Nov 30, 2022

Surfmatters Retrospective #3 From The Tusked Beast

 

The Tusked Beast, known to the non-matting world as Jonathan Hess, is ''multi-verse renaissance-person'' of many talents...from professional dog walking to library science to talented wave rider.  Jonathan has generously offered to cull through the past 14 years of Surfmatters and select his favorite postings...and add his personal thoughts.

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Hi Surfmatters readers! This time we’re going to revisit two posts from PG he shared during the holidays in 2011/12, which themselves revisited his and Greenough’s filming for Big Wednesday in El Salvador in 1977 (pretty “meta”, huh?).

There’s a lot to appreciate here. The centerpiece is a joyous, dynamic eleven seconds of Paul surfing shot by George which speaks for itself. It’s extra groovy because Paul hadn’t seen it since it was shot; imagine how it must have felt to see it again for him. For sure it inspired a vivid recounting- enjoy!

(From my perspective: as well as the choice footage, it makes me appreciate the various hustles our mat maker had in his checkered career, the cast of characters in his life story, and (he’s going to hate this) the specialness of being able to get his handmade mats directly from him. Nowadays you have a few choices of where to get a mat… but none of them got a side slip panning shot while grinning like a fool, shot by Greenough in 1977.)
 
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I've had this short clip of 35mm Panavision movie film tucked away in a storage bin for the past 34 years, and finally got around to having it transferred to digital. (Well, actually, it was Mr. Dirk who put out all the effort with regard to the transfer!)

Some back story on the shot...

When GG and I were working on Big Wednesday in the Spring of 1977, we needed to do some test shots with the backpack camera that George built for the project. We didn't have time to shake down the rig before leaving for El Salvador, so when we got down there, a bunch of the actors and their surfing-doubles went out at Zunzal to ride waves alongside George...while he tried various focal lengths, aperture settings, FPS speeds, and camera angles. The camera wasn't designed as a point-of-view unit, but more for tracking shots as someone rode the wave ahead of him. (This was new for George, as most of what he had previously shot off his back was POV.)

I had been jockeying the camera rig back and forth to the beach most of that day, and I was pretty tired. The air, water and humidity were all "85." At one point, a wave came along and George shouted "Double!" which was 70s-era mat surfing shorthand for inviting another matter to catch the same wave. We got that one wave together, and then George went back to shooting the serious test footage.

The material shot that day was flown back to Hollywood. (I love saying "Hollywood" like I was a part of the film industry!) After processing, it found its way back to our encampment a few miles north of La Libertad. We watched the footage one evening, and I had completely forgotten about the shot George had taken of me until it popped up on the screen. Culturally speaking, this was near the bottom of the mat riding bell curve, so none of the many surfers in attendance took notice of it...other than Greg MacGillivray, who thought it was neat because I was laughing. (In truth, who doesn't laugh when you ride a wave on a mat with someone else???)

The next day, George snipped the mat riding shot out of the reel of test footage with a pair of scissors, and gave it to me for safe keeping. I brought it home a few months later when we wrapped, and hadn't seen it projected until a few days ago, when Dirk forwarded the digitized version it to me.

I have to say, the first thing that jumped out when I looked at it was my abundance of hair and the lack of body fat! Beyond that, the lively performance of the old Hodgman is what's really neat. I do remember that the surf down there was well suited to those mats...having a strong shoreward push without a lot of curling power. So, the relatively crude shape of the mat was in its ideal element. The current generation of mats would go even better, by a long shot, but it was a lot of fun to ride the last-of-the-Hodgmans in warm water and fun surf conditions. And I think the film clip really conveys that.

The first few frames of the clip are of me sitting with Greg MacGillivray and Lance Carson. They were taken earlier the same day, as I recall.

This is George at Zunzal during the Big Wednesday shoot, riding a pretty big wave with the same backpack camera rig. I shot these photos with a 400mm lens from a lifeguard tower near the water's edge, so that will give you an idea of how far out in the ocean he was.



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Along with George Greenough and Bud Browne, Dan "Man Mountain" Merkel did the water photography for Big Wednesday.


Bud Browne with clapperboards and his surf mat.


George Greenough with a water housed Arriflex. When he was caught inside at Sunset -- which happened often -- he would let the camera go and hang onto his mat. He reasoned that it was easier to ride the mat into the shorebreak and retrieve the camera than it was to swim in with the camera and find his mat!



Dan Merkel shooting up at Conception. This is the same mat and camera rig he's duck diving in the shot below...I built the housing while we were in El Savador.



All three water photographers utilized surf mats in their effort...but none more impressively than Dan Merkel. For all you lilly-livered wusses who moan and groan that you can't duck dive your mat in surf over 2 feet, check this out...Merkel takes down a water-housed 35mm camera and a huge, rental-sized raft at Sunset Beach!


Next time you're caught inside on your mat, keep in mind the sage words of Dee from Sunny/Philadelphia: "Sack it up, Bitches!!!"

Seriously, there's a nice interview with Dan Merkel about the changes on the North Shore from a photographer's perspective...here.

Nov 22, 2022

Three Reader Submissions

 

  Hi Paul,

If I had to pick the thing I like the most about mat riding it would probably be that the rocker fits perfectly in every wave!

Gogglefog 



Thanks for putting me on the blog. I’m loving the Lotus, it holds in and threads the tube better and doesn’t slide slip on bottom turns as much . Still getting used to it. Here’s a shot with a nice rooster tail! ( On me Standard) 

Aloha,
John L
 
 
 
Pulled from Facebook and sent from my pal Steve Heilig. I think it's Rob Belli. It has that "Where's Waldo" quality that you seem to like (as evidenced by Surfmatters!)
 
Tusked Beast


Nov 18, 2022

From Fantasy Island

 


Hi Paul !
 
Wanted to show you how fast I went on the Standard !

Aloha,
John L

Nov 16, 2022

Most Soulful Mat Failure Ever?

 

 


Hey Paul, 

I’ve been really enjoying the xl blue streak! I punctured the bottom flying through an unexpected school of fish. I felt the air bubbling up from under me. 

Thanks, 
Lucas

 

Nov 12, 2022

RIP Mike Griffin

Longtime San Diego surfer/shaper Mike Griffin passed away several weeks ago after a long battle with cancer. Several paddle outs in his honor are scheduled.





In addition to his shaping and board surfing, Mike had been a 4gf rider since 2008. 

Mike gifted one of his 4GFs to Mikey Ratt. (Shown on the right, with friend and mat ripper Scott.)

 Mikey on Mike's 4GF.
 
 
Thoughts from Mikey on Mike Griffin...
 
"I might have been his brother. Mike was a dear friend of mine, He gave me my first 4th gear, and I built him a shaping room in my shop.  I have a little record shop. I sell junk and clothes and a few surfboards, mostly used. Mike almost quit shaping, but me and my best buddy Scott built him a shaping bay in my old office. I got rid of all my shit in there and gave the space to mike .. he taught me so much about surfing-shaping & life and how to a better person.. I read him the little interview we did when he was in hospice..he lit up when I told him I finally made the zine and did a Q & A with PG…. I still have and ride the mat he gave me."




Nov 11, 2022

Tusked Beast Epilogue

 

I was thinking of the "waiting is half the fun" sentiment while walking a dog on the beach yesterday...during perfect, small, delectable OB.

The next level, past appreciating the non-wave-riding moments, is appreciating them while helplessly watching others do so!

Hope all is well!

 Jonathan

Nov 10, 2022

Surfmatters Retrospective #2 From the Tusked Beast

The Tusked Beast, known to the non-matting world as Jonathan Hess, is ''multi-verse renaissance-person'' of many talents...from professional dog walking to library science to talented wave rider.  Jonathan has generously offered to cull through the past 14 years of Surfmatters and select his favorite postings...and add his personal thoughts.

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Hello again Surfmatters mat surfers!

This time we have for you a nuanced little memo posted by PG in January of 2012. I think all surfers feel and appreciate the “extramural” pleasures of surfing, beyond actually riding a wave- of floating in the sea, of the quality of light at different times of the day...  the oily feel of kelp, of sand on your toes... the feeling of pure animal joy, entering the water after a long dry spell wrapped up in day-to day-hassles.... I hope we all do, because that's so much of the positivity we share, what binds us together, and soothes our souls.

Enjoy! And be grateful….
 
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 Waiting's Half the Fun!

Dirk and I were talking on the phone the other night, and he was commenting on how many hours we spend anticipating surf days, preparing our equipment, traveling to spots, etc, relative to how many minutes -- or even seconds -- we actually spend ride waves. The ratio is insane by any measure...other than that of a surfer.

Even the ratio of time-in-the-water compared to time-riding-waves seems nuts to most people. That said, time spent waiting for waves can be fun, especially on a mat. Bouncing around...feeling more of the swell and current and surface texture under us than on any other vehicle imaginable. No wonder we enjoy every moment!
















Nov 8, 2022

From Bryce and Regi

 

Hi Paul, 

I hope you and your family are doing well. Regi and I just got back from a Baja trip, camping and living the simple life. She is loves her mats and I’m always so impressed at her waves on them!

It’s was busy summer for me, I’ve been doing a lot of scientific diving. I was down in the Gulf of Mexico, Newfoundland. Nova Scotia, the Puget Sound, and the Channel Islands.

Thanks so much.

Bryce

Nov 6, 2022

Nov 3, 2022

Lotus Feeback

 

Hi Paul,

Sorry to be so remiss in sending feedback on the Lotus.

I’ve had only 3 sessions on the Lotus. The first was a chunky bumpy day about head high, nothing remarkable until I caught a clean wave. I turned mid face, setting the line and it JUST TOOK OFF. Instant acceleration. I was flabbergasted. Second and third sessions much better surf days, the Lotus holds a line, great off the bottom, no hesitation,  and is responsive to input. 
 
My fave big wave mat!

I picked up a barely used blue streak lotus from Rob up here. Only one session on it. Had to deflate and swim out twice. One thing I noticed with the lighter fabric, it doesn’t absorb some of the bumps, it was pretty clean day and I was surprised as I’m bouncing, flying thru the air. Other than that it was a solid mat I’ll have to do more side by side comparisons.

And lastly my most recent surf I rode my Standard. It’s still my all time favorite mat. Period.

Thanks Paul, for making a great wave riding vehicle. I tell curious people all the time about how to get mats from you. 

Much joy much love,

Mark

P.S. Maybe I have too many expectations. I was talking to a guy about mats and your and where to get them. He had questions on the kind of waves you could ride them in. I was telling him about Greenough and him filming from inside the tube, on a mat. “George Greenough who’s that”, Innermost limits of Pure Fun… "don’t know it”  I explained briefly some history.  But to the blank expression I paddled for a set wave. Shaking my head in dismay.