Northeast Blahs

•Word from Massachusetts arrived that Dan and Steve Hassett, along with Kevin McLaughlin, have been working extra hard with their new company Nothin' Fancy Landscaping to save up for their annual surf trip to Hawaii this winter. Hopefully, the boys will get some water training this fall to go along with the trimming and edgework they've been doing on land all summer long.

•Long Island, NY, surf artists Don Pursel and Vincent Kelly recently started www.surfnart.net to provide high-quality graphics and artwork for advertising and web purposes. Shoot 'em an e-mail at surfnart@yahoo.com if you're interested in acquiring their services.  

•Peter Pan sent in word of the 8th Annual Bic Surfboards "Learn To Surf" Clinic, held July 7th at Narragansett Town Beach. Sponsored by Gansett Juice Surf Shop, Bic Surfboards, and the Town of Narragansett Parks and Recreation Department, the event brought over 100 new surfers out for three to four-foot waves, sunny skies, and warm temperatures. The ESA provided local instructors like Tim Burnett, Jenny McGovern, Jim Chabot, Mary Walton, and of course Pan himself. Two weeks later, the same crew headed over to Matunuck Point for the South Kingstown Recreation Department Surfing Camp, with other local notables Katie Imswiler, Ana Barend, Conrad Ferla, Kristen Fraza, and Ashley Baron lending a helping hand. With a solid lineup like that, the camp kids were in good hands and should be ripping the lineups in no time.  

•Meanwhile, in other Peter Pan news, the indomitable Rhodey won the Legends Longboard and Legends Shortboard titles at the ESA Rhode Island State Titles, held July 14th at Narragansett Town Beach. Other winners included Cole Madden (Boys), Wade Madden (Junior Men's), Eric Dranginis (Men's), Joe Black (Masters), Chuck Barend (Senior Men's and Senior Longboard), Katie Imswiler (Women's), John Ryan (Menehune Longboard), Luke Ryan (Junior Longboard), Ryan Richer (Men's Longboard), Nora Vasconcellos (Women's Longboard), and Pat Brown (Open).  

•Massachusetts state officials concluded that a great white shark probably attacked a seal off the beach in Chatham, MA, back in August. Several beachgoers witnessed the attack, and after conducting interviews and examining the seal, the chilling call was made: the case "has the look of great white shark predation." Read the August 10th Boston Globe story at www.boston.com.  

•Also scoring some Globe press, Hampton, NH, surfer and Cinnamon Rainbows Manager Phil Carey was featured in an article about standup paddleboarding back on August 5th.  

•St. Augustine, FL, shredder Jonny Barclay, who was actually born in Maine, traveled back to the Granite State in July to visit some family, but in typical Jonny fashion, the lad forgot his board and wetsuit. Luckily, ESM Senior Photographer Nick LaVecchia hooked him up with some equipment, and Barclay repaid the gracious local's favor by pulling a Gorkin flip in the tiny summer conditions. Jonny also thanks ESM Photo Editor and unofficial older brother Jimmy Wilson for making the connection happen.  

•In other LaVecchia news, Grain Surfboards owner Mike LaVecchia sent word the company's antique bread truck-turned-demo van is now street-legal and ready to roll for a late-summer East Coast tour. Grain also has custom T-shirts with artwork by Scott Lenhardt for sale. Plus, the builders are currently working on an all-wood standup paddleboard, and if you order a custom from Grain, you can also opt for bamboo cloth from East Coast homeboys Greenlight Surf Supply. Go to www.grainsurfboards.com for details.  

•Chris Kluesener from Thrust Clothing wrote in with his Long Island, NY, company's news. The June 30th Thrust Surf Contest went down in decent waves, with the accompanying mural painting beginning on the Gilgo Beach underpass. On July 22nd, Thrust again brought a crew of artists out to continue work on the environmentally themed mural, which ended up at 110 feet long. Also, on August 10th, the crew hosted their Thrust Booze Cruise out of Captree, NY, which ended the summer off right for the boys before they head back to UNC-Wilmington for fall classes. Check out www.thrustclothing.com for pictures from the cruise and for time-lapse movies of the mural.  

•Results from the ESA-New York District's 2007-2008 season rolled into our office this month, and as usual, the Fawess family headed the pack, with dad Ed claiming five 1st-place finishes and son Alex topping two divisions of his own. Ed even won an Open Shortboard semifinal while riding a door -- yes, a door -- with its edges shaped down by Mike Becker. Justin Schwartz, the surfer gracing the opening spread of last issue's "One Step Back, Two Steps Forward" Longboard Photo Feature, dominated the Men's Longboard division, and even nabbed a Masters trophy on his shorty.  

•Other New York contests going down in fun summer surf include the Solid Surf Contest, held back on July 28th at Ditch Plains; Bunger's Annual Surf Contest, held at Gilgo Beach on August 11th-12th; and Espo's 11th Annual Surf Contest, held at Ditch Plains on August 25th-26th. Check out www.ny.surfesa.org for complete results.  

•But don't think surf contests are only going down in New York. Kennebunk Outdoors Surf & Snow will run their Youth Surfing Contest on September 16th at Gooch's Beach in Kennebunk, ME. Browse over to www.kennebunkoutdoors.com for more details.  

•Canadian photographer Julien Lebreton sent us some pictures of an urban wave called Habitat 67 on the St. Lawrence River in Montreal. A novelty, sure, but pretty freakin' hardcore, too. Peep the evidence at julien.mammouth.free.fr.  

•Log on to www.newyorksurf.com for an interview with experimental surfboard shaper John Belik.  

•The Ozone Surf Classic went off on August 5th at Cisco Beach, on Nantucket Island, MA. The event celebrated the life of local surfer Dave Ozias, with all proceeds going to local island charities. Local website www.nesurfari.com even has a shot posted of the raffle winner on his new T&C longboard.  

•Don't be shy. Go look at Ando's B-Town Surf blog, which covers the thriving Boston-area surf scene, at www.b-townsurf.blogspot.com.  

•And wrapping up our Mass deets, local artist Niho Kozuru's work was on display at Gloucester, MA's, Bigzanda Gallery in August. For more, visit www.bigzanda.com.  

•Back down in Newport, RI, the Christian surf film The Outsiders made its Rhodey debut on August 17th, with a JC Hawaii surfboard being raffled off and plenty of gear going out to all in attendance. JC teamrider and ESM Issue #122 cover boy Jesse Hines made an appearance, too, even signing a stack of copies for the groms. The event was cosponsored by Walking on Water and Christian Surfers Rhode Island.  

•New England longboarder Forrest Trenholm has his newest video Goomer Home Movie #1 up for free download at www.goomer.com.  

•In Connecticut news, the Surfrider Beach Bash 2 got busy at Walnut Beach in Milford, CT, on August 4th. Surf lessons, outrigger canoe demonstrations, live music, and environmental activities greeted the hardy Constitution Staters.  

•In New Hampshire news, beautiful weather graced a memorial paddle-out on August 12th for local surfer and fisherman Danny Miller. Danny died at sea back in February, and his memorial at The Wall was heavily attended by the local crew. Go have a look at some pictures of the paddle-out, taken by ESM Senior Photographer and New Hammy native Brian Nevins, at www.nesurfari.com. ESM sends heartfelt condolences to Danny's parents, brothers, and especially to his young son Landon. If you want to help out, send donations to The Landon Miller Foundation, 83 South Road, North Hampton, NH, 03862. In the meantime, log on to www.cinnamonrainbows.com for more on Danny's life.  

•In yet other New Hammy news, North Hampton shop Pioneers Surf/ Skate/ Snow revamped their website and readjusted their wave cam at The Wall for optimum desk chair perusal. The shop also hosts Wahine Nites on Tuesdays from 6-8:00 pm, and Grom-Fests on Thursdays from 6-8:00 pm, which will continue throughout the summer at Jenness Beach. Steve and Buck haul the boards down to the beach, and the ladies and the kids surf! For more details, check out www.surfnh.com.  

•Point Judith, NY, sensation and Unsound Surf Shop rider Balaram Stack was recently the subject of a huge profile story in New York Magazine, penned by celebrated surf journalist Jamie Brisick. Visit www.nymag.com to check out the piece.  

•And wrapping things up, the Surfers Environmental Alliance held their SEA Paddle NYC on August 13th. Circumnavigating Manhattan to benefit Autism Speaks, Surfers Healing, and the SEA, the 28-mile paddle included Hawaiian heavies Gerry Lopez and Darrick Doerner, longboard aficionado Joel Tudor, along with South Carolina-born artist Drew Brophy, who hand-painted a Ron House paddleboard for the race. Big props go out to all involved, not only for contributing to a solid cause, but also for braving the industrial waterways of New York City. Log on to www.seapaddlenyc.com for visual evidence. ­Compiled by Nick McGregor

Mid-Atlantic Blahs

•Oh, man... not that we're complaining or anything, but Ben Bourgeois really kept us on our toes this issue. Benny's 2nd-place finish at Wrightsville Beach, NC's, Reef/ Sweetwater Pro-Am Surf Fest on July 13th-15th (see Page 68 for the Fight Club report), merely foreshadowned his runner-up placing the following month at the 6-star Billabong Yumeya Pro, forcing us to make a last minute addendum to our ASP report (Page 60). Apparently, even those killer results weren't good enough for Benny, as he then took 1st-place and 2000 points at the WQS 5-star Rip Curl Boardmasters in England the following weekend. With that last result, Benny Boo moved into 2nd-place on the WQS ratings, close enough for the Tarheel pro to smell the Dream Tour for the first time since falling off in 2001.  

•In other Wrightsville deets, Eastern Skateboard Supply head honcho Reggie Barnes' son Mason has been scoring some rather sick shots lately, compliments of WB-based ESM and Surfing Magazine Senior Photographer DJ Struntz.  

•Virginia Beach, VA, wahine Lindsey Bowman wishes to thank Roxy and 17th Street Surf Shop for sending her around the world this summer. Lindsey took advantage of her year off between high school and college by traveling to Puerto Rico three times, then to Hawaii and Tavarua; not to mention two trips to France with Roxy France, where she completed a mini-internship. Toss in photo shoots, fashion shows, surf camps, and a whole lot of language immersion, and you've got one well-rounded pro surfer in the making. Lindsey now heads off to the University of North Florida for her freshman year. Big props to mom Andrea for filling us in on all the details above.  

•Another Vah Beacher making a big splash is Hurley teamrider Michael Dunphy, who placed 4th in the Juniors final at Volcom's 2007-08 Totally Crustaceous Tour season opener, a Starfish Series comp held at Goldenwest Street in Huntington Beach, CA, back in July. The East Coast leg started in Rhode Island on August 18th-19th, and runs up and down the coast throughout the winter and spring. If you think you've got what it takes to qualify for the VQS Champs next year, go to www.volcom.com for dates and locations.  
•In New Jersey blahs, Manasquan Inlet regular Ed Zito and his longtime sweetie Abbey Buono were married on July 6th, and besides the wedding, both have new gigs within the industry to celebrate. Abbey's been designated the new men's and juniors rep for Ezekiel, holding down New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, while Ed's sub-repping under Rob Cloupe for Smith Optics, plus Dakine, JC Surfboards, and DC Snow.  

•In other Joisey news, future Garden State Grudge Match champ Trevor Reef Holloway greeted new parents Adam and Abbey Holloway this summer.  

•Two of longboarding's biggest celebrities, Robert August and Wingnut, stopped in to Nags Head, NC, epicenter Whalebone Surf Shop back in June to sign autographs and snap some pics while in town for their East Coast summer tour.  

•West Chester, PA, native and pro skater/ TV personality Bam Margera is teaming up with Rockstar Energy Drink for the Viva La Bands Tour, with stops up and down the East Coast and Texas in September and October. Check out www.vivalabands.com for more details.  

•Delmarva's summer contest scene kept rippers engaged on June 30th at the 13th Annual Malibu's Classic. This Ocean City, MD, staple saw its largest turnout, with over 200 competitors vying for a share of the prizes. ESA Allstar Vince Boulanger continued his dominance, taking home the coveted Men's Shortboard title.  

•The 2nd Annual Bavaria Holland Beer Pro/Am Silvagni Benefit drew over 1500 spectators to Fort Fisher, NC, on July 21st-22nd. Jacksonville Beach, FL's, Dylan Andrews won Pro Longboard while Oak Island, NC's, Shane Upchurch took Pro Shortboard. Both surfers received round-trip tickets to Panama, with Andrews scoring a ten-day hotel room and Upchurch pocketing $700. Ty Roach was one of the few finalists to double-up, taking 1st-place in Men's Longboard while finishing 3rd in the Pros. Head over to Page 172 for complete results.  

•Speaking of longboarding, Outer Banks, NC, pro Billy Hume and his dad Bill Hume, Sr. got an invite to the Corolla Surf Shop Longboard Invitational on August 4th, and although he's not known for riding logs, Jr. ended up taking the trophy. "I wasn't in it to win it, just to have fun with Pops," Billy said. "But I ended up with a brand-new longboard... Pretty stoked on that. It was a really cool event."  

•In other Outer Banks findings, Kim Diggs just picked up sponsorship from Hurley, and she's been helping longtime ESM Senior Photographer Mickey "2M" McCarthy test out the new water housing he built for his 30D camera.  

•Outer Banks, NC, loc' dog Johnny McDanel now reps for Surftech.  

•And Vah Beacher Chris Todd took over O'Neill's repping reins from Dave Shotton, who's movin' on up with his purchase of the local shop Freedom Surf.  

•New Jersey native-turned-Volcom henchman Mike Guarino gave us a heads-up on the band Nihilist, who will be playing on the Stone's East Coast Tour this fall. Visit www.myspace.com/nihilistmetalcom for more.  

•In other tour blahs, the Billabong bus pulled into Virginia Beach on August 17th to premiere their new video Trilogy at Peabody's. Retro-pro Donavon Frankenreiter even showed up to strum some tunes for the crowd.  

•And 17th Street Surf Shop brought the Element skate team to Chesapeake, VA, on August 19th.  

•We get lots of shots from Costa Rica here at ESM, but resident shooter Shifi Ettinger always sends us a quality batch. Last month, she captured New Bern, NC, ripper and ESA-CNC District competitor Adam Outlaw killing it at Hermosa.  

•We made a pretty big boo-boo in last issue's On The Pro-Grom profile with Rob Kelly, where on Page 54 we ran a shot of fellow South Jersey Fox rider Andrew Gesler instead of Rob. Sorry, dudes.  

•More word from Jersey came in detailing Jetty Life's plans for their first contest on Long Beach Island, NJ, to be held in October. Visit www.jettylife.com for more info.  

•Kill Devil Hills, NC-based FCS/ Gorilla Grip rep Nigel Haynes now rides for MCD Clothing.  

•Vestal just launched their new website at www.vestalwatch.com, where you can find details about their East Coast tour, which wound its way up to Virginia Beach for the East Coast Surfing Championships on August 22nd-26th. Look for a Fight Club report and full results next issue.  

•Garden State rippers will have plenty of upcoming contests to choose from in September. The $10,000 Oakley Junior Pro kicks off the comp season at Sea Isle City on August 31st-September 1st, followed by the $15,000 Verizon Belmar Pro on September 6th-9th, the 15th Annual Manasquan Classic (featuring all pre-1967 boards) on September 9th, and the $20,000 Brave New World Pro/Am on September 29th-30th. Click on www.localswell.com for entry forms and updates.  

•In Delmarva deets, the 3rd Annual Quiet Storm Wahine Surf-Off went down in knee-high waves at Indian River Inlet, DE, on July 28th-29th. Florida grommette Jasset Umbel took home the Open Shortboard win, while Kate Bassett of Berlin, MD, won Open Longboard. We're not sure if he wants us to publicize it, but Brad Flora also won the "Guys Dressed as Girls" division, and ESA-Delmarva District Director Art Baltrotsky was even spotted in drag.  

•Further up the peninsula, the K-Coast Beginner's Bash went off in waist-high surf at Ocean City, MD, on July 21st. Around $5000 in prizes were distributed to the stoked competitors, and in the Open Advanced division, Ocean City's own Travis Knight took home the crown. For info on upcoming contests, check out www.delmarvaesa.org.  

•In other comp news, the No Flat Earth Girls Contest went down on August 2nd at Brick Beach. Caroline Duerr took 1st-place in the 10-12 and Longboard divisions, Jill Kepich won the 12-14 division, and Elizabeth Porter took home the 9-and-under trophy.  

•Wrapping things up on a good note, Barefoot Wine and Surfrider Foundation got together on August 18th to host a beach cleanup in Wrightsville Beach, NC. Held in conjunction with the 11th Annual East Coast Wahine Championships, the cleanup stemmed from an online poll to determine the next "Barefoot Friendly" location. For more, log on to www.barefootwine.com/beachrescue, and look for full coverage of the ECWC next issue. ­Compiled by Nick McGregor

Southeast Blahs

•Heading up our Southeast Blah Blahs this month, and seeing as he never really received a formal introduction, what better place to kill two birds with one stone? Shortly before going to work on his second full issue, not-so-green ESM Associate Editor Nick McGregor took an extended midsummer weekend up to Asheville, NC, with longtime sweetheart Shannon McAleenan before she had to move to Gainesville, FL, to attend her second year at the University of Florida. So on July 16th, Nick made the wise decision to go ahead and pop the question to Shannon, to which she obviously answered "yes." Congrats, kids!  

•In other matrimonial matters, Satellite Beach, FL, pro skater Clay King, who's also an avid surfer and musician, wrote in with news of his recent marriage to Sal Keo. He and his new bride headed out to La Jolla, CA, on honeymoon, where they hooked up with longtime friend Tim Bessell of Bessell Surfboards. Clay also has two new CDs forthcoming, one with new band August Forever and another solo acoustic project, and he even talked his wife into accompanying him on a photo shoot for an upcoming skate video. She's a keeper, Clay!  

•Viking Surfboards sends out a hearty congratulations to Cape Canaveral, FL, teamrider Josh Wilson for winning the Explorer Masters title at the NSSA National Championships. Soak up the applause, Josh, you deserve it.  

•Also making that Explorer Masters final was West teamrider Lyn Meyers of Jupiter, FL, who took 5th-place.  

•In other competitive praise, a big hand goes to Satellite Beach's Adam Wickwire for his commanding victory at the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure Junior Pro, held at Huntington Beach Pier, CA, back in July. Wicky is now within reach of a slot in the upcoming Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia.  

•In Kling-on news, Billabong Yumeya Pro winner Gabe Kling will be showing off his Klinger signature boardshort from Matix at the September Surf Expo. Turn to Page 60 for further insight into the WCT rookie's requalifying hopes. Speaking of which, ESM Assignment Writer Zander Morton joined fellow St. Augustine, FL, pro Kling on the Matix team. Look for Zander's Caribbean travel feature beginning on Page 90.  

•Ryan Clapper from Gulfster.com reported Indian Rocks Beach, FL, native Cory Lopez came home straight from J-Bay for the website's fifth anniversary party. If you're looking for anything Gulf-related in Florida, be it surf, skate, or skim, check out www.gulfster.com first.  

•The 4th Annual South Carolina Governor's Cup went off despite small waves on August 5th-6th at The Washout in Folly Beach, SC. Winners included Kristin Tanner in Women's Open, Shawn Clark in Men's Open, Tony Silvagni in Men's Longboard, and Jennifer Wittendorf in Women's Longboard. Go see full results and links to pictures at www.follywaves.com.  

•In Puerto Rico comp deets, Hurley teamrider Mauricio Diaz won the Boys and Menehune finals at the Puerto Rico Surfing Federation's Summer Fun Series Stop #1 ahead of fellow Hurley rider Hector Santamaria, who placed 2nd in Boys. Mauricio also bested the Menehune field at Stop #2.  

•And while we're talking about groms, the Texas Gulf Surfing Association will sponsor four Grom Roundups this summer and fall. This free series kicked off August 11th with the Ashlyn Shoemaker Memorial in Galveston. Check out www.tgsa.org for more.  

•If you're in need of marketing help, look no further than Jupiter, FL, photographer Danny Moody, who has started a full-service firm out of Palm Beach, FL. For more details, look up www.moodyconcepts.com.  

•Jax Beach, FL, hot grom Tristan Thompson recently returned from a month-long trip out west with his hard-charging brothers Cody and Evan. To combat the Florida flatness, Tristan's been cross-training on the Grinch Winch at Kona Skatepark, working hard towards joining his bros as the East Coast's answer for the Gudauskas trio.  

•In other North Florida blahs, 15-year-old longboard extrordinaire Dylan Andrews joined the Robert August Surfboards team. Dylan also won the Pro Longboard division at the 2nd Annual Bavaria Holland Beer Pro/ Am Silvagni Benefit, scoring a trip to Panama for his efforts.  

•The National Resources Defense Council released their 2006 report on the water quality of our country's beaches, and although the results were mixed nationwide, the state of Florida had 2686 water-related beach closings at 104 different beaches (out of 307 monitored weekly). Not the best results for a state that prides itself on the allure of its coastline. Check out www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/nttw.asp for details on your homebreak, and next time you're heading down to the beach, pick up a few pieces of trash. It's still the easiest way to get involved. •Former ESM Who Da Girl from South Carolina Colleen Hanley sent word she has some of her prints available for sale at www.waveridersgallery.net.  

•Vero Beach, FL, mini-grom Logan Hayes recently joined the Ron Jon Surf Shop team. At all of ten years old, Logan is the youngest Ron Jon teamrider, and with multiple NKF Surfing Festival and Hurley Rip My Shred Stick titles to his name, he looks to continue his winning ways in ESA and NSSA competition. 

•Speaking of the ESA, the next Puerto Rico District contest will go down September 1st-2nd at Los Cabros Beach in Hatillo, PR. Log on to www.prcsurfesa.org for details.  

•Flagler Beach, FL, homeboys Will Tant and Matt Katsolis appeared on Fuel TV's The Daily Habit back in July raising awareness for thousands of families living in a Nicaraguan landfill, where Katsolis' company, Aquafluence Productions, filmed a recent benefit concert organized by Brad Corrigan of Braddigan. For more info on the Nicas' plight, visit www.lovelightandmelody.com or www.mannaproject.org. Tant also spread the word about the 8th Annual Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic, coming up on October 21st at Flagler Pier in Flagler Beach, FL. Find out more at www.tommytant.com.  

•Also showing up on The Daily Habit in August was New Smyrna Beach, FL, ...Lost teamrider Devon Tresher, followed by Matt Kechele a couple of weeks later.  

•In other North Central Florida deets, Matt Harrell of Mattz Surfboards sent news of his recent move from California to Ormond Beach, FL. Harrell is working with Flagler Beach loc' dog and teamrider Jimmy Blumenfeld, and he has a website up at www.mattzsurfboards.com. Although he's from the west coast, Harrell's got the right attitude with his commitment to custom shaping, and is excited about working with local surfers.  

•The Macho Beach Noseriders out of Folly Beach, SC, recently chased some south swell on a trip to Pavones. You can peep the visual evidence at peninsulamedia.typepad.com.  

•In further travel deets, Cape Canaveral grommette Savannah Bradley just returned from Australia and New Zealand, where she caught overhead waves at Snapper Rocks with fellow East Coast wahine Keenan Lineback, and trained with the ESA Allstar Team. You can follow Savannah's progress at www.savannah-bradley.com.  

•Ron Jon Surf Shop and Billabong hosted a one-day girls surf camp on August 11th, following it up that night with a sneak preview of the 'Bong's new video, Trilogy.  

•In other Brevard County surf video news, Quiksilver opened the fall swell season by premiering Young Guns at Da Kine Diego's on August 6th. Matt and Diana Kechele kept the crowd at bay with drink and food tickets, and Quiksilver Marketing Manager Todd Kline handed out plenty of gear to the assembled groms. Several locals were overheard saying that was the biggest turnout they'd ever seen for a DKD surf event, no doubt thanks to an appearance by Quik riders and Young Guns stars Ry Craike, Julian Wilson, and Clay Marzo.  

•Down Puerto Rico way, the Western Region Commission of PR's House of Representatives held a public hearing in July to discuss establishing the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve. For updates, check out www.surfrider.org/rincon.  

•Tom McDonald from Vero Beach, FL, informed ESM that he had five boards stolen from his locked laundry room. The shapes include a 5'8" Kane Garden with blue and orange paint; a 5'11" Kane Garden quad with green and white paint; a 6'0" Bing fish, clear with FCS; a vintage '70s 6'2" Sebastian fish with glassed-in wooden fins; and a 6'4" G&S with butter-yellow paint and glassed-in wooden fins. Anyone with info leading to the safe return of all boards can call Tom at 772-231-3548. A big, fat reward is being offered.  

•In other Treasure Coast deets, Surf Central in Stuart, FL, held a DVD premiere of Volcom's Skate Daze on August 11th, with a BBQ and free prize handouts.  

•A little further south, Jupiter's Locals Surf Shop hosted hot North Carolina punks Thunderlip on August 12th. The band is currently touring with Vestal's East Coast tour. You can scope dates and places at www.vestalwatch.com.  

•On August 4th, Ohana Surf Shop employees sat outside Wal-Mart to fill a VW bus with school supplies for Port Salerno Elementary School. The next day, they held a benefit concert for Tiffany Bensley, a 28-year-old mother of two, who suffered an unexpected, severe coronary. Along with The Surf Depot, Last Laugh, and the local surf community, Ohana helped raise over $1300 to help with Tiffany's expenses.  

•And wrapping things up, ESM would like to send a hearty congratulations to St. Augustine underground ripper and artist Doug Robinson and his wife Heidi, who gave birth to baby boy Reef on June 30th. All you A-Street shredders better look out for another hard-chargin' addition to the lineup. ­Compiled by Nick McGregor

More From Everywhere Blahs

•Ho, cuz! Straight from the North Shore of Oahu, Tory Barron has officially relocated to Stuart, FL, where he immediately picked up sponsorship from Surf Central Surf Shop. Check out the Hawaiian's Surf Central ad on Page 137.  

•The ESA Allstars took the trip of a lifetime back in July, traveling to New Zealand courtesy of ESA sponsor FEW-New Zealand. The lucky guys and girls were greeted with indigenous Powhiri and Maori dance ceremonies, and logged plenty of surf sessions with the Kiwi locals. ESA Allstar Team Director Brian Broom said, "We have never been so welcomed or experienced such warmth and fellowship as this trip to New Zealand presented." A big hand to FEW for stepping it up and showing our East Coasters a slice of a much different world.  

•Global Surf Industries' company mantra is "Life is better when you surf!" And this summer, the company held a writing contest to find out what that means for all of us. The winner will receive a ten-year supply of surfboards from GSI's inventory, proving that, well, "Life is better when you surf" ...and when you write about it!  

•Take a moment to peep Dragon's new website at www.dragonalliance.com. Dragon also just added retail veteran Andrew Valentine to their team as a sales manager.  

•Surfing Magazine and Hurley hosted their first-ever The Art Of Surfing event on August 19th, bringing musicians, artists, filmmakers, and shapers to Del Mar, CA, for a day of all things surf. Rob Machado even hosted a screening of his favorite surf flicks. For visual proof, check out www.surfingmagazine.com.  

•Longtime Central Florida surfer Jim Emmons received a huge promotion in August, taking over as Publisher of WaterSki and WakeBoarding magazines. Jim's been a friend to ESM for a long time, and we wish him the best of luck in his new position. Keep those subscription comps coming, Jim!  

•The boys from Ergophobia wrote in to say their tour bus will be parked on the front lawn at September Surf Expo. From there, the Ergo crew will head up the coast to chase hurricane surf.  

•Speaking of Surf Expo, keep your eyes peeled for the Reef Board Build-Off. Although the shaper's face-off will only go down at the west coast's ASR show in September, once January Surf Expo rolls around, Reef and Surfing Magazine will host an East vs. West showdown, with six shapers from each coast vying for bragging rights. All proceeds go to the SIMA Humanitarian Fund.  

•Former ASP Top-16 competitor-turned-Costa Rica expat Charlie Kuhn stopped by the ESM offices in August with his wife Maria and baby daughter Sophia in tow. Kuhn also dropped off a copy of Satellite Beach, FL, local Michael Cruden's latest all-Costa surf video, PacifiCALL, featuring Tico heavies Gilbert Brown, Luis Vindas, and Freddy "Salsiboy" Camacho, as well as East Coasters Joel and Kyle Garson, Ben Bourgeois, Robbie Blevins, and of course, Kuhn himself threading a few deep Hermosa barrels.  

•Indo Board founder Hunter Joslin recently teamed up with Surfing America to release a cobranded board, with a portion of retail sales benefitting the U.S.A. Surf Team. For more info, visit www.surfingamerica.org or www.indoboard.com.  

•The crew over at Gravity Skateboards has taken their "Skateboarding is Green!" motto to further lengths, introducing two new types of earth-friendly fiberglass, griptape made from recycled glass bottles, and skateboard laminates made from scrap wood. Go to www.gravityskateboards.com for more info on their enviro-technology.  

•In other green news, X Games XIII provided the perfect outlet for pro skaters Bob Burnquist and Danny Way to launch their initiative to establish an industrywide environmental standard via their organization, Action Sports Environmental Coalition (ASEC). For more on this new group, check out www.asecaction.org.  

•In yet more skate news, the Board Retailers Association is sponsoring their Decked Out contest, where industry artists can submit a custom skate deck for a silent auction, with proceeds benefitting former Bones Brigade member Ray Underhill in his fight against a brain tumor. For more info, click on www.boardretailers.org.  

•Daytona Beach, FL, punkers and Ponce Inlet surfers Reform made their way out west for the U.S. Open of Surfing, where they rocked the house with Down Under didgeridoo jammers Max Judo. Thanks to Aussie surf legend Peter Townend for blowing up one of our homegrown bands.  

•Mandalay Entertainment recently signed the surf documentary Chasing The Lotus to a worldwide distribution deal, allowing millions the opportunity to relive the mind-bending '70s.  

•SurfCo Hawaii just released their new Hawaiian Hot Grip, the first clear-molded traction pad to hit the surf market. Not only does the Hot Grip provide a cushioned feel for your back foot, its see-through material also allows your board's design to shine through. Check out www.surfcohawaii.com for more.  

•And while we're dealing with such "gripping" topics, X-Trak Surf Traction just released their Black Out pads, following up on the success of last year's Goods Series pads. You can score the low-profile, souled-out CJ and Damien models at www.xtrak.com.  

•This just in: South Florida staple Dave Leonard returned from a trip to Indo, where he got really, really barreled. Big surprise.  

•As big-wave frontiers continue to expand, one filmmaker decided the North Atlantic was the next proving ground. Robby Seeger is currently filming Monster Waves Of Europe with Pipeline charger Tamayo Perry and his wife Emilia, Aussie legend Shaun Dickson, and Hawaiian waterman Jamie Sterling. Look for the visual evidence in Summer 2008.  

•Ever dreamed of buying a custom shape but don't know where to turn? Visit www.surfboardbuilders.com, where you can order any board you want, have it shaped by one of eleven American craftsmen, and then get it shipped straight to your front door.  

•In Dirty South news, the Island Hoppers private release party went down August 8th at Bin No. 18 in Miami Beach, FL, with a public party going off the following night at the Purdy Lounge. The show premiered on the Sun Sports channel on August 10th.  

•In new hookup deets, SoCal aerialists Eric McHenry, Zach Rhinehart, and Daniel Hart recently joined the SRH squad; No Fear teamrider Ola Eleogram just signed with UM Surfboards (thanks to Ben Snare for giving us the heads up); Gravis Footwear added Maui hellman Ian Walsh to their roster; and teen phenoms Clay Marzo and Julian Wilson joined the Go211.com team.  

•Matt Shadbolt let us know he's now working with Electric Visual and is "there to stay." 

•Victoria Skimboards held their 31st annual pro/am contest on July 21st-22nd in Laguna Beach, CA, with skim star Bill Bryan taking home his 14th title.

•American Wave Machines has a new product out, touting "the long wave" as a result of the new SurfStream technology. Check it out at www.surfstream.com.  

•Kelly Slater may have placed 2nd at the Billabong Pro J-Bay, but he won the second stop of the Nixon WTA by getting the single highest heat score of the contest. A $10,000 watch with encrusted black diamonds sure is nice, but we're willing to bet The Champ would have rather gotten a bigger push in the ASP-WCT rankings.  

•Australia gave us another fine surf-themed offering this month. Cape Mentelle Wine, produced near Margaret River in West Oz, has apparently become known as the "surfer's wine." We've come a long way from the fifty-cent rotgut days of guys like Weber and Van Artsdalen.  

•Big ups to Lorraine "Mama G" Guthrie -- mother to Brevard County, FL, wahine Marissa Guthrie -- who gave us the latest news on her daughter's upward path. Marissa is now attending Flagler College in St. Augustine and competing for the school in the NSSA Collegiate division. Marissa was still able to take a trip to Costa Rica with her mom this summer, just a little celebratory surfari for winning a $1000 ESA Marsh Scholarship (on top of the $250 NSSA scholarship she won last year).  

•Florida surf artist Kem McNair has his website up and running at www.kemmcnair.com.  

•So sorry to Sam August and crew for screwing up the name of their production company in last issue's (Vol.16, #122) Peepshow review of their new video, Robert August: The Endless Journey Continues Volume 1. We wrote "Bruce Brown Films" instead of "Endless Fun Productions." Visit www.endlessfun.com for more info on August's company.  

•O'Neill emerged as the winner of PacSun's Battle of the Brands. In the heavily handicapped "Media Division," Surfing Magazine bested the field on the heels of big-wave charger and Editor extrordinaire Evan Slater. Somehow, ESM alums Mike Fish (Transworld) and Matt Walker (Surfing) didn't qualify for their respective squads (wait, how come ESM didn't get an invite?). But Walker couldn't complain. After all, he placed 2nd in the Shortboard division at the 14th Annual Surfrider Foundation Outer Banks Paddlerace. There were only three people in that final, but according to Walker, "the guy who placed 1st was one fit mofo who got 5th overall... and I was on a 5'10" (Chris Birch quad, of course), easily the shortest board in the whole deal." ­Compiled by Nick McGregor