Happy Hollow Days!

Much aloha to you all.

Tee Time

The latest Seahugger's Tee has just arrived from the printers.
Taking our inspiration from the USDA's organic label...




...and printing it on a 100% organic cotton tee.



We like to think of those lines as a roping right point.

These tee's are natural color, regular fit (as opposed to "slim fit").

GIVEAWAY!
Here's the deal. We love stoking people out, so we're giving away one of these shirts. How do I enter you are no doubt asking yourself. Simple, click the comment link below, next type a single word which best describes what the ocean means to you. We'll randomly select a name from the comments at the end of November and post the winner. Aloha.

Not feeling lucky or gotta have it now-

Info@seahuggers.com
805.773.1855
$20

~Soon come to the website~

Seachange

Going right Mr. President?

Art by Shepard Fairey

Aloha de los Muertos

Photo: orientaltrading.com

Gray Ave Revisited

If you were to ask Marc Andreini who his shaping mentor and idol is, you will likely hear the name Reynolds Yater.
In the Mid 70's, Marc and Yater shared a shop on Gray Avenue in Santa Barbara. Of course you can't put two masters in the same building without alittle cross-pollination.


Photo: www.goletasurfing.com
Marc Andreini and Reynolds Yater talking rocker.

Knowing this, when Marc picked up a stack of BioFoam blanks from Seahuggers HQ this past July, we asked him if he could shape a Yater Spoon inspired single fin. Marc was stoked on the idea and we are stoked on the result, check it ->





9'1" BioFoam Andreini "Vaquero Spoon", light gray opaque tint, single fin.
ROOTS!

Give a call or come round if interested.
805.773.1855
info@seahuggers.com

Free Fall 2008

Mark your calenders, this coming Saturday October 25th is the Free Fall art benefit and classic log contest. All proceeds benefit San Luis Bay Surfrider programs. Always a good time!
For more info click here.

Aloha.

Photo: tidalstock.wordpress.com

Ah, Friday. Stuck at work but not in the mood to work? Might I suggest heading over to Facebook films, where for the next 36 hours (or so) you can watch the latest film to come out of the Woodshed, One Track Mind, absolutely free!

For you San Luis Obispo area sliders...

...don't forget that tonight is the LH Design/Seahuggers Jewelry boutique and breast cancer fundraiser event. Be there!

Then on Saturday night head on over to Cal Poly's Chumash auditorium for the premiere of "Walking on Water". The legendary Tom Curren will be playing a live music set. Doors at 6:30, show at 7.
5$ get ya in.

Enjoy!

An-green-ni

This past June when Marc Andreini passed through, we put a couple of BioFoam blanks and a 101 Fin Company bamboo fin in his hands and asked him to work his magic.
Behold ->


6'6" Coke bottle green, Vaquero de las Olas.


Sanded finish for speeeeeeeeeed!



Soy based BioFoam blank, and a glass-on 101 Fin Co. bamboo fin hand foiled by Marlin Bacon. Bamboo fins are light, extremely responsive and twangy offering heaps of projection and speed, and perhaps most importantly bamboo is a renewable resource.

Interested?
Give a call or drop in.
805.773.1855
info@seahuggers.com

Seahuggers is stoked to be hosting a jewelry boutique & Breast Cancer benefit, Friday October 17th. The boutique will feature one of a kind, handmade, locally produced, & social conscious accessories by LH Design. And because a portion of the sales benefit the Breast Cancer fund, you'll feel as good inside as you look outside!
Aloha.

1%

Seahuggers is proud to be a member of 1% for the Planet.

Coastal Clean Up Day 2008

Yikes! It has been a while since our last post. Rest assured we are still around and have been tweaking a few things here and there, as well as catching the final summertime south swells.

However, we'd be remiss if we did not throw up a post reminding everyone one that this Saturday is Coastal Cleanup Day. So throw on some gloves and fill up a bag before or after your session on Saturday.

For cleanup locales around SLO county click here, elsewhere in California check here and international can get the scoop at the Ocean Conservancy site here.

Aloha.

1,000 Word Thursday

Evolve/Devolve by Shepherd Fairey

Really diggin' the symbolism of this new print from the man behind the now iconic Obama "hope" posters, Shepherd Fairey.

The choice is ours.

Roll Call

RT ripping a 4'11" Simmons inspired, Kenvin/Bauguess crafted "White Pony"!
Photo via sheltersurfshop.com

It seems that more and more surf bloggers are posting on surfing or ocean related environmental issues these days, and we here at Seahuggers couldn't be more stoked about it.

So, today Seahuggers is launching a new feature called Roll Call. Roll Call posts will link to surf or ocean related environmental/educational posts created by our bloggin' friends.
The purpose of Roll Call is to promote, support, and award* those bloggers endeavoring to educate their readers to surf and oceanic environmental issues via their posts.

With that introduction, Seahuggers launches Roll Call with this post from R.T. via the Warbles blog. Please check out his important post and associated comments.

Aloha.

*Yes, that's right we said award. If we use your post we'll send you some Seahuggers shwag. So get bloggin' and by all means drop us a line if you'd like us to consider a post for Roll Call.

Bust a Move...

...down to the historic Fremont theater in downtown San Luis Obispo tomorrow night for a screening of Bustin' Down the Door.



Surf legend Shaun Tomson, will be on hand to sign your worn out VHS copy of Free Ride and to generally stoke you out with his whole gentlemen ripper vibe!
See you there!

Bud Browne: 1912-2008

Photo: www.surfingcal.com

This past Sunday saw the passing of pioneer surf filmmaker Bud Browne at the age of 96.
For more information on Bud's immense contribution to the world of surfing, check out his Legendary Surfers page here.
Thanks for the inspiration Bud!
Aloha.

The White Buffalo

This past Saturday the White Buffalo blew the doors off of La Perla del Mar in Shell Beach. The Buff took the stage and played a couple of solo acoustic songs before bringing his band (a bassist and a drummer) to the stage where they tore through a huge set which brought the house to its feet. This was a private engagement and those fortunate enough to find themselves in attendance were blown away by the White Buffalo's raw talent. There is already talk about trying to arrange future shows, so stay tuned...
Big Mahalo to Amy and Jesse for making this happen!

Bonus Video!

Green Wetsuits?

Pop quiz: Which of the above wetsuits is a greener, more earth friendly product? The suit on the left is made using conventional, petroleum based neoprene, whereas the suit on the right employs limestone based rubber, water based inks, and recycled YKK zippers.

So, which suit is a greener more earth friendly product? If you said the suit on the right, you are correct, though not by as far a margin as you might have guessed.

Yesterday the LA Times published a short piece about Patagonia's* recent eco-audit which revealed that using limestone based rubber is likely as energy and carbon intensive as using standard petrol based rubber.

So comparing the two suits above, the suit on the right (Body Glove's ECO 4/3) is a touch more earth friendly by virtue of the recycled zipper and water based inks alone.

Is that enough of a reason to purchase the suit on the right? All other things being equal...yes. Seahuggers endeavors to use consumer purchasing power to help shape industry. Money talks, and if your dollars approve of recycled zippers and water based inks, then perhaps Body Glove will begin to employ these features in all their suits, not simply the ones carrying an "ECO" designation.

Wouldn't it be great if every pair of boardies were crafted using recycled soda bottles, or if you could buy any T-shirt off the rack and know it was manufactured from pesticide free materials?
We think so.
Help us make this happen.
Support industry effort and endorse change.

Aloha


*Seahuggers is proud to say that it will be carrying Patagonia product winter 2008/09.

Food for Thought

When it rains, it pours. First, W lifts the ban on offshore oil drilling and now Hugger HQ has learned that the so-called dead zone within the Gulf of Mexico may grow to a record setting 8,800 square miles, an area approx. the size of New Jersey! Seems the recent flooding in the Midwest has resulted in a larger than normal amount of agri-chemical run-off into the Gulf of Mexico which helps account for this years "dead-zone" expansion. However, the real issues here are that there is a normal level of agri-chemical run-off and frankly, that there is a "dead-zone" at all.


Photo: www.dsc.discovery.com

You may be asking yourself: What is the "dead zone" and what can I do to help reduce it?
For an answer, Seahuggers has enlisted the help of the book "50 Ways to Save the Ocean". Below is a direct excerpt from way number 12:

Farmers in the Midwest use up to 140 pounds of synthetic fertilizer per acre for corn and other chemically-dependent crops. Each spring, surplus fertilizer and agri-chemicals are washed down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico where they encourage the growth of a massive algae bloom. When the algae decay they are fed on by bacteria, which suck the dissolved oxygen out of the water (eutrophication). This lack of oxygen creates a "dead zone" larger than New Jersey that kills every form of life that cannot flee its reaches.


Graphic: www.conservationinstitute.org

Similar harmful algal bloom, dead zones, and diseases along our coasts are also linked to "nutrient pollution" from agricultural chemicals and factory farms. Concentrated animal feed operations for cattle, poultry, and hogs displace thousands of family farmers, crowd animals, and intensify pollution from animal wastes. At the same time factory farming offers little or no benefit in terms of the health and flavor of the meat and dairy products we consume. Much of the animal waste from these operations takes the form of nitrogen which finds its way into our coastal waters, spreading diseases and smothering productive habitats such as sea grass meadows and coral reefs. Our food choices as consumers can significantly affect these trends.

Simple things you can do include these:

1. Look for the organic label, and purchase organically grown foods whenever possible. This could significantly reduce the amount of chemical fertilizers flowing to the sea.

2. Choose a vegetarian diet or reduce the amount of the meat you consume; you'll reduce the amount of water and waste required in the production of your food.

3. Try organic barley or grass-fed beef as an alternative to corn-fed feedlot meat. Most American corn is grown with heavy applications of petrochemical fertilizers. What's more, cow's stomachs aren't adept at digesting corn, so it's use as a primary feed has led to more sick animals, which generates more waste.

4. Try to purchase fresh, locally grown foods. Doing so reduces the amount of oil used to transport foods from fields to stores and also supports local farmers.

5. Learn to savor the flavor: make fresh organic meals a center of your social and family life. Don't feel guilty about putting time into a fine meal. Treat your food as more than fast fuel.

Aloha.

SeaMugger

Photo: www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/images/oil_rig.jpg

President Bush lifted the executive ban on offshore oil exploration yesterday, and has called on congress to repeal its ban which has been in place since Bush Sr. created via executive order in 1990. Read more here.
We try to steer clear of political posts at Seahuggers but with something like this, which is so obviously deleterious to our oceans and beaches, we could not hold our voice.
Folks, offshore oil drilling is not the answer (neither is drilling in ANWR). We need to look toward alternative, renewable, and sustainable energy sources NOW.
I'll leave it there.

Sea No Evil

If you're in the Los Angeles area this weekend drop in on the Sea No Evil art benefit featuring some amazing artists and live music from Matt Costa. All proceeds will go toward the preservation and protection of the worlds oceans.

International Surfing Day

Join us at Wadsworth Ave in Pismo Beach from 11-noon tomorrow, in celebration of International Surfing Day.
Then head down to La Perla del Mar in Shell Beach for an evening with local shapers, live music, ice cold suds, and positive vibes.

A Couple of Brewskies

"Dick Brewer will certainly go down in the history of surfing as the greatest surfboard designer to ever live."
-Gerry Lopez

Just got in a couple of BioFoam sleds hand shaped by the legendary Dick Brewer.

Check'em ->


6'4" wing pintail single fin.


Bust out the 6" inseams, and hit da'county!


Kine big guy swallow tail shredda.


Dims: 7'0" x 21" x 2 3/4" w/ Futures

Video Chaser: Brewer on the essence of surfing.



Aloha.

Talking Story with Marc Andreini

Marc Andreini swung by the shop this afternoon to drop off a custom Vaquero (pictured) and to pick up some BioFoam blanks for a few customs and a couple of stock boards.
Marc is a consummate craftsmen and has a wealth of knowledge regarding surfboards and surf history. We're super stoked that he spent some time at Seahuggers HQ sharing a little bit of that wealth. Our conversation ran the gamut, covering everything from Hull design and the nuance of a Lis fish, to the challenge of riding a 12' Frye Eagle; Greenough's influence on surfing and the nature of flex. I only wish I could have captured it all on video!
It is always a pleasure to be in the company of a master, especially one as humble and full of aloha and stoke as Marc Andreini.
Big mahalo to Marc for the education.

Unearth

Friend and fellow Seahugger, Chris Burkard is showcasing his talents tonight at La Perla del Mar Chapel in Shell Beach. Hope to see you there!
Aloha.

Off The Deep End

Weeks of double over ankle surf got you feeling desperate to pump, carve, and attack the lip?
Fear not shredda, it's always 2-6' and glassy in Osos ->


Photo: www.concretedisciples.com

And while shredding in a concrete bowl might have you feeling a little disconnected from nature, you can always separate yourself from the 'crete with a kine layer of sustainably harvested hardrock maple via Arbor's old school pool destroyer, the aptly named Oso.




Skate and Enjoy!

Gettin' the Led Out

At Seahuggers, we love Led in our ears, not in our oceans.



Seahuggers is stoked to sponsor KZOZ's Get the Led Out.

Ridin' the Tide of Sustainability

Come on out next Tuesday and check out some art, green technologies, and sustainable surf craft and surf gear from Seahuggers , then shake what yo' mama gave you, to Tahoe's own Blue Turtle Seduction, at the Sustainability Seduces 3.
Hope to see you there!

Don't panic...

...it's organic!


Photo: www.twirlsandtwigs.com

Why buy organic cotton?

Consider the facts:

~Only 2.4% of the world's arable land is planted in cotton, yet cotton accounts for a quarter of the worlds pesticide market, making it the most pesticide intensive crop on the planet. Furthermore the often indiscriminate application (aerial spraying) of these pesticides destroys both harmful and beneficial insects. The displacement of beneficial insects reduces natural control measures and contributes to the need for more pesticide (often referred to as the pesticide treadmill).

~In addition to harming our lands these pesticides are harmful to our bodies. In California, five of the top nine pesticides used on cotton are cancer-causing chemicals (cyanazine, dicofol, naled, propargite and trifluralin). Each year, over 1 million Americans will learn they have some form of cancer and 10,000 people in the U.S. die each year from cancer related to pesticides*.

~Pesticides and synthetic fertilizers have been shown to routinely enter groundwater, surface water, and contaminate drinking water supply. All wildlife have been negatively impacted by the movement of these chemical pollutants through the ecosystem. For example, it is estimated that some 67 million birds are killed as a result of indirect or direct exposure to pesticides. Furthermore, many people around the world are drinking water contaminated with carcinogenic agri-chemicals (14 million people in the Unites States alone*).

These are but a few of the myriad problems surrounding today's "conventional" cotton industry.
But you do have a choice. Increasingly more manufacturers are supporting organic cotton farmers around the world and offering their goods in a more environmentally and socially responsible format.
We here at Seahuggers encourage you to support this effort by looking for the organic cotton label (or other "alternative" materials such as hemp and bamboo! More on these fibers in future posts) next time you are looking for new threads.

On that note, we are proud to offer quality organic cotton clothing from Life on a Board. Life on a Board is not only manufacturing high quality clothing and accessories from organic cotton, but strives to "manufacture" a better world through its use.

Featured product:
Life on a Board, Wave Art T ->



100% Organic Cotton
Link

Aloha.

*Source: http://www.organicconsumers.org/clothes/background.cfm#3

Pleasing Expression

Photo: Thomas Campbell

The current Surfer's Journal (Vol. 17 No. 2) has an excellent article on Michel Junod.
An excerpt:

A master’s surfing stands out. You can spot them paddling, or the way they carry their board. “Master” is not an age category so much as a level of accomplishment, and Michel Junod is one in two disciplines: longboarding and surfboard shaping. On both the boards he makes and the waves he rides his lines are clean, pared down to the most efficient and pleasing expression.

Case in point ->



6'0" BioFoam Swallow Tail Thruster w/futures and killer green tint*.
$750.00
805.773.1855

*Please note that the variation in color is largely due to the photo lighting.

Extra, extra...

Photo: Steve E. Miller

...read all about it!
Seahuggers made the news this week with a nice little feature in San Luis Obispo's independent weekly, New Times.
Click here, to check it out.
Aloha.

Bi-Catch

When Nick Cooper was in town last week to help us celebrate our grand opening, he brought with him a small school of keel fin and quad fin fish. After plying him with some wine, we convinced him to leave behind this gently used BioFoam 5'8" "Rasta Twin" ->


Flex tail with tapered red cedar stringer


Stylee resin tint


Daniel Partch "Slant Back" keels!

5'8" x 20 3/4 x 2 5/8
$395.00
805.773.1855

Holding It Down Inna Seahuggers Style

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I offer the following 8,000 "words"*, in hopes they can help articulate the good time that was the Seahuggers grand opening party.




First strokes, like a bottom turn, sets it all up. Eric Soderquist, composed, with his eye down the line.


Seahuggers Sustainable Suds!


That BioFoam blank in the rack could be your next board.


75 degrees with warm offshores. Enjoying local food, wine and beer to the sounds of the Bluff Rats (Chancho, Ku Dog, & Carl), while E. Sody creates.


Nick Cooper repping to local trim maven.


5'8" Coop Deville "Rasta Twin" with a sweet red cedar tapered stringer. Projection!


From E. Sody's imagination to yours.

Mahalo to everyone who came out and helped make this event a great success. New friends and old it was great to see you all.
Make sure to keep your eye on this blog for other upcoming Seahuggers events.
Aloha.

*ok, so there are some actual words as well.