Northeast Blahs

•Winter has a solid grip on the Northeast, but the folks in the ESA-Northern New England District managed to run a bang-up contest season before the icebergs got too thick. Northeast Productions' Marc Angelillo and District Director Lenny Nichols said they only held four contests this year, but they waited for stellar conditions for each one, ensuring "quality rather than quantity." The last comp, held at The Wall in North Hampton, NH, was a prime example, boasting four to six-foot glassy groundswell and offshore winds all day. A handful of surfers were able to secure not one, but two 1st-place finishes in separate divisions: Jesse Gould in Boys Shortboard and Menehune Longboard; Lars Jacobson in Men's Shortboard and Men's Longboard; Mike "Zap" Paugh in Senior Men's Shortboard and Masters Longboard; and Marc Angelillo in Grandmasters Shortboard and Legends Longboard. A sincere thanks goes out to the local surf shop hosts, Cinnamon Rainbows and Zapstick Surf Shop in New Hampshire and Liquid Dreams in Maine; plus photographers Ralph Fatello and Justin Lamkin; along with all judges, tabulators, and volunteers who helped everything run smooth and efficiently. Check out www.esa-nne.org to see next year's schedule.  

•Grain Surfboards out of York, ME, recently won its own award. Owned by Mike LaVecchia -- brother to ESM Senior Photog Nick LaVecchia -- the all-wood surfboard shaping biz was chosen out of hundreds of new startup companies for the Surf Expo Launch Contest, which selected the surf industry's 10 hottest up-and-coming brands. Judging criteria was based on innovation, marketability, quality, and the potential for sales growth. Grain and the other selectees will be provided with a free booth at January's Orlando Surf Expo, so make sure you stop by, and tell them ESM sent you.  

•Empire State adoptee Ryan Carlson has also been making major waves in the surf scene, from winning contests and securing sponsors to boosting the most insane airs this side of the Sears Tower. Most recently, Carlson took out a bevy of boosters to nab the title at the Koastal Kaos/ No Fear Airshow at Crystal Pier in San Diego, his second airshow win this year. Not only did that victory provide Carlson with a cool $1200, but it no doubt played a role in him inking a deal with Etnies to become the brand's second Right Coast teamrider behind Florida's Eric Geiselman. To see firsthand evidence of Carlson's Jedi-like skills on and above the waves, visit www.lostenterprises.com. 

•New Englanders' cold-water bravado scored national media attention this November when Newsweek published an article on surfing the world's most frigid climates. Outside of the upper northeastern states, the story also listed Nova Scotia, Alaska, and British Columbia as popular hot spots for cold-water shredding. And who do you think Newsweek went to first for a quote on surfing the planet's most ball-shriveling destinations: none other than the East Coast's own Jack Frost, Peter Pan. The Pan Man exalted chilly conditions for clearing the lineup of crowds and bragged about surfing all by himself in minus-20-degree windchill off his native Rhode Island shores (he failed to mention the waves were half-a-foot). The piece also directed readers to check out one of New England's premier surfing portals, Nesurfari.com, and when it was all said and done, the feature made the Northeast's wintertime gulag seem downright inviting. If you're ready to sack it up, check out Pan's winter surf school at www.peterpansurf.com to get started.  

•Former ESM Who Da Girl from Massachusetts Mercy Reed will be traveling throughout Central America and Indonesia this winter, and apparently, she will have a photog along for the ride. So check future editions of Eastern Surf for action shots.  

•Word has it the Army Corps of Engineers plans to construct a seawall to protect the historic Montauk Point Lighthouse from shoreline erosion. While the shining beacon, which was commissioned by President George Washington in 1796, is definitely worthy of preservation, ACE's method of protection is likely to ruin the popular local wave known as Alamo, which breaks in the light's shadow. To counter the Corps' $14 million plan, Surfrider Long Island proposed its own solution: move the lighthouse to another location (as in Cape Hatteras). Though the Corps considered the surfers' counter proposal, they concluded that moving the structure would cost almost double their plan. But Surfrider isn't backing down, and members have met with local politicians, distributed fliers, and commissioned studies to block ACE's construction from moving forward. To read the entire Corps proposal and find out how you can become involved, visit www.surfriderli.org.  

•Long Beach, NY's, Jim Nason was the feature subject of an article in The New Yorker's "Talk Of The Town" section this November. Nason runs a surf cam out of his kitchen window, and since major sites like Surfline.com and Wavewatch.com now require paid subscriptions to view their equipment, his free home-based service has become extremely popular, garnering over 50,000 hits per month. The New Yorker piece did a good job of shedding light on the pros and cons of surf cams and how Nason's little side project has affected his home life. Check out the cam at www.surferjims.com.  

•Surfers aren't the only ones braving winter's onslaught, as the Right Coast's hardiest lensmen will instantly jump in to get the shot, even if it means treading water for hours in 40 degree slush. Case in point -- ESM Senior Photographer Luke Simpson of Cape Cod, MA, trucked down to Rhode Island this November and met up with local Justin Casey and a group of others for an impromptu photo session. Not satisfied with shooting just from the beach, Simpson suited up and swam out in the chilly water with his water housing to get a better angle. After enduring set waves to the noggin and ice cream headaches for a half-hour, he finally found the honey hole and snapped off a barrage of Grade-A images before heading in to thaw out. One of his photos of Casey even made the front-page of Nesurfari.com, and the rest can be viewed on Simpson's site, www.lukesimpson.com. Keep an eye out for evidence of more cold-water exploits in next issue's East Coast Winter Surf Feature, "Freezer Burn."  

•Connecticut has a new surf shop, The Board Room Surf & Skate, owned and operated by Greg Echtman. The address is 1604 Boston Post Road in Old Saybrook, CT. Check 'em out.  

•Hot up-and-coming teens have the ASP Pro Junior series to ensure they're tour-ready, but nowadays, even the grommies are honing their WCT skills through the Rip Curl Gromsearch. With qualifiers held up and down the East Coast, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii, dozens of the nation's top groms are chosen each year for a chance to battle it out at the Gromsearch National Championships in California. After some intense competition at this year's event, Long Beach, NY's, Balaram Stack sealed a solid 3rd-place finish in Boys 14 & Under. It's great to see more Northeasterners in the winner's brackets these days, and with young guns like Balaram out there charging, it should stay that way for years to come.  

•Rhode Island's Dave McLaughlin is putting together a video/ slideshow fundraiser for the last weekend in January to benefit Clean Ocean Access. The celluloid shindig is set for three separate showings at local theaters and bars, featuring the premiere of the new vid Northern Realm by Teague Sobin, along with slideshows from Northeastern photogs Chris Parker, Luke Simpson, Andy Parsons, Dave McLaughlin, and many others. The theater gig is planned for families who want to offer their support but not necessarily party, while the bar showings will be for the booze hounds. The first event goes down on January 27th at Firehouse Theater in Newport during the afternoon, and later that night, another viewing is scheduled for Easton's Point in Middletown. The final show is slated for the evening of the 28th back at Firehouse. Tickets cost $10 and are expected to sell out, so go to www.members.cox.net to grab one before they're gone. ­Compiled by Chris Towery

Mid-Atlantic Blahs

•The Graveyard of the Atlantic is swallowing up more than boats these days. Apparently, the treacherous waters off the Outer Banks have a new hunger for corn chips, as thousands of bags of Doritos were coughed up on the beach near Hatteras Island, NC, on Thanksgiving morning. It was later learned a large vessel out of Delaware bound for Costa Rica lost four of its tractor trailer-sized cargo containers to the sea, and one of them broke open and washed ashore. Since the chips were sealed airtight, they were perfectly edible, giving a few lucky beachgoers an all-you-can-eat Doritos feast to go along with their turkey and stuffing. Too bad they weren't cranberry-flavored.  

•Eddie Compo and Chris Corcoran at VBsurfphotos.com have been shooting more images than ever thanks to local pro Raven Lundy, who recently invested in a new jet-ski. The boys have been relentlessly pursuing tow-at sessions on smaller days, and have just about mastered 10-foot alley-oops and flips. With all of the increased surf action, Ed and Chris updated the website with heaps of new images and features, and viewers can now purchase prints as gifts with one simple click. See for yourself at www.vbsurfphotos.com.  

•And while you're online, don't forget to visit Buxton, NC, videographer Ben Stinson's website, www.abstractvideodesign.com. Ben just posted extensive footage of several all-East Coast sessions from this winter on the North Shore. Keep checking back, because he'll be adding more content in weeks to come.  

•In more news from the Outer Banks, Hoven Eyewear rep Jason Forrest sent word that he, Dana Quinn, and Barry Price, Jr. charged up to Nova Scotia this December after getting a last-minute e-mail alert of a huge swell arriving the next day. The waves must've been pretty damn good, because the drive took 23 hours each way. Along for the ride was photog Todd McLean, who scored a handful of hot shots, while Dana kept a journal of their experiences.  

•New Brunswick, NJ, photog Russ Meseroll (no relation to Dick), told ESM he's sitting on an insane batch of photos from the infamous October 28th swell, which had Monmouth County beaches throwing and blowing like Backdoor. Don't believe us? Check out Russ' gallery of the epic day at www.offshorephoto.smugmug.com.  

•In Mid-Atlantic Quiksilver haps, East Coast Team Manager Matt Kechele welcomes Dylan Kowalski, of Wrightsville Beach, NC, to the Quik grom squad, along with Julian Payne from the Outer Banks. To celebrate his signing, Dylan flew out to the North Shore to sharpen his skills. Onyas to you both!  

•Speaking of grommies, Undertoe Surf Shop recently held their second annual Gromapolooza contest on the south side of Surf City Pier in Surf City, NC. LaNier Shepard with Shepard Surfboards said the event blew up with super challenging conditions and super hot surfing. Since the swell was pushing a couple feet overhead with a northerly current running like a river, the little rippers had an arduous time just paddling out. But once beyond the heaving shorebreak, the tikes managed to tear things up, no doubt energized by the promise of cash prizes for 1st through 3rd-place. In the end, South Carolina's Cole Richards claimed victory and $60 in 17 & Under, while North Carolina's Slater Powell nabbed $170 for winning Open Shortboard. Local photog Keith Ketchum was on-hand getting the shots. To view his images, visit www.picturetrail.com. For complete results from Gromapolooza, turn to Page 172.  

•Nic McLean at Tight Productions wanted to get the word out about his wife Jessica's website, which promotes her new album, Designed to Dream. Playing guitar and writing music since age 13, Jessica's CD tells of her experiences as a young person walking with the Lord. Many of the songs have ocean themes, and she has toured local churches and YMCA centers across North Carolina and Virginia to support the release. For future concert dates and more info, go to www.jessicamclean.com.  

•Joe Ciaramella wanted to thank us for running a Who Da Guy on his son, Mike, last issue, while also letting us know his family will be leaving their homebase in Stone Harbor, NJ, and heading to Tortola this January for a month-long warm-water vacation.  

•Virginia Beach's Chris Todd said the gang at 17th Street Surf Shop and Pride Surfboards were super busy for X-Mas, not only dealing with holiday sales, but also catching back-to-back swells from early-winter storms. Most importantly, Chris wanted to prop his cousin Drew Todd, owner of the new brand Blackline Mfg., which produces leashes, traction, and other accessories. A former ESM Who Da Guy and longtime ...Lost collaborator, Drew has been killing it out in his adopted home of San Clemente, CA, signing a host of top surfers from both coasts to Blackline, including Cory Lopez, Brett Simpson, Kolohe Andino, Dane Zaun, Dane Ward, Julian Wilson, Philip Goold, Steve Owens, Jason Borte, Ken Hunt, Wes Laine, and even cousin Chris. Blackline's official launch went down in January, so look for ads in ESM, Surfer, and Transworld over the next few months. For more, e-mail Drew at drew.todd@sbcglobal.net.  

•Another new addition to the industry to check out is Right Coast big-wave charger Will Skudin's new video, Headfirst: A Year In The Life Of The Surf, which follows Skudin and his friends as they rip the Right Coast's top lineups and jet off to catch the best foreign spots going richter over the course of a year. Headfirst can be purchased for $29.95 by calling 877-342-6334.  

•Last issue, we noted the passing of surfing matriarch Helen Butler, mother to Sweetwater Surf Shop Manager Tony Butler. During Helen's battle with cancer, Tony began a nonprofit charity and silent auction called Hope For Helen, which raised funds for her exorbitant medical expenses. Now, with his mom gone, Tony wants to keep the organization alive, so he recently changed the name to Hope From Helen, and plans to donate funds raised from the auction and other events to several charities close to his family's heart. Items available at the auction included a huge list of surfing and non-surfing memorabilia such as autographed surfboards from Damien Hobgood, Bobby Martinez, Mark Richards, and Ben Bourgeois; several pieces of surf art; photos from DJ Struntz and Kenny Onufrock; surf vacation packages; autographed skateboards; a baseball signed by Joe DiMaggio; and much more. All total, the fundraiser, which was held at Blockade Runner Resort in Wrightsville Beach on December 1st, gathered nearly $25,000. To make your own donation, e-mail Tony at tdogsurfs@msn.com.  

•Another loss to the East Coast waveriding community occurred this winter with the passing of Tom's River, NJ's, Brian Kelly. Brian and his brother Darrin were two of the hottest local surfers on the Jersey scene in the late-'80s and early '90s, and Brian even scored the cover of Eastern Surf in 1993 (Vol.1 #6). A memorial paddle-out for Brian was held at Casino Pier -- the very spot where he nabbed his covershot -- on December 17th, with more than 50 surfers in the water despite ocean temps in the low 50s. Aloha Brian; you'll be missed.  

•In addition to scoring a Who Da Guy in this issue, Ocean City, NJ's, Rob Kelly just resigned with Von Zipper for a second year. To bolster his image with his sponsors, Rob took the win in a recent Volcom VQS comp at Casino Pier, and then went on to defend his title as overall winner of the NSSA Northeast Regional High School Championships. And speaking of bolstering images, we just learned Ocean City's Earl Elsohn, who nabbed Rob's Who Da Guy photo in this issue, is just 14 years old! You often hear about grommies ripping the lineup, but rarely do you come across someone his age wielding a lens with such authority -- and from the water no less! Keep sending us shots like that, Earl, and pretty soon you'll find your name on the ESM Masthead.  

•This just in -- Buxton, NC's, Donnie Jones moved to San Diego, CA, this winter to lay claim to some fine west coast waves and women. Best of luck in your search, Donnie. Just remember to wear a good wetsuit while indulging in either endeavor. ­Compiled by Chris Towery

Southeast Blahs

•The Africans are coming, the Africans are coming! Looks like even the Dark Continent blokes are migrating to Central Florida, as ESM just got word that Bilt Surf, out of Durban, South Africa, recently opened a shop in Cocoa Beach. Founded in 1996 by Rainbow Nation shaper Elton Fursman, Bilt's new location opened for business this fall and carries his full line of shapes, which are currently ridden by international pros like Jason Ribbink, Travis Logie, and David Weare. To help them get established on the Right Coast, Bilt is looking for experienced board and clothing reps. To find out more, contact Zach Zaitz by phone at 321-868-8820, e-mail at zz@7angles.com, or go to www.biltsurf.com.  

•Another brand looking to expand their workforce is Hot Buttered, which seeks an experienced, motivated individual for a sales manager position. Interested parties should fax resumes to 407-841-1633. Hot Buttered would also like to congratulate Lee and Caroline Torregrossa on their new baby boy, Liam, who arrived on November 22nd.  

•Additional congrats are in order for Embryo Surf Company's Chad Rhodes and wife Jessica, of Charleston, SC, who tied the knot on November 18th.  

•Fort Lauderdale, FL's, Roray Kam told ESM he now rides for Hobie Longboards in addition to Island Water Sports. To back up his promotion, Roray claimed victory in the Senior Men's Pro Longboard division at this year's Jupiter Pro-Am Fall Classic. He's also the contest director for the 2007 Tico Travel Junior Pro-Am in Costa Rica, running June 24th through July 1st. Additional props go out to Roray's son Keahi, who now rides for Viking Surfboards, Billabong, and Von Zipper. Keahi also placed a respectable 5th in the Men's Open Pro division at the Jupiter Fall Classic.  

•This just in: Brevard County, FL's, favorite big-wave psycho Todd Morcom just returned from his first spine-tingling trip to Maverick's, where he had his mind blown on a few frigid 25-footers. He claims he has some dues to pay out there before he's considered a factor amongst the Mav's elite, but he's addicted to the place. Stay tuned.  

•Buxton, NC's, Jason Andre wanted to prop South Carolina lenswoman Nancy Hussey for e-mailing him a sick shot of Jason boosting a frontside air at the Lighthouse. Nancy runs Follysurfcam.com and keeps Southern Palmetto State locals dialed in with the swell conditions. For firsthand evidence, visit www.follysurfcam.com.  

•After getting shafted during Hurricane Season 2006, the Gulf is finally seeing some decent waves. The ESA-Northern Gulf District reported their first contest of the year went down at the Dan Russell City Pier in late October, with clean, chest to head-high sets rolling through the emerald-green lineup. Though it was just a small, amateur surf comp, over 200 spectators, including a TV news crew from NBC and the newspaper The Herald Tribune, came out to watch the action. Not to mention, several dedicated surfers came from as far away as Louisiana to compete. They might not have the most waves, but the Gulfsters certainly have the stoke.  

•On a sad note, the Treasure Coast saw the passing of two popular surfers from Stuart, FL, this fall, Frank "Fritter" Bolin and Kyle Chase Smith. The managing editor of Florida Sportsman, Bolin passed away after a nine-month battle with cancer. Smith died in a tragic auto accident, and over 200 of his friends and family participated in a paddle- out memorial at Stuart Public Beach. Chuck Reeves at Stoke Surfboards is dedicating a "Chase In The Wave" model longboard in Smith's honor.  

•ESM's favorite illustrator and all-around go-to guy for surf art, Damien Share, was recently selected by the Brevard County Cultural Alliance to have his paintings displayed in the Melbourne International Airport. The honor was part of BCCA's "Art in Public Places" program and will run through mid-March, so while waiting to catch your next flight, give Damien's work a gander, and go to www.damienshare.com if you're interested in purchasing anything.  

•All you shutterbugs out there should take note: Treasure Coast surf photog Bill Davis is getting rid of over $15,000 worth of camera equipment for bargain prices. From two topnotch Nikon camera bodies and dozens of lenses to flashes, digital projectors, teleconverters, tripods, and cases, Davis is selling a veritable photo studio worth of gear. As an extra incentive, he's offering to throw in a waterproof backpack; a large hard-wheeled travel case; several smaller, hard, waterproof cases; a soft waterproof camera case; and more than 10 gigs of CF cards for anyone willing to buy the whole lot. Oh yeah, and he'll pay for shipping in the U.S. To learn more, contact Davis by e-mail at bbsci@adelphia.net or phone at 561-339-6745.  

•Ezekiel just signed up Vero Beach, FL, hotshot Eric Taylor to their squad, along with Jacksonville, FL's, Jay Gordon and West Palm Beach, FL's, Andrew Christopher. Team Manager Shawn Murray welcomes all you boys to the Ezekiel family -- now go score some shots!  

•West Palm Beach photog Danny Moody was recently tapped to shoot an upcoming boat trip to Indo with Jupiter, FL, local Brent Duff and two, yet-to-be-announced Billabong riders, one of them likely being Peter Mendia. If you score some photo nugs, Danny, send them this way!  

•Big ups to Central Florida photog Stephen Lenches and his wife Leigh (a two-time ESM Girl) on the birth of their son, Alexander Anthes, who was born October 20th.  

•Former ESM Who Da Girl and star of this issue's new Wahine East column (see Page 75) Annie Tworoger said she and son Kai have returned home to Miami after living in Nicaragua this summer. Though she's currently finishing her final semesters at UM studying architecture, Annie is back with Body Glove and regularly hitting the South Florida lineups, as well as continuing the surf training Kai started in Nica. She wanted to give a shout out to Mark Gamez, owner of The Shack Boardshop in South Beach, for scoring the South Florida Regional Marketing Manager job at Zoo York. If you're in Miami and need gear, The Shack is your one-stop resource. Visit them online at www.theshackboardshop.com.  

•Although Adam Wickwire hails from the Florida tropics, he was part of a recent cold-water experiment that had him surfing alongside icebergs and polar bears. The Wickster and Hawaii's Elise Garrigue were shipped off to the Arctic Circle's unexplored frozen tundra this fall for a Rip Curl photo trip and to test the brand's newly designed suit, the H-Bomb, which is touted as the world's first power-heated wettie. In spite of subzero temps, Wickwire said the heated suits made it feel like they were surfing in "normal" conditions, and when they got a cold flush, it felt fine, since the water "helped distribute the warmth." If a wetsuit can help a small fry like Adam keep warm at the North Pole, you can bet the H-Bomb will have you downright toasty, even if you're surfing New England during a blizzard. Look for the new suits in stores sometime in mid-2007.  

•Over in Texas, locals better lock up their daughters and their liquor cabinets, because Jon Steele is back in town. The ESM Senior Photog was home in the Lone Star State through December to surf, skate, and shoot, while also hosting a slideshow titled "Passport Please." One show graced The Balinese Room in Galveston on the 16th, and another went down at the Executive Surf Club in Corpus Christi on the 29th. Both featured a wide range of Steele's images from his yearly travels to spots such as Jamaica, Italy, Hawaii, and Indo, while partakers also got to rock out with live music and drink specials.  

•From our "Welcome To The Neighborhood, Now Kick Down the Community Discount" files, ESM sends shakas to Mike Reola and Matt Biolas at ...Lost for opening their new surf shop Catalyst At Ocean Avenue just a few yards down the street from our office in Melbourne Beach. Just remember fellas, it takes years of persistence to secure a spot in the notoriously hardcore Ocean Avenue lineup, so don't get discouraged when your teamriders like OA regs Marshall Alberga, Eddie Guilbeau, and Harry Sack start paddling around you. See you at the Oasis!  

•In a final blah-job, ESM would like to congratulate the winner of our Postcards From The Edge/ Kustom Shoe Giveaway, Matthew Pollnow, of Jensen Beach, FL. Matt scored six new pairs of Kustom shoes after the postcard he sent in was randomly chosen from all of our entries. Enjoy the new footwear, brah! ­Compiled by Chris Towery

More From Everywhere Blahs

•With just days left before Orlando Surf Expo, Matt and Diana Kechele stopped by ESM Headquarters to let us know their new company, Freak Traction, has done amazing in its first year, signing a crew of red-hot surf stars such as Peter Mendia, Josh Hoyer, Josh Sleigh, Paul Reinecke, Sean Tubbs, Mark Dawson, Balaram Stack, and Marshall Alberga. Freak will be unveiling a fresh look at the January show, with new packaging and six new pad designs to help you get a grip out in the lineup. Stop by Booth #1230 at Expo to see the latest Freak gear up-close.  

•Another brand to scope is Walker Surfboards. Walker's Brett Yavener of Seaside Heights, NJ, reported that Transworld Business Magazine recently did a story on owner/ shaper Mike Walker. Brett also told us that Walker is currently holding a clearance sale, and all of the boards on Walker's inventory web page are available to shops for $300 with immediate shipping. Go to www.thewalkerproject.com to get in on the deal.  

•While you're online, also check out the on-demand action sports website, www.Lat34.com. Jaime Primak e-mailed the mag telling us the site is filled with an insane collection of surfing video clips, photos, and editorial, along with hosting the same coverage for snowboarding, skating, and motocross.  
•Cocoa Beach, FL's, Jack Kirschenbaum flew out to the North Shore this fall to surprise his son Jake, who was in Hawaii touring with Volcom. In addition to catching hefty surf up and down the Seven Mile Miracle, the family duo attended a Pearl Jam concert, where fellow Cocoa Beacher Kelly Slater played guitar and sang with Eddie and crew for five songs.  

•Also in attendance at the Pearl Jam concert was our Assignment Writer Timmy Donnelly, who hobnobbed with both Vedder and Slater while penning a story on the event for Surfline. As a friend to both, Timmy was able to craft a super entertaining and in-depth piece, aptly titled, "Eddie Would Go." Read the article for yourself on www.surfline.com.  

•Another ESM staffer kicking ass these days is Senior Photog DJ Struntz, who just announced the launch of his own signature website, www.djstruntzphoto.com. As a prodigious freelancer and Senior Photog for Surfing Magazine, DJ's imagery has appeared all over the surf world, along with mainstream pubs like Outside Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, and ESPN The Mag. Specifically, Struntz earned tons of respect from industry heads and big-name pros for his superb water photography. DJ lives in Wrightsville Beach, NC, with his wife Kate.  

•In Pennsylvania, the Penn State University Surf Club is going strong. Club President Kris Shinn told us his crew has been busy taking weekend surf trips to New Jersey and North Carolina, as well as participating in ESA contests and other events like the Brendan Borek Memorial. Shinn has been in contact with neighboring schools looking to start an intercollegiate surfing circuit. If you'd like to get involved, contact him by e-mail at Kjs5062@psu.edu or call 610-329-1543.  

•Longtime ESM Senior Photographer Mickey McCarthy sent us a hot batch of images from the 8th annual East Coast Military Surfing Championships, held at Bonnette Street in Nags Head, NC, this October. The event scored some of the best surf it has seen in years, with head-high to overhead barrels blowing up like IEDs in the shorebreak. Members of all U.S. Armed Forces branches and their spouses were eligible to compete, and following the contest, everyone headed off to The Pit to celebrate.  

•Cali-based Soda Sunglasses finally made the journey East this year, exhibiting their eyewear for the first time at January Surf Expo. While on this coast, they'll be unveiling four new styles, including two polarized models, at Booth #715, or you can check them out at www.sodaeyewear.com.  

•Another Cali brand making waves in the industry is Ventura, CA's, Walden Surfboards. Owner Steve Walden recently broke into the e-commerce scene with the launch of his newly revamped website, www.waldensurfboards.com. Visit the site today to get sick shapes in either foam or epoxy.  

•Back on the Right Coast, Underground Surf Company out of Deerfield Beach, FL, hosted their first-ever surf contest this November at the Deerfield Beach Pier. Underground's Jen Sammaritano said a solid, chest to head-high windswell provided the perfect playing field for the debut of Underground's unique "Judge the Grudge" format. Event coordinator Cliff Budnick came up with the new style, which pits contestants in their initial heats against a competitor of their choosing, be it a friend, enemy, or longtime rival. The winner moves on to the semifinals, while the losers surf another round to redeem themselves. Local reggae DJ and event MC Lance-O spun a groovy mix of reggae and classic surf tunes to keep the crowd of 300 spectators and contestants amped throughout the day. Underground thanks sponsors Cult Industries, Rusty Surfboards, Flygirls Eyewear, and DNA Energy Drink. The entire event was caught on film, and a DVD of the competition will be debuted soon at a yet-to-be scheduled Judge The Grudge after-party. For more info, contact Cliff Budnick at 954-270-2543 or visit www.undergroundsurfcompany.com.  

•Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue, as it was brought to our attention that we misspelled Jacksonville Beach, FL's, Josh Hansbrough's name in our review of his video Surf Brigade last issue (Vol.15 #117). Sorry, Joosh. It definitely won't happen again.  

•The New York lineups have been thinned a bit lately, as locals head south for their winter surf vacations. First, ESM co-owner and Chief Photog Tom Dugan took a motley crew of Empire Staters down to Costa Rica, scoring this issue's Traveler's Notebook (see page 78) in the process. Next up, Long Island's Chuck Hoyler, Bob and Greg Schneller, and Richard Burns ventured to El Salvador in November and caught the country's cornucopia of right points firing. Whether it's the waves, wine, or women, the New York crew just can't get enough of Latin America.  

•By now, you've no doubt heard Florida's Gabe Kling is on his way to the WCT next year, but unless you're a St. Augustine local, you probably didn't know about the raging party that went down celebrating Klingon's triumph. Matix owner Kevin Dunlap and team manager Brandy Faber threw a huge bash at Panama Hatties, where nearly the entire surfer population of St. Auggie threw down until the wee hours of the morning, sending their homeboy off to the Top-44 in style.  

•Another East Coast waverider making news is Plant City, FL's, Joey Putnall. This five-year-old Gulf Coast grom has been charging both sides of the Sunshine State in the past year, and he was even featured in a Tampa-based TV broadcast. Newsman Charlie Belcher has a weekly feature on Fox called Charlie's World, where he interviews interesting local personalities, and Joey scored his own 20-minute spot this November. The little ripper entertained the news crew with a wit and wisdom beyond his years, telling of his experiences surfing and fishing the local waters. To get a glimpse of Joey's interview, visit www.myfoxtampabay.com.  

•Fellow Florida Gulfer Juan Rodriguez, who owns One World Surf Designs in Sarasota, FL, was spotted in Long Island, NY, hanging out with local longboard extrordinaire Pistol Pete Armata. While in the Big Apple, Juan came across a sale he couldn't refuse and was able to negotiate a decent price for a quiver of pristine vintage longboards, some of which had never even been ridden. If you've got any vintage shapes to be sold or revamped, call Juan at 954-925-0007.  

•South Carolina-based photog Meghan Whitney dropped us a line to inform us that the newly resurrected Pawleys Island Surf Club held their inaugural Happy Hendriks Memorial Surf-Off in late October. The event was the first contest to be held on the island in many years, and locals gathered to grab some fun surf and pay respect to the late Happy Hendriks. Happy was an avid local surfer and fisherman who died tragically at sea last year. Meghan sends thanks to PISC and the Seaview Inn for hosting a great event. ­Compiled by Chris Towery