#16 Balance Board

Balance boards are so cool and so useful for enhancing your balance on your surfboard…..which by default will increase your balance in every activity! There are many different types out there. My wife uses a neat circular one for her practice as a pilates teacher. In acting grad school we simulated the shipwrecking thunderstorm of Shakespeare’s, The Tempest, using 10 balance boards. The most popular model in the surf world is the Indo Board.

I have been eyeing them for a long time but just couldn’t justify spending nearly $200 for a board and a log. Still, the ‘neat surf toy’ factor kept drawing me back to gaze at it when browsing the surf shop. In an effort to satisfy my curiosity I decided to McGyver my own.

The design is as straightforward as they come. It is literally a board and a cylinder. The board was simple enough: a piece of plywood thick enough to retain stiffness. The cylinder was the tricky part. It needed to be stiff enough to support my weight rolling over it without losing its shape. A roller with a flat spot or an egg shape is not so fun. I found and 8” cylinder tube but it had no structural integrity. I had to reinforce it with some support ribs. I added some stain and barefoot friendly grip tape to boost the stylie points.

The whole thing cost me about $50. This is the end result:





I love it! I can’t say definitely that it has improved my surfing but I’m sure over time it will have an effect. I can say that it is ridiculously fun!!!

I am on the verge of becoming the Father of my 2nd Daughter. I probably won’t be getting as much ocean time as we welcome the newest family member to planet earth. The balance board will help keep my sea legs. If I get really desperate I could throw on our ocean ambience cd, jump on the board, close my eyes and teleport myself to the wave of my choice around the world….

#15 Black Surfers United

A few weeks ago I participated in my first public protest. It took place in Hollywood. The event was organized by Rhonda Harper of Inkwell Surf. We gathered to show our support for the Black teenagers on trial in Jena, Louisiana. If you haven’t heard of what is going on I strongly encourage you to ‘google it’.



I wanted to go down to show my support and it would also allow for a great opportunity to film how Black Surfers are active in the well-being of the community. In discussing the plans with Rhonda she invited me to speak at the event. My honest impulse was to find a reason to say ‘no’. Who am I to speak to the crowd? But as I searched my brain for a real reason to pass on this opportunity I found nothing. Why not speak? After all, I fit all the requirements: I am a Black Surfer, I am greatly concerned about how we treat each other & I did spend 3 years in graduate school learning how to speak : ) So I said ‘yes’.

The march took place on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood at 6:30am. I marched with my surfboard and had the following sign taped to it:



Here is the rough sketch of my speech:

As soon as I heard about this gathering I knew I had to be a part of it. I wanted to join the community. I wanted to put on the black t-shirt and walk among other who were AWARE.

I came down here from San Francisco which is know for being one of the most ‘aware’, ‘in-the-know’ places on earth yet most people I spoke to knew absolutely nothing of the events in Jena.

We have access to all this information still most of us don’t know what is going on.

I grew up surfing. I’ve surfed all over the world. And for the last 9-months I’ve been working on a documentary about Black Surfers. Part of the impetus for the project came when I came when I realized how many people don’t know that there are any Black people who surf. This lack of awareness inspired me to tell their story. On the most basic level…I simply want to make people aware!

And that is what I believe this gathering is all about. By coming together we are saying that we are aware of what is going on in the community. Our coming together will bring awareness to others.

CHANGE BEGINS WITH AWARENESS.

A few months ago we knew nothing of the tree in Jena and now here we are. How many of those trees exist? And in how many schoolyards?

I invite you to discover these trees. And as you become aware I encourage you to share your awareness with others. For only through awareness can we make change.

And I’ll add that you should be mindful for the trees can take many forms. The tree might be a system of beliefs. The tree may live inside your thoughts. We may be nurturing and growing these trees with our actions.

Find the trees!

CHANGE BEGINS WITH AWARENESS.