PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

“This place saved me …” Have you ever thought this about our beaches and our lineup? I want you to consider that they are more important to us than ever. I got here the year I was a senior in high school, transferred from Virginia. Beach, Va. Yes, I was surfing there and stoked to get into California waves, but more important, I was a new kid for my senior year, a girl, and had no friends. The people I met in the lineup then are my friends to this day, and they did save me. I was able to pass this legacy on to my son through The Pacific Beach Surf Club and I am even more grateful for this.

It’s just possible that fellow members like little Jen Smith who stood up for my son John against a bully at PB Point, or Josh Hall who always had a smile and a kind word for us in the pack at Crystal Pier, saved us all over again.

Bring your kids. Pull them from a camp or two this year and bring them down to the shore. Help us build the legacy. Your voice counts and we have something wonderful to pass on.

Kathy Austin
President 2006

CLUB'S FIRST SURF CLINIC SPELLS SUCCESS

By Jeff Hackert

On Saturday September 23rd, the surf club hosted the first in what I hope to be an ongoing set of surf clinics at Tourmaline Surf Park. The main goal of the clinic was to provide club members and interested others with access to the wealth of surf experience embodied by the club. Judging by member participation, I believe we more than hit the mark. In the weeks leading up to the clinic the club gained 9 new members (through the membership drive) many of whom attended the Saturday event.

Participants signed in at the club tent (professionally staffed by Sandi Pierz) and identified an area of interest. They were then paired up with club members to work on foundation skills, intermediate skills, and nose riding. Beginners met Celia Treamer and Dave Washkowiak and were issued a soft top courtesy of Bob’s Mission Surf and Soul Grind. They learned to paddle, pop up, and stay up. I am really pleased to report that everyone caught a wave and the group was really stoked to get more time in the water. This was the best attended group in the clinic and it attracted a diverse group new surfers.

Intermediates headed off with Kathy Austin, Omar Metwalli, and Omar’s skateboard to work on various skills including: paddling techniques, wave selection, timing, and how to look like you are in control even when you aren’t. Once they’d absorbed the theory, they paddled out to refine their newly acquired skills and improvement was immediately noticeable. The feedback from this group was overwhelmingly positive. Nice Job y’all!

Pablo Smith stood in for Greg Miller (who was unable to attend due to a family illness) to shed some light on the mystical art of the nose ride. I attended this part of the clinic and I can tell you that Pablo is a natural teacher. Using a small pile of sand and a stick he gave a really concise description of the mechanics of setting up for a nose ride. Having had a few weeks to try and put Pablo’s ideas to work, I can tell you that I have definitely improved; I now fly off the nose for very different reason’s (which I hope will be covered in the next session).

The clinic ended with a brief overview of surf culture and ethics in the lineup given by Jerome Hall. Jerome is an Anthropology professor at USD where he teaches a class on surf culture, so we were really lucky to have him (and happy to welcome him as a new club member). Participants, instructors, and passersby gathered on the grass and were treated to a clear and concise explanation of surf etiquette (perhaps the most valuable part of the event, certainly the most requested). Jerome also taught us a few Hawaiian phrases like ‘He’e Nalu’ which means either ‘go surfing’ or ‘Is that poi or are you just happy to see me?’. Like any good professor, Jerome also gave out a homework assignment (If anyone completed the assignment and wants to make $25, email me!).

The event devolved into chaos (as any good event should) when Spinner Jim, Busty St. Claire, and others took to the water on soft tops to demonstrate the fine art of bad etiquette. Rumor has it that a 300 yard wide patch opened up in front of the lot, so you know it had to be a good (err bad?) demo.

So, to wrap things up; I think the event was an overall success. It was a good day for the club and a great opportunity to learn from some of the best surfers I know. I am really looking forward to the next clinic. Many thanks to all who participated and special thanks to the following:

• Soul Grind and Bob’s Mission Surf for loaning us the soft-tops
• Omar, Sandi and Kathy for their efficiency and organization
• Celia and Dave for their patience and stoke
• Pablo for stepping in at the last minute
• Derek for expert T-shirt folding and moral support
• Spinner Jim, Rick Kane, and Busty for their exuberance
• Torrey for catching all the balls I dropped
• Sandi and everyone else who manned the tent and sold the gear
• Jerome, ‘mahalo nui loa’ for being so scholarly
• And of course, the biggest thanks to our new members

THE CLUB KEEPS ON GROWING

At our Summer Longboard Classic on June 3rd, we added six new members to the roster. We recently held three successful membership drives at Tourmaline: August 13, September 2 and 23 (simultaneous with the Surf Clinic). Every outting netted several new members, each of whom are listed below. Be sure to give a warm PBSC welcome to each when you see them at future club meetings and events.

And thanks to the following members who volunteered some of their surf time to lend a hand at the membership tent:

PB SURF CLUB NEW LOGO CONTEST

For as long as I've been a member of this club, which admittedly hasn't been that long (2+ years), there's been a debate among some of the members of the board as to whether or not we should keep our old logo or come up with a new one. Some members, the traditionalists, like the original one (the oval). Others, the young progressives we'll call them, the newer one (the shield with crossed surfboards). The traditionalists loath the shield logo while the young progressives think the old one is, well, old fashioned. Past President, Rich Walwood has suggested we hold a new logo design contest. He believes there must be some young groms out there doodeling endlessly in their school notebooks that could come up with a really fresh design. I also understand there are several good graphic designers who are members of the club as well. I say, let's throw it out there to all and see what happens.

Submissions should be in black and white line drawing form. Color versions of these can be included too. The size should be no larger than 8 inches in any direction, at 72 dpi (dots per inch).

Over the next three months, email your designs in JPEG format to the editor. Send as many as you like. Get the word out to the groms and anyone else who may not be reading this newsletter too. The deadline will be December 31st, 2006. In the January issue, we'll display all of the contest submissions and even include the original and shield logos, which one or the other a majority of members may want to retain. We'll then hold a vote. For it to count however, your dues must be current, which by then will be the 2007 calendar year. The winner will not only have the satisfaction of having their design become the new club logo, but will also get their membership dues free for the next year. Good luck!

Original logo

Shield logo

If you need additional guidance, contact Richard Steadham.

UPCOMING COALITION EVENTS

Swami's: Swami's Surfing Association; October 14-15; Event to be held between Moonlight Beach and D Street in Encinitas.

San Miguel: Windansea Surf Club; November 24-26; Baja Mexico.

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS