The message on my phone this afternoon was “I heard you got started. A friend told me there were a bunch of Black guys with boards and cameras at the beach. “
We’ve actually been brainstorming, researching, making connections and have had one other filming session but today did feel like the beginning! Kevin, who I interviewed a few blogs back, and myself are putting our energy into making a documentary about the Black Surfing Experience.
This morning at 7:15am my buzzer sounds the arrival of Kevin with the camera. He’s here to get some footage of me packing gear into the car for the session. At the van I meet another Black surfer who Kevin met one day getting out of the water. His name is Jerrod Ewell. He grew up surfing the waters of Oahu and has become a recent transplant to the mainland. Right away the deep camaraderie of this shared passion makes the stories start to flow. He tells me how in one of his earliest sessions he was saved in the water by the legendary Black surfer Buttons Kaluhiokalani.
The stories continued to flow all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge as we made our way to Cronkhite Beach where we would meet up with another Black surfer whose roots go all the way back to the Dogtown crew, Jason Gittens. He’s surfed & skated with some of the best of them, traveled the world in search off waves and now calls this cozy, tucked away wave his homebreak.
The cameras rolled in the cold, misty morning as we enthusiastically came together to share some waves. The elements joined in by giving us a small window of some fun little waves before the onshores turned on and blew us out of the water. Jason and I introduced Jerrod to the Nor Cal tradition of carrying a large bottle of hot water in the car for a euphoric post cold-water –surf rinse. From there it was off to the local Marin surf shop, Proof Lab. Without any notice they welcomed us in and let us set up to do some on camera interviews right in the middle of the shop.
It was an epic day. Everything came together in ways greater than our expectation. For me today was an inspiration that this film need to be made. These stories need to be told. The more I learn the more excited & surprised I am by the depth of the Black Surf Experience. Stories reaching back to the 40’s. Stories arising from all over the globe. Stories that transcend race, class, gender & any other artificial divisive classification are alive and ready to be shared.
I started this blog with the intention to add one more voice to a growing diversity of surfers. That impulse has grown into a desire to share the many voices that are relishing the joys of a life in the ocean….
Check out the website!
www.BlackSurferDocumentary.com
Contact us if you would like to get involved!
Surf like there is no tomorrow!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
#8 [Flashback] Nias Island: Alifa II
It’s now about 8:30pm two days after the attack and the Pit Monsters should be coming out of their daytime slumber. I don’t want to kill them so I’m going to trap them in a water bottle and free them across the street in the rice fields….at least that’s the plan….
No one was up when I first checked before bed so I just went to sleep & figured I’d see them through the night, as usual. Sure enough on my first ‘wake & pee’ I found the bigger of the smaller one’s EATING at the bottom of the steps. This was great because I didn’t know what they ate.
The Pit Monster’s were carnivorous!!! A giant cockroach lay in 3 pieces being devoured by the Monster. Cool! I would miss the exterminator qualities but it was time to evacuate.
Using my trap made of a 1.5 liter water bottle with the top cut off and a 12 inch extremely rusty knife I patiently and easily gathered up the Monster. I then took it across the street for relocation. It looked even more ominous as it frantically, yet purposefully, crawled around a giant leaf violently swinging its body in the air. Once it reached the ground it darted straight into a hole…..someone received an unexpected, unhappy guest!
With that creature removed I was chillin’ with the thought of removing the small one. I didn’t see it however, so I went to bed. As I slept a huge thunderstorm rolled in bringing Monsoon amounts of rain. Upon returning to the bathroom later in the night I found a surprise that got stirred up by the downpour…..the HUGE Pit Monster had returned!
I was peeing when I first saw it and my reflexes took me on top of the toilet bowl in one quick leap. This time it didn’t ease my concern with slow movement; it raced frantically along the floor with uncanny quickness. I knew what had to be done but wasn’t eager.
I grabbed my trusty knife and containment device for the hunt. For the previous hunt I had prepared myself by getting clothed but this sudden challenge had me butt naked. In retrospect it was a sweet….Nature vs. Nature moment! : )
After a couple unsuccessful round-up’s the Monster ran up the leg of the table. There, it lay motionless waiting for my next move. It had to be returned to the floor for capture so I decided to give it a quick poke with the knife. Sounded easy enough.
However when I poked the Monster it clung to the end of my knife and quickly raced up the blade towards my hand……Uuuuughhh! I flung the knife & teleported to the top of the stairs!
Deep breath…….okay, no problem. I could see the Monster on the floor and my knife was accessible. The hunt had to continue.
With tools gathered I nudged the Monster into the corner. The nudges were actually more like solid pushes because this thing did not want to move. The amount of resistance and mass of this creature was way more than any bug. Eventually it curled itself up in such a way that its stinging tail stuck out creating a formidable defense.
After much shaky & hesitant prodding I got it inside the container. Once captured it lay still. I held it to the light for a respectful investigation before setting it free in the rain across the street.
Phew, my adrenalin was crazy!
It took a week and another big thunderstorm to bring the smallest Monster out. Again I found myself in the raw for the hunt. Experience made successful nabbing come quick.
Still, I had an uneasy feeling because I swear it looked Bigger!…..
No one was up when I first checked before bed so I just went to sleep & figured I’d see them through the night, as usual. Sure enough on my first ‘wake & pee’ I found the bigger of the smaller one’s EATING at the bottom of the steps. This was great because I didn’t know what they ate.
The Pit Monster’s were carnivorous!!! A giant cockroach lay in 3 pieces being devoured by the Monster. Cool! I would miss the exterminator qualities but it was time to evacuate.
Using my trap made of a 1.5 liter water bottle with the top cut off and a 12 inch extremely rusty knife I patiently and easily gathered up the Monster. I then took it across the street for relocation. It looked even more ominous as it frantically, yet purposefully, crawled around a giant leaf violently swinging its body in the air. Once it reached the ground it darted straight into a hole…..someone received an unexpected, unhappy guest!
With that creature removed I was chillin’ with the thought of removing the small one. I didn’t see it however, so I went to bed. As I slept a huge thunderstorm rolled in bringing Monsoon amounts of rain. Upon returning to the bathroom later in the night I found a surprise that got stirred up by the downpour…..the HUGE Pit Monster had returned!
I was peeing when I first saw it and my reflexes took me on top of the toilet bowl in one quick leap. This time it didn’t ease my concern with slow movement; it raced frantically along the floor with uncanny quickness. I knew what had to be done but wasn’t eager.
I grabbed my trusty knife and containment device for the hunt. For the previous hunt I had prepared myself by getting clothed but this sudden challenge had me butt naked. In retrospect it was a sweet….Nature vs. Nature moment! : )
After a couple unsuccessful round-up’s the Monster ran up the leg of the table. There, it lay motionless waiting for my next move. It had to be returned to the floor for capture so I decided to give it a quick poke with the knife. Sounded easy enough.
However when I poked the Monster it clung to the end of my knife and quickly raced up the blade towards my hand……Uuuuughhh! I flung the knife & teleported to the top of the stairs!
Deep breath…….okay, no problem. I could see the Monster on the floor and my knife was accessible. The hunt had to continue.
With tools gathered I nudged the Monster into the corner. The nudges were actually more like solid pushes because this thing did not want to move. The amount of resistance and mass of this creature was way more than any bug. Eventually it curled itself up in such a way that its stinging tail stuck out creating a formidable defense.
After much shaky & hesitant prodding I got it inside the container. Once captured it lay still. I held it to the light for a respectful investigation before setting it free in the rain across the street.
Phew, my adrenalin was crazy!
It took a week and another big thunderstorm to bring the smallest Monster out. Again I found myself in the raw for the hunt. Experience made successful nabbing come quick.
Still, I had an uneasy feeling because I swear it looked Bigger!…..
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