From Rob

 

Paul,

I continue to Pray for all those effected by the Storm. This looks to be a very active Storm Season. Much Love and Healing Energy to all our Brothers and Sisters who are in the path.

In Jax, Florence created solid head high plus surf. I am far more Present these days and felt like a better Dance partner on these powerful waves! Chris is still working on the shots but he gave me a couple to keep me Frothin. More to come....

I’ve been Spreading a lot of Stoke though in and out of the water and more people are beginning to approach me about mat surfing!

Chris Shultz shot these last two from land. This is the first time I’ve ever straightened off on a closeout ;), I think it was the right call...my spidey sense was tingling and I auto straightened!

 

That’s definitely the biggest clean wave that I have a picture of! This day will Live in my memory Forever. I just paddled outside of everyone, sat up on my mat, and picked off the biggest waves in the sets. Surfers watched from the shoulder, but nobody ever dropped in on me. It was Magical!

I can only remember one swell that was bigger last year. It was during a Nor’easter that mixed with some Hurricane generated ground swell and from the beach you couldn’t see the outside. Chris and I caught only a couple rides that day because it just felt dangerous to be out, but they where 150+ yard screamers. It had to be 10’ that day because as I held a high line it felt like I was sliding across the top of a moving building made of windswept water. Lots of texture but that didn’t stop the mat from making vapor trails. It also felt far more dangerous getting outside that day because of wind-swell mixed in. We are so Fortunate to have these Experiences! I wouldn’t trade them for anything. 

Positive Vibes and Healing Energy my Friend! Much Love from Florida! I’m off to Chase and Spread more Stoke this morning!

Super Stoked,

Rob

From Cher and Steve

Hi, Paul,

Here is a clip that we captured of Captain Dave on a fun left! We hope that you enjoy it! Whoo hoo!

He’s ripping!

The last couple of weeks, we’ve enjoyed fun swell mixes, surfing daily. We love our 4GF mats!

Thank you, Paul. We’re riding, thinking of you.

Yesterday, I had a mind blowing set wave. After a steep takeoff and turn, I pulled up into the curl, doing down the line. A bit later, the lip hit me and knocked my mat out from under me. I ended up with my hands on the mat like a hand plane, and my body planning higher across the wall. The feeling was amazing! This was a fast, long, curling right all the way to the beach. If I’d tried to pull my mat back underneath me, I may have lost the line and not made the wave, so I went with it! So stoked, such an other worldly experience to navigate the spinning trim like that for so long.

Take good care. Looking forward to keeping in touch.

Aloha,

Cher and Steve

From Erik

Hi Paul,

 

Saw this on Instagram. Australian modernist design!

 

Best,

Erik

From Hugh

Hey Paul,

I’ve had the Vespa out everyday since it arrived to try it out in different conditions and it’s been magic all around.

Here are a few clips of the Vespa in action from Surfline cam rewind from the last 2 days. Pretty amazing how fast and smooth it runs on a good wall and still glides through flat sections.

Flying all the way through and into that close out section at the end. I'm claiming it was a rooster tail coming off the mat rather than off shores.

The wave doesn't even need to break!

Thanks again for the awesome craft. 

Hugh

Traveling Scumm Update

King Waka, surfmats, jokes and ticks...an unbeatable, 21st century media combination!

Waco Inflatables

It looks like the Waco Wave Puddle is allowing inflatables in their lineup...chalk one up for the All American freedom fighters of the Lone Star State. Are you listening, Lemoore honchos?

The fun starts at 1:05 ...

Dolphin Superpod In Monterey Bay

Details here...

From Bryce

Hey Paul,

Here is a little clip of me yesterday at San Onofre on my 4GF. So much fun! Thought you'd enjoy this.

Bryce

From Matt

Hi Paul,

I hope you are well. Here is a vid of me getting a little tube in the winter at Rockaway Beach, and a pic at a fun point in Central America. Thanks for making radical toys!

Kindly

Matt

From Sam

Hey Paul! Quinn Kasbar rides an Air Mattress at The Wedge. Apparently(!) Mike Jennings (Senior Writer) posted this on CoastalWatch dot com 24 August 2018.

Sam

From Mark

Hello,

I would like to share with you that, after all these years, a new generation of kids from the orphanage in Roman, Bulgaria are having a blast with the surf mats that you donated! Thanks again!

 

Cheers! Blessings!

 

Mark Stadler

From Michael

Hi Paul,

I know some consider mat surfers to be a lower life form.... who cares?  Not me. I am proud to be part of a fiercely committed and addicted crew of those who have discovered the pure joy of riding a surf mat. Thank you for keeping us stoked. 

Having a blast on my Fatty, and look forward to picking up the Tracker next weekend at Mitch's.

Best,

Mikey J

Slater Surf Ranch Update

Nolan Hall -- who is obviously well-connected in the surfing world -- got a chance to surf the artificial wave in Lemoore, CA over the weekend. Nolan's a mat rider, so naturally I was curious how a mat would go in that kind of wave. (Frankly, I'm skeptical due to the odd energy disbursement of the wave. This video shows the odd currents going up the face...)

As it turns out, he got skunked!  Details here...

The lifeguard dudes that work it said someone rode a mat there once and slid into a big pipe on the side of the wave. So they haven’t let people ride em since that. 

There was also 4 people in my group, and we only got to surf it for an hour. So it was tough to get in to swap out gear without losing waves. I think we might get to go out for a whole day towards the end of the year. I wanna try it on a mat, tho. 

The wave is super tricky, it’s pretty flat, and then when it barrels, it goes mega fast. But hopefully by the time we get to go for the whole day, I can kick into one!

I don’t know who the other mat rider was, but it seems like they weren’t smart enough to bail their mat. It’s hard to explain the set up of the wave pool. But they must have gotten caught behind the whitewash, and then blasted up on the the side bank, and just kept holding on, and slide into the poll. I don’t know why they wouldn’t have just let go of the mat. It’s strange

Nolan

--------------------------

I passed along this report to a number of our good friends, and this is what they said...

--------------------------

Hmmmmm....so the person who hit the pipe ruined it for everyone who rides a mat? If the waiver is signed, and money is exchanged, what’s the big deal? I feel it comes down to knowledge of the craft your riding, and your ability, no different than riding a board. Fins must be used on a wave like that! UDT’s would be my choice for getting in early and sticking my stalls and turns. There are lots of standup surfers who ride mats as a second craft, and I feel mats take at least as much (I feel more) wave knowledge and dedication to ride competently in big surf. It does look like a really technical wave, and it’s hard to tell how long the sections are when watching it on TV.

Rob Pollard 

--------------------------------

I would love to "slide into a big pipe on the side of the wave".  Remember the other Ranch had pipes.  It had walls. Now it has lawyers and Producers.  Maybe they can buy Kelly's Surf Ranch, and leave us the old waves.

Aloha, Guerdon Smith

-------------------------------

Sliding into a big pipe doesn’t sound so bad… ;)

Glenn Sakamoto

----------------------------

Howzit? Could that report be another symptom of the whole world going mad? I want to teleport back to 1972 when a $40 board, a $5 bike and bare feet was more than enough to be fully satisfied. (At least I'm still taking the bus or hitch hiking.) 

Have A Happy Day, Pahl Dixon

-----------------------------

I saw some bodysurf footage that was good too. 

I think on "soft" mode it would be doable on mat.

Steiny 

----------------------------

I’m sure the mats would keep up once the gears were shifted.  Sometimes you get hammered when it barrels right off the bat.  If you got your initial turn in, I think you’d make it.  I’d love to give it a try.  

Kenneth Hughes

----------------------------

What stops you from just telling lifeguards to fuck off? 

Doesn't motivate me too want to do it though. But, if they keep wannabe Slaters out of my way then I'm happy 😂

Graeme Webster

---------------------------

SURF MATTS: super fast.  "slid into a big pipe on the side of the wave." rad

Jeremy Grosvenor

--------------------------------- 

 It makes me feel better if we don't call the pools "surfing," rather a ''surfing-like product.''

PNW

-----------------------------

Big imagination here. ‘Haunted by the “vision” of "someone rode a mat there once and slid into a big pipe on the side of the wave.”

Nolan’s description of the wave is very interesting. Possibly more accurate than many have written.

We love and dream of natural waves. While this concept is certainly fascinating, I’d rather paddle out into the wild, free ocean to surf than ride in a wave pool.

:))

Aloha,

Cher Pendarvis

----------------------------

To Cher's point, about the various descriptions of this "wave," here's a good perspective from Nick Carroll...

From Rob

 

Our own Rob Pollard, landlocked some 500 miles from the ocean, has replaced carving turns on his mat with carving wood.

Paul,

I spend my days, in meditation, art, and working out mostly.

I’ve been reading a ton of self help books :). I am Striving to Become more Conscious. I’ve Learned so much just this month and I’m Striving to Implement what I’ve Learned. For me all Spirituality has something to give, but in everything I’ve read, it all leads back to Living in the Present Moment. That’s why mat surfing Helped me to Awaken Spirituality. It shuts off the tool between my ears, and forces me to be in the Present Moment! It’s a work in progress, but I Feel the work will be well worth the Effort! 

I’m really enjoying wood carving...including a swim fin!

I got bite by a spider and a tick, so I haven’t been swimming in a week or so. 

RP

From Spence

From the Daily Mail...

"One guy took surfing to another level of cool after beachgoers spotted him catching a huge wave on an inflatable mattress in California. 

In a video, the man is seen paddling in the water on the mattress at Newport Beach as a massive wave approaches.

'Oh my goodness,' one beachgoer is heard in the video shouting." 

From Steiny

 

 

Yesterday at Lane. Super fun. Light crowd for weekend.

From Richard

Hi Paul, hoping all is well.  

 

I still read your blog daily and my second standard is still going strong.  Its always my go to mat.  

This is my friend Bobbi’s Dad from Atlantic city.

Please feel free to publish this photo.  I’m sure she won’t mind.  

Rich Hartman

From Jim

Eastern Pacific mat action!

From Geoffrey

Memo to SCUMM GoPro bros: This is how it's done!

From The Real MJ

Hi Paul,

I bought a Fatty from you last September right before my shoulder replacement surgery so I'd have something to ride until my shoulder healed enough to get back on my longboard. 

Well..... the shoulder is all healed, but like others who've discovered what you and Greenough have known for eons, I have fallen hopelessly convicted and addicted to surf matting. I LOVE THE FEELING IT GIVES ME WHILE RIDING A WAVE!

Thank you Paul, and I hope your new heart valve is working perfectly!

Best,

Mikey J