanates out of this non-descript office in San Clemente. Here's a shot of the door, and another shot outside to give you a hint of where it's located. But they may be moving shortly, anyway, so even if you found it, they'd probably not be there anymore! Lease rates in the heart of San Clemente are going through the roof lately. Rocky's Surf Shop just shut down, I guess, when their rate tripled. Alas, our quiet little beach town is being discovered.... :-(

After Jim and I took a break at the local Starbuck's, he pointed out a great new surf shop in San Clemente, called Icons of Surf. He said they have the coolest boards. So I had to wander in and take a few shots. Whoa, how about these colors, huh?

Anyone who appreciates art, especially surf art (and Jim certainly does), should definitely check this place out in person, or go to their web site -- boards for sale there, too!

Earlier that day, on the beach, I had the good fortune to meet a new friend, Mitch Colapinto, who runs Cola's Surf Camp during the summer on Poche Beach (my stomping grounds just north of the pier a mile or so). Mitch is a teacher in SC the rest of the year. Later on, via email, I also met his wife Camille. They run a great operation, really amazingly efficient, with a good-sized staff of very competent assistants. And what a fun time those kids have learning to surf! Here are a few shots, which I took as a strolled over to check it all out. (I threw another shot in at the end of a local surfer dropping in on a nice little section right about that time.) Reminded me of when I learned at age 13....at Waikiki (but I digress).

As evening approached on this, the last day of my three-day weekend, I grabbed a great surf sequence from across the coast highway, standing on the brick fence in front of my place. Guess I was lucky -- I just kept firing. Another great stay at Poche Beach! And sunset soon followed...

(A bunch of my other shots taken here over the last few years are on this little web site I created for the fun of it: PocheBeach.com.)

Till my next surf break....see ya online.