Inspiration 1.0

Drink One from Ben Potter on Vimeo.

I don't know if I got a bit stale with surfing over the winter, or just busy or just lost a little bit of enthusiasm for the daily grind required to be a regular wave rider in this country. I think I'm old enough and I've seen enough for not much to seem so new anymore...

Whatever.........

 A good surf trip was always going to top up the stoke-o-meter and California certainly didn't disappoint. Two and a half weeks of glassy waist to head high swell, mostly on right hand points is definitely going to do it. It's amazing what consistent waves will do for your surfing and I've returned full of Stoke and hopefully back up to a decent level of logging.

I'm going to post up my film pictures her over the next few months and I'll type out the highlights as I go, those of you who follow me on Instagram will have seen plenty of pictures already. I met so many cool people in the water and saw some really high level surfing on logs, short boards and everything in between. To everyone that chatted and shared a wave, thanks for being so welcoming and stoked on meeting an English traveller, you all added something.


I want to thank the Threadgills for once again for your hospitality. We wish we saw you more often. And to Matt and Talla for showing us a proper July 4th. Hope we see you guys again soon.

So what's all this got to do with a stolen video of East Coaster Mikey Detemple logging in Montauk, New York?

I took two boards with me to Ca, the seapea and my trusty 9'4 if6was9 log. Pretty much a perfect quiver for summer in California. The logs been featured here more than a couple of times. It's pretty foiled, has the wide point aft of center with a wide tail, a narrow nose and a greenough 4a. It's definitely the direction where logs have gone over the last couple of years drawing from the Aussie involvement movement in a direct line from Nats magic sam board and I for one am a convert. 

It's loose off the tail but still nose rides real well in the pocket and the narrow nose helps with control in steeper waves, allowing the boad to get more parallel. It must do something right, a random Santa Cruz local told me my board looked "bitchin!"

The board Mikey rides in the video plays from the same hymn sheet. It's a christenson flathead model with the similar dimensions and shape to my if6was9 (albeit with a much bigger and longer nose concave and perhaps even more "piggy") it's one of the clips that's been inspiring me since I've been back. Mikey's surfing is smooth yet powerful and stylish. Solid nose-riding and sweeping turns.......

Plus he's got a pacemaker, you can't help but be inspired by that!