ESM

•New Yorker Tim Hill called in to let us know that ESM Rockaway Kingpin Alex Karinsky's wife Miranda gave birth to son Parker Jaden Karinsky on July 10th, joining big brother Sandon. ESM and the entire Rocks community sends big congrats to Alex.

Balaram Stack -- Cresitello

•Big thanks to Big World's Sid Abruzzi, who gave us the big thumbs-up to use their music for our big video, Always Right. Order your copy today.

•Alexander "Sandy" Nesbitt, a photographer from Newport, RI, whose work has graced the cover of National Geographic Magazine and the pages of Outside Magazine--recently did some swell hunting in the Cape Verdes. Take a look on his website to check out some of the fine images at www.nesbittphoto.com.

•Lindsey Groepper from BLASTMedia in Fishers, IN, informed us of a cool product she's currently representing, the Sahara DryEar. It's a portable ear drying unit that could be useful for surfers looking to protect their ears from infection during extensive time in the water. E-mail Lindsey at lindsey@blastmedia.com for more information.

•Christopher Kluesener, co-owner of the hot new Thrust Surfwear, threw a banger promo party on a boat just off the coast of Captree, NY, on July 29th called the Moonlight Bash. Learn more about the shindig and the exciting new company Thrust Worldwide, LLC at www.thrustsurfwear.com.

Eric Anderson -- Cavanaugh

•New York's Unsound Surf Shop has a new surf report number: 516-214-8383. Make a note of it, and we'll see y'all at Lincoln Blvd. And speaking of Lincoln Blvd., word has it that Unsound grom rider Balaram Stack has been blowing up dawn tow-at sessions there lately. Look for Balaram's ascension to continue.

•In more Unsound news, shopowner Mike "Nellie" Nelson is selling a bunch of camera gear: one pistol grip housing for $500 (perfect shape, used only about ten times), one flash housing for $200 and one Canon 1N camera with booster for $350. Nellie's willing to sell the bundle together or split it up, so e-mail him at unsound1@optonline.net for more information.

•From mountain to ocean, New England photographer Nick Lavecchia recently moved from Burlington, VT, to York, ME, and is now bunking with older brother Mike--who along with Rich Blundell just finished building their first of many hollow cedar surfboards. The first board was made using somewhat traditional boat-building techniques. The keel (stringer) and frames define the shape of the board, while the planking is fastened to the frames using bronze wood screws. Look for these cutting edge sticks to be available soon under the Down East Surfboards label. And for more, contact Nick at nick@nicklavecchia.com.

•New Hammy staple Skye Nacel sent us some killer shots of a tasty June swell that graced the Granite State coastline. Look for them on the Cinnamon Rainbows online gallery at www.cinnamonrainbows.com.

•In a Blah-Boo from last issue, we fudged a crucial detail regarding young New York hellman Will Skudin's birthday party in Puerto Escondido. The young pup Skuds turned 20--not 21--while in Mexico this past May. Sorry, Will, but what can we say? You just surf mature for your age.

•Attention crime stoppers and gutless thieves: a surfboard got stolen this July in South Kingstown, RI, from Manny Morris. The ten-foot longboard was given to Manny by his uncle, Tom Hoxsie, and was custom-made by the shaper Phillips about 20 years ago for Tom. It's black with a white skeleton on it--one of a kind--and the owners would like it back home, where it belongs. Please contact Chris Morris with any information at stringbait@cox.net.

Josh Clements -- Cavanaugh

•On August 2nd, Westerly, RI's, 7 Ply Surf Shop hosted a huge Hoven and Ambiguous movie night at the Revival House--with an after-party at Senor Flaco's. Check out www.7ply.com for more details on the happenings--as well as future event dates.

•Thanks to Tropical Storm Franklin, the 2005 ESA Cape Cod Surfing Championships treated approximately 100 competitors to generous helpings of glassy, three to five-foot groundswell in Wellfleet, MA. Standout showings came from Eric Anderson, Steve Hassett, Kai Potter, Nora Vasconcellos, Peter Pan, Mercy Reed, Rachael Finn, Shaye Cavanaugh--and Team Pump House.

•In more Cape news, Rachael Finn checked in to let us know she's now added Little Overhead Surf Shop of Cape Cod, MA, and J7 Surfboards of Santa Barbara, CA, to her docket of sponsors--which already includes DaKine and Freestyle USA.

•And in one last bit of Cod fodder, upon viewing coverage of fellow Massachusetts ripper Josh Clements, Shaye Cavanaugh wrote us the following note: "Wow, some more of Josh. I guess you guys forgot about me in the Blah Blahs. Or was it intentional?" Of course not, Shaye. But some questions are better answered by pictures than words. So here's one for ya. Cheers.

•Check out deets at www.savethebay.org regarding Save The Bay's 29th Annual Bay Swim--to promote a cleaner, healthier Narragansett Bay, RI.

•Stoked Mentoring--along with sponsors Hewlett Packard, Zoo York, Quiksilver and NY Youth at Risk--launched the inaugural season of its newest program, Surf Mentor. Surf Mentor aims to encourage mentoring pairs to create and build strong values for a successful life through waveriding. Promoting respect and awareness, the program provides participants access to surfing's tools to overcome fear and build trust, while providing strong adult guidance for a youth in need. On July 20th, Stoked Mentoring presented a luau fundraiser at the Polynesian-themed Waikiki Wally's in NYC to support future seasons of the program. For more information, visit www.stokedmentoring.org.

•Narragansett, RI's, Peter Pan took four titles--Grandmasters, Legends Longboard, Open Bodyboard and Open Shortboard--at the 2005 ESA Rhode Island State Surfing Championships. In doing so, Pan became the oldest USSF/ Surfing America competitor to win all four divisions at a single, rated contest. And always a pillar of modesty, Pete commented after the event: "Every set wave had my name on it." Yep, that's our boy. Other Rhode Islanders who won division titles were Zoe Burns, Jesse Rodriquez, Wade Madden, Ronaldo Lima, Jen McGovern, Jon Humphries and Ron Belanger--as well as the Gansett Juice Surf Team.

•In more New England contest deets, the final ESA-NNE District contest took place at The Wall in Hampton, NH, on July 9th. Big rippers who are also currently on top of their district ratings are Kai Nichols, Max Fatello, Lars Jacobson, Leah Grondin, Nohea Nichols, Casey Lockwood, Kevin Grondin, Julia Nichols and Nick Miller. Visit www.esa-nne.org for more info.

Cruisin' Atlantic Avenue Out Now

•Central Florida filmmaker Will Lucas' latest opus is now available on DVD, Cruisin' Atlantic Avenue. The historical and engaging film contains ancient footage of New England waveriding, as well as other clips up and down the East Coast. E-mail Will at will@surf64.com to find out how to get a copy.

•A group of approximately 30 inner city kids from Washington Heights learned to surf at Far Rockaway Beach during one of the final days of the Surfrider NYC Chapter's seven-week-long Respect the Beach (RTB) program. For the second summer in a row, the chapter partnered with The Children's Aid Society's Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program (www.stopteenpregnanacy.com) to introduce urban teens and preteens to an accessible and valuable resource--New York City beaches. And for a $2 subway ride from Washington Heights, that's a positive thing that's bound to stay in many of the kids' lives. For more information on the program, visit www.surfrider.org/nyc.

•In the Big Apple, Billabong and Element opened a new store in Times Square this summer. Check it out at 1515 Broadway for a little surf in the city.

•Peep the new and improved site, www.nesurf.com. Deemed "NeSurf.com 2.0" by the website's crew, it boasts a new look and fresh features in addition to all the regular treats you're used to. Look for additions to the store, a huge backlog of pictures and a solid stream of articles at www.nesurf.com as part of the revamp. Compiled by Mike Fish

MA BLAHS

Lindsey Bowman -- AJ Neste

•Vah Beacher creature Brendan Petticrew just signed a 100-percent deal with Reef, according to Satellite Beach, FL-based informant Jeremy Saukel. Big props to Reef for looking out. But Brendan isn't the only one getting hooked up. Fellow WRV teamrider Jeff Myers also picked up a new sponsor: the Outer Banks Brewing Station, thanks to pub patrons Gordon Rainey, Barry Price and Eric Reece. Here's to a few hundred rounds on Jeff until his contract runs out.

•The boys at www.vbsurfphotos.com put up a couple cool new video clips on their site, so check it out.

•Murph's Surf Wax Company's second year has seen significant sales increases due to strong sales in Florida and the Eastern U.S. In fact, Murph's Surf Wax sticks are now being sold in every coastal state in the continental U.S., Hawaii and Canada. "We have made important inroads in the surf industry and look forward to improving our position in the boardsport industry," Patrick Murphy said. The company has also begun production on their new line of snowboard and skateboard wax. The introduction of these additional products will be announced in ESM in the very near future.

•It's not a tuna! But Dean Randazzo has signed with Hot Tuna Clothing to anchor their newly formed surf team. Hot Tuna will also be supporting the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation this year, so stay tuned to www.deanrandazzocancerfoundation.org for developments.

Joe Cheshire -- Frock

•In case you hadn't noticed, Virginia Beach, VA, wahine Lindsey Bowman is positively shredding lately, even scoring a spot on the U.S.A. Surf Team this summer after winning the ESA Mid-Atlantic Regionals. The Volcom rider's also setting her sights on the NSSA's most feared competitors in '06, so look out.

•Congratulations to Wilmington, NC, Digital Wunderland maestro Joe Cheshire and his lovely fiancé Lindsey, who just set a date for their wedding, June 3rd, 2006.

•Other New Hanover Countycopia found that Chris "Gut" Rochelle, of those disgustingly raw Carolina gnarlers The Needles, got a little time off the road to... well, go back on the road, indulging himself on a surf trip to Costa Rica's Playa Grande/ Tamarindo area. Just look at Gut ripping in this shot taken by Marcelo Matos, for shit's sake! Give him some bearings and a Bud, and he might as well be carving the Skate Barn bowl. By the way, The Needles have been copping loads of press lately in everything from Surfing Magazine to Juice Magazine and, most recently, this very issue of Eastern Surf you're reading right now. Flip to page 64 for an Eargasm review of their new Amerikan Project-fronted split EP with SoCal punks Killing California. You can also view one of The Needles' new videos at www.thatsrightrecords.com. Go ahead, get pricked.

•Darryl Hatheway of the Surfrider-Washington DC Chapter treated himself to a summertime dream trip to the Mentawais with DC metro-area Surfrider member Alex Viana, where they boarded the Aileoita with guides Jordan Heuer and "All-Day Ray." The duo found epic swell conditions lighting up Rifles, 4 Bobs, E-Bay, Kandui, Scarecrows, HT's, Lance's Left and other spots before the culminating, four to eight-foot day at Macaronis with only two other boats in the channel--a perfect ending for the normally wave-starved boys from DC. (Special Travel Note: Darryl found out the hard way that your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date into Indonesia or you risk denial of a visa and deportation back to Singapore, which he experienced personally and commented: "it sucked big time... don't let it happen to you!")

•Will Hallett recently launched a new website devoted to surfing in New York and New Jersey, www.nynjsurf.com. Take a look around.

•In other Jersey jive, you just gotta check out the latest issue of Celebrity Car Magazine, where South Jersey stud Matt Keenan is featured alongside such stars as Xzibit and Stephon Marbury showing off his sick rides and such. Visit www.celebritycarmagazine.com for a taste.

•Joisey shredda' Jamie Moran, his brother Trevor, ESM's newest contributing photog, and Jesse Rendell just returned from Samoa. Pick up next issue to see how they scored.

Chris "Gut" Rochelle, Sharp as a Needle -- Matos

•Tim Mulvaney of Toms River, NJ, relayed the following: After paddling nearly 250 miles on longboards along the New Jersey, Delaware and North Carolina coasts during the past three summers, the Habitat Paddle to Build 4 made its way up the South Carolina coast August 7th-12th to raise funds and awareness for the organization, which is aimed at providing adequate, affordable and environmentally conscious housing for the less fortunate. To paddle, contribute, or take in a nightly video on the project, click on www.habitatpaddle.org.

•According to rep Caine Faircloth, Ambiguous' Redneck To Rock Star Tour was a complete success, thanks to energetic Carolina teamers Christopher Lassiter, Justin Roonie, Cody Leutgens, Sam Steed, Brent "Pepe" McCoy, Wesley Bell, Justin Fulford and Kyle Busey--each and every one of them bringing a unique flavor to the table. Special mention goes to Cody Leutgens, who won five bucks for "best air" during an impromptu expression session and a free movie ticket for the "best barrel." Meanwhile, Kyle Busey was the overall winner of the Super Heat, narrowly edging out Wesley Bell to score the next box of Ambig goods. Later that night, during a party at Bob's Grill, giveaways from Ambiguous, Rockstar Energy Drink and LX abounded, as Pepe's band Four Learning treated the audience to quality jams. Additional thanks to Mickey "2M" McCarthy for documenting the whole shebang.

•Upon finishing a lifeguarding stint in Oz this May, Surf City, NJ's, Gary Jones met up with fellow underground LBI chargers Jonathan Price and Nick Terrell in Indo, where they sampled some Balinese juice before an even more blessed trip to the Mentawais granted them ten straight days of flawless surf, more than enough to get them through their long, waveless summer of lifeguarding, carpentry and commercial fishing.

Mark Willis -- Dugan

•Ever watched your crew score sickies while you're sidelined with an injury? The folks at XeroSox know the feeling. And the Wilmington, NC-based company now produces a watertight inflatable cover for a plaster cast or wound dressing, endorsed by doctors. Not showering for six weeks is no big deal, but going cold turkey from not surfing is out of the question. Check it out at www.xerosox.com.

•The Summer: Sun, Surf & Sand Show will be running through August 29th at the Hypno Gallery in Moorestown, NJ, and featuring the works of Mary Beth Zeitz, Nick Zegel, Jay Winkler, Zave Smith, Alison Judah, Sydney Grant, Travis Child and Richard Cardona. Go to www.hypnogallery.com for more info.

•Longtime Reef pro Noah Snyder recently switched to Cobian.

•Going back to Reef, the clothing/ footwear company will be the main sponsor of the Independence Day Classic, you know, the notoriously swell-saturated pro comp held at Soupbowl, Barbados each November. Stay tuned to ESM for more.

•And finally, shortly after doing an interview with us last issue, Surfline East Coast Forecaster Mark Willis left the company to move to Eureka, CA, for a position with the National Weather Service. Weird. Anyway, Mike Watson will be taking over as Surfline's East Coast Manager and Lead Eastern Forecaster. Mark adds, "It was a pleasure working with all of you and I wish you all the best of luck. If anyone needs me for anything, you can e-mail me at mcwillis05@yahoo.com." Compiled by Matt Pruett

SE BLAHS

Icah Wilmot -- Hill

•Billy "Mystic" Wilmot of Jamnesia Surf Camp reported normally cool runnings even with Hurricane Emily passing over them. "No problems thanks to Jah," he wrote. "In Jamaica there's a saying that no female hurricanes ever hit, so we knew we were going to be OK. That theory's worked for quite a while now. Hurricanes Charlie, David, Allen, Gilbert, Mitch, Ivan, Dennis and more have all hit us but not one female." One woman, however, Mother Ocean, did manage to swat them, though, with plenty of swell at the reef behind their camp. His son Icah Wilmot, as usual, was a standout on the bigger days. Check out Icah's story on Page 146 in his Who Da Guy profile.

•Speaking of Who Da Guys, former ESM WDG Ryan Helm now has a sweet website, produced by Del Mar Media and Troika Studio: www.ryanhelm.com. The award-winning Troika Studio is also the official web design team for the Lopez and Hobgood brothers, (www.lopezbrothers.com and www.hobgoods.com). Former Rusty/ current Teqoph Surfboard's shaper Bill Johnson even put Helm on his pro team that includes CJ Hobgood and WQS contender Gabe Kling, additional incentive for Helm to continue putting in top WQS performances like he did at last January's Globe Sebastian Inlet Pro.

•Congratulations to Globe guy Mason Sapp and his wife Angela, who just had a brand new baby boy, Ayden Sapp, born at Cape Canaveral Hospital on June 29th.

•Brevard County longboarder Jimmy Walker now rides for Tom Neilson.

•Satellite Beach, FL, pro skater Clay King of Soul Trip Skateboards relocated to Wisconsin this summer to take on an instructor's position at Lake Owen Camp (www.lakeowencamp.com), which offers courses in gymnastics, BMX and skateboarding. Clay reports having a blast: "The kids are really amped to be here and so eager to learn. They keep getting up and doing their tricks over and over again with such determination and persistence. It's the refreshing spirit of innocence and the willingness to overcome the challenges of a new sport and the tricks therein." Nicely put, Clayton.

•While on a trip to Costa Rica's Playa Guiones with Nick Fairman, Kristina Mekdeci wanted to get the word out about Matt Adame, who's roaming around Ticoland shooting pictures for traveling surfers. Matt only charges $25 for one day and $40 for the whole week. He's staying at Blue Dogs and works with Harbor Reek Lodge, so if you're up that way, look around for him or e-mail adamem@juno.com.

Kristin Wilson, Good Looking Out. -- J. Wilson

•Best of luck to ESM Assignment Writer Mike Cianciulli in making the transition from California's mellow Central Coast to Orange County's eclectic fruitbowl of traffic, smog and crowds to embark on his new venture, a marketing position with Surfing America in Huntington Beach, CA. Cianciulli leaves behind a plethora of quirky secret spots, plenty of fresh air and big shoes to fill at Poorboy USA, where he worked for two years contributing to both the sales end and the design side. Cianciulli will now assist Surfing America Executive Director Mike Gerard while working closely with the U.S.A. Surf Team. He'll also be handling marketing, sales, media and public relations.

•New Smyrna Beach, FL, videographer John Perkins woke us up with a surprise e-mail about his new gig shooting film and video for an Oakley project down the line. In other words, look for some sick footy from Perky in the vid--we're thinking of NSB Oakley riders like Aaron Cormican and the Geiselman brothers. We can't wait to see it. How 'bout you?

•Albeit a little late, Bryce Davies from Ponte Vedra Surf Co. still managed to send us a few shots from their ultra cool new contest featuring a fresh format where everyone has to ride the same exact 5'6" superfish, which they had five of. Bryce claimed a sick turnout with big local names like Ryan Briggs, Jeff Crego and Corey Sapp in attendance. Sheppherd Boggs photographed the whole deal. Let's hope Bryce gives us a heads up about the Ponte Vedra Superfish Challenge a little earlier next year so we can possibly do a story on the fucker.

•According to relocated St. Augustine, FL, wahine rippette Kristin Wilson, Surfrider just picked up "Mini-Duke" Aaron Peirsol as a spokesperson for the organization. Peirsol, an olympic swimmer who was once featured as a "surfing celeb" in Surf Life for Women, is currently being repped by the sports management agency Kristin works with, Premier Management Group.

Dirty Eddie Guilbeau -- Seeloff

•In other Saint Auggie stuff, budding lensman Keith Novosel has been snapping up the action at the Dredge lately, both on land and in the water, so here's hoping the sandbar sticks around through Hurricane Season '05 so we can run some of his work.

•Shit, we messed up Urban Dwellers' web addy last ish, writing www.urbandwellers.com instead of www.urbandwellers.org. Whoops. Besides everything offered on their huge online catalog, the South Florida company now offers full-color printing for posters, inserts and such. Miami, FL, shralper Jerry Burdine now rides for Urban Dwellers, as well, and just moved to LA to shoot footage for Mark Wilder's upcoming video Under The Radar. Contact John Peterson at skaone@urbandwellers.org for more.

•Duuuuude! Eddie Guilbeau now rides for Adio Shoes. Siiiiiick!

•Get a load of the slideshow featuring the Thompson tribe's visit to Lowers for NSSA Nationals at www.surfjaxpier.com. Just click on Hugh Thompson's gallery and you're so there.

•Think fast! Brevard County shaper Rich Price's site, www.richpricesurfdesigns.com, is finally up and running.

•Another fresh site to check out is www.fleshprofitsnothing.com, put out by St. Auggie filmer/ videographer Dustin Miller and fine artist Nathan Lewis. Look for their documentary, The Dredge, to be out soon.

•Analog Clothing just brought more power to their sales force with the addition of Lane Burney as the new Florida sales rep. He can be reached at 321-626-3871.

Tanner Strohmenger Turning Heads at 11 -- Dean

•South Carolina surfer Colleen Hanley enjoyed a killer turnout for her art exhibit, Soul Show 2, at the new Wine Lounge & Gallery 104 in San Clemente, CA, which ran for the week of August 12th. For more details on future exhibits or to purchase some of her quality work, call Hanley at 949-218-0903.

•And you just can't keep them Smyrna kids down. Shannon "Hopper" Eichstaedt recently returned from several high-profile months in Mainland Mexico where his gnarly tube antics can be seen on his sure-to-be-sick new video, Savage Cowboys, (c'mon, don't say it with a lisp). Hopper got seriously shacked in some Pasquales triple-overheaders on an 8'2" gun, and he already ordered a 9'0" for next season. Other NBK'ers like Devon Tresher and Casey Collins also donned their cowboy hats on a mission to Hopperland, getting their fair share of tubes, as well. Check out the Savage Cowboys trailer at www.lostenterprises.com. It's gnarly.

•FCS East Coast Regional Manager Ron Long wanted to share their new website launch with you. Be sure to check out the fin selector under the products link. Go to www.surffcs.com now... do it!

•Just when we thought we were finished hacking through the incredibly immense sea of blahs for this very important Surf Expo edition of Eastern Surf, we got this e-mail that put tears in our eyes: "Hi, this is Tanner Strohmenger. I'm 11 years old and live in Deerfield Beach, FL. I won the NSSA East Coast Champs for Open Mini Groms. There was an article about the contest in ESM and I was not mentioned in the article. I was wondering if I can get some sort of coverage in your upcoming magazine. Here are some photos if possibly needed." Why heck yes, Tanner! And y'know why? Because these are the kinda Blahs we editors love to see: quick, concise, and to the point... and way more articulate and grammatically correct than most messages we get from surfers three times your age. Keep ripping, lad, and you'll find yourself in these pages more than you ever dreamed.

•And finally, I bet you thought we weren't going to say anything about Puerto Rico psycho-ripper Brian Toth. Well, stop thinking and turn to Page 36. Compiled by Matt Pruett

MFE BLAHS

Kris Wiernicki -- J. Wilson

•In a sad opener to the MFE Blahs, Garden Stater and ESM's former darkroom tech Steve Lenches stopped by the office to pass on news that fellow Jersey surfer Barry Miller recently passed away at 41 years young after finally succumbing to complications from a motocross accident that left him paralyzed in the late '90s. The Ocean County Bricktown, NJ, resident was a highly visible fixture in the lineups from Seaside's Casino Pier to The Peak at Manasquan--and he was a card-carrying member of the infamous Surfers Beach Crew through the '80s and '90s that called Bayhead's Osborne Avenue jetty their homebreak. A polished goofyfooter and accomplished tuberider in the area's pounding, beachbreak barrels, Barry will be missed by all. Our condolences go out to all his family and friends. Rip In Peace, Barry.

•After a series of worldwide eliminations involving more than 1000 surfers, the finals of the Quiksilver King Of The Groms went off at La Piste, Capbreton, on the southwest coast of France, from August 2nd-7th, and our Right Coast qualifier, Melbourne Beach, FL's, Kris Wiernicki, put in a strong showing despite facing some very lethal competitors in unfamiliar territory. When the smoke settled, Kris placed equal-11th, but reported it to be an awesome experience all the way around. His older sister, Kelsea Wiernicki, went along as a chaperone, and at our request she documented the whole French escapade for the readers of ESM. Stay tuned next issue for her first-person account of the trip in our Travelers' Notebook department.

•South Florida surfer Darren Marks' company is currently marketing an energy drink called Rip It, owned by National Beverage, the fifth largest carbonated beverage company in the country--and man, is it tasty and revitalizing! E-mail royaldarren@bellsouth.net for more.

•Eastern Surf sends our deepest "bummed for ya" to New Hampshire videographer Joe Carter, who while joining Jack Fleming, Jeff Myers and Red Bull riders Billy Hume and Ian Parnell on an RB5X run in New York (what he later called the "Tour de Blur"), had all the tapes containing footage for his highly anticipated video release Get In The Van stolen from their, uh... van. Luckily, Joe still had lots of clips stored on his computer, and losing the resulting footy has only invigorated him to gather more A+ clips. Look for a trailer of Joe's new vid on the extras to ESM's own video, Always Right.

•Joe isn't the only guy in surf videodom to experience some lame luck lately. Donaldson Miele of Mutiny Media jacked his grill while skating the Etnies park in California a few weeks back. Dono's damage report? One front tooth (top row) knocked out; one front tooth (top row) broken in half with nerves dangling, resulting in a very fun root canal; and another front tooth (top row) broken in half. A wheel bite following a standard frontside smith grind in the corner bowl was the culprit. On a happier note, Miele is getting married to Christy Leigh Brock in his old Virginia Beach, VA, stomping grounds on November 5th. Congrats Dono, and get well soon.

Ripper Ripped Off, Billy Hume -- Mez

•The Spellbinders surf/ skate squad enjoyed a killer party, thanks to shopowner Ron Fernicola, on August 6th in celebration of a successful summer and also to amp up the lads for Hurricane Season '05. Other friends of the shop in attendance included none other than ESM shooters Carl "Rat Bastard" Rucki and Chris "Captain Lou" Fuller. For further info on Spellbinders, contact them at 732-531-7873.

•Cove Skate and Surf in Brandon, FL, is opening another store in Tampa. Visit www.coveskateandsurf.com for the lowdown on the new shop at 3402 S. Dalemabry, Tampa, FL 33629--or call Cove's Darrell Oliver at 813-832-3271.

•Freebords just released their Fall 2005 decks online. Check them out at www.freebord.com.

•Liquid Culture announced the opening of their new waterfront digs on Stickney Point Road in Sarasota, FL. Drop by or visit www.liquidculture.com for more information.

•Are you an athlete looking to connect with a sponsor in the surf, skate, snow, wake, ski, BMX and motocross industries? Well, you're in luck--that's just what Actionprofiles aims to due. Give the site a look at www.actionprofiles.com.

•Florida's Lisa Mead let us know about an epic beach party hosted by the Vero Beach Museum of Art, co-hosted by Central Florida Surf School, this July. Many flip-flop-clad attendees flocked to the event, enjoying the live music performed by The Hard Rock Lemons outside in the museum's Wahlstrom Sculpture Garden, the award-winning wings donated by Mr. Manatee's Casual Grill and the exhibition of Augustus Saint-Gaudens: American Sculptor of the Gilded Age. Check out www.vbmuseum.org for more.

•Arnette Team Manager Toby Ogden welcomes hard-hitting Florida pros Tommy O'Brien and Scott Posner to their squad.

A Spellbinding Crew -- 4 Eyes Productions

•Lacy Max at Surf Guru has a new cam aimed at Sebastian Inlet. To take a pelican's eye view of First Peak, visit www.surfguru.com.

•Ernesto "Vladimir" Torres, who for many years was the main man for Punta Mango Surf Tours in El Salvador, has broken off from Punta Mango and set up his own surf tour/ guide service. Vladimir, one of the country's most respected rippers, is a first-rate guide who speaks fluent English and knows everyone. Coupling his guide services with the newly opened Casa De Mar Villas--located in front of the world-class righthander at Sunzal--it's the recipe for an ideal trip for either the hardcore rider or just the bloke traveling with his girlfriend or family. Vladimir not only puts you on the best waves at the right time but he also shares a wealth of history about his fascinating country. Those interested can book both their airfare and the services of Casa de Mar Villas and Vladimir Torres thru Worldwide Adventures in Satellite Beach, FL, by calling 1-800-796-9110.

•Two young French directors recently finished a full-length waveriding film titled Mediterranean Flat Country 100% Mediterranée. The film was presented at the International Film Festival of Surfing of Saint Jean de Luz in May, where it received the special prize of the jury. They're seeking partners interested in helping release the flick internationally. Contact them by e-mailing fox50@wanadoo.fr.

•On July 23rd, the Bunger family hosted an engagement party at their beach house for Charlie Bunger, Jr. and his bride-to-be Kristin Semmelmann. In attendance were "Pistol Pete" Armata, Howie Guja, George Fagan, Fufu, John "Freddie" Lakota, Toby Smith, Barb Baker, Ed "Zippy" Arikian, ESM's Tom Dugan, plus Quiksilver riders Dan Hopkins, Strider Wasilewski, Frank Walsh, Danny Fuller, Reef McIntosh and Rick Banta. Also on August 13th, Bunger ran its 17th Annual Surf Contest at Gilgo, so check next issue's Results department for all those names.

Sunzal -- Mez

•A big congrats go out to Anike and Gus of Viking Surfboards in South Florida. They are the proud parents of a beautiful, healthy, six pound, 12 ounce baby girl, Lua Wolther-Pereira, born on June 29th.

•Check out Walker Surfboards' upgraded website at www.thewalkerproject.com.

•Young Hawaiian madman/ Wave Riding Vehicles teamrider Mark Healey now rides for Utopia Optics.

•The inaugural Delray Film Festival is set to take place March 8th-12th, 2006, in Delray Beach, FL. The festival is currently seeking submissions of all kinds, as Festival Director Michael Posner plans to show over 100 shorts, features, documentaries and sports films. There will also be design and trailer contests. Log on to www.delrayfilmfestival.com to learn more about submitting a film and stay updated on the festival's happenings.

•Martin Daly and Indies Trader Marine Adventures announced the launch of a revamped version of their popular website, www.indiestrader.com. The new site features detailed information on all of the boats in the Indies Trader fleet including the newest addition--the most extraordinary surf charter boat in existence--the Indies Trader IV. Profiles of the crew, the history of the Indies Trader legacy, comprehensive travel information, insightful wave descriptions, hundreds of incredible photos, new items and updated Mentawai surf reports are also posted--so visit www.indiestrader.com. Compiled by Mike Fish and Matt Pruett

Blah Blahs
BACK ISSUES
#63 / #64 / #65 / #66 / #67 / #68 / #69 / #70 / #71 / #72 / #74 / #75 / #76 / #77 / #78 / #79 / #80 / #81 / #82 / #83 / #84 / #85 / #86 / #87 / #88 / #89 / #90 / #91 / #92 / #93 / #94 / #95 / #96 / #97 / #98 / #99 / #100 / #101 / #102 / #103 / #104 / #105 / #106 / #107 / #108 / #109 / #110 / #111 / #112 / #113 / #114 / #115 / #116 / #117