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Outside bombs and frontside grinds

// April 16th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Hatteras, Liquid Force, REAL Watersports

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Photo: Bryan Elkus

Today was another amazing Hatteras spring day. 30 to 40 knot winds blanketed the island from sun up to sun down. A strong NE wind had been blowing for a few days, sending some sizey windswell down the coast. Sam Bell, Bryan Elkus and I gathered our gear and headed for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse late in the afternoon.

Launching 8m LF Havoc Photo: Bryan Elkus

The wind was howling and the waves were exploding at the jetty and peeling down the beach. The amount of current was much more than usuall and the outer sand bars were breaking for easily upwords of a mile and a half out to sea.

Sam Bell cruising down the line Photo: Bryan Elkus

Sam rigged his 6m Cult while I broke out a fresh 6m LF Havoc that had arrived the day before. The perfect size kites for the wind at hand. However, with the easily 6 to 10 knot current in the water the small kites were not getting the job done.

Messy wind swell slash on my LF 6'2" EVF Rawson Photo: Bryan Elkus

I tossed up my 8m Havoc and Sam his 9 hoping that the extra pull would help. Although we did have more power it was still not enough to combat the forces of Mother Nature and staying upwind proved to be a difficult task. The outside swell was large and moving fast. I’m not sure what it is about being out in the ocean that makes you feel alive! We both had a few good waves but overall the moving water won and we headed for the beach.

Trying to set the rail on a powered up top turn Photo: Bryan Elkus

Sammy headed home but Bryan, a friend on mine Ed, and I headed to the Buxton Bowl for a sunset stake session. Ed is an amazing skater and is in town building a mini ramp and was in need of some building motivation.

Taking a break in between runs Photo: Bryan Elkus

Ed quickly warmed up and started throwing down endless lip tricks and busting out airs! We had a super fun evening skate. Check out some pics from the session below. For more photos from both the Lighthouse kite session and the Buxton Bowl skate, check out photographer Bryan Elkus’s blog!

Perfect Hatteras barrels follwed by Easter dinner at the Earley’s with great friends!

// April 11th, 2009 // No Comments » // Hatteras

Unknown surfer in a Ramp 23 Photo: Bryanelkus.com

Today was an amazing day! We surfed at Ramp 23 in perfect chest to head high freight train rights. The crew was Ken Early, Sam Bell, Jullien Fillion, and, Steve Meyers.

Unknown longboarder on a clean Easter weekend right Photo: Bryanelkus.com

After a four hour surf session we headed back to Laughing Gull Lane for drinks and dinner at the Earley’s. Good Friends, Good Food, Good Times! Check out the pics below from Easter dinner.

Matt, Trevor, & Lucie enjoy the Earley Easter feast

Ken Earley and his "mini" plate

My LOADED Easter dinner plate

Justin, Grace, Sarah, Leanne, Lindsey, Maggie, & Steve enjoying some grub!

Evening sunset on Pea Island

// April 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // Hatteras

Went for a ride to the new inlet to check out the sunset. There is a great forecast for tomorrow! South wind at 30+ and 8′ wind swell. Check back for pics!

First production 2009 Liquid Force Influences have landed!

// March 11th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Hatteras, Liquid Force, REAL Watersports

2009 Liquid Force Influence 138

Pulling the first production Influences out of the box

Can’t seem to wipe the smile off of my face today! I just opened the box that was aired in from the LF factory in Dubai, UEA to unveil the first two 2009 production Influences that I have had the pleasure of laying my hands on. I have been working on this board with legendary LF wakeboard shaper JIMMY REDMON on a conceptual level for over two years, and full on in the prototyping process for almost a year. It is such an amazing feeling to see a project like that go from brainstorming ideas over dinner, to the design files, to protos, to the finished product. And if I must say so myself, the finished product looks damn good!

Well I am looking out the window and I see white caps and kites in the air. I am frantically organizing and packing to leave for Salt Lake City, Ut for this weekends snowkite contest the 2009 Superfly Open, at Powder Mountain with photographer Bryan Elkus Hoping to snag a quick session on the new boards before we hit the road. For more info on the Influence or to add one to your quiver click here!

Warm weather SW, early March in Hatteras

// March 8th, 2009 // No Comments » // Hatteras, REAL Watersports

Sunny day winter surf Photo: bryanelkus.com

Spring has sprung in Hatteras! Even though things looked bleak on March 2^nd when ten of us from the REAL Team surfed the jetties at the Lighthouse for two hours in 32 degree actual temp, 22 degree wind chill, and heavy snow. March has turned around quickly. Many of the coaches and other seasonal REAL employees are arriving back on the island and we just had coaches tryouts that ended today with a group session in the slick with the likes of REAL Head Coach STAN RADEV, Naish and REAL International Team Rider SAM BELL, REAL lesson center director & REAL/Maven team rider LULU VROMAN, returning REAL employee and (new for 2009) REAL coach CLAIRE LUTZ, rising Hatteras kite superstar REAL and Liquid Force team rider BRANDON SHIED, myself and all of the new REAL kite coaches. It was so warm out that you could almost feel the vast shallow expanse of the Pamlico sound warming up throughout the day as we were riding! It is always a great feeling to see the smiling faces on all of the coaches that flock to work at the REAL Lesson center each season.

Cruising the slick with Bryan Elkus

Bryan Elkus and I shared an amazing sunset session in the Slick this evening! It was only made better by having Lulu and Bryan’s girlfriend Mel on the dock cheering us on and taking pictures. It is days like these that remind me how good life is and why I love Hatteras Island so much! Check out BRYAN ELKUS FLICKR for some photos from today.

February in Hatteras

// February 10th, 2009 // No Comments » // Hatteras, REAL Watersports

Back in Cape Hatteras for the month of February recovering from the BVI’s and hoping to enjoy some un-crowded winter kite and surf sessions. It amazes me each year or so how far the advancements in wetsuits have come! I recently acquired an O’neill PSYCOFREAK which is a 3.5mm suit that is both super flexi and warm! My Oneill 4/3mm MUTANT  has become my staple winter Hatteras suit, due to its option of a zip in hood. . . I LOVE being warm!

It is also the time of the year where we put the hammer down on getting all of the details for the upcoming 2009 Triple S Invitational. There is still time for interested riders to get their WILD CARD VIDEO ENTRY submitted and posted. We will be announcing the winners of the three available wild card spots by April, 1 2009. Keep those wild card video entries coming!!

Snow kiting in Hatteras?!?!?!

// January 29th, 2009 // No Comments » // Hatteras, REAL Watersports

BRYAN ELKUS, Dave Rakes, Tommy Kogut, Zack Johnson, and Beth Rowan from the REAL Crew managed to score a snowkite session at the SDA (Salvo Day use Area) in Salvo on 1/21/09. Check out the story and pics!