Water balloons

These water balloons made a great impact on my son's last day of 8th grade. Students brought squirt guns, more balloons and various launching devices.

Surf has been small but fun. Great for beginning surfers.

The hull should still make it out of the bulkhead doors for fiberglassing. Surfing has been good lately with small waves and little wind chop.

Best time is about 2 hours after low up to 1 hour before high tide.

Summer arrives on Cape Cod

It's been a warm weekend. I found a longboarding spot where the waves peel to the right and the left. My arms are shot now. The boat is progressing slowly since the weather is much better. Just a little left to do before the hull is finished.

Strip Proa nearly complete

So here's the boat being more complete. Just a few more strips to go. I'm using shorter, narrower strips to make fitting and bending easier. Maybe someday I'll learn to steam the wood for easy bending.

Check out this video link to sailing in Micronesia. It contains music so adjust speakers accordingly.

This proa is pointy at both ends and will have an outrigger for stability.

The top will be partially enclosed to hold styrofoam floatation. The eighth inch hull will be glassed inside and out.

Boat in the basement

I have been wanting to build a sail boat for years now and just like anything else, "if you don't start, you'll never get it done." So after years of looking at photos and designs I finally started putting wood together. It is about 15 feet long and two feed wide and deep so far. The outrigger will be attached later when the weather warms up.

Cold fun

A quick visit to the beach on a winter day lets us see some alternatives to surfing in cold waters. Strong winds hitting the line of dunes diagonally give thrilling low and fast rides. John, a highly experienced paraglider, makes his way back to the launch area in this shot. He says onshore winds would put more people in the air and allow for much higher flying. In some areas, people make flights as long as 100 miles.

Think warm thoughts

Snow clings to everything and low temperatures keep it there.

Think warm thoughts by creating a packing list for travel to a tropical beach.

What items would make it to the top of your priority list?

How would you spend your time there?

What steps could you take to make the most of your trip?

Snow blown dunes

Frozen dunes will give way to warm powdery sands in just a few short weeks as we make our way to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Members going on this trip must get the last payments in over the next two pay periods. Reminder to all to bring extra money to cover purchases of gifts, snacks, tips and exit fees.

Think warm thoughts.

Pray for surf.

Winter days

Due to the cold and general lack of sunshine, blogging about the beach tends to get neglected. December 21st delivered these nice rollers with horse heads and back spray.

Checking my email from peace corps friends led me to this site where a former volunteer now resides. Having lived in that area as a young teen, the photos stir up those old memories. My parents recall it differently stating that despite appearances, there is no paradise. Perhaps paradise is where we make it.

Morning after the storm

This beautiful morning after the weekend storm shows a flattened beach and a shallow bar offshore. The waves at high tide caused slumping of the dunes and littered the beach with seaweed and huge amounts of fishing gear. New additions to my collection include three fishing floats and a huge fishing ball to make a perfect ball swing.

Every day moves us closer to our surf club trip to Costa Rica.

Patience

Winds out of the northeast today bring in warm surface waters and large waves for the weekend. Good things come to those who wait.

Small but clean

Small clean waves and a golden sunrise reward early risers today. Expect cooler conditions than yesterday as the surface water moves out to sea.

Yesterday's waves improved steadily throughout the day. However, the rising tide brought the break closer to shore and favored those surfers with short boards.

Cold morning but nice waves

A cold morning and a west wind challenge us to suit up and charge the waves. After gathering oysters at low tide, the air has warmed up enough to get me in the ocean.

Costa Rica Trip is on!

Second deposit ($300) for the Costa Rica Trip needed by November 6th.
Follow the link to Witch's Rock Surf Camp.

Perfect combination

Swells coming in and wind going out make a perfect combination. The strong wind plays a factor in catching some of these waves. White crest's high dunes block some of this frustrating wind. Most surfers came here today.

Apres storm

Chilly waist high waves after the storm cannot deter our local surfers from an evening in the water. The frost on the ground this morning usually an end to my outdoor activities. But surf like this makes me think about a new winter wetsuit.

A man and his dog

Clear your thoughts with an evening stroll along a stretch of storm flattened beach.

Surfing on Sunday Morning

Small surf on sunday morning draws surfers into the chilly waters off Newcomb's Hollow Beach. Surfers enjoyed long rights and occasional lefts until about 1pm. Spring for a winter suit now since the water won't get much warmer until late spring.

Newcomb's on a foggy day

Small to medium waves this morning with less wind than expected makes me forget about staying in on a foggy day. Waves tend to grow larger on the incoming tide so I will be there in about an hour.

These conditions should continue through sunday.