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I’m posting this from a tiny surf village in Michoacan, Mexico. Ah, the power of technology. I’m a week into my 10 surf trip to Guerrero and Michoacan, Mexico. We flew into Zihuatenajo and scored a solid South swell the first four days north of Zihuatenajo near Troncones. Troncones is a chill beach village with a couple of fun waves and a pounding beachbreak. We stayed at Manzanillo Bay in Troncones. From Troncones, there are a handful of breaks within driving distance, Saladita and The Ranch being the best ones. Saladita is a full, super-long left hand wave better on a fish or longboard. The Ranch is another left hander with better shape.

After the swell subsided, we packed up and headed north to Michoacan and the surf there. Look for a full review to come in the next few days. Great to be surfing in trunks again.

The jury may still be out for some people about whether global warming is actually occurring, but for many of us it’s pretty obvious. I’m already investing in property in Oregon as the new Costa Rica (give it 200 years). Global warming’s effects on surf and waves isn’t as obvious. Rising sea levels are likely to turn epic surf spots like Pipeline into warm water mush burgers, but there’s some good news for surfers. There’s evidence that global warming is creating more larger storms, which means bigger waves. Seismologists have been able to document the phenomena (link). So next time you ditch your board on a set wave and swim, blame it on global warming not fear.

No one seemed to be crying for a collapsible surfboard, but engineers decided to preempt our interests and beat us to the punch. Nicholas Notara (huh?) designed the quirky, yet beautiful board, which will likely costs what you’d pay for five Merricks. The kit comes with 300 hundred or so pieces and takes about 8 weeks of your time and a physics degree to assemble. Once assembled you can commence to shred some distant exotic surf break.

The concept does have some merit. However, I was unable to find any info Googling “Nicholas Notara” and C2 Surfboards. The idea is hugely popular on tech blogs. That and a complete absence of Mr. Notara in anything having to do with surfboards make me wonder whether the project was an exercise in photoshopping rather than construction. I will give him credit that it looks pretty sick, very James Bondish. So next time you have to parachute into at night to surf a remote break, bring the C2 along.

Here’s a collection of what surfline editors selected as the best 10 videos of 2007. Unfortunately, I had to miss that epic tow session at Teahupoo in November because of a head cold. I’ll make it next swell, I swear.(Surfline link).

Bali has hit the surf spotlight hard in the last couple years and for good reason. From April through September it has consistent clean swell with good wind conditions (offshore at most breaks) and epic waves like Uluwatu and Padang Padang. It’s become the Hawaii of the summer months. Kuta has a fun nightlife and is incredibly cheap. The Balinese are friendly, welcoming people. Balinese locals have been competing on the international level for over a decade. Kuta Beach is packed surf schools and surf shops. If you’re heading to other parts of Indonesia for surf, then Bali is the requisite jumping off point. You can indulge in amazing food, parties, and massages before the jungle camps at G-Land or a surf charter in the Mentawais. Additionally, Bali has a rich culture with beautiful temples and scenery. The surf, culture, and lively nightlife make Bali one of the top surf destinations in the world.

Destination: Bali, Indonesia
Time of Year: April through September
Breaks: Uluwatu, Kuta Beach, Padang Padang, Nusa Dua, Medewi
Level: All levels
Cost: Inexpensive

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Billabong announced the winners of the annual Billabong XXL competition on Sunday (link). Shane Dorian won ride of the year for his heaving tube at Teahupoo on November 1st. Manoa Drollet won Monster Tube Award for an equally crazy wave on the same day.

Mike Parson took the Biggest Wave with a 70 ft + wave at Cortes Bank. Greg Long won Biggest Paddle-In wave with a bomb at Todos Santos.

Bra Boys, surfing documentary about Koby Abberton and the surfing gang from Maroubra, opens tomorrow in select theaters in the U.S. (link) Russel Crowe narrates the film that focuses on true story of the Abberton brothers (Sunny, Koby, Jai, and Dakota) being charged with murder and accessory to murder. The charges threaten to put away Jai and Koby away in prison. It looks good and got nominated for a bunch of film awards I’ve never heard of. It scored a very respectable 83% on rottentomatoes.com. Russel Crowe will also be directing a movie by Universal and Imagine based on the story. Here’s a clip of them charging Ours–hell wave in Sydney.

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Winter 2007-2008 was good, and big. We saw a few big swells on the West Coast and some consistent surf in between. Some were calling the December 4, 2007 swell at Mavericks and Ghost Trees some of the biggest surf there ever (link). Meanwhile, a team of tow surfers including Mike Parson and Brad Gerlach hit Cortes Bank to score huge surf there (link). Both swells created some epic rides and Billabong XXL contenders.

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Kelly Slater has already won a record 8 world titles, and now he’s got a good start for a ninth. He’s already won the first two events of the year at Superbank on the Gold Coast and at Bells Beach. At 35 years old, he looks as good as anyone on the tour. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything that can slow him down. Here’s a link to the Foster’s ASP rankings and upcoming contests, and a clip of Kelly in form at big Bells Beach in 2008.

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El Salvador is an up and coming surf destination with great surf for all levels, uncrowded waves, and excellent exposure to Southern swell. It’s one of the cheapest surf destinations and is a short flight from the U.S. Ravaged by civil war and violence through the 80s and 90s, until recently El Salvador was considered an unsafe place to travel. In the past 10 years, surfers have gradually started returning to El Salvador and finding epic waves and empty line-ups. Surfing has grown among Salvadorians, and the best breaks do see crowds. However, El Salvador still has a lot to offers with long pointbreaks, friendly locals, and a relaxed surf scene.

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