Some board porn to end the year

Josh & Tyler's baby guns - for waves bigger than I can handle.

2011 – HyeLytes from the Year in Surfing, or anything else for that matter.

January
Your’s truly gets his right ear drilled – no surfing ‘till mid-March. But weep not, my ear feels so good. No more throbbing infections, no more “what??”. And music hasn’t sounded so rich & full since I can remember. Deepest mahalo, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary!

Februrary
Stupid reality again – but the big news if you can call it that is my move. Love this house! Y’all gotta come by!

March
Back in the water (with ear plugs) finally. Also, this is the time of the year when young mens’ thoughts turn to motorcycles.


April
Facing your fear pays big dividends: paddling out at a local, hairy cove and waiting my turn yielded me a one single left that I’ll never forget. We all have those! And a trip to Rhode Island is always memorable.

May
Some fun pre-Summer onslaught waves locally.

Don’t ask me what drove me to do it, but a hunge hankerin’ to do the old bridal path/Mount Lafayette hike, but I’m gad I did.

June
Intro to paddleboards – the lay-down kind:


July
More Summer fun, joy in the warm water. I’m settling into the Gloucester groove quite well, thank you!


August
More small waves & warm water. Hurricane Irene was a bust.


September
But Katya wasn’t – Rhode Island: the September Place to be.


And hey - who woulndn't want an official team ryder t shirt? - available in gray & white. It can be arranged.

October
Ophelia was fun locally. I just didn’t feel like doing the “it” spots. And outr 1st Nor’easter certainly turned on the juice – bombs on day one, and fun surf for the rest of the week.

November
Nothing to report ‘cept that Thanksgiving day had waves – just like old times. Joe Frazier died. Go easy Joe, you were a class act.

December:
And here we are. The month can be summed up I 3 words: **ck yeah, Tortola. First time in the Carribean, first time anyplace tropical, my forst time out of the country since Reagan was president. Thank God for Tortola and her people, that’s all I can say.



That's all folks - hope to see y'all rockin' out and having fun in 2012!

Women we love: World Champion Surfer Lynne Boyer

Archive footage of World Champion (1978 & 1979) surfer Lynne Boyer from the film "Boyer" by Mary Piller, copyrighted 2008.

Lynne has style to burn. She's a super artist these days:

Her website

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Jah Bless

And to you and yours: peace, health, and nothing but the best of everything for 2012.



And thanks for all the support, love, and inspiration this past year!

Van Envy again

Van envy bubbles up this time each year - Santa, you readin'?







Ok, not a van, I forgot about these old Saabs - remember when Saabs were cool?

the Hytygr project

Tumblr - the jury's still out on this one, friends, it's sort of like blogspot/wordpress for ADD cases (my kinda blog!), but we're giving it a go here.

Conceptually Hytygr is Hye Tyde's saucy and even less reverent little sister.

ladies & gents I present to you for what it's worth: Hytygr

Doh! Now I have to face stupid reality again.

Damn it was cold, but it was time suck it up & go for it, it's going to be a long season.

SUP's: this ain't sledding at the golf course; you know when everyone bombs the hill together, ending in a pile of snow, people, equipment & laughs. Party waves aren't cool, and don't ditch your boards in the fun section, pretty please? We cool?

Murmutation

**** yeah Tortola pt. 2

You're all spared the blow by blow, session by session. That's all been done before.

• Travel does one's head a world of good
• Travel gets your groove back
• Travel re-ignites your stoke
• Travel introduces you to new cultures and outlooks

So why not make the effort to do more of it?

**** yeah Tortola pt. 1

Amazing Tortola, I could go on & on, it's all been said. Super people, it's not Bermuda (thankfully) but the place is clean and picked up, pride in their little island. Cape Ann - take note!

It's Easy to get here from Boston

The American Airlines raped me on the board transport - $150 each way, dings incuded.

The TSA opened my bag along the way (see the note the we so kind to leave me?) but the moved all the bubble wrap & pipe insulation.

This little guy was in my window/curtains. Initial unease gave way to admiration when he shot off and gobbled a moth.

But lets accentuate the positive! The waves are consistenty bigger than they look, and far faster & punchier. Water temps, air temps both 83° all week. I got drilled pretty hard on Tuesday. Maybe I should start going short? I'm envious of the shortboarders - maybe because it was good to see them on a real wave. Locals here rip - guys and gals alike.



My Surfer's Journal momenent came at this cove - about 4' and one eye on the coral bottom. It's no joke, I lucked out, but cut up feet and legs are a common sight on visitors.


Cool vehicles you cannot get in the states - the Suzuki Jimmy - tiny sewing machine of a truck, but Suzi-Q did it all. You can rent yours from Denzil Clyne Car Rentals on the West End.

Great food - lots of chicken & fish, and Roti's rock - this is a Paté - hot filled with a spicy fish paste:

The color!:

To be continued.