Apr 30, 2018

From Oily


 
 
 
 

Hey Paul,

Hope all is well in your part of the world, well it took  a few years but our 16 yr old daughter has finally decided that she wants in on the fun and stoke we have and show in our SCUMM Mat adventures.

Here’s a couple of pics from the mornings fun.. she had a blast on the 4GF, we had it to ourselves for about an hour before one other came out.

Stay safe, be happy.

Oily

SCUMM and proud of it.

Apr 28, 2018

Flipper Takes Out SUP

For all I know, this could happen to me tomorrow.

That said, I'm laughing my ass off...



Apr 26, 2018

Duck Diving With ''The Tusked Beast''


Hi Paul,

I've been wanting to pass on some ways I use to roll waves. They're alternatives to duck diving, which I've never really figured out on a mat.  I'm sure lots of your readers might know them, but mat gremmies might appreciate the info. Getting out the back is extra challenging on a mat, so I hope these tips help (I made the usual dorky drawings).

The first is for rolling bigger whitewash (smaller ones you can duck dive or if you're slick and savvy, ride up like a ramp). I think of it as the mat version of turning turtle, and it works surprisingly well in quite big surf.

As the white water approaches, get off the mat. Turn your back to the wave, grasp the two back corners of the mat. Just before it's about to hit, let your body shoot straight down underwater, as far as you can go (you can do a little kick/arm pull to rise up briefly to try to penetrate deeper). Body as deep as you can go, facing the shore, arms extended to the surface, only the mat above water.
The wave will bend the mat flat (turtle) on the water's surface, and your straight body acts as an underwater anchor. You lose surprisingly little "ground". Again, it works in pretty big (whitewater) waves.

 

This image might better illustrate the described posture:


:)

The other technique is probably totally obvious, but what the heck. This works well for punching through a pitching wave, and I'll choose it over a duck dive every time. It's just rolling off the side of the mat, grabbing one front corner with one hand, and swimming through the lip, pulling the mat through, sharply, behind you.



I think you recounted GG describing it in your "Inflatable Dreams" article, about ripping the corner off a Hodgman at Sunset Beach. This method just works well in a lot of situations; possibly even better than punching through with a hard surfboard. Plus you can enjoy the view of the curling lip.

Best wishes and happy rollings,

Jonathan

PS:  Next time, I'll attempt to diagram alternate tonguing while blowing up your mat :)

Followup From Rob




Paul,

Here are a couple of videos that speak for themselves on how Stoked that swim got me! Please excuse my French, I was Frothin!

The GoPro was on top of the water housing. You can hear the shutter firing when I’m taking pictures. I Love the setup! Yeeeeewwwww!

Positive Vibes and Healing Energy my Friend! Much Love from Florida!

Super Stoked,
Rob

Apr 25, 2018

From Adam



 Howdy Paul

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping ... Less we Forget  

Just love my Lotus SS! Some vision from yesterdays Dawn Service .

Regards

Adam

From Rob

 
 
 
 
 
Paul,

So this happened yesterday, and I was losing my mind trying not to run to my van to get the Omni. I only swam due to my back injury, but I still aggravated my back a little swimming. I lost myself for an afternoon in the Ocean, and it was the best I’ve felt since I’ve stopped to rest. Just to be in the Ocean again was a Magical Experience! 
 
Thank God for photography, I don’t know how well I would do if I couldn’t stay immersed in and connected to the Ocean. Stay Stoked!

I had a Chiro appt this morning and he said I’m still making progress but will need more work. I called to ask them about the swim yesterday and the whole office listened to the message. I was Frothing like a Grom hooting and stammering into the answer machine as I watched these Dreamy lines filter in. They where all laughing about the message this morning and asked if I had pictures. I showed them the water shots and they where all digging them. Pretty Stoked on that! 

I can’t wait to surf the Omni again! These waves where sooooo Beautiful! 

Positive Vibes and Healing Energy, Much Love from Florida!

Super Stoked,
Rob

Apr 22, 2018

From Cher

 
 
 
 
Photos Sarah Lee - Axxe Classic

G’Day, Paul,

We hope that our email finds you well.
 
The Lotus arrived today, and we are super stoked to slide with her!

All smiles here! 

Today 4-20-18 is Tracker's 5th Birthday. Happy Birthday, Tracker! 
 
Your inscription says:  “For Cher • 4th Gear Flyer Tracker Roundtail • Hot Wax Deck 2.0 • 4-20-13 • P.G."

Steve and I enjoyed a fun surf session today in small, clean reef waves. 

I’m thankful to enjoy riding the Tracker RT in a wide range of conditions from tiny to big swells, here in San Diego, and in San Clemente, Santa Barbara, Oahu and Australia. The Tracker handles minus low tide drainers, and flies fast through sections! Dynamic wind swell mixes are a blast with Omni too! 

When we went to Australia in 2016, Steve took his Lotus and I brought the Tracker. We had a lot of fun in northern NSW, surfing all kinds of conditions. Cherished memories with friends.

In honor of Tracker's Birthday, here are a few recent photos taken by our talented friend Sarah Lee and Axxe Classic. We hope that you enjoy the photos.

Thank you Paul for all the Joy you share with us with your 4th Gear Flyers!

Aloha,
Cher and Steve

Apr 20, 2018

From Oily



 
 
 
 


Hey Paul… hope your felling better, and well on the mend.

We’ve been lucky of late with some nice ground swells rolling on in just in time for our weekend slide at our fav mat wave Gilligans…  And as i was feeling a bit off-colour  last Friday and decided that i needed to be cleansed by way of total emersion and what better way to achieve but whilst enjoying some mat time with your mates. 

Friday coincidently was also Adam’s RDO and we met up at another of Neal's favourite haunts. 

A couple of happy snaps of Neal and a quick video of that morning.. And also some high speed 4th gear flyer fun at Gillignas..
Looking forward to seeing what Huey delivers for the winter swell season..

Fridays session with Neal..       

And some good size speed runs on the Omni..   
Be safe happy and healthy mate..


Oily..


Apr 19, 2018

From Adam, For Rob



This one is for Rob, fun with two of my older grandkids!

SCUMM salutes you!

Regards from Oz

adam

Apr 18, 2018

From Rob

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Paul,

A couple from the Family beach trip. Mat Riders are Tristan (the little guy) and Beep! I was able to get Beep into a couple of waves but didn’t get pictures of that (next time). This was Beeps first trip to the Beach so he was Stoking hard when he caught his first waves 😃!

Tristan is now paddling out, and paddling into his own Waves! I couldn’t be more Stoked or Proud, seeing him develop his own Love and Fascination for the Ocean!

Yeeeeewwwwwww!

Super Stoked,
Rob Pollard

Apr 17, 2018

From Oily



G’day Paul , hope this finds you happy and healthy..

I've always believed in the the saying ‘work to live' not 'live to work'.. haha  and lately I’ve been unbalanced so I went seeking some  advise from SCUMM Guru aka  Neal Cameron. His advise was for me to get at one with the ocean ASAP. I quick perusal out the office window and its decided a ‘Mental Health Day’ is needed. 

With the forecasted swell and wind we headed for a lonely offshore bombora we frequent and arrived to see we were it , ding ding round 1,  after a couple hours going wave for wave and sharing many with Neal  it was decided that coffee/food was deemed to be required before we ventured elsewhere for round 2..Gilligans..  Well anyways here is a short video of the “Mental Health Day ‘ out.

Take care mate, stay safe and happy.

Oily
SCUMM and proud of it.

Apr 16, 2018

From Rob

 
 
 
 
 
Paul,

Chris got a new camera and housing, so he took all the pictures!

There’s so much Stoke in the water when we all get together and Surf! Everyone out there should establish a Crew. When you can feed of each other’s Positivity, Amazing things start to happen! The Omni performed really well in these conditions!
Positive Vibes and Healing Energy my Friend! Much Love from Florida!

Super Stoked,
Rob

Apr 15, 2018

More Fake News From SCUMM


Hi Paul

All the best with your rehab & rest! My Achilles came good by Monday, just in time for work, so no surfing for me last week.

I have had to work my RDO & Saturday, so was up and early for a possible surf and sunrise, well with the wind howling offshore all night, the surf was flat, but the sunrise was just awesome!



That's me running around, throwing sand & shakas!

New Artwork from Southern California, via artist Tom Backer, arrived in the post this week as well !

Tom is a good friend and has visited back here in 2011.
 
 
 
 



This is some vision from a few weeks back, I set up my I Phone to record time lapse of the sunrise, then my canon 70D , set on a mono pole to record, as well as the usual, POV , from my helmet.
It was only small surf, but fun enough and we were joined by Neal, Paul and Anislie ( on the boogie board).
 
 
 
 
 
 





We had this for over 3 hours , with just us SCUMM riding mats, the adjacent reef had guys come and go, and they left us boys alone with many thanks! I threw 2 of my Lotus at Paul and Phil and took a Standard out initially , swapping back with Phil mid surf. My favorite mat to Ride? the Lotus! I find I have to ride further forward with my chest, but such a excellent mat to ride, Power to the Lotus!!!



Aloha,

Adam