Hopefully, there are a few of you who follow this blog regularly as this is a follow up to a post back in early January where I gushed how good the documentary The Cove is. This past week it was nominated in the category for Best Feature Documentary for an Academy Award, which I claimed, and I claim will win. The nomination hopefully will shed more light on the disgusting unnecessary killings that take place in the small Japanese town and will pressure them to stop. If The Cove wins the Oscar it will really be interesting at the light shown. The Oscars are Sunday, March 7th and encourage anyone who loves the oceans, animals and nature to watch it.
posted by Brandy at 12:45 PM

Want to share an e-mail I received last night from one of our old team riders Jon Rose, who is now heading up Waves 4 Water. He has been assisting in the relief efforts after the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

It's Friday! ...Feb 5th, 9pm EST. I'm in a cargo plane somewhere between Florida and the Caribbean. What a trip!
I flew on a red-eye from LAX to Miami last night. I was only home for 5 days, which really wasn't enough time to process the experience I just had. There were a couple days where I really wasn't present and felt as if I was literally standing outside myself... Almost like watching my body go through everyday life, from afar.
It's not surprising that I feel so much comfort in the idea of going back. I'm definitely a little rattled and it's been such a short time being home that my heart still feels like it's in Haiti... Going back down there almost feels like the most natural thing to do.

I spent the entire day helping to coordinate the next J/P HRO shipment, which included 3000 more of our filters. Was a great experience helping the freight company and getting to know the system. We were scheduled to load and fly out on a DC 4 that is 60+ yrs old. The plane is nothing short of badass!! We packed it to the brim and climbed up a step latter to get in. There's no rules, just cargo and some random jump seats. The plane is not pressurized so we are only traveling at about 7000 ft. Throughout the flight I was able to chat with the pilots, who by the way, are a few of the most interesting cats I've ever met. They were telling me stories of landing in random countries, at night (w/no lights), on a strip of grass. Hardcore... old school... Legends!

I'm sitting now, in the very back of the plane... It's loud as hell and my ears are popping like crazy. I'm looking directly at the filters that we're bringing, with a shit-eating grin. I think to myself... what an amazing position to be in.

I'm very excited to see all of the people I promised filters to, with the goods in hand. This return trip really is a gesture of good faith more than anything. Yes, the filters we're bringing in will help thousands of people, but more importantly, I really want them to know that we're serious and that our program is committed to Haiti for the long haul.

Landing soon...
Jon

Sent from my iPhone
posted by Brandy at 12:05 PM

Micah Byrne has a photo in the February issue of Blisss Magazine. Byrne's image is part of Orange County photog Chris "Sarge" Sardelis's portfolio in the issue. The photo was shot in Orange County during the great run of swells California experienced in January. Gabe Kling surfed it one day with Micah while he was out in California and said "It was the best wave he has ever surfed in California!" Now, Kling hasn't spent an entire year in Cali, just mainly the summers, but that is a pretty big statement and as you can see by this photo I'm assuming his quote was based off of how many barrels they got!
posted by Brandy at 11:17 AM

Gabe Kling was eliminated at the WQS 6-Star Prime Hang Loose Pro in Brazil today. I watched the last five minutes of his heat due to the time difference and conditions looked very tough. With a fairly straight looking swell/sand bar and few and far between makeable barrels. You either got tubed and came out for a 9 or didn't and got a 3. Kling did get one barrel but it wasn't enough and he came up short in 3rd place. Now he'll have a few weeks at home before the next leg in Australia gets underway and I'm sure he'll enjoy the little things at home like Superbowl Sunday, Valentine's Day with his girlfriend, mom's cooking and getting acquainted with his brand new jet ski. Kling bought it off Ben Bourgeois who won it in a contest and then had two ski's (what a bummer) so he gave Gabe a good deal on it. Kling had it shipped from California back to Florida where it is waiting for him to grab the reigns and have some fun.
posted by Brandy at 1:26 PM

The WQS 6-Star Prime Hang Loose Pro ran the first twelve heats of the round of 96 today. The contestants welcomed sunny and light offshore 3-4ft. conditions on Brazil's island of Fernando de Noronha where they enjoyed some warm barrels. Fresh off his 9th place at last week’s 6-Star, Brian Toth (photo) couldn't translate that momentum in his heat today and was eliminated. Gabe Kling is in heat number 24 once they resume the round of 96 and will actually be the 12th heat of the day.
posted by Brandy at 11:34 AM

Yesterday I ranted on about how I just can't wait for spring when daily boardshort weather starts to kick in and all the ladies start to shed their winter coats to expose bikinis underneath. Nothing beats warm summer days and they are a'coming but maybe a little later then I hope as the famous ground hog, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow today on Groundhog Day's when he exited his den, signaling 6 more weeks of winter! Booooo - I'm going to make a custom pair of boardshorts for Phil and send them to him so he gets in the mood and spring comes early in 2011. At least our team gets to enjoy summer in the southern hemisphere. Gabe Kling and Brian Toth are currently on the beautiful tropical island of Fernando de Noronha in Northern Brazil for the WQS 6-Star prime Hang Loose Pro. They finished the round of 128 today and will start the round of 96 in which both Kling (bottom photo) and Tothy will start their campaigns. Kling has had strong previous results and has even finaled at this event before and will be looking for continued success in Fernando!
posted by Brandy at 1:01 PM

With February upon us we are nearing springtime in the Northern Hemisphere and I can't wait for it to warm up to boardshort temps. Our Matix spring 2010 boardshorts have arrived and will be in stores very, very soon. Just want to remind everyone that when you purchase a pair of Matix boardies you are contributing a small part in the fight against global warming. We don't make any extra little plastic gimmicks to go with our trunks, instead we replaced those with a fully biodegradable Pollution Solution plastic trash bag. Hopefully, you are aware of the giant Pacific garbage patch which is roughly twice the size of the state of Texas and is like a slow-spinning plastic hording vortex. So, the reason we include the Pollution Solution bags on all of our boardshorts is to encourage you to pick up just one bag of trash at your local beach or wherever. Especially plastic bottles and plastic bags, which many, many, many of them end up in the oceans and eventually the garbage patch. California is trying to impose a plastic bag fee which I think is a great idea as we really don't need anymore one time usage plastic bags. There is also a movement to ban Styrofoam which will never breakdown in our lifetimes. So, when you buy things and they come in a plastic bag, plastic bottle or Styrofoam that you use for minutes they end up lasting lifetimes. So, please join Matix in doing a small part in change and in turn, end up as a movement.
posted by Brandy at 12:09 PM