August 31st 2005

Wow, this week has created many opportunities to reflect, plan for the future and realize how delicate our environment is. Our consciousness is focused on the many people living on survival mode. Our heart felt support goes to them to gain the strength and survive this event. Please do what you can to assist the various agencies beginning aid to the area.

Red Cross
F.E.M.A

As the constant stream of video, pictures and blogs keeps you up to date on the devastation of the aftermath, take a look into a different perspective of the event. Surfline covered the surfer's perspective very well. Take a step into the world of chasing big swells from catastrophic Hurricane Katrina. Our video account of the swell chase on Sunday, August 28th is up. Other amazing photo graphs are up at gulfster.com

Max out

August 29th 2005

We are back!

After a 21 hour round trip, we definitely got the goods of Hurricane Katrina yesterday. We left at 3 am, got to spot 1 at 8:30am surfed for a couple of hours until they asked us to evacuate the area due to potential road closure. We got to spot 2 by 11am and hit out going tide perfectly. We surfed and filmed spot 2 until 6pm. With the weather diminishing, we decided to head back to St. Augustine and start working on the video.
Eddie Toy, which you'll see on the video, said it was the biggest he has ever seen the Gulf. As a native to Florida, he has seen every big swell that has hit this state. Read his indepth account of his experience at his fat-tours blog
At spot 1, we saw double to double & 1/2 overhead surf. The sets were about 12-15'+ The buoys off the coast where we're reading 23 feet at 11 sec. At spot 2 the waves were milder in comparison, but still head to double over head waves with even bigger set waves. The place was barreling like never before.
With the hurricane well off to the West, the weather around us went from gusty winds, cumulus clouds and rain to overcast high-elevation clouds to sunshine. Enough sunshine to give us a mild sunburn. The day was perfect...

THE VIDEO IS UP...

Max

August 28th 2005

We are green light for Sunday. We are leaving St. Augustine at 3am to get to our spot on the panhandle. We will be hitting spot 1 at 8am. We will see how the swell and the rip currents are. We will be surfing via tow ins on Sunday.
On Monday, we will go to spot 2. The distance of the storm and height of waves will determin where we go and how long we stay there.

We'll keep you posted.

Max

August 25th 2005

Ok, now that's what I am talking about. Finally after about 10 days of spinning and searching for the right conditions, TD-10 morphs into Katrina and bound for Southern Florida. Looks like Florida will get the reach around on Sunday as it heads for Panama City for the 4th time this season.

We are going green light for Friday. I could tell you where we're heading, but you'd be dreamin'. The 6am call will be put in so guys don't even think of hitting the snooze.

In other semi-related activities, MTV has been at work all day to prepare for the sudden change in sunny miami's weather. Maybe next year, when they'r thinking of a concept to base the show around, the'll pick something to do with Sun...Speaking of sun, by Sunday the weather should be sweet for the actual awards night and Rockstar after party...We're heading south.

Keep 'em pealed for the pics. I'll be back on Saturday morning with all the rewards of Friday...

Max

August 19th 2005

With the most active part of the season approaching we eagerly await the big ones to come spinning off the Africa any day. As each day passes, I wonder if the most active part of the season will be the lull. With storms dissipating recently it is unfulfilling to keep watching the weather channel. Hoping for hurricanes. Some people might think I am a little crazy. Not crazy just amazed by the raw, unmanageable power of hurricanes and the conditions they create.
It's all about finding your defining moment-the moment you feel most alive. The memory that stays put after the moment has passed. Every surfer knows those moment-each one longs for the next one. Are you with me?
Nature in its untamable state creates joy for me. Nature is amazing. Nature is balance. And as mankind tries to control its surroundings in everyway, from growing green grass lawns in a dessert, to building a million dollar house on a sand dune too close to the ocean, nature is the one thing mankind will never dictate how, when and where it will present itself... This is the last frontier, always changing always remarkable and definately uncontrolable.

M

August 12th 2005

Come on Irene!

As Tropical storm Irene makes a slow progress track toward South Carolina with a north west movement, a weak ridge and cool waters will stall her forward momentum over the next couple of days. The air force recon plane will be flying in to the core for more data later today. The NHC will have more to post during their discussion this evening and tomorrow.
This is great for us in Northern Florida. The wave models from WaveWatch show Sunday being our best day for a solid ground swell with the waves making their way here until Tuesday. If today was any indication, the ground swell is well on it's way...

In the Dominican Republic, Fat-Tours is winding down it's tour of Caberete and other locations. For all the details and pictures log onto www.fat-tours.com/blog and www.fat-tours.com/gallery

Stay tuned

Max

August 8th 2005

Weekly update...

While Tropical Storm Harvey makes its way up the East coast, Tropical Depression 9 has formed into Tropical Storm Irene and now back into Tropical Depression Irene. Last week created some good surf conditions along the Northeast Florida coast. The picture of the attached was taken during the peak of the swell on Wednesday, since then it has been rather flat. On Friday, Eddie took off for the Dominican Republic with most of the St. Augustine kite crew. He is guiding his first group of kiters through fat-tours to Caberete, DR. This is a monumental occasion for him. They will be down there for 10 days. We'll keep you posted with all the happenings down there. You can also visit the hotel website where they're staying and take a look for yourself through the webcams. www.extremehotels.com They should be in for quite a week with Tropical Depression Irene forecasted to gain strength as she makes her way past the islands on route to Florida...

Stay tuned for more details.

Max out.

August 1st 2005 - Tensions mount

Damn, Florida rocks.

The first of August is here and the new advisories for the 2005 hurricane season are in...

NOAA RAISES THE 2005 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON OUTLOOK
Bulk of This Season's Storms Still to Come
A very active Atlantic hurricane season is underway, and with more storms projected, NOAA increased the number of storms in its 2005 hurricane season outlook. NOAA expects an additional 11 to 14 tropical storms from August through November, with seven to nine becoming hurricanes, including three to five major hurricanes. In total, this season is likely to yield 18 to 21 tropical storms, with nine to 11 becoming hurricanes, including five to seven major hurricanes. "The tropics are only going to get busier as we enter the peak of the season," said Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, USAF (Ret.), director of the NOAA National Weather Service. "This may well be one of the most active Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, and will be the ninth above-normal Atlantic hurricane season in the last eleven years." More

Going surfing...second session...We have a new point break in town...

Max