NORTH SHORE KNEEBOARD GATHERING 2005

Chris Buscemi · Post by **Chris Buscemi** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:10 pm

I finally made it back to good 'ol Arizona and believe it or not it is flat. But my trip to the North Shore this year was killer so I can't really complain. It was so great meeting everyone and surfing with so many other kneelos. We were like a nightmare to the standup surfers who didn't know what the f@#* was going on. I can't remember all the times I was asked, "How come there are so many kneeboarders around?" or told "Man you are like the 25th kneeboarder I've seen today." Classic stuff. One guy even asked me how I stand up with fins on... Thanks again Bud for putting this thing together and for everyone who was there. I have made so many new friends and to me there is nothing better. To the Friends of Malaekahana Crew- Viking Ship Nickle and I hear Smokin' Rock has a new sunscreen for those of you interested. Jeff makes the best tako (sp)- I'll keep you all posted on any adventures I find myself in- Chris

Jeff Ommen · Post by **Jeff Ommen** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:50 pm

Well Craig Russell and I made it back to SoCal in one piece and the four boards we brought made it back none the worse for ware. We got some big stuff Sunday night and Monday at Sunset and at Day Star. We got fun stuff the rest of the week at Puaena Point and V-Land. If I could ride one wave for the rest of my life it would have to be V-land. Like others have said, it's not the size thats so impressive but how much power these waves have. There are very few waves in SoCal that prepare you for what NS sends your way. In addition to the great surf, it was very cool meeting the guys from other parts of the globe.

Again, Thanks Bud and I can't wait until next year.

Jeff

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 8:13 pm

North Shore Story: Saturday night the 2/19/05 I'm so excited I can't sleep in the morning my Buddy Jeff O and I are off to the North Shore gathering. Sunday morning 3:30am I'm up and ready to go, I thank my Bride agian for the week off, kiss her goodbye, she thinks I've completely lost my marbles

4:00am Jeff picks me up for the ride to LAX to catch the 8:00am bird to Honolulu, I've got five hours to kill, Surfer's Journal on my lap and the surf forecast in my head, 10'to 18'

We are now in the "please rob us, we're tourists, Pontiac AZTEC" on our way up H1 to the North Shore. We check in with Greg at the Bungalows we're here

It's kinda windy but the surf is up. We get settled in our place -very nice. We throw our boards in the AZTEC and head up to Sunset. Hey Jeff look at that, it's clean and blowing off shore doesn't look that big from here

( Key words, from here) Jeff says, "I don't know Craig it's late we've had a long day already." Jeff we came to surf, it looks ok

We probably won't die, lets go. Jeff "Alright Craig lets do this thing." We paddle out no worries nice channel, Hey this water is really moving around. Getting closer to the line up now, whoa look at that set, it's big, the water is really moving around now. And there is a lot of it. We're outside in the line-up now

Sit tight and watch the next set. Whoa, thats awesome, did you see that wave? I'm nervous now, the next set rolls in, third wave I go, I'm paddling hard. Oh S%*T, I caught it

have to charge it hard now, Oh Sh*#! - I'm dropping in, 1/1000,2/1000,3/1000 bottom turn back to the top now my ears are pinned back. I'm flying, settle in and trim. Whoa I'm slotted at Sunset @ sunset what a rush! The line up gives the old guy on the Kneeboard, love hoot's welcome to the North Sore I'm here.
The END of day one, six more to go.

I echo what every one above has said; it was great to be with such talent and truly fine people. Thanks Bud for getting us all there

sharkbait · Post by **sharkbait** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 9:27 pm

Awesome post

had my ears pinned back too

thanks Craig!

red · Post by **red** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 7:54 pm

Great gathering. The sundowners in the backyard were just the ticket for renewing old aquaintances and making new ones.

As the last remaining offshore guest I closed out NSG05 with a final surf in epic 4' (HI) Backyards rights. Locals were totally cool and one called me into a screamer. Took the late drop and pulled into a barrel big enought to house an elephant. As the guys paddling out said "Long time since we've seen a barrel at Backyards blow that open". It was a fitting finish to a trip that involved many good waves, a fair amount of sheer terror and large doses of fun and friendship.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 10:51 pm

I just posted some new North Shore pics gleaned from some video I shot in the North Shore Photos section. Red, I wish I could have got your epic wave on film!!! Good meeting you, mate, even if your fin template theories were completely opposite mine!

C.P.Odom · Post by **C.P.Odom** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:53 am

My special thanks to Jeff Fujimoto for the personal guided tour of the paradise that he calls home.

The whole family had a wonderful trip, my own surfing was confined to the south shore where I scored some nice wrap around swells.

Curtis

Have you hugged your Flashpoint today?

fooj · Post by **fooj** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:10 am

My pleasure, Curtis. Our sort need to stick together. Glad you and your family enjoyed Hawai'i Nei. Jeff.

Marcman · Post by **Marcman** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 4:18 am

New pictures uploaded NS2005.
Buddy Holly once said, Please try the fish. and Buddy Mckray Once said Please try Backyards. HEHE, I make myself laugh.

MC

Bud · Post by **Bud** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 7:50 pm

To all of the attendees of this years North Shore Kneeboard Gathering,

MAHALO NUI (big thanks) for coming.
Your enthusiasm and support is greatly appreciated.
It was great to meet in person, so many of the good people previously only known to me by their “forum alias”.

Special thanks to the photographers who spent countless hours, roasting in the sun, capturing as much of the action as possible.
Rebbeca Farrer (& her parents Kay and Kev for minding the little folk while she and Simon filmed), Simon Farrer, George Blair, Dillian Garcia, Ivan Flores, Sky & Peter Decon, Robert O’toole, Darcy Murphine
We now have a wealth of new images to share the stoke of kneeboard surfing.

My instincts served me well by hosting the event for the entire month of February.
The first 3 weeks of March were cursed with mostly horrid conditions allowing very few good days even at the alternative spots. Surf has recently been unseasonably huge and winds onshore from NW- NNW. It’s been a strange winter for surf and weather out here.
We really scored the best this winter had to offer.

We’ll do it agin next season.

Note worthy performances were put on by ;
David Parkes......who surfed with real authority that only comes from years of dedication. Many of the local “Sunset” crew are still talking about his performances out there. David has a knack for making it all look so easy with super smooth perfectly timed surfing in very gnarly conditions. One blustery rugged afternoon I went to check out V-Land as it was sheltered from the strong trade winds. Waves looked preety good and a few of our crew were out there scoring.
I looked over towards Back Yards as a big set moved onto that reef. To my surprise, I spotted DP driving deep behind a mean dredging left bowl. He entered the right, went missing for a few seconds, then reappeared on the left shoulder as the wave spit!
Barry Baker........who dialed right into the place. He smoothly slid into untold numbers of barrels, punctuating the rides with well placed slashes and re-entries. Barry took a real liking to the center shelf reef in front of my house. This section of reef is super shallow and the rides leave you in the impact zone for the next wave, more often than not.
Karl Ward..........seen throwing himself up onto the lip and under the lip on some serious waves over dangerously shallow reefs. His surfing is quick and agile.
Marc Crawford.....for launching into some real big mean ones, carving it up, pulling in and paying dues. Only to come back for more.Red Ceglowski..........Really going for it. Paying the price at times, but he kept at it until he’d pull it off. Some of it was simply amazing!
Chris Buscemi........charging from way back getting deep and gouging some serious turns.
Mark McLeod.........a real animal, carving and slashing his way around on a board he shaped himself!
Bill Lerner.........This guy loves it mean and gnarly. He just goes off harder as the waves get heavier.
Jeff Martinez.....How does he do it? A light weight guy (125 lb) who loves heavy weight surf.
He surfs smooth, with amazing power for his size.
Ivan Flores........Good solid surfing, getting better all the time and showing a real love for the barrel.
Jeff Fujimoto........Not sure how many of the crew saw it, but he scored the biggest barrel of the whole trip. An absolute BOMB!
Mike McGuire.........Still going strong even at 50 years of age.
Gigs Celliers.........got a mean top turn.
Badden Smith......Didn't stay long or surf much..........but scored a couple great ones his first couple days.
Simon Farrer of course...........wait till you see the pics & footage!!!

Cripple Crusader · Post by **Cripple Crusader** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 2:00 am

Every cloud has a silver flashpoint!!!

I'm sure all those I met on the NS will remember me having a good little whinge about paying $80 per board on my AA leg of the flight from LA to Hawaii!!!!

To top it all off, when I got off the flight home in London, my board with glass-on fins was thoughrily trashed (although thankfully repairable). After 22hrs of flying I was in a 'little bit of a mood' at the airport, so had a 'quiet word' with British Airways about the board and excesses I had to pay!!! And surprise surprise, there is still an airline left over that remembers customer relations!!!!

So a month later I'm feeling a little bit more loved..... Got a refund cheque for the excess I had to pay (BOYCOTT AMERICAN AIRLINES!!!!) and on the w-end up picked up a nice new Flashpoint and sent the bill to British Airways!!!!

Bruce - happens to be the "London Calling" board - goes like a bomb and now lives happily in er, London.......... obviously a bit of a psychic!!!

wino · Post by **wino** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:12 am

Not to sound smart or anything, but always check your airlines excess and oversize baggage policies before you make your reservation. Also, print out a copy of the policy and bring it with you at chek in. That way you wont get jacked for additional charges that go in to the ticket agents pocket.
Finally, if you had checked American Airlines policy you would have noticed that it states that "kneeboards" are an exception just like golf clubs and are not subject to additional fees. I'm sure the "kneeborads they are refering to are the kind you tow behind a boat, but a kneeboard is a kneeboard and they ride for free.

Cripple Crusader · Post by **Cripple Crusader** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:12 am

wino, reason i was whingin so much was that is was an extention of a british airways flight - had been told 4 times that i wouldn't have to pay any excess charges and had a 30min row with the idiots at the AA check-in in LA.

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