Offshore Fishing Report: April 2012
Capt. Scott Bussen 

Far be it from me to say, I told you so, but… I told you so.

The cobia season was a bust! I’m not sure who to blame, but if I had to point the finger at somebody, I’d find a way to blame the National Marine Fisheries Service and the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council.

Unfortunately, unlike NMFS and SAFMC, I rely on facts and logic to make my educated decisions. I’m not a marionette being controlled by a bunch of enviro-terrorists funded by Big Oil. The facts are these:

1. We had an extremely warm winter.

2. The water temperatures remained warm. Without the inshore waters cooling into the 50s and lower 60s, it kept the cobia from being concentrated in a relatively small area where the water was between 67 and 71 degrees. In addition, there’s not any cold water north of our area to stop the fish from going north. What you end up with is a run of fish that is extremely scattered and continually migrating through our coastal waters. And that, in a nutshell, is your recipe for a rather dismal cobia season. It’s a real shame too, because we really had some great weather! Mark my words — the aforementioned SAFMC will likely use this spring’s low cobia landings to claim they were overfished over the last couple of years!

One fish’s dark cloud is also a bright, shiny day for some others. In other words, the warm water may have hurt the cobia season, but it helped the kingfish and dolphin bite in a good way. I’m not sure I can recall another March when the dolphin fishing was so reliable. The dolphin were caught by people fishing the reefs for kingfish and they were caught by people trolling the deeper waters, too. They weren’t big, but most of them were small gaffers with a few bailers mixed in. Also, toward the very end of the month, a few nicer fish in the 20- to 40-lb. range started showing up. The only downfall for the trollers was the lack of weedlines, edges, and trolling structure.

As long as the water conditions hold, I expect the dolphin run to continue to improve in April. Should we have a few days of a slight southeast breeze, there’s always the possibility of some nice weedlines forming. If this happens, the fishing could get red hot.

In addition to the ‘phins, there should be an occasional wahoo, sailfish or blackfin tuna making an appearance. This time of year I like to troll naked ballyhoo rigged on mono leaders to target the dolphin and sails. I’ll fish the naked swimmers near the teasers on flat lines and outriggers. If you fish lever drag reels, you can leave the reel engaged just above free-spool. When the fish grabs the bait it can swim off naturally and swallow the bait. All you have to do is let the fish run for a few seconds, then push the lever up to strike, and reel the line tight to set the hook. This technique is deadly on the ‘phins and sails alike. I’ll also usually fish an islander/ballyhoo combo rigged on wire on the shotgun and/or downrigger to target the wahoo.

As I mentioned above, the warm waters also kept the kingfish hanging around last month. There were fish caught from Cris Benson all the way down to Pelican Flats. There were some giant fish caught in the northern areas, like Cris Benson and the Coast Guard Bottom. The fish were averaging in the thirties and fish were caught around 50 lbs. Over the last couple of days of the month those fish seemingly vanished, but maybe they’ll reappear or show up somewhere else. The fish on 8A and Pelican flats were smaller, but those areas seemed to be holding a few more dolphin and an occasional wahoo.

With the water being clean and warm, live bait should be a priority if you want to go catch the kings — especially if you want to target the bigger fish. You may need to have darn good cast net, because the pogies have been inside the Port channel on many mornings. Pack at least a box of sardines just in case the live bait is unavailable the day you try. Being that we may see an early spring, there could be some fairly substantial schools of kings on any given day. If this happens, there’s a good chance that some blackfin tuna will be mixed in with the kings. Don’t be surprised to see a wahoo or cobia appear in the action as well. If you do see a wahoo inshore, it will likely be a big one feeding on the smalller kings.

Personally, I’m gonna try not to bottom fish until May when the grouper open back up. But if you’re a glutton for punishment, be my guest! You may want to pack a whole ton of extra bait and maybe a spare prop. If you run out of bait, the red snapper may chew the prop right off your boat.

Either way, get out and enjoy the sweet weather. If the summer is anything like the winter was, we may be in for some serious heat!

See ya on the pond!

Inshore Fishing Report: April 2012
Capt. Jamie Glasner

The fishing this past month was unreal. Let’s just hope that April will be be the same…

Now that the cobia are pretty much gone, we can start focusing on the tarpon! I know it sounds early, but they are here and there are more on the way as more pogies start showing up on our beaches.

It can’t get any better when you’re out in the ocean on a dead-calm day with 80- to 120-lb. tarpon laid up on the surface just waiting for you to pitch a bait out. You get that perfect hook set in the corner of its mouth and it takes you for a fight that will test all your angling abilities. Just remember one thing: “Bow to the King.”

A lot of good and bad things have been going on in the river; let’s start with the bad. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but in the last couple weeks here in Cocoa Beach our water and sewage treatment facility failed. As of right now, they’re still unsure as to how much of the 10 million gallons of raw sewage flowed into the Banana River. I think this is totally unacceptable. If I were you, I wouldn’t eat any fish out of the river until it is cleared. There were no reports of any fish being killed, but it sucks to know that we’re destroying our river and our backyard fishing.

To get your mind off the sewage spill, the redfish and trout bites have been exceptionally good in the north Banana River and the Indian River. With the trout spawning, this is a great time to put the kids in a lot of action. On most of my charters we’ve been catching 40 to 60 trout in a half-day trip, which is a lot of fun and non-stop action. All the trout have been caught on artificials, my favorite being the Mirrodine, made by Mirrolure. That lure always seems to produce a strike; same with your jerk baits and jigs. Most of the trout have been caught in 2 to 3 feet of water, especially on the drop-offs. The redfish, on the other hand, have been a little too stubborn for my liking; one day you have no problem catching them on artificials, and the next they’re super picky and only in the mood for bait. That’s fishing, though!  The Zoom pearl-white jerk bait and the new penny jerk bait by Gulp have been pretty successful. If they won’t eat artificial, switch to the cut bait. That will always produce fish.

Well, that’s all I have for ya, so ’til next month — good luck on the water!

CRsurf Team Rider Leilani McGonagle. Photo: Fabian Sanchez

Costa Rica Surf Report
By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

Forecast

Caribbean Coast: The first two weeks of the month will stay fun, with consistent surf from waist- to chest-high. Toward the middle will be one more major swell, and then the season fades fast with April ending with knee- to waist-high waves. Overall, the beauty of the area offers a wealth of healthy activities, from standup paddling tours to diving the nearshore reefs.

Pacific Coast: It’s a longer wait this month for waves, with the first two weeks only offering head-high to overhead sets on the biggest days; otherwise, smaller, chest-high surf. The first major SW swell arrives on the 17th, with surf 2 ft. overhead, and will stick around through the 20th. After a few more smaller days, the month ends with more solid south swell.

Full moon: April 6
New moon: April 21

Travel

I just got back from a two-week trip, traveling almost 1200 miles and surfing every dawn patrol and most sunset sessions. Along the way I found a cool skate park hidden along Lake Arenal, and noticed that most beach towns were not crowded, the roads were in excellent shape, and the waves at least head-high and offshore for most mornings of the trip. Thanks to the Hermosa Surf Inn and Hermosa Surf Bungalows, two sweet spots right in front of the better breaks in Playa Hermosa.

Summer time is prime time for southern hemi swells, and now is the time to plan your vacation. Flights can be found from Orlando for $330 roundtrip, but book it now to avoid the cheap seats selling out. There are plenty of quality car rentals at low season rates, but with gas getting pricy and speed traps, you may just want the locals to do the driving and get you to the breaks fast.

Also, travel agents recommend getting insurance for a reason. Not everyone has a perfect trip, and if something turns up missing or you take a misstep, a few dollars spent in advance will prevent some major losses later. CR Surf Travel Company can explain all the options and provide an economical plan that will cover you, your friends, and your family.

Email us to help plan your customized vacation: travel@crsurf.com

Skate park at the Volcano Brewing Lodge. Photo: Lake Arenal

Contests

CRSurf team rider Leilani McGonagle made history in March by being the youngest competitor to win the Women’s Division in a national surf contest at only 12 years old. The level of surfing in Costa Rica has exploded in 2012, with multiple surfers competing on the world stage and making it to the finals platform.

The next national contest takes place April 24-25 in Playa Camaronal, south of Samara. This is the first event on the circuit ever held at this beach break, which is known to focus any swell two feet bigger than surrounding beaches. You can also catch local contests each Saturday behind the Backyard Hotel in Playa Hermosa.

Environment/Community

The lifeguards in Dominical are no longer able to work full time since there have been not enough contributions to keep their program running. Tortilla Flats sells t-shirts and stickers, but what is needed are donations by those who want to help save lives. Learn more about the group at www.dominicallifeguards.org.

If you want to give back while on your summer vacation, we know of many volunteer opportunities along both coasts where you can donate time to building schools, tracking sea turtles, cleaning beaches, and teaching English. Your imagination is the limit to what can be accomplished, and we will help to ensure that you find a safe, affordable, and meaningful experience.

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate one percent of our proceeds to environmental causes. It is part of our mission to help keep our oceans blue by supporting small hotels and camps that contribute to their community.

Friends Russ and Amber enjoying some downtime at Playa Negra

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html
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Boardrider of the Month: Erin Rowley

How do you measure stoke?

Scientists have figured out ways to measure a lot of other things — earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados and such — but they’ve failed to calibrate stoke, one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

To rectify this problem, we here at The Resident have come up with the Rowley Scale, named after one of the most enthusiastic boardriders we’ve yet met, Erin Rowley.

Giver her 10 Rowleys, give her 4; but whatever you give her, you can’t measure the role her family has played in her boundless love of the ocean.

Erin, a Satellite Beach native who’ll turn 22 this April 20th and the youngest of four siblings, first caught the surfing bug at the age of 13 at her home break, Seagull. Describing herself as a “goofy, goofy footer,” Erin is proud to credit her zeal for the water to her close-knit family.

“My family is a huge part of my life,” she says. “It was my father, with some assistance from my sister, who taught me how to surf.”

“My parents always brought me around the water and taught me about the weather. They opened my eyes to all the interesting aspects of the environment around us and how everything works together. My upbringing has humbled me and made me more appreciative of nature. Being around the ocean my whole life, I believe, has pointed me into my career interests as a Marine Biologist.”

Erin is also a skilled viola player and surf instructor with the Ron Jon Surf School, but still, it’s the love of the Rowley clan that gets her up in the morning.

“Our family is a blessing in how tight we all are,” she beams. “We are all best friends and always there for one another. It’s absolutely awesome.

And so are you, Erin Rowley.

Happy Birthday!

How did you first get into surfing?

I grew up around surfing, with my father and older siblings always killing it. When I was really young I would watch them while I boogie boarded. Seeing all of the fun they were having out there made me want to finally paddle out with them. Now the tides have changed a bit; when everyone’s shortboarding I’m usually longboarding, and when everyone’s wearing wetsuits I’m skinning it.

What was your first board?

My mother and father got me my first foam board for my 12th birthday. Then a 9’4″ Hap Jacobs longboard was handed down to me from my dad as I began to surf more often.

What are you riding now?

I’m still riding the same longboard. As far as shortboards go, I have since invested in getting my first 6’6″ RPD Transformer. When I graduated high school I got another Rich Price board — a 6′ Quad Hydro fish — and went on my first out-of-the-country trip to Nicaragua with my brother Mike and some friends.

Gnarliest wave?

I’m going to have to go with a recent session at Seagull, with me, my sister, Claire, and father on the beach switching off surfing and watching my 3-year-old niece. I was out by myself when I went over the falls on my longboard and kneed myself in the nose. I came up seeing stars and when I blew my nose, blood followed. I came to the beach to my sister and dad laughing at me, then went back out with my sister. Good times!

Most memorable session?

While in Mexico with my dad and owner of the Ron Jon Surf School, Craig Carroll. I was out surfing a perfect left-point break on a longboard with my dad when I caught my longest wave yet, wrapped around the point, and stepped off onto the beach. Another memorable session was with my dad, sister and brother, Mike. The waves were really fun, and we were all surfing together like it always used to be. The perfect session for me would be paddling out with my family, catching fun waves and bouncing our energy off each other!

Dream surf destination?

My dream surf trip would be something similar to “Endless Summer” — surfing around the globe, perfect waves all day, good atmosphere, and great people to do it all with. Emphasis on the “Endless” part!

Favorite maneuver?

Surfing big waves on my longboard is my favorite. As for a particular maneuver, landing floaters is fun.

You’re also a formidable paddleboarder. How did you get into that?

We also give kiteboarding and SUP lessons at the Ron Jon Surf School, and I began using the paddleboards because I’d never tried it and it looked fun. It’s a good workout — perfect for when it’s small — and they’re fun to paddle into waves with.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Getting towed in by dolphins — going green!

Who are some of your inspirations?

When I began my second semester of college in January 2009, our family got the news that my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She has since fought it off and is doing better than ever. This brought my family even closer than we were before. It is my mother who has given me the strength, willpower, and motivation to live my dreams and live a happy, fulfilling life. She and my father have given me so much support. That has been my fuel. My mother is my inspiration — the strongest and most caring soul I know.

Who, in your opinion, are some of the more underrated surfers out there right now?

It’s not just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. Who should care? Just surf.

What do you do when you’re not surfing?

I go to BCC and play viola in their orchestra when I can, and I am soon to transfer to FIT to pursue marine biology. I teach surf lessons and deliver pizza for Domino’s and I’m also an on-call volunteer/intern for Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, as part of their Marine Mammal Stranding Program. Some other awesome organizations I enjoy working with are Surfer’s for Autism, Surfing Special Olympics, and the Smiley Riley Beach Bash, all through the Ron Jon Surf School.

Any shout-outs?

Props to the Rowley Clan — my father, Thomas and my mother, my sister, Claire, and my brothers, Sean and Mike. Props also to the Mclaierins (what Mike, Claire, and I call ourselves at the Surf School). Without the family God has blessed me with, I wouldn’t be where or who I am today. Thanks also to Amy Fulton of Atomik Apparel for always having my back. Shout-outs also to Miss Vicki, Craig Carroll, and the rest of the Surf School family. They’re always giving me good advice and plenty of laughs.

Don’t Miss a Thing!
By Athena Sasso

 The Cocoa Beach Surf Museum has a great time displaying, preserving and making surfing history. Below is a refrigerator-ready list to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

April 7: Florida State Paddleboard Championship. Beach registration begins at 8 a.m.; race time is 10 a.m. Registration closes at 9:30 a.m. 

April 7: Easter Extravaganza, 7-10 p.m. Don’t miss the Easter party! New exhibit, music, and food. Renew your membership or become a new member and support the programs of the CBSM. Admission is $20 at the door. Museum Members get in free!

June 2-3: 11th Annual Waterman’s Challenge and Luau. Don’t miss a laid-back couple of days of surfing, paddling, eating, dancing, and seeing old friends! International Palms Resort. Registration June 1 from 5:30-7 p.m. Luau at the Cocoa Beach Pool Pavilion at 6 p.m. on June 2.

September 28-30: 3rd Annual Florida Women of the Waves Weekend. Check out the Facebook page for all the latest updates — Florida Women of the Waves! Harvest moon compliments of Mother Nature. Waa-hoo!

October 2012 (TBA): 6th Annual C2C Paddle Challenge. Causeway-to-Causeway on anything you can paddle: SUPs, prone paddleboards, OC-1s, kayaks, surfskis, surf dories, Cayuco canoes, and more.

December 2012 (TBA): Holiday Party and Cocoa Beach Holiday Parade.  

And that’s not all! We have a six-film “Bruce Brown Retrospective” coming up at the Cocoa Beach Public Library on these dates at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.). Free refreshments compliments of Sunseed Food Coop.

April 21: “Slippery When Wet” (1958)

May 19: “Surf Crazy” (1959)

June 16: “Barefoot Adventure” (1960)

July 21: “Surfing Hollow Days” (1961)

August 18: “Waterlogged” (1962)

September 15: “Surfin’ Shorts” (a ’60s collection)

Not to mention Volunteer Meetings every first Wednesday at the museum, 7 p.m., where you learn more about the behind-the-scenes projects: imaging, oral histories, and more.

See you there.

The Cocoa Beach Surf Museum is located in the Ron Jon Watersports Bldg. Call 258-8217 or visit www.cocoabeachsurfmuseum.org. Volunteer meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. All are welcome to attend. Programs are supported in part through a grant sponsored by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners and managed by the Brevard Cultural Alliance.

Jedi Grind Tricks: April 2012
By Scooter Newell

First things first, fools. A long time ago, when I was in the second grade, I decided to play a prank on my class on April 1. Then I did another the following year. The year after that, the news of my annual pranks spread. It then went national and ultimately, global. Yes, I started April Fool’s Day.

Things have been jumping down at the Skatepark last month, and with a heavy upcoming calendar there seems to be no signs of a lull. The Cocoa Beach Skatepark recently hosted a Pro demo from World Industries Skateboards. The weather was perfect, and the kids were excited as the “Wagon of Flames” pulled into the parking lot. The guys had arrived!

Rewind 60 days. I get a call from Cody, who works at World Industries in California. I’ve never talked to Cody before, but we have a great relationship with them in general. I just thought I’d have some fun and told him: “Look man, we’re busy right now and I don’t have time for a ‘sales call’ unless you’re calling to tell me that the Timmy Knuth board is coming out soon.”

I thought this would be funny because Timmy, one of our former skate camp kids, was rumored to turn pro sometime later this year or early 2013. Anyway, I had the hint of a laugh in my voice and Cody laughed as well when he said, “Well, actually I’m calling you because Timmy requested that we make a stop in Cocoa Beach during our spring demo tour. Timmy really loves that Park and wants the team to get some pictures and footage there.” All I could say was, “I guess I do have time for this call!”

So we flux capacitate ourselves forward 60 days again and the doors on the wagon open up and Timmy, along with Matt Mendenhall, Derek Fukahara, Anthony Shetler, and Charlie Thomas, stepped out of the vehicle. Whoa! There’s Bart Jones and all his camera equipment as well. They even had another dude in there shooting video. Was this a clown car?

Anyway, we blasted some tunes through the PA and gave some warm introductions on the mic to the team and gave them props for skating so amazingly right out of the car. Mendenhall hacked the street course with large f/s flips to flat over the bank, and some gap kickflip variations that had our local tech-hounds frothing. Derek skates amazingly weird — never predictably and with tons of switch-stance tech tricks. Shetler attacked the rails and ledges like it was “the Finals,” with tricks like a 360 flip to 50-50 on the hubba. Charlie Thomas, who runs the team (and yet is Pro for another brand owned by his buddy) was ripping as well, destroying the flowbowl and street, as was our friend Timmy Knuth.

Timmy skated the Park the same as always. Everywhere and everything. The team hung out with the kids and skated for nearly three hours and even set up some lighting equipment for pics and footage. Afterwards, the team took over behind the Skatepark counter and signed posters for everyone in line. They took pics, high-fived, and even exchanged Instagram handles. They even signed a whole stack of posters to give away after they left. A great crew and a great time from one of the most legendary skateboard companies in modern skateboard history. A big thanks to World Industries!

Shout outs to everyone who attended the late-night Skate Jam. Contest winners for the night — “Game of Skate” winner Elijah Allred, and Luke French had a nice kickflip up the gap at the buzzer to take top honors in the “Best Trick” event. Liam Mollica threw down a nice run in the flow course, including a gap-50-50 and f/s 5050 around the pocket to take the top spot. Honorable mentions to the oldest “kid” of the night, Robert Rios (age withheld). And the youngest kid of the night: Dom, aka “Big D,” at 5-years-old. Thanks to everyone who kicked in some stuff for prizes: Sunseed, Volcom, World, Emerica, GSZ, Barrier Island Pet Supply, Jordan Photography, and all the parents who hung out!

News Rants

We will be at the Easter Surf Fest April 6-8, hosting the Skate Contest on the half-pipe. Stop by, say hello, and bring your skateboard.

Friday, April 13 (Ch-Ch-Ch… Ha-Ha-Ha!), Steve Workman and Rich Payne Board Release Party at CB Skatepark. Join us for a session at 9 p.m.

“Like” the Cocoa Beach Skatepark on Facebook — and “Love” it in real life.

Surfrider Foundation, Cocoa Beach Chapter
By Kelly Richardson

http://cocoabeach.surfrider.org
cocoabeach@surfrider.org

A while back, I watched a documentary called “Hawaii: Message in the Waves” that gave me another perspective on the danger of plastics.

The Midway Islands, north of Hawaii, are under an assault of plastic debris that ocean currents wash up on their shores. Observers on the islands have found albatross skeletons with bits of plastic in their digestive system. As the birds decompose, the plastics emerge. To know that plastic debris is littering a chain of islands that is sparsely inhabited by humans really made me think about how my use of plastics affects the world and that it can ultimately end up on a beach somewhere.

Of course Florida is no stranger to plastic debris on its beaches. I can’t count how many times I’ve come across small pieces of plastic in the sand, which leads me to wonder how much was consumed by unsuspecting wildlife during its journey to the beach. Surfrider Foundation has a campaign called Rise Above Plastics (RAP) to help educate the public on the widespread use of plastics, the dangers that the material poses to the environment, and how we can make changes to reduce our use of plastics.

While this is a national campaign, there are special efforts underway in our state to address this issue. Currently, Floridians recycle only about 28% of waste. Florida DEP is unable to increase our state’s recycling efforts due to House Bill 7135, which passed in 2009. While the bill set up the 75% Recycling Program by 2020 it states that the Recommendation Report must be approved for implementation, which it has not been to date.

To encourage that the report be approved, the Florida Surfrider Foundation Chapter Network has created a petition that will help us obtain enough signatures to get local governments to pass resolutions in support of the DEP’s report. We can then use those signatures/government resolutions to get bill sponsors for future legislative support in 2013.

To sign a petition or for more information, please visit:

http://florida.surfrider.org/campaigns/flrap

http://www.surfrider.org/programs/entry/rise-above-plastics

Upcoming events:

April 6-8: Easter Surf Contest, 9 a.m., Surfrider Tent Location TBD

April 17: Chapter General Meeting, 6 p.m., Café Surfinista

April 20: Beach Cleanup, 9 a.m., from 2nd Street South to 4th Street South

Whether you surf, body board, swim, fish, kayak, bike, walk or just enjoy a clean healthy beach, please consider joining the Surfrider Foundation. We hold regular meetings on the third Tuesday of every month, 6 p.m. at Café Surfinista, 86 North Orlando Ave. in Cocoa Beach. Hope to see you there!

So, I wonder if the seas and winds are going to die down this month so we can hunt for some cobia…

The redfishing this February was absolutely insane! Most of the redfish my charters caught this past month were in the range of 35 to 50 inches. The only problem we had was all the damn wind! But it seems like it will start laying down in March, which will make sight fishing awesome.

The inshore fishing around Cocoa Beach has been on fire, with multiple fish being caught around 40 inches. The trout bite is still good; I wouldn’t be surprised if you could catch over a 100 in a day. They’ve been tearing up the Pearl White Jerk baits (made by Zoom); I’m sure they’ll eat other colors, but that one has been working well for me.

On the ocean side of things, I recently came across one of the biggest schools of redfish I’ve ever seen. There had to have been a couple of thousand fish in it, and I know they would have eaten a jalapeño pepper if I had one. I took an awesome video of the school — and the people fighting for them; you can view it on my fishing report page at: www.finandflycharters.com. All the fish in the school were monsters; I’m talking fish from 40 to 60 inches — and maybe some I didn’t see that would be state-record fish. If you’re able to make it out there and come across a school like that, make sure you leave the redfish or shark (whichever you catch) in the water next to your boat. That’s what brought cobia up next to mine; all of them were stud fish.

About a week ago I had a call from my good buddy Capt. Pete Flaherty, who runs Orlando Outdoor Adventures. He asked me if I wanted to run a multi-boat charter with him, and of course I said yes. Capt. Pete called me back to tell me that we’d taking NBA star Jeremy Lin and his family for an evening redfish charter. Jeremy was on Pete’s boat along with his father, his nephew, and his best friend. On my boat I had his mother, his two brothers, and his sister-in-law. It was a full boatload, but I was excited to use my new bay boat. The bite was a little slow at first, but it gradually got better as night fell. From Pete’s boat, Jeremy landed two, nice slot redfish. He took one home to eat and lost a nice over-slot fish next to the boat. On my boat, his brother Joseph hooked two monster redfish that gave him a run he’ll never forget, but they too pulled off. The Lin family finished their adventure with a fun evening on the water and a nice dinner at the Pompano Grill. I’d like to thank Pete for including me in the trip. It’s one I’ll never forget.

That’s about all I have for you guys, so good luck on the water!

Offshore Fishing Report: March 2012

By Captain Scott Bussen of the Relentless II

Well, it’s March, which usually means it’s time to march down to your local tackle store and load up on cobia jigs. But don’t be too hasty; there may be a few more options other than the brown bombers. You may need to spin some minnows offshore before you go scouting the inshore waters.

Yes, the cobia have started to trickle in, so don’t get too upset. It’s just that the fishing on Pelican Flats and offshore of that has been pretty red-hot. On the reef, kingfish have been pretty steady, with a good handful of dolphin, wahoo, sails, and blackfin tuna mixed in. Live bait would be the first choice, but frozen Spanish sardines have been working just fine.

Not that you really need to, but if you’re compelled to venture outside the reef, you should find plenty of action from the dolphin, wahoo, and sails. If there’s a decent edge in the deeper water, the ‘phin bite could be awesome. Troll the ballyhoo naked on mono rigs for the dolphin and try some ballyhoo/lure combos for the wahoo.

So, now that you have your fill of dolphin, wahoo, and sails, you can go inshore and search for the treasured cobia. Have your quiver of rods rigged and ready with jigs tipped with squid, and a rod or two standing by with live bait. As far as finding where the fish are, it’s the needle in the haystack theory. Ideally, you want to look for water that’s a minimum of 68 degrees up to about 73. If there’s lots of bait and/or manta rays, that’s just a bonus! Color changes and weedlines are also a great place to look.

If you happen to be a total masochist who likes to catch amberjacks, be my guest. You’ll likely use up all your bait on grouper and red snapper just trying to catch a couple of aj’s. I’ll leave that to somebody else. I just don’t have the patience!

Amazingly enough, March is “Take an SAFMC Member Fishing” month… again. Return trip optional.

See ya on the pond!!!

By Dan Reiter

Years ago, Cocoa Beach stretched out as a broad expanse of fine, white compacted sand. Before condos armored the shoreline and the Port Canaveral jetty extension interrupted the north/south littoral sand flow, Cocoa Beach was a perfect place for surfers, where waves would snap over the outer sandbars and peel cleanly all the way through to the inside.

Longtime resident James MacLaren remembers those days. He says the years have not been kind to Cocoa Beach’s sandbars, and he attributes much of the troubles to the beach renourishment projects of 2001 and 2005.

The sand dredgings, MacLaren says, “encouraged the development of a deep trough, as well as a steeper beach slope.”

While this has long been the popular conception among the surfing community, it has never been supported by scientific fact.

Until now.

John Hearin, Vice-Chairman of the Cocoa Beach Surfrider chapter, has just completed his doctoral dissertation on the effects of the sand dredgings on Cocoa Beach’s waves. And while his findings won’t come as a surprise to surfers, they might stir up the sands a bit.

In 2001, as part of Federal reparations for the jetty extensions and port projects, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock sucked 3.1 million cubic yards of sand out of the Canaveral Shoals and discharged it onto Cocoa Beach. In 2005, Weeks Marine pulled another 1.3 million cubic yards out of the shoals. The combined cost: $29 million.

FDEP standards require imported sand to “maintain the general character of the beach,” including grain size, color, and mineral composition. Hearin’s analysis found that the sand from the shoals was not a good match for our beaches. The renourishments altered the seafloor and transformed Cocoa Beach from a “dissipative” surf zone (which broke at all tides) to an “intermediate-reflective” one, effectively a tidal dependent beach with a narrow surf zone and more closeouts.

“The sand looked like it came out of an ashtray,” MacLaren recalls. “They said, ‘Give it time, it will bleach out,’ and told us that the beach would be just like it used to be. Overall, it was a disaster for Cocoa Beach surfing and I am not amused with it, not one bit.”

Mike McGarry, of Brevard County Natural Resources, says that the sand from the shoals was approved and permitted by the Army Corps of Engineers. He cites outside factors, including sea turtle nesting sites, sand availability, and erosion control as factors in determining the borrow site.

Hearin, a longtime waterman, recommends an investigation of a permanent sand bypass system at Port Canaveral, which he says would “promote a more natural flow of sediment, and reduce the need for disruptive dredge-and-fill projects.”

He will be presenting his research on April 18 at the Cocoa Beach Library, at 6 p.m. Surfers, wave forecasters, and beachgoers in general would do well to attend.

Also coming up:

3/24: Surf Movie: “Tubular Swells” at the Cocoa Beach Library.

4/7: Florida State Paddleboard Championships in the morning, followed by an Easter Extravaganza at the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum that evening.

The Cocoa Beach Surf Museum is located in the Ron Jon Watersports Bldg. Call 258-8217 or visit www.cocoabeachsurfmuseum.org. Volunteer meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. All are welcome to attend. Programs are supported in part through a grant sponsored by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners and managed by the Brevard Cultural Alliance.

** Photo caption: Graham Swindell just released his first surf video, “Finding Utopia.” Here’s a sample of his skills; Playa Guiones, Nosara. See the whole video here: www.vimeo.com/36342830 **

Costa Rica Surf Report

By Greg Gordon

www.crsurf.com

Forecast

Caribbean Coast: The first week is going to be slammed with surf from east swells, at least overhead. Then there will be a few days of inconsistent chest-high waves followed by another heavy dose of solid overhead swell. There will be crowds in most lineups near Cocles and Puerto Viejo, but you can spread out north of Cahuita or take a boat trip to an outer reef.

Pacific Coast: Minimal surf to start the month, but there is hope. Storms are building south of Australia, and by mid-March the first of them should start pumping up some foot-overhead southwest waves. With the new moon, more south swell will follow, but the final days of the month end with tiny surf lasting until Easter (April 6).

If you have a Spring Break trip planned, check our forecast the week before you go — www.crsurf.com/surfreport.html. When it’s small, the few top wave spots up north will be jammed, so it may be better to stay in the central Pacific.

Full moon: March 8 / Full moon: March 22

Travel

This month promises sunshine and plentiful offshore winds. Most of the popular resorts, cabinas, and camps will be full toward the second half of the month, but you can still find some space for your Spring Break trip. Check out our list of over 65 camps to choose from — www.crsurf.com/surfcamps.html. There’s something for every budget and skill level there.

Here are a few specialty camps taking place this month:

Del Mar Surf Camp (www.delmarsurfcamp.com) is hosting a nine-day all-Women’s Retreat, March 11-19
Bodhi Surf School (www.bodhisurfschool.com) hosts empowered self-surf retreats March 24-30
Waves Costa Rica (www.wavescr.com) is hosting an all-girls’ Roxy Costa Rica Surfari March 6–13

Best flights:

The cheap seats are gone. JetBlue has a few non-stops from Orlando to San Jose for $372 and up. Spirit Air is $385 (or $329 from Fort Lauderdale), plus carry on and checked bag fees. This is the time to buy tickets for your summer vacation! Just email us to help plan your customized vacation: travel@crsurf.com

Contests

The first contest on the Circuito Nacional de Surf de Costa Rica took place in Playa Hermosa February 25-26. Carlos Munoz, who just returned from a great showing in the Volcom Pipe Pro, was a big favorite, but to see who won and photos from the event you’ll have to go to www.crsurf.com, since at press time we didn’t have the results. Their second date will be in Palo Seco, about 30-minutes’ drive south of Jaco, March 25-26. This year there will be only six categories: Open, Open Femenino, Juniors, Boys (Sub-16), Grommet Femenino (Sub-15), and Longboard. Good luck to our team riders Noe Mar McGonagle and Leilani McGonagle from Pavones.

Also in March, The ALAS Tour Reef Classic will take place in Santa Teresa March 8-11. There will be over $25,000 in prizes with the best surfers in Latin America competing. Visit their Facebook page for details.

Environment/Community

The 13th Annual Robert August “Surf N’ Turf” Charity Challenge will take place at Playa Avellanas and Hacienda Pinilla March 29-31. The Tamarindo Diria will be the host hotel, and the awards ceremony takes place at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp in Tamarindo. Donations benefit the non-profit group CEPIA.

If you’re traveling to the Osa Peninsula, check out the Envision Festival, a day of art, music, sacred movement, yoga, dance, permaculture, and eco-educational workshops. It takes place March 1–4 in Bahía Ballena, just inland of Uvita’s whale’s tail beach.

On your way, don’t forget to buy your Dominical lifeguard t-shirts and stickers at Tortilla Flats, right across from the beach in Dominical. The program relies solely on donations, and the group saves dozens of lives each year from drowning. Visit www.dominicallifeguards.org to learn more and to donate online.

To find out about other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report at www.crsurf.com

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf (18,000 fans and growing)

Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf 

CR Surf Travel Company is committed to helping surfers find the best waves in Costa Rica. Part of that commitment is protecting the oceans and beaches that create world-class surf, and helping the local communities with sustainable tourism practices. We are Surfrider activists and 1% for the Planet members.

Surfrider Foundation, Cocoa Beach Chapter

By Kelly Richardson

 www.cocoabeach.surfrider.org 

cocoabeach@surfrider.org

On Saturday, February 11, Cocoa Beach Surfrider held a sea oat-planting event on the beach at Minutemen, 2nd St. S. and 3rd St. S.

The City of Cocoa Beach purchased 768 sea oats and teamed with Surfrider volunteers to get them planted into areas that needed them most.

This has been an annual event since 2005, and our efforts have definitely paid off! The area around Minutemen has experienced improved plant growth and dune buildup thanks to constant monitoring by dedicated volunteers.

Sea oats are a very important part of the local dune system. Not only do these plants help to build up the dunes, thus preserving our shoreline and protecting property, but they also provide food and shelter for a wide range of creatures such as birds, crabs, and turtles. Sea oats also help to keep sand on the beach and not on the curbs or in storm drains. Once an area of sea oats has been planted, it is roped off with stakes and signs to let beachgoers know that the area is now protected by Florida law.

Sea oat planting is one of the many ways folks can get involved with Surfrider.

Here’s a list of some of our upcoming activities:

March 17: Rip Pics Surf Contest and Beach Cleanup, 9 a.m., Lori Wilson Park

March 20: Chapter General Meeting, 6 p.m., Café Surfinista

April 6-8: Easter Surf Contest, 9 a.m. (Surfrider tent location TBD)

April 17: Chapter General Meeting, 6 p.m., Café Surfinista

April 20: Beach Cleanup, 9 a.m., 2nd St. S. – 4th St. S.

Whether you surf, body board, swim, fish, kayak, bike, walk or just enjoy a clean healthy beach, please consider joining the Surfrider Foundation. We hold regular meetings on the third Tuesday of every month, 6 p.m. at Café Surfinista, 86 North Orlando Ave. in Cocoa Beach. Hope to see you there!

By Scooter Newell

I think Rocky Raccoon has finally climbed out of his dumpster, seen the shadow of a sanitation truck, and decided to bail on the hibernation. Winter is over!

That was the longest week of winter we’ve have had in years… But that’s okay! In Skateboardland there’s not a lot of room for winter — not even a Florida winter. The visiting U.S. and Canadian tourists laugh at me because I’m usually bundled up in a sweatshirt and beanie with the heater set on 78 in the shop.

But with spring on the rise, that means skateboard season is on the rise! (I think I say that every season.)

The weekends have been lovely and the kids have been ripping. We’ve been making some improvements at the Park with extra attention placed on our movable metal obstacles. Big shouts to Jesse for welding us back in to action.

The President’s Day Street Jam went well with about 20 local skaters having competed in a jam format while the judges documented every maneuver that could be classified as a “money trick.” Skaters were broken up into age groups, skated four at a time, and were paid $1 for each good trick. Each skater walked away with a couple of dollars; some walked away with a few more. We also gave out prizes to everyone who entered. The prizes ranged from decks to free passes at the Park. Big thanks to the sponsors for the President’s Day Jam: Sunseed Co-Op, A1A Signs, Volcom, Grind For Life, Vitamin Water, Evasion Clothing, Slater Surfboards, CBS, and GSZ.

Upcoming Contest and Demo Info

March 18: PRO DEMO at Cocoa Beach Skatepark, 4 p.m. CBS will host the World Industries Pro Street Team for a demonstration/session and autograph signing. The pro team will be traveling from California and will ultimately wind up skating in the Tampa Pro the following week. ** Catch the team TWICE!! They will also be at Graffiti Skate Zone (1450 Pt. Malabar Rd. in Palm Bay) on Monday, after school, March 19. **

Also coming up at Graffiti Skate Zone: “For the Love of Skateboarding,” which will be a two-park stop in one day. The Palm Bay city park at McGriff Park will host the first portion with the main event to be held at Graffiti Skate Zone afterwards. There will be lots of prizes and goodies for the kids as well as food and sales in the skate shop. GSZ has some great events going on. If you’re able to make it out there, it’s sure to be a great time. Check out “Graffiti Skate Zone” on Facebook for the contest info.

March 30: Spring Break Jam at Cocoa Beach Skatepark. Game of Skate, Best Trick, and “5 Walls of Funk” in the Flow Course. Check Cocoa Beach Skatepark’s Facebook page for details. The CBS staff will also be joining forces with the Easter Surf Festival to produce a skateboard contest on the beach April 6-8. Future 6, an apparel brand based out of Orlando, has put up some money for the Pro and Masters Divisions. The event will take place at the Cocoa Beach Pier and the contest will be held on a halfpipe on the beach. The GoatRamp crew will be putting together a 32-ft. wide ramp that will range from 6-8 ft. in height. Check out the “Future6″ page on Facebook for more details.

Other News

Shouts to the GSZ and CBS teams, featuring Sam Rooks and Jonathan Morefield. They skated in the Three Amigos contest at Stone Edge Skate Park and wound up in 7th place out of 20 teams! Congrats to both! Looks like they get to stay on the team a little longer — but may need to start taking out the trash at the Skatepark!

The Grind For Life contest series continues this March 31 with a contest at Ramp 48 in South Florida. For contest info, check out www.grindforlife.org or the “Grind For Life” Facebook page. Be sure to check out this event if you can make it!

Boardrider of the Month: Edward “Speedy” Patrick

By B. Bennison

When going overseas on a surf adventure, there are certain qualities you look for in your chosen travel partner.

At the top of any surfer’s list would be the desire to log in numerous hours in the water, that they always smile their way through any situation, however bad.. and the ability to fire a bullet through a quarter at 100 yards.

Okay, maybe that last one isn’t on everyone’s list, but it’s certainly on mine. I admit I didn’t realize it at first, but having a professionally trained sniper ninja adds a lot to a surf adventure. For instance, you will be on time to every break at its peak surfability (tide recon has already been done while you were sleeping), meals will be healthy and eaten quickly (digestion takes place during your paddle out), and if it’s a night on the beers, you will be expected to maintain and hold your composure under any and all sketchy situations (a contigency plan for a fast exit has already been formulated while you were putting on your flip flops). And last, but certainly not least, fun must be had by all (if you need sleep, it had better be done while he’s in the water) — no exceptions. If you do not somehow adhere to this simple rule, you might have the fun beaten into you.

I kid (not really), but Speedy is truly one of the funnest dudes I’ve ever surfed with. Add to that his being a seasoned sniper for the Kennedy Space Center, and you have one unique individual.

To top it all off, Speedo was just recently awarded NASA’s “Exceptional Bravery Medal” for disregarding his own safety and using swift judgement to rescue a man who had been caught in a rip current and dragged 200 yards from shore. After a failed rescue attempt by a paddleboarder, the victim was in a dire situation. Speedo commandeered the paddleboard, and through the rip and cold and steady breaking of head-high waves, pulled the man onto the board and guided him safely back to shore where he was treated by KSC Emergency Medics.

When I aked him about all of this, the only thing he regretted was that after making sure the guy was safe, he wished he could have paddled back out, because the waves were actually pretty good. But, alas, he was on the clock.

So congrats to you, Speedo, for being awarded “Boardrider of the Month.”

(And for the medal thing, too.)

 

What was your most memorable surf trip? 

My trip to Hatteras with Barry Pendly when I was a kid. We had so much fun we had forgotten to call our Moms to let them know we were okay.

What’s been the most positive change you’ve seen in surfing since you started?

The Internet. Wave forecasting has become so finely tuned that now, when I take valuable time off work, I know I’m going to score good surf.

The most negative thing ti have happened?

The Internet — and wave forecasting. Now everyone knows.

Dream trip? 

Australia/Fiji with my good buddies, the Bronte Boys. But I’m happy to say it’s no longer a dream — I’m leaving at the end of the month!

Worst wipeout? 

Hawaii. First trip, first paddle out, first wave. Got pitched at 10′ Sunset, snapped my leash, and lost my board in the rip. Had to borrow a board from a stranger to paddle back out and get it. It took hours!

What was the sketchiest thing that’s ever happened to you traveling?

Nothing really. But I’m going on this trip to Fiji with a good buddy who is an absolute magnet for trouble — Matt Dee. I’ll be taking every precaution. Maybe…

Has being a deadly sniper made you a better surfer?

I’m much better experienced with being shot out of a barrel.

Who were your greatest inspirations during gromhood? 

Greg Loehr, Greg Mungal, Tim Briers, and Jerry Anderson.

What qualities do you most admire in your friends? 

Loyalty.

If you to be turned into any monster, what kind would you be? 

The Wolfman. Arrrrroooooooo! The moon does crazy things to a man…

What fictional character would you most identify with? 

Race Bannon.

From what aspect of surfing do you derive the most pleasure?

Years ago, I would have said getting barreled, but two years ago I helped out Todd Holland at his School Of Surf and found a whole different kind of stoke when I pushed kids into their first waves. That look on their faces is priceless. After that, I got involved in helping out with Surfers for Autism and a cystic fibrosis charity as well. I love it.

I see you riding a lot of different boards. What’s being ridden the most these days?

I have a board for all occasions. I’m extremely lucky to have some great friends who also happen to be unreal shapers. Todd Holland, Matt Kechele, and Stu Sharpe have made me some amazing boards of all shapes and sizes. That’s part of the fun about living around here. Instead of griping about the waves, I’ve found it better to have the right board for the right conditions. Oh, and one of my favorites, which unfortunately hangs on the wall a little too much, is a 7’6″ gun shaped by Pat Rawson. I don’t think Cocoa Beach will ever produce the juice she needs though. That’s what Mexico is for!

Where have you been picking up The Resident Speedo? You do pick up The Resident, don’t you?

Café Surfinista: my favorite place for land bowls! Bruce and Diane have created the perfect grinds and vibes!

Any last words or shout outs?

A big shout out to all the guys at work and to the Bronte Boys,… battendown the hatches!

Boardrider of the Month: Lea Taylor

Interview by Scooter Newell

Lea Taylor has been skateboarding and surfing since she could crawl. I remember her bomb-dropping little ledges on her skateboard when she was only 3-years-old and doing whatever it took to keep up with the boys at the Skatepark that were three times her age.

Today at the Skatepark there are no boys — of any age — who can keep up with her. She whips through the pockets at 100mph and has one of the best “cradle-carves” out of anyone who has ever skated here. She will also throw serious chunks at you in the water while practicing for one of her upcoming surf contests. Lea is an all-around threat on any board and a great young ambassador for surf and skate.

Meet February’s “Boardrider of the Month,” Lea Taylor.

Name: Lea Taylor

Age:15

Hometown: Cocoa Beach

Stance: Regular

Current skate set-up: Hoopla skateboard, Bones wheels, and Independent trucks

Current surfboard: Pelican Surfboards shaped by Todd Holland

What did you learn first, surfing or skateboarding? And how old were you when you started?

I learned to surf and skate around the same time, mainly surfing though, because Adam (my older brother) competed in surfing in the beginning a little bit more than skating. But mainly I started skating when I was two and entered my first skate contest when I was four. I entered my first surf contest when I was five. I learned how to surf once I could swim. I was 1-year-old!

What is your favorite thing to skate?

My favorite thing to skate is a bowl or a vert ramp. Anything I can go fast in, I’m all over it!

What is your favorite surf spot?

My favorite surf spot to surf is Sebastian Inlet. But my dream place to surf would be , Aquadilla, Puerto Rico.

What’s up with competitions? Are you competing anytime soon in surf or skate?

I compete in all the local contests like Grind For Life, but sadly, I wish there was more going on in girls’ skateboarding. I am competing in surfing a lot. I do NSSA, ASF, ESA, etc…

You just started a new school. What do you like most about it?

I like my new school because I’m able to travel with my surfing. The thing that I like most about my school is that it’s small and I have great teachers and they really care about me. I miss home schooling, but who doesn’t?

What kind of music are you listening to these days?

My favorite types of music are opera and rock n’ roll. I really enjoy bands like Blink 182, Weezer, and Red Hot Chilli Peppers…

What do you like to do in your free time — when you’re not surfing or skating?

When I’m not surfing or skating I like to play soccer and run cross country and track with Cocoa Beach High School. I enjoy my coach, Ceal Walker. She is amazing and she really knows a lot about the sport.

When do you start driving?

I’m studying my test to get my permit, so I will probably drive when I am 16 or 17. I prefer riding my bike — it’s better for your body and the planet!

Any final words or shout-outs?

Thanks to my sponsors: Ron Jon’s , Osiris Shoes, Grind For Life, Hoopla Skateboards, Cafe Surfinista, and the School of Surf. Thanks for supporting me!

Inshore Fishing Report: November 2011
Capt. Jamie Glasner

It’s just about that time of year when we get to stuff our faces with endless amounts of food!

With winter closing in on us, our lagoons should start clearing up. On a couple of my last trips the water clarity was getting fairly decent; not gin-clear, but clear enough to where I could see the bottom and see fish. Overall, the October fishing was excellent. The redfish bite was definitely on, both inshore and nearshore. My buddy, Capt. Scott Lum, crushed the redfish outside of the Port; he reported catching over 30 fish within a couple of hours — all on live mullet. On the inshore side, the bite was super-hot after that tropical storm that raised the intracoastal waters up over a foot. Cut ladyfish and topwater lures have been the ticket, but live mullet and shrimp will do just fine in these murky waters.

The fishing around the jetties has been hit-and-miss. As of right now, the water at the mouth of the Port is really dirty due to the high winds and rough seas. As the wind and seas calm down the snook bite should get better, as will the flounder when the water temps start to cool down. Another game fish to target this month is tripletail. They like to hang around debris, buoys, and weed mats; try pitching a jumbo shrimp or live finger mullet their way.

As the water in the lagoons start to cool down, you can start to find numbers of spotted seatrout and juvenile redfish in canals and on the drop-offs on the flats. Jigs and live shrimp will do the trick.

Now for all you hunters out there, duck season is just a couple weeks away. That’s right, it’s time for some quackquack-boom! Get your shells and decoys ready, because it will be here in no time. Also try to kill some of the hybrid mallards we have here flying around the 1000 Islands.

For the last bit of my report I have a funny story to share with all of you. A buddy of mine had a evening charter that he ran out of Ramp Road in search of some redfish. Well, they went out and found some fish and everyone had a great time catching a few, and they headed back to the ramp at the end of the trip. When they arrived at the dock, one of the clients on the boat needed to use the restroom. Now if any of you have ever used that bathroom after dark, you’ll know how difficult it is to see without any lights in there. So while my friend’s client (a priest) was in the bathroom, my friend then needed to go. He knew where the toilets should be, so as he’s doing his business he doesn’t hear any water or noises, so he thinks he must not be aiming right. Still nothing. All of a sudden his client shouts, “I’m in here!” Apparently my friend had urinated all over his client. He had no idea what to say to the guy…

Well, I hope all of you enjoy your Thanksgiving and I’ll see you on the water!

Offshore Fishing Report: November 2011
Capt. Scott Bussen

Well, it seemed as if it would never arrive and that the stifling heat would never end, but the fall weather has finally made its way into Central Florida!

For some people, it’s just a welcome climatological change, but for us fishermen, it’s so much more… Sure, the change in temperature is an awesome bonus, but every fisherman has a favorite reason to await the fall weather pattern. For some, it’s the opportunity to put away the fishing gear and concentrate on hunting for a while. For me, it’s the fact that falling mercury signals the start of some potentially red-hot fishing!

For all intents and purposes, each passing front should ratchet the fishing up a notch or two. For the bottom fishing, the dropping water temps should spur the grouper to start emulating their name. Not only will the fish start aggregating, they’ll also begin their annual fall/winter migration, so they should start to get more plentiful.

If last month was any indication, we could be in for a November to remember. Though things could be red hot, not everything will be a fall carnival. There will still be a of couple hurdles before reaching the finish line with a grouper dinner. The biggest hurdle will be the weather/water-condition combination. If the weather is calm enough to fish and the water conditions are good enough for the fish to feed, the second hurdle will be catching live bait. The larger pinfish have been hard to find, and if you do catch ‘em, they’re hard to keep in a pen for more than a couple of days. If you can get it all together on the right day, the fishing could be epic. But be ready to weed through some snapper and amberjack to get your prize.

Another pleasant surprise last month happened to be the trolling. The dolphin bite was on fire, the sailfish were plentiful, there were enough wahoo around to make things interesting, and a few tuna even made an appearance! There were boats that reported catching double-digit quantities of dolphin, multiple shots at sails, and more than a few wahoo. The dolphin were mostly smaller fish under 10 lbs., but the sheer quantity more than made up for the lack of size. There was a nice current break/edge with scattered weed that varied between 170′ and 260′ day to day. The best fishing was obviously along the edge, but there were fish scattered from the weather buoy on out.

If water conditions remain decent, the trolling could continue right through the month of November. At least with trolling you won’t have the bait hurdle to cross like the bottom fishermen! Good ol’ frozen ballyhoo will do the trick. For the sails and dolphin, try rigging the ballys on mono and fish them short, either next to, or immediately behind the teasers. For the wahoo, try the baits rigged on wire behind a lure like a Seawitch or Islander. Run the bait/lure combo deep, long or both. You may also want to try a plug like a Speedy or a magnum stretch Rapala fished on a medium flat line or the downrigger.

As far as kingfishing goes, last month was a bust. However, the aforementioned weather changes should impact the kingfish population in a positive manner in November. Much like the grouper, the kingfish will begin their fall migration soon. There are several differences between the two migrations, the biggest of which is the volume. Much like the red snapper over the last few years, the kingfish stock has grown exponentially. This stock explosion leads to the other major difference — the definition. Whereas the grouper schools tend to increase less noticeably, the kingfish show up en masse. One day there are just a few scattered fish, the next there are seemingly endless acres of them. These shoals of kings usually show up toward the latter part of the month and will generally hang around until after the New Year or until the water temps on the reef drop below 68 degrees. Try trolling spoons, plugs or Seawitch/mullet strip combos so you can cover some ground until the fish are located. Once you locate the fish, slow-trolled Spanish sardines should do the trick. Live bait will likely be an issue as the pogie pods usually pull offshore with the dropping water temps on the beach. Along with the kingfish, there should be a good chance at catching a cobia or blackfin tuna with an outside chance at a wahoo. The action will generally be concentrated on the reefs between 60′ to 90′, but sometimes the fish will be located off the reef in the sand.

So get your stuff lined up for that bluebird day after the front and get out there and get ‘em! Before it gets too cold…

See ya on the pond!

Surfrider News & Events: November 2011
Surfrider Foundation, Cocoa Beach Chapter

By John Hearin

The Cocoa Beach Chapter of Surfrider Foundation is putting together a 2012 calendar that will feature photos and artwork depicting iconic scenes of our world-famous beach. Anyone with a “calendar worthy” scene is encouraged to submit their high resolution photo or artwork for consideration. Please contact us at: CBSFcalendar@gmail.com for more details. Deadline for submissions is November 15.

Upcoming events:

Every Wednesday: Surfrider Surf Flicks, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Coconuts on the Beach

November 15: Chapter general meeting, Café Surfinista, 6 p.m.

December 9: Christmas Parade Float Decorating Party

December 10: Cocoa Beach Christmas Parade

Whether you surf, body board, swim, fish, bike, walk or just enjoy a clean healthy beach, please consider joining the Surfrider Foundation. We hold regular meetings on the third Tuesday of every month, 6 p.m. at Café Surfinista, 86 North Orlando Ave. in Cocoa Beach. Hope to see you there.

email: surfrider.cocoabeach@gmail.com
website: www.surfrider.org/cocoabeach

What CRsurf.com and PRETOMA are trying to save. Dead sea turtles are bycatch from shrimp trawlers. Photo: Pretoma.org

Costa Rica Surf Report: November 2011

By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: This month starts the wave season for the Caribbean. Late-season tropical activity in the Gulf can bring surf from the north. Then, later in the month, powerful northeasters that file down from Canada push off from the east coast and send swell to Costa Rica’s beaches with surf up to double overhead. If the center of the low pressure is off of North Carolina, pull the trigger to Salsa Brava about 10 days later.

Pacific Coast: Mid November marks the end of the rainy season and the return of offshore mornings and sunset sessions. Sandbars formed by swollen rivermouths are in good form for plentiful peaks. The only downside is that the swells from the south and southwest become fewer and less powerful, especially toward the end of the month. Best surf will be on the 12th and 13th.

Full moon: November 10

New moon: November 24

Get ALL the tide charts for 2012 on www.crsurf.com

TRAVEL

Would you like saving 10-53% on surf camps and retreats this winter in Costa Rica? Just visit our Trips page and see which locally owned businesses are offering deals if you mention CRsurf.com. We’ve already researched each to make sure they’ll take care of you and show you a great time while you’re visiting. Plus, you don’t have to drive!

If you do want to drive, we have great prices on the smaller SUVs like the Bego for only $179 per week, plus insurance. For flights, the cheap seats have mostly sold out. The best deals look to be on Jet Blue from Orlando for around $350, plus they only charge $50 each way for boards. Or you can wait until Spirit Air runs a special from Ft. Lauderdale, but remember that they charge extra for everything — even carry-on luggage!

CONTESTS

Craig “Tequila” Schieber from Puerto Viejo became the first Tico to win Gold in the ISA Masters World Championship held in El Salvador. His title in the Grand Kahunas division, plus a 5th place from Andrea Diaz, helped Costa Rica earn a 7th place finish overall. The next contest is the Pura Vida No Pro November 19-20 in Playa Esterillos. This event helps raise money for orphanages and brings kids from San Jose to teach them how to surf. Then December 1-4 is the Reef Latin Pro, held at Terrazas in Playa Hermosa. This event will feature the best surfers in Central America as well as host the wildly popular Reef bikini contest.

ENVIRONMENT

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of 1% for the Planet. This means we give 1% of our profits to an environmental group that shares our values in protecting the oceans and the creatures that live in them. This year we are donating $250 to the Costa Rican NGO – PRETOMA (Programa Restauracion de Tortugas Marinas). This group has worked tirelessly to help protect sea turtles from shrimp boats, sharks from long line fishing, and surf breaks like Pavones from experimental tuna farms. In 2011 we have donated over $1200 to local and international charities and we hope that our generosity will make a difference in the future of all surfers.

COMMUNITY

We are still far short of our goal to raise $1095to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device that would help drowning victims when their heart stops. In Costa Rica there are dozens of drownings each year, and many times the victim is brought to shore unconscious and cannot be resuscitated using CPR. Visit www.crsurf.com/news/community/donate-AED.html if you wish to help.

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CR Surf Travel Company is a member of the Surfrider Foundation and 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of its proceeds to environmental causes.

Jedi Grind Tricks: November 2011

By Scooter Newell

The 6th Annual Slater Brothers Invitational is officially in the books. Benefiting the World Skin Cancer Foundation, the event brought everyone together to raise awareness and funds to battle this widespread disease. And there is no better way to bring everyone together than a week’s worth of surf, skate, golf, music, food, and fun.

Things started on Monday with a golf scramble. The Cocoa Beach Country Club was decorated with sponsor tents, banners, and signs at each hole. Golfers enjoyed the four-man tournament with great weather and plenty of food and drinks for everyone. Some wore costumes in celebration of the upcoming Halloween celebration, and the day ended with a party at the pavilion with more food, drinks, and live music. When Thursday rolled around, everyone met up at Rusty’s at the Port for the official kick-off party. The whole place was packed with the usual suspects as well as competitors from out of town. Everyone enjoyed dinner on Rusty’s gorgeous new waterfront deck and some great prizes were raffled off to lucky winners.

There was actually some surf on Friday, and the contest was soon underway. Tents were set up on the beach to provide the public with free skin cancer screenings and a few cases were discovered over the weekend. It’s likely these cases can be treated since they were found early enough. And that was what this fundraiser was all about: awareness, education, and detection of potential skin cancer.

By the time the ramp was completed and ready to skate, the rain began — just enough drizzle to keep us from skating. We found ourselves 30 or 45 minutes in to the drying process numerous times only to get rained on again and again. When the surf contest wound down for the day, we made our way to dinner, ultimately winding up at Coconuts for the Donavon Frankenreiter show.

Saturday came and so did the rain. The surf contest went ahead in semi-decent conditions, but by the time the longboarders took to the water and sometime around the eighth heat, the sun came out and the ramp started to dry. By 2 p.m. we were skating, as skaters registered for the all-ages contest and made donations to WSCF in exchange for a quick shred on the ramp, which was sponsored by Ron Jon’s. The kids were stoked when Adam Taylor took to the ramp and pulled multiple maneuvers in every run. He was joined by sister Lea, Alex Sorgente, Mike Rogers, Nick Murphy, Ashton Dohany, and Brandon. We held open practice for the contest until sunset and headed back up to Coconuts for some dinner.

On Sunday we were greeted with clear skies with some excessive wind, which was than rain, so the contest was on. The 9 and Under division was dominated by kids from out of town who well deserved the top honors, and local 9-year-old Elijah Allred came in Fourth place.

If you know anything about local up-and-coming skaters under the age of 12, then surely you know about Chris and Nick Noel. Chris won the Monster Madness Mini Ramp Contest at Graffiti Skate Zone in Palm Bay and earned a free entry to the Slater Mini Ramp Contest. A well-used golden ticket earned him another First place with his younger brother, Nick, only a few points behind in Second. Again, our locals were representing with Blake Knapp taking Third place in the 10-12 division. We ran a 13-15 and a Legends division with skaters like Bob Umbel, Dan Brown, PJ Byrtus, Sam Barker, Lonny Reiter, and Mike Rogers taking part. Also joining the 40 and Up crew was Robert Rios. Robert started skating only a year and a half ago, and he had mad support and cheers from all the veterans on the deck.

We thought it would be appropriate to let the groms shine this year with a youth-powered skate demonstration — the Slater Brothers “Gromvitational,” if you will. We orchestrated a team event sponsored by three great local restaurants. Three skaters under the age of 10, wearing t-shirts from Rusty’s, Taco City, and Coconuts, were pulled aside in advance by the CB Skatepark staff and their names were drawn at random for teams. Zane Blades, Grace Marhoefer, and Zeke Morton repped it out for Coconuts, Elijah and Dominick Allred and last-minute substitution O’Neal were on the Taco City team, and Gabriel Rios, Dominick Piscatelli, and Scott rode for Rusty’s. The kids skated with their teams for four minutes each and had the entire crowd stoked. It’s all about fun and promoting the next generation, but in the end the judges awarded the Taco City team the top honors! Look for the trophy soon at the restaurant.

The final part of the skate ramp event was the SurfSkateScramble division, a small invitational win which competitors surfed and skated for points on the same day. The ages ranged from 6 to legends in their mid-40s for this boardrider battle. In the end, Bob Umbel took the top honors as the SurfSkateScramble’s overall winner.

Big thanks to Sean Slater for making the surf part of the Scramble become a reality at such a prestigious venue. Props to Justin Quintall and David Awbrey for winning the pro longboard and shortboard contests respectively, and a huge thanks to everyone at the World Skin Cancer Foundation. And it all wouldn’t have happened without Julie Stine and April and Sean Slater; thanks for putting on a top-notch event. There were also about one hundred other people who helped out with the success of the Slater Brother’s 6th Annual event, and a lot who helped us out in last-minute, crucial moments with demanding tasks. For that, thank you so much! I would tell you myself, but I still have no voice.

See you next year!

C U at C2C

By John Hughes; Photo by Georgette McWilliams

Our 5th Annual Causeway to Causeway (C2C) is coming up. This will again be an 11- or 22-mile non-trophy event, but we will track participants’ finish times. Any paddle craft is invited to attend. If you can paddle it, you are welcome.

The challenge will start at Lee Wenner Park in Cocoa at the base of the SR 520 Causeway bridge. The course will parallel the Intracoastal Waterway in the Indian River and continue south for 11 miles to the bridge at the Pineda Causeway (SR 519). For the 22-mile race, turnaround will be just prior to the bridge at a Manatee “No-Wake Zone” sign that will be marked with a buoy. There will be a maximum of four hours for paddlers to reach the turnaround point at Pineda Causeway. Any paddlers not meeting the four hours will exit the water at POW-MIA Park adjacent to the turnaround. Any one exiting here will be provided a ride back to Lee Wenner Park.

For the 11-mile race, the turnaround point will be midway at 5.5 miles and will be marked with a buoy or boat. Paddlers will round the boat/buoy and return to the starting point to finish the race.

Escort boats will follow the paddlers and escort stragglers to the finish line. There will be water on board the boats for paddlers, but plan on bringing your own sufficient supply. A hydration pack or equivalent is recommended. Reef shoes are also recommended for water entry and exit.

Registration starts at 7 a.m. and the race starts at 9 a.m. This year, you can pre-register through November 4 at: www.eventbrite.com/event/2232399166. You can also register on the date of the event. Entry Fee is $25 per person and includes lunch and event shirt. The Cocoa Beach Air Show is the same weekend. Stay overnight to see the show on Sunday.

This event is organized by the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum and all proceeds benefit the operation of the museum and its community programs.

The Cocoa Beach Surf Museum is located in the Ron Jon Watersports Bldg. Call 258-8217 or visit www.cocoabeachsurfmuseum.org. Volunteer Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. All are welcome to attend.Our programs are supported in part through a grant sponsored by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners and managed by the Brevard Cultural Alliance.

Boardrider of the Month: Crystal Cooper
Interview by Scooter Newell

Name: Crystal Cooper
Date of Birth: March 17, 1983… St. Patty’s Day!
Hometown: Cocoa Beach!
Years Surfing: 14
Years Skating: 14
Current Surf Quiver: 9′ Stu Sharpe and a 5’8″ Peli by Bagel
Current Skate Setup: Still ridin’ my 10-plus-year-old Fish Longskates! I guess that means I don’t do too much damage on them!

Who got you into surfing and where did you first learn how to surf?

John McAleenan, the father of my childhood BFF, Shannon McAleenan — who’s now Shannon McGregor, wife of Nick McGregor of ESM. John is the one who encouraged us to start going out. We surfed at 13th and the Pier mostly. He was a great person and true surfer for sure.

What was your first board?

My dad bought me fun shape from a garage sale that turned out to be a Gordon & Smith. A few years ago, I gave it to a friend who restored it.

Where is your favorite local break?

Right now it’s behind the house in South Cocoa Beach. Love 2nd Light when its workin’, too.

How often do you compete in surf events?

I used to surf every single event I could, but that was before my daughter. Took a break when I had her, and just in the last few years getting back into it. It’s a different experience now than it was when I was younger. Now, it’s more about enjoying time with friends and family, not as much about winning.

Where is your favorite local place to eat breakfast?

In bed!

Lunch?

Slow ‘N Low.

Dinner?

Taco City.

Tell us about your new clothing line, Salty Sweet.

I’m so excited about this! Salty Sweet is a girl’s beach/surf brand. It’s about the balance between “salty” and “sweet” — with salty representing surfing, strength, and determination, and sweet representing the feminine aspect of the lifestyle… being beautiful, sexy, and feminine. It’s about going surfing with the boys, but having a pretty pedicure, too.

How was the recent launch party for the line?

The launch party was insane. Have you seen the pictures? (Laughs.) It was a fantastic night created to announce and celebrate the beginning of something I’ve been working really hard on for a long time. It’s something that means a lot to me and provides me with a way to express myself. I love creating something out of nothing.

What was it that inspired you to create your own brand?

Being sponsored for a lot of my life, it’s a natural desire to want to do your own thing, ya know? I started working on it in ’07. I was at a transition time in my life, and one night I had a long conversation with my father (and BFF) about building a career around my lifestyle, instead of the other way around. He really wanted me to do what I love, which is surf. He believed I could do it. He very unexpectedly passed away three weeks later. After that happened, I couldn’t even imagine starting it without him. I put it on the back burner until I was strong enough to do it on my own. Chad, my boyfriend, was the one who refueled the fire about a year ago. Losing both my parents so young has given me a different perspective on life. I want to look back and know — for better or worse — that I did what I wanted to do with my life. I use to be afraid to fail at something, and in turn, didn’t do things. I want my daughter to see that even if you fail, at least you lived it and learned it and will be a better person for being passionate about life and happiness.

If you could take the ultimate surf trip, where would it be and who would you bring?

Tahiti with Chad Carr and my daughter Emmy… And Kirby to watch Emmy while we surf! One day we’ll make that happen.

Where can we purchase some of your gear?

We are exclusively selling online at www.saltysweetclothing.com

I know the kids will want to know whether you have a team or not.

We don’t have an official team right now. I do have a group of models/surfers who work with us on photo shoots and promo events. I’m always looking to add girls.

Thanks so much! Any final words or thoughts?

2012 is going to be so exciting! We have our first full-page ad coming out in the January issue of WSSM (Women’s Surf Style Magazine) and there’ll be an editorial about us in the July issue. And much, much more fun!

Jedi Grind Tricks: October 2011
By Scooter Newell

It started with a letter from the kids to local businesses.

“We are skaters from the Cocoa Beach Skatepark!! And we love to rip!! We will be helping Junior Achievement raise money for our local school programs. On September 24, 2011, come help us “shred the gnar” at the 2nd Annual Skate to Educate Contest!!! Thank you for all of your support and shredding!!!”

On September 24, the Cocoa Beach Skate Park teamed up with Junior Achievement to host the 2nd annual “Sk8 to Educate” Skateboard Competition. The contest is a youth-oriented family event to raise money for JA business programs in Brevard County Schools.

It was a lovely day and the kids were there to skate! Skaters from all over the county and few from places like Orlando and St. Augustine and Key West were all signed up to compete. Participants ranged in age from 4 to 21.  The crowd enjoyed pizza, wings, sodas, and shaved ice as the skaters took to the course.

The skating level ranged from Beginner to Sponsored, but the entertainment was non-stop. Reade Lawson took the top honors for the Beginners, with Zeke Morton and Logan Greene winding up in 2nd and 3rd places respectively. The beginners are always fun to watch, and it was exciting to get a front row seat to watch the future of skateboarding! The 9-and-Under Division was dominated by Shawn Arthur Jr., a St. Augustine native, and locals Gunnar Rosenquist and Grace Marhoefer finished on the podium in 2nd and 3rd. Blake Knapp tore up the deep end, landed flip tricks in the street zone, and wound up in 1st place for the 10-12. Longtime rival and buddy Mike McAllister pulled off 2nd place with Mike Post finishing in 3rd. Chris Kozma won the 13-16 division with “miller flips” and solid runs, barley beating Stone Denning, who landed some nice, stylish airs in the deep end. Chris Roque, from Graffiti in Palm Bay, landed in 3rd. Cody Jones and Dein Coates battled it out for the 17-and-Up, with Cody taking 1st place. The Sponsored Division was a battle for the Graffiti Team. In the end, Kyle Chambers pulled the victory over Dakota Hunt with amazing technical tricks and creativity. Kyle is by far the most underrated skater in Brevard and deserved 1st place.

The contest went well, and the kids and parents had a fun time. Without kids we have no future. And without programs that guide our youth and promote growth and learning, our kids have no future. The Cocoa Beach Skatepark staff is honored to be associated with Junior Achievement, as well as with the great individuals and businesses listed below, without whom this event could not have taken place. See you next year!!

Special thanks to: Craig Technologies; Florida Power and Light; Elks of Cocoa Beach; netDirective; Kindred; Zies ,Widerman, Malek; the Law Offices of Tony Hernandez; Entech Creative Paycor; John Galt; Keystone Benefit Group; Aerospace Business Capture Group; Existing Structures; Barry University; Wells Fargo; HRMC; Raymond James; AFLAC and Tracy Reeves; Spherion; Sorensen Moving and Storage; Juice-N-Java Café; Papa Vito’s; Starkey Group; Evidence Clothing; Oasis Shaved Ice, and Florida Biplanes.

2011 Junior Achievement Skate to Educate Results:

Beginners: Reade Lawson (1st); Zeke Morton (2nd); Logan Greene (3rd); Michael Neal (4th); Dominick Piscitelli (5th); Chris Neal (6th); Bailey Hodge (7th)

9 & Under: Shawn Arthur, Jr. (1st); Gunnar Rosenquist (2nd); Grace Marhoefer (3rd); Dominic Allred (4th); Zane Blades (5th); Elijah Allred (6th)

10-12: Blake Knapp (1st); Mikey McAllister (2nd); Mike Post (3rd); Nalin Dynek (4th)

13-16: Chris Kozma (1st); Stone Deming (2nd); Chris Roque (3rd); Mark Robinson (4th)

17 & Up: Cody Jones (1st); Dein Coates (2nd)

Sponsored: Kyle Chambers, Graffiti Skate Zone (1st); Dakota Hunt, Graffiti Skate Zone (2nd)

Junior Achievement Volunteer Award: Gunnar Rosenquist

Upcoming Events:

10/28-10/30: Slater Brothers’ Invitational Mini-ramp contest at Coconuts on the Beach; $25 donation to the World Skin Cancer Foundation. Register at the Slater Brothers’ office, across from Heidi’s, or online at www.slaterbrothersinvitational.com. You can also register at the Cocoa Beach Skatepark. Projected dimensions: 32′ wide, 5′ tall, with an 8′ section. See the ramp at www.goatramp.com

Boardrider of the Month: Dylan Durkin
Interview by Scooter Newell

Dylan Durkin is an excellent example of the amazing boardriding talent found right here in Cocoa Beach.

Around the Skatepark, his name is synonymous with style. His effortless approach leaves people wondering how he’s able to make a highly technical trick look as simple as a kickturn.

He’s competed as a young teenager all over the state as a sponsored amateur and often did well. Dylan even graced our April 2008 cover blasting a “crail” over the hip as the Space Shuttle launched in the background. He also took nearly a year off of skateboarding only to come back and win the NKF Sk8 Jam. Dylan placed 1st in the Skatepark and 5th at the Pier, making him the inaugural champion of the NKF surf and skateboard crossover event, the Surf n’ Turf.

It seems Dylan can achieve anything he wants on his board, and lately it’s been great seeing him rip and just skating for fun.

Meet Dylan Durkin, our “Boardrider of the Month.”

Name: Dylan Durkin
Date of birth: April 29, 1994
Stance: Goofy
Current skate setup: Darkstar
Current surfboard: Bilt and WRV
Fishin’ setup: Lamiglas with a Stradic

Which did you learn first, surfing or skating?

My mom and dad would pull me on a boogie board. Both my older brother, Justin, and my mom surfed. I tried to stand up when I was two, and I was surfing on a boogie board when I was three.

What was your first board? 

My dad had my first board built when I was four years old. His friend Dan built it.

That must have been nice to have a custom board at age three! Why did you start skateboarding? 

I started skating because I loved doing it and wanted to do what my older brother was doing. I even entered a contest at Paradise when I was five. We moved to the beach when I was seven and I surfed all the time. When they first built the Cocoa Beach Skatepark I skated every day and I wanted to be a pro skater.

It seems that you’re able to take time off of skateboarding and then come back better than before. What’s up with that?  

Yeah, that’s kinda true. For me, not skating for a little while and going back is not hard at all. I just start where I left off.

What do you do when you’re not surfing or skateboarding?

I hang out with my friends or sometimes my friends and I will go fishing in Mosquito Lagoon.

Describe your idea of a perfect day of fishing.

A perfect day of fishing would be to grab about six friends and go fishing for cobia… and even catching a few!

What school do you attend? Do you have any plans for after?

I go to Brevard Private Academy. When I get out, I’m going to attend Brevard Community College for two years. After that, I’m not sure. I would like to do something so I can always surf, skate, and fish.

Any final shouts or thoughts?

I’d like to give a shout out to Dan Hatcher and Tyson Beswick for having the Graffiti and CBS Teams. We traveled all over the place entering tons of contests and they helped get me sponsored by Globe and Blind. I’d also like to give a shout out to the Morefield family and David for taking me to skate spots all over Florida. And to you, Scooter, for supporting me and taking my favorite pic. And of course my parents, my biggest sponsors.

You could be surfing with Donavon! Photo: Safari Surf School/Billabong

Costa Rica Surf Report: October 2011

By Greg Gordon

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: Although occasional afternoon showers arrive from the tropics, this coast actually has more sunshine this month than the Pacific. Expect mostly tiny surf with a rare one- to two-day swell pushing in chest- to head-high waves.

Pacific Coast: The rainy season is here in full force. Occasional morning showers will mess up the dawn patrol, but leave the rest of the day with calm or even offshore winds. Wave size varies greatly, from knee to waist to some of the biggest Southwest swells of the year (double overhead plus). Best days will be the 6th, 7th, and then later on the 16th and 17th.

Full moon: October 11
New moon: October 26
Get all the tide charts for 2012 at www.crsurf.com

TRAVEL

Donavon Frankenreiter will host a concert in Nosara on November 18, as part of the “Surf With a Pro” Camp set up by Safari Surf School and Billabong. Del Mar Surf Camp is holding their Surf, Yoga, and Detox Retreat December 2-9. Check out our selection of over 80 Costa Rica surf camps, each offering a different approach to getting you into the best waves for your skill level.

There are still some fantastic flight deals from Miami and Orlando to Liberia airport, only a 45-minute drive from Tamarindo. Look for dates in October and early November. And if you are planning your holiday trip, book your flights and SUV rentals now. The cheaper seats sell out quickly and rental inventory disappears if you wait past November 1. Visit www.crsurf.com/rent4x4.html to see our selection from the three rental agencies we work with — EuropCar, Adobe, and U-Save.

CONTESTS

Right now CRsurf team rider Noe Mar McGonagle and his coach Diego Naranjo are in France for the King of The Groms World Finals. This is the first time a Tico has made the finals. Also, SoCosta will be hosting a surf contest on October 29 in Playa Hermosa de Uvita (south of Dominical). CRsurf will be donating prizes to the contestants and money to help with beach cleanup supplies.

ENVIRONMENT

The Programa Restauracion de Tortugas Marinas (PRETOMA) is asking residents and tourists to sign their petition asking Costa Rica to stop importing shark fins. Shark finning involves slicing off the fins of the shark and then dumping it back into the sea while still alive. This barbaric practice is only followed due to many in China who will pay premium for shark fin soup. Sadly, many species are shark are being hunted to the brink of extinction, which upsets the entire food chain since they are a top predator. Here is the petition if you wish to help: www.pretoma.org/campaigns/say-no-to-shark-fin-import/

COMMUNITY

CR Surf Travel Company is trying to raise $1,095 to purchase a Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device that would help victims of drowning when their heart stops. In Costa Rica there are dozens of drownings each year, and many times the victim is brought to shore unconscious and cannot be resuscitated using CPR. With this device in the hands of a trained lifeguard, it can be used to save lives. The first AED will be given to the Dominical Lifeguards group. The second to the Cocles lifeguards, and the third to the Tamarindo lifeguards if they are still active. Ideally, we would like to raise enough to purchase a trainer AED ($379) and extra batteries ($39) and supplies ($40), but this is a start. Visit www.crsurf.com/news/community/donate-AED.html if you wish to donate.

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CR Surf Travel Company is a member of the Surfrider Foundation and 1% for the Planet, donating one percent of their proceeds to environmental causes.

Cocoa Beach Surf Museum

The Hook 
By Athena Sasso

Do you know what a “hook” is?

Here’s one: “It was a dark and stormy night…” This one may be the most ridiculed attempt at a hook ever written, but if you’re honest you might admit it is suggestive and sinister enough that you’d continue reading.

Here at the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum we have our own literary tradition in the form of Wave Lengths, our quarterly newsletter. Over the years, Wave Lengths has been a source for surf news, upcoming events, historical research, travel writing, poetry and even some pretty fine hooks, like these:

“What do you get when you mix a thousand miles of coastline with tree-climbing goats, an ancient Muslim culture, rocky desert and three crazy Frenchmen with an American in tow?” — Surf Morocco by John Hughes (Winter, 2008)

“Admit it. When you picture surfers talking story, you see a group of older men holding forth about the glory days. They talk about the biggest wave, the nastiest wipeout, the crocodiles in the pass, the uncrowded lineup. But you wouldn’t hear them talk about ‘breaking in,’ or having to wear helmets in contests, or being offered money to surf in the nude.” — An Incomplete Education by Athena Sasso (Summer, 2010)

“Young J stepped off his board about 25 yards from shore after riding a decent wave over the offshore rock reef, and found himself in a predicament. He’d hit bottom, and his foot had become lodged in a hole. He was stuck, and the neck-deep water kept rising over his head as waves passed by. He hung on to his board as he worked to free his foot, getting breaths between waves, until the board slipped from his grip, tombstoned at the end of its leash and then (talk about bad timing) broke free.” — Out & Back by Tom Fucigna (Fall, 2010)

“The Naish Ave Gang grew up in the Convair Cove neighborhood in Cocoa Beach in the ’60s and ’70s. The epicenter of the gang was the garage at 455 Naish, home of the Sansbury Clan and D&S surfboard ‘factory.’ With a pool table, ungrounded fridge that shocked anybody unfortunate enough to open it barefoot, dangerous multicolored resin stalagmites, and a fine coating of resin and foam dust, it was our hangout.” — The Naish Ave. Gang Rides Again by Jim Dale (Summer, 2009)

“I moved into a small apartment that had previously been occupied by an amazing long-legged blonde and inherited an unfinished work of art.” — Work in Progress by Tom Fucigna (Summer, 2011)

If you’re wondering where these stories went next and want to read more like them, you can have Wave Lengths delivered “hot off the presses” into your e-mail box by becoming a member of the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum. It’s the only way to get Wave Lengths as soon as it is released. (Past editions of Wave Lengths appear on our website, but are not posted until the following quarter’s edition is released to members.)

We welcome you to enjoy all the offerings of The Cocoa Beach Surf Museum. Volunteer meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m., at the Museum.

Museum programs are supported in part through a grant sponsored by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners and managed by the Brevard Cultural Alliance. The Museum is located at 4275 North Atlantic Ave. in Cocoa Beach in the Ron Jon Watersports Building. Volunteer meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. All are welcome. Call the Museum at (321) 258-8217, or visit them online at www.cocoabeachsurfmuseum.org or on Facebook: “Cocoa Beach Surf Museum.”

Jedi Grind Tricks: September 2011
By Scooter Newell

The Cocoa Beach Skate Park recently teamed up with The National Kidney Foundation of Florida to host the 1st Annual NKF SK8 JAM. The fundraiser jam was formatted as an all-ages skateboard contest with participants ranging in age from age 6 to 50. Skaters competed in 9 & under, 10-12, 13-15, and 16 & up divisions. There were even special divisions for 40 and up! The competition also offered a  “four-man team jam” in the street course, but the highlight of the event was the Surf-n-Turf Division — an inaugural, invitational crossover surf/skate challenge wherein 16 shredders competed to determine an overall Boardrider Champion.

The invite list was about as diverse as it gets. There were skateboard legends like Bob Umbel, Lonny Reiter, and PJ Byrtus mixed in with local OG surfers like Philip Salick, Eric Super, and Tim Hawk. Plus, there were up-and-coming teen shredders like Dylan Durkin and Lea Taylor skating with twentysomethings Matt Hannan and David Morefield. This comp wouldn’t be complete without a couple of washed-up, crusty ol’ boardriders-turned-writers; Bloody Bill and yours truly pitted against unrelenting groms like Blake Knapp, Noah Dovin, Elijah Allred, and Cole Dudley. A melting pot of talent for sure, which made for a fun exhibition, all in the name of raising money to save lives!

The day boasted an all-star cast of town characters — both skating and in the crowd. Parents were there to root on their young rippers, and about a hundred of Rich and Phil Salick’s “nephews” were all in support of the first NKF Skate Jam. It started on Saturday, where about 30 competitors got to show their skills before the 3 p.m. rain began falling. Rich Salick, always positive about any and every situation, said to us all, “This rain gives us the chance to make a small event into a two-day event!”

The rain actually worked in favor of the contest. The second day was beautiful, and reps from Oakley, Nixon, Evasion, and Quiksilver showed up to check out the double duty Surf-n-Turf. The staff from Taco City was in the stands, and our friends from Barrier Island Pet Supply, the Beachside Resident, Beach Chiropractic, Sunseed, and Rusty’s were also there checking out the action. The second day started off with the Legends Division, comprised of guys ages 40-50, and they all showed that you don’t need to be 14 and made out of rubber to shred the park. Dan Brown pulled off nice inverts and stylish, inverted layback airs. Bob Umbel is one of the smoothest around, throwing down smith grinds and rocknrolls. Lonny Reiter was the essence of speed, power, and style. With some f/s 5050s and high cradle carves, he flowed through the park. PJ Byrtus came out swinging with sweepers, gray slides, and an array of grinds. Many others withdrew because of the rain and travel plans.

The Team Streetstyle event was a four-skater team jam. Each team of four would skate the street course for six minutes (that’s a long time in skateland) throwing down as much juice as they could. Sixteen skaters from four different teams — Evasion, Graffiti, Cocoa Beach, and Orlando — all came together and hucked amazing tricks to a stoked-out crowd. In reality, each of the four teams were all good friends with one another. This meant that the competition side was not a huge deal, but in the end the overall props of First Place went to the Orlando Crew.

The Day finished off with the Surf-n-Turf Division. The contest was formatted in two heats of eight with a controlled jam instead of runs. Each skater had three runs during the jam time. Dan Brown took over the MC job and got things started. Dylan Durkin commanded the skate park with amazing style and powerful liptricks and lofty airs. All within 6/10ths of a point were Lonny Reiter, Bob Umbel, and Lea Taylor. A contest highlight was Noah Dovin’s “SkyRiding,” which saw him starting his first run like one of the Air Force’s Thunderbirds. He had modified his board with a smoke bomb or something, and left a trail of smoke behind as he blazed around the park. The event came hometown full circle when Philip Salick showed up with a fresh all-white “Cocoa Beach” outfit and jet black “Joe Dirt” wig. He went full-bore and got an all-white CB tourist sweat suit costume complete with the KS10 hat — perhaps a reminder that there were two sides to this contest and an indication that Philip would be a huge threat in the water later on.

By the time you read this, we may have already crowned the Surf-n-Turf Champ, and will be working on next year’s contest. Either way, we’re glad to have finally made this surf/skate crossover event a reality. Big thanks to everyone for contributing to the success of this fundraiser: National Kidney Foundation of FL, Nixon, Vitamin Water, Oakley, Carver Skateboards, Ocean Avenue, Graffiti Skate Zone, Evasion, Grind for Life, A1A Signs, Rusty’s, Oasis Shave Ice, Barrier Island Pet Supply, Cocoa Beach Surf N’ Skate, and Coconuts among them. And for helping with the contest: Bruce Walker, PJ Bytrus, Greg Shaw, Dan Hatcher, David Morefield, Matt Hannan, Mike Wittman, Bob Umbel, Dan Brown, and Jodi Rooks.

Next event at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park:

9/24: Skate to Educate, a Junior Achievement Fundraiser benefiting Brevard County School of Business Programs

Inshore Fishing Report: September 2011
“Pole Fishing”
Captain Jamie Glasner

I don’t know whether I should be talking about fishing or all the epic waves we got from Hurricane Irene last month.

August proved to be pretty crazy with all the storms, swells, and rain keeping our lagoons so murky. Yet there was a bright side to it all: surf and stupid redfish.

The topwater redfish bite has been mind-blowing first thing in the morning. Let me just give you an example of the trip I took today: I was using one of my favorite lures, the Skitter Walk, and I cast it beyond the school of mullet, working it back through the school using the walk-the-dog technique. As I was doing this — BAM — a redfish nailed it, but missed. I kept working the lure back in and — BAM — the redfish hits again. He must have been barely hooked because after a good run, the lure pulled. So I started working it back in, and BAM again. Finally this sucker ate the freakin’ thing and I caught him. So I’m telling all of you to try a similar tactic: use a topwater first thing before the sun comes up and see if you can get into the action.

Recently, I had my cousin Tomek from Poland come stay with me for three weeks. It was his first trip to America, so I knew I had to show him a good time and teach him how Americans party. On the third night he was here, a bunch of us took him to his first strip club, which was pretty funny. He had a blast up there, and I must say that the Poles can really hold their alcohol.

I told him that Florida is pretty much the fishing capital of the world, and that he needed to experience at least a couple of trips out on the water. I took my buddy Chesnee with us to catch Tomek’s first Banana River redfish. After his first one, which measured like 34 inches, he was hooked, and I understood then why I love fishing so much. My other buddy, Capt. Scott Lum, took Tomek and I out in search of flounder on another occasion. We caught one flounder, two red snapper, a couple of sea bass, and a giant stingray, giving Tomek the experience of both inshore and offshore fishing. He also learned to surf some of the swells we had. All in all, I’d say he had a pretty good experience here in America.

Now for some of the Banana River tarpon action… Tarpon from 5-50lbs. are showing up around the Cocoa Beach area on the flats and on the drop offs connecting to the canals. These tarpon can be pretty finicky at times, and the best chance for them is first thing in the morning. If you can keep them alive, pogies are the best bait to use but you can always use little finger mullet. There’s also a good handful of tarpon in some of the marinas. This gives guys with gheenoes and jon boats that don’t have poling platforms a better advantage because you can’t take your average flats boat into some of these spots. Hell, I can’t even get in there with mine…

I also wanted to tell all of you that I lost one of my GoPros out surfing in one of the swells earlier last month. There’s a cash reward for anyone who comes across it.

Until next month, good luck on the water. Try using a topwater first thing in the morning, and don’t forget that September is the month for big, spawning redfish!

Offshore Fishing Report: September 2011
“Let There Be Mullet”
Captain Scott Bussen

Well, it’s getting to be that time of year again. Time for Mother Nature to turn the old snow globe upside down. The way the fishing has been, it’s probably a good idea anyway! We could use a little change.

The good thing about the changing weather is the annual fall mullet run. As the fall pattern starts to take effect, the mullet will start to school up and make their annual migration to the south. As this happens, predators up and down the East Coast will line up for their turn at the dinner table. In turn, we fishermen will line up to invite those predators to our dinner table.

Once the mullet start to show up, it’ll just be a matter of finding where the ambush points are. Points, jetties, piers, and current eddies will be the best places to start the hunt. Anywhere the baitfish tend to congregate will attract the snook, flounder, jacks, sharks, redfish, mangrove snapper, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel. The best bait will probably be the mullet; you can cast-net for them right where you’re fishing. The bottom feeding predators may require you to use a sliding sinker rig, while others may fall victim to a freelined bait. If you’re unable to catch live mullet, live shrimp or cut bait will do in a pinch. For those who prefer artificials, try to match the hatch. Use jigs, grubs or plugs that closely match the size of the baitfish in the area.

As far as offshore fishing goes this month, it’s going to be a matter of the snow globe settling. With the passing of Hurricane Irene, the water is pretty stirred up. In addition, it looks as if we’re going to get a swell from the passing of Katia, so it looks like the bottom fishing is going to be shut down for the beginning part of September.

If the water does clean up, the bottom fishing will likely be slow like it was in August. Also, there’s a good possibility that the whole place will be overrun with puppy sharks. The sharks actually eat very well, but they can be a huge pain in the ass when you’re trying to target bottom fish. If the water does clean up, try a variety of live and dead bait to find out what the grouper are feeding on. The aforementioned finger mullet will work well for the mangrove snapper, flounder, and sea bass on the reefs.

If the water is funky inshore, there may be a nice edge offshore to troll on. If this happens, the trolling in September could get hot. There have been some decent numbers of dolphin and wahoo around, so a good edge could concentrate the fish in a smaller area. Also, the fall weather should should start the sailfish migrating south just like the mullet. Naked ballyhoo rigged on mono will be the best bait for the sails and dolphin. Try a ballyhoo/lure combo for the wahoo. This is also the time of year we start to see some blackfin tuna, so keep your eyes peeled for anchored rock shrimpers. The tuna will be mixed in with bonito feeding on the shrimpers’ bycatch being discarded over the side.

Whatever the case, get out there and catch something before Old Man Winter shows up and wrecks the place!

See ya on the pond!

Boardrider of the Month: Greg Meischeid

Greg Meischeid celebrated his 50th birthday this past September 4th, but that’s not why he’s here. He’s this month’s “Boardrider of the Month” because of his boundless passion for the ocean and his enviable mastery of virtually every boardsport out there.

Born in Melbourne, Greg went to Eau Gallie High and has worked with CSR for 25 years at multiple spots around the globe. Now living cozily in Cocoa Beach in one of the sweetest surf pads we’ve seen, Greg currently works on the Multiple Object Tracking Radar at KSC.

He first started surfing in 1974 at the Indialantic Boardwalk and Tampa Ave, but his local spot during the ’80s was Paradise Beach in Melbourne with the Eau Gallie crew. “I also skateboarded all over the place,” he says, “picked up windsurfing in ’84 or ’85, snowboarding in ’89, and kiteboarding in ’99. Now it’s paddle time with the SUP. What’s next?”

That next big thing could be seagull-harnessed water skates, for all Greg cares. As long as there’s a new way for him to satisfy his hunger for waves, you can bet he’ll be first in the lineup.

Describe how you felt when you caught your first wave.

Stoked. I had no idea how much it would change my life and relationship with the ocean.

What was your first board?

Either a 5’7″ Tombs and Reeves or a 6’4″ MTB.

What’s in your quiver now?

For kiteboarding, my go-to board in our normal mushy conditions is the 5’0″ Josh Sleigh Placebo surfboard. It will get going in light winds and has a full-on skate feel. It’s jumpable with straps. It’s like a moving skatepark out there, and this board is easy and fun. When the waves are on with nice sideshore conditions and some size to them, it’s back to the basic squash, and right now that’s a TL2 5’10″ JC SD model and a 5’6″ John Florance model for lit conditions. Those boards can take it pretty good for not being kite-specific. For flat water, I use an F-one twin tip. I want a new Hana Crew/Coil board, but I can’t find the guys who make them. For surfing, my longboard is a Bagel 9’0″ and my shorty is a 6’2″ classic Richie Rudolf Quiet Flight stinger, nice and yellow.

When did you first get into kiteboarding?

I’ve always been into trying new boardsports. Being a skateboarder, surfer, windsurfer, and snowboarder, I knew the kites were coming. After 15 years of windsurfing, I was looking for something new. In 1999, when the first Wipika kites hit the scene, my windsurfing friend, Michel LaFramboise, was the first guy around here who got one. He let me fly it and I was hooked. The rest is history. With kite technology taking leaps and bounds from those crude kites of the early days, today’s kites are better than ever, with a giant wind range and safety systems to keep it all cool. They de-power and let the rider take advantage of the wave power and become more in tune with the wave, allowing you to ride in a more conventional surfing manner. Big jumps will always be one of the easiest and most fun parts of kiteboarding, but wave riding is where it’s at for me. So for any surfers out there who’ve ever wondered what to do with those “wasted windy days,” try a kite! Get out there and carve away with all the other happy kiters. The wind and surf are more dynamic and three-dimensional with a kite.

What kites are you using?

F-one 14-meter Bandit Dos is my main kite here. As the winds pick up, I have a 12- and 10-meter Ocean Rodeo Rise. I need some new kites!

You have some pretty cool videos of you kiteboarding. How did you set up that system?

I’ve always been putting videos together since high school, and it’s amazing how easy it is these days with all the POV cameras out there. I’ve been shooting at 10 feet above me on the lines looking down. Great angle, almost like a floating camera. I level all the footage out when edited, and it’s very watchable, not shaky. It really shows the freedom of kiting on the waves here in Cocoa Beach.

Where can people check out the videos?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWvxGh-eLug

Ever competed before?

I competed in the ESA as a kid, and did some skateboarding contests in the late ’70s. When kiteboarding started in 2000, I did a few contests in the Keys and Hatteras. But there are more contests for me in the near future as I am more of a freerider. But if something local came up, I might join in.

Where’s your home break?

12th Street South is home and the main entry beach, but actually, on our fun north- wind, down-winder days, it’s from Cheri Down Park to the house or farther down to Neilson’s shop or the other way around for south winds. So, for the most part it’s the whole coast, and the direction I go depends on the wind direction. Our friendly trolley system has the perfect chairlift service for the hungry downwinder kiteboarder, and it’s easy and cheap — only $1.25 The only no-kite zone is Patrick Air Force Base, and of course, guarded beaches and heavily surfed areas.

Any chance you’d divulge a secret local spot?

How ’bout the Canaveral Shoals? Not much of a secret, but it could be an adventure. Get a boat, jet ski, or kite out there… if you have the balls.

Dream session?

Either One Eye in Madagascar or Lakey Peak in Indo, with perfect 6-foot grinders, offshore wind in the a.m. for surfing, and side-offs at 20 for the p.m. kite session. … Then repeat each day for the rest of the week.

Favorite surf trip destination?

A tropical island with perfect surfing and excellent kiteboarding when the wind kicks in. Sounds like Fiji, doesn’t it?

Most memorable day out?

Epic Peru with mile-long rides. But I must admit that Irene rocked the coast just last week, both for kiteboarding and surfing. Could we have another one those storms, please?

Your worst wipeout?

Windsurfing, December 17, 1987, at Hangers, PAFB. It was 6-foot, dumping, and freezing cold for this Florida boy. I got dumped and dragged really bad and drank way too much water. Spanked…

Tell us about some of the watermen who inspire you.

Of course Slater for surfing, Greg Loehr for getting me into windsurfing, and Ricky Carroll and Keith Notary for making awesome boards. Kevin Collins, Michel LaFramboise, Laitham Kellum, Kelly DeRivero, and Ben Wilson for kiteboarding. Bruce Walker for skateboarding… and he surfs good, too.

Have you put your son Adam on a board yet?

Oh, yeah. He was on a board at 6 months old — with my help, of course. He skateboards in the house a lot and he’s had a few rides on my SUP. He’s got the full- on belly flop perfected at the pool, so for a two-year-old, he’s well on his way.

What kind of advice will you be giving him as he enters gromhood?

To do what makes him happy, and I’ll back whatever interests he has in sports and education. If he goes the boardsport route, I’ll try to stress the importance of falling carefully. Injuries are no fun. Just look at my knees… I hope he does better than me.