After 3 months of Pachamama-guru gardening in the Andes, I was in dire need of salt water, coastal air and moving water. I set out on a 20-hour bus ride through Martian-like terrain only to arrive at an Atacamenian oasis filled with coastal pampas, lively atmosphere, colorful South American houses and an abundance of reefs.

On the first morning I woke up before first light to check the waves. I found myself in front of empty, overhead sets coming in under the overcast dawn. I suited-up in minutes and paddled out with two other locals. We traded off quick, heavy barrels with hoots and Castellano conversation.  After a while the crowd filled in and I headed in for some toasted flour porridge. I caught on quick to the locals surf schedule and un-crowded waves were bountiful. Dawn patrol sessions, mid morning breakfast followed by a mid-day session, siesta and concluding the day with an evening session quickly became my soul nourishment.

On the 3^rd morning, the routine and waves were still holding strong. I suited up and paddled out alone admiring empty-emerald-overhead-right-hand barrels. I waited for a set and caught my first wave. I drove down the line, pulled in, didn’t come out and went straight to the bottom. A flash of light illuminated the ocean green in front of my eyes. I surfaced dazed, confused and with open gash near my temple.

Makeshift duct tape bandages were applied but they only lead to torn-out hair and a delayed bloody-faced taxi ride to the ER. I keenly observed the ikikeñan nurses in hope for more than just a remedy, and as my name was called low and behold the only grey haired, nearly blind surgeon opened the door for me. I’m not sure if it was the lack of eye contact, sparse mental/physical condition questioning, or simply the hairy bloodstained sheets that had me second guessing lying under the lamp. Never the less, the Doc. left me with 5 stitches and a prescription for 1 week of no surfing.

The following days were filled with frustration, relaxation and reflection. It was agony not being able to surf while watching the waves fill in. I quickly became the regular gringo at the bar de zumo. Round after round of zanahoria and naranja kept me hydrated and nourished. Argentinean bodyboarders kept my mind occupied with excessive consumption of yerba Maté, yerba buena and boogie vids. Their hospitality and lifestyle reconnected me with the sport of bodyboarding, and above all why and how I began to travel. It was humbling and motivating to meet more kids in search for waves, travels, adventure, and most importantly not sweating over the bullshit of social pressure and pursuing their own path in life. Although my latest travels haven’t been a hundred percent wave driven, bodyboarding is what sparked my first travels. It has been with me on every trip and it will continue to be so on those to come.

Departing the oasis in return to the farm was an endless filmstrip of arid earth and uncharted coast with tons of potential for waves. Injuring myself due to excitement, lack of local knowledge (being it was low tide) or simply rusty bodyboarding skills was frustrating. However it is the risk when one searches for thrill and is part of the adventure.  I’ve got just under three months left of working la Pachamama until I return home and if I don’t return to the Martian oasis, at least I have a souvenir that I’ll never loose. Good times in South America!

James Murdock – Oaxaca
Murdock made his annual sojourn deep in Mexico last month, this time conveniently coinciding with the IBA Zicatela Pro. Over the years James has become at home in the land of Pedro, Espuma Loca, mezcal, and some of the best beachbreak waves in the world. James finished equal 5th overall in the trials, which guaranteed him a spot in the main event with the top competitive riders in the world. An historic contest followed, with Jeff Hubbard taking the win after James bowed out in Round 3 of the main event.

This year James teamed up with fellow North Shore transplant James Dawson. Tons of media was collected between the two with a full writeup coming soon to this site. In the meantime here’s a few pieces that have been leaked on the net since the comp. From the looks of it plenty of ETs were terrorized with pterodactyl late night buzz on reincarnations, a Tom Selleck stache, and full jungle building demos amidst other drunken carnage.

More: 2010 story, pics, and video

Cale Moore – Central Coast
Cale checking in with a couple shots from the Central Coast: “It’s been an extremely dismal summer for waves up this way. Every swell has coincided perfectly with bad winds. Definitely looking forward to fall.”

More: Cale Interview, Killmore Chronicles

Willie Richerson – Bali
Willie just got back from his 3 week retreat to Bali, scoring plenty of swell while meandering in the South Pacific. From his last few days: “At Desert Point saw some of the best waves of my life. Seriously. Got a few scraps, hard with fifty people out and forty that rip….. enjoying myself and taking it all in. Taking this incredible Bali energy straight back home!”

More: Camel in Indo

Adam Terpening – Chile
Adam’s still down in Chile but now living the sober life on an Andes vegetable farm as his adventure has taken an interesting turn:

“The experience is going great but has taken a whole new direction…I dropped studying (formally) at the University of La Serena in June because of the student strike that has been happening for the last 3 months. The strike is still going strong and the cultural contrast between university systems and students has been a big eye opener.

However, thanks to some amazing serendipity I found a job on an organic/permaculture farm in the Valle de Elqui. I’m currently living here with the owners and more people are planning to travel here to work and help expand the vision they have for this land.

The owners, John and Veronica, are awesome people and are very at one with nature. The place is nestled in a canyon with fresh spring water. I work 5-6 days a week doing various things. I’m learning tons about organic gardening and permaculture. It has opened my eyes up to amazing things leaving me looking at the world in a whole new way (again). Also, on this farm it’s prohibited to smoke or drink, so sobriety and vegetarianism are in the mix as well.

I’ve been lucky to find some waves on the weekends while visiting friends in La Serena. I’m a bit of shocker to the country folk here. Being a blond haired gringo carrying a boogie board on a dirt road at 6000 ft. in the Andes will leave a few of the locals a bit dumbfounded, hahah.

I hope to send more photos soon. I have a visa until the end of February of 2012 but we’ll see how things keep going here on the farm.”

Last Minute Update from Adam:
“Recently returned from a trip to the Atacama. Scored sick waves, found some cool culture and left some flesh on the reef in trade for 5 stitches as a souvenir. Full story and more photos to come.”

Pismo Groms – Colima
Sandy Sphincter and a couple other Pismo groms recently visited mainland Mex. Plenty of beer was consumed and plenty of pictures of the elusive Brown Kid were snapped when not getting tubed.

More: 2009 frames, story, and vid

The live webcast was on today as trialists at the Zicatela Pro scrapped it out to make the main event. Murdock advanced into the Quarters where all he needed was to advance through the heat to make the main event as the top 8 trialists were guaranteed spots. Things were looking bleak for Murdock’s campaign deep into the heat but he was able to pull off a 9.25 on a deep righthand barrel with 2 minutes remaining in the heat. When the dust settled and the buzzer sounded Murdock had won and got a spot in the GSS event. His quote in the ensuing interview with IBA top dog Terry Mckenna said it all: “I love it down here. Might move down here and marry a Oaxacan one day.” (Just be careful of the he-she’s down there Murder!) James ended with an equal 5th placing with his first main event heat likely starting manana. The forecast shows the swell settling down a bit for the week before ramping up again around Friday. We’ll see what the contest organizers decide. Stay tuned at IBAWORLDTOUR.com for further updates and recaps.

To stay amped for Mexico, check out our updates from last year’s contest and our latest edit from a trip we took down to Mainland Mexico in 2009:

After spending a week out on the Bukit peninsula I am back in Legian and headed out to visit an orphanage tomorrow. Got some super fun waves over the past week, primarily riding Bingin with a couple sessions at Uluwatu and Impossibles. Bingin is a DK dream with hollow racers and a few turn sections. My first session I picked off a couple of bowlers and scrapped a decent set that lined up for a long barrel. The crowd factor ranges from intensely crowded with donkeys to intensely crowded with locals and donkeys. When the locals are not out the waves come fairly freely as the shifting currents keep the inexperienced wave rider from sitting on the peak. I got a few good shots from Made who sits at the local warung (hostel) right in front of the spot and snaps sequences of just about every wave. My second to last session there he got a solid sequence of a backdoor barrel but I couldn’t bring myself to pay for pictures of a head high barrel sequence so I have just the view to show for my efforts.

Out at Uluwatu I surfed three sessions and got one mind bending barrel. A set came through and I took off a bit late and ducked into a fun overhead coverup then pumped down the line to backdoor an inside section that spit me out just in time to exit via the infamous doggydoor. I rode that one all the way to the beach. Two photographers got a couple shots but the crappy lighting just didn’t do it justice. My last Ulu session was jelly fish central, and the mild stings left a rash that I am still itching two days later. Besides riding waves I have been spear fishing with a guy from SD with worthless home made spears, and snorkeling a bunch.

On the cultural scene I have been overwhelmed with the smiling nature of the Balinese people. They are quick to smile and lend a hand. I enjoyed a bowl of a broth based soup called bakso one afternoon while two local women made prayer offering baskets for an upcoming once every six months ceremony. The ceremony is attended by the entire family in their traditional outfits. They head out to the Uluwatu temple and sit for a twenty minute ceremony that is meant to help unite the family. Thousands of families attend from all over Bali over the two days. The temple itself is a popular tourist destination and the monkeys there are out of hand! They steal anything they can from glasses to flip flops. Then they are bribed with candy or fruit to get the stuff back if they feel like it. The fat males have the system down. I was walking with a French girl when her sandal was ripped right off her foot. The young local boy was paid 10000 rupiah ($1.25) to retrieve the sandal with a candy bar still in the wrapper. I then watched as a Japanese man tried in vein to get his expensive glasses back. No piece of candy was getting those shiny lenses, and the monkey quickly bit off the nose pieces and twisted the glasses to oblivion. The place is a single mans paradise with girls from about every corner of the globe. The warm breezes and dramatic settings make the pheromones flow freely, not to mention what a few Bintangs and shots of Arak will do to loosen up the vibe.

So I am off to visit an orphanage where I will deliver clothing and some cash for a Pismo local who helps run the place. If you would like to donate check out Give Jewelry on Facebook and help them feed the kids. From there I plan to stay a day in Caangu for some heavy beachy and a day in Ubud for some hillside rice paddy frolicking. Transport to G-land is on the 30th and if my money holds out and the swell materializes I will hopefully get some shots worth dropping some coin for. In the meantime I am relaxing next to the pool here in Legian and hoping this mild ear ache doesn’t get worse…

Selamat malan (good night) from Bali,

Wonka

Before retiring back to Boonville for the remainder of summer, Hellmore made a vow to return to Hotel California, a place where dreams are made and dark secrets are revealed. Taras hosted a bbq/tasting at the HC compound with plenty of mid-to-upper-90′s on the Parker scale being passed around freely. The hipstered Orange County attendees were transfixed on the purply goods and Darren’s iPod beats from the get go.

Things were going smoothly up until the Alban Vineyards private stock kicked a nerve with the host. A convoluted story about his out-of-body Romulan experience was quickly followed by the Wes Box chandeliering episode one winter out at OB. “Where the fuck is Erica Schneekloth?,” Taras interrupted himself shortly after, demanding a first listening of his DJ Ukranian Cellphone recording session from some months ago.

Darren dialed it up. Maybe it was the Avila Valley Syrah. Or maybe it was the OJ Simpson Kush. Either way, Taras seemed completely paralyzed by the sound emanating from the speakers. Luckily one of his oversized brows was quivering just enough to prevent the Orange County kids from performing CPR. Taras’ lady came to the rescue shortly after a complaint from one of her divorced friends called for some Top 40. The music abruptly ended, Taras came to, and with midnight quickly approaching, it was time to hit the Saloon.