Ryan Carlson -- Nelson

Sadly, many East Coast surfers who lost their lives in the September 11th tragedy left behind grieving spouses and children who are now missing partners and parents. This is the case for the surviving family members of Amesbury, MA, surfer Bob Hayes, who was killed aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when it crashed into the North Tower of the WTC. Thankfully, surfers across the Northeast have come to the aid of his wife Debbie and sons Robbie and Ryan by starting a memorial fund in Bob’s name. To provide financial support for his family, mail donations to: Robert Hayes Memorial Fund c/ o Beverly National Bank; 15 Main Street; Topsfield, MA 01983.

•Here’s one you don’t hear everyday: Huntington Beach, CA, aerial maestro and Lost rider Ryan Carlson relocated permanently to LBI, New York. Apparently, all his years of frequenting the area and hanging out with fellow Unsound teamriders had a huge effect on the former west coaster, and he chose to become an honorary East Coast surfer. Welcome to the family, Ryan! Not everyone trades year-round groundswell and warm SoCal weather for 5-mil gloves, a snow shovel, and a space heater.

•A huge word of thanks to Rachael Ryan, who provided us with a couple timely tidbits from the rocky shores of Maine. Longtime Ogunquit Rivermouth first-stringer and Liquid Dreams Surf Shop owner Mark Anastas married his lovely better half, (a different) Rachel, in mid-October. Congratulations to those two, and also to Christina Saccone. Christina is a ten-year-old girl who just started surfing this year, but according to Rachael, she’s improving at the speed of light. Rachael added that since she herself began surfing 11 years ago, she’s pleased to see a steady increase in the number of girls in the chilly waters. A former ESM Who Da Girl, Rachael and her beloved husband, Bill Ryan, took a December vacation to Rincon, Puerto Rico—plenty reward for all those ice-cream headaches.

Kevin Grondin -- Ready

•Finally, some happenings from the Central Time Zone! The Great Lakes Surfing Association held their year-end Christmas party on Saturday, December 15th, as a fundraiser for Lakesurf.com. The bash featured burgers, brats, wings, a slide show, and, of course, the surf video, Surf Michigan Vol. 2. Much love to all who attended.

•Boards get boo-boos all over the world, even in Michigan. If you find yourself surfing the Great Lakes and you’re in need of some ding repair, don’t hesitate to call upon the services of Eric R. Holt, the Surfboard Surgeon, an O.G. Laker helping to meet the needs of his surfing community. Eric can be reached at his Holland, Michigan residence at 616-494-0811, or you can e-mail him at surfmi2000@yahoo.com.

Mark Anastas -- Ready

•And one remaining blah job from the Midwest: Big thanks to all who attended The 2001 Dairyland Surfin’ Classic, held in early September at Dave’s Who’s Inn. The event turned into a huge success, partly due to the jams played by The Nelsonics.

•With Hurricane Olga spinning in the Atlantic during November’s final days, New Hampshire fixture Kevin Grondin paddled out for an epic session at The Wall to get the cobwebs out. According to Kevin, the waves were glassy, double to triple -overhead, Hawaiian-style barrels. The Hammy heavy received a severe pounding, and by the time he returned to shore, he was 15 blocks from where he paddled out. To verify the validity of his claim, ESM asked for him to swear by the story, but Kevin declined. Two weeks later, and he still wasn’t able to raise his right arm.

John Crotty -- Staz

•While Right Coast surfers like Grondin spin tales of this fall’s best tropical swells blessing their favorite spots, Rhode Island got screwed. Sources say that despite a few odd, fun days, “statistics” indicated an average of one good day a week for the whole season up through late November. The winds, however, have been howling, making way for the newest in alternative boarding—kite surfing. Wakefield, RI’s, Bart Cerra, owner of Rhode Island’s sole kite-surfing school said the ideal, gusty conditions are pushing a lot of new people into the sport. Meanwhile, sailbording is quickly becoming comparatively obsolete. Peacedale, RI’s, Tom Ladd, a dedicated sailboarder for ten years, is among the convinced. Ladd cites the compactness of the board and accessories, and the relative cheapness of the sport, as motivation for making the jump from sail to kite. Other kite surfing aficionados from the smallest state in the Union include veteran boarders Paul Murray and Michael Infantalino. If you’re in the area, check out the boys soaring the airwaves at Captain Wheeler State Beach. Or if you’re interested in a lesson, contact Bart at 401-474-3880, or e-mail at nekitesurfing@aol.com.

•In other Rhode Island news, right on to the Hendricken High School Surf Squad, who bitch-slapped the University of Rhode Island in the Team Division of the 27th Annual ESA Northeast Surfing Championships, held in early November at Narragansett Town Beach. Led by Jared McSoley, who won the Junior Bodyboard Division, and Bob Brosseau, who finished second in the same division, the Hawks earned a commendable second-place finish in the overall standings of the contest. The real hero of the event, however, was Hendricken Coach John Burnett’s son, Tim, who captured the Menehune title. There it is—cold proof that groms rule the world, even in Rhode Island!

•Another Northeastern surfer making a name for himself is Massachusettes surfer Jon Crotty. Although he had no one to share his fortune with, the Nixon teamrider caught an epic session at Nantasket Beach—at the edge of the Boston Harbor—the day of the terrorist attacks. The Globe/ Nor’easter Surf Shop rider was left solo with local photographer Staz since his friends from California, who were scheduled to visit that day, were stuck due to the flight cancellations. Definitely one more for his “you should’a been here...” files. Best of luck to John, who is currently pursuing an acting career out in California, squeezing in as many sessions as possible at Rincon and Ventura, no doubt. -Compiled by Matt Pruett.

Manasquan Inlet -- Chrisner

Gotta love those last-minute tropical surprises. East Coast surfers thought Hurricane Michelle, which crossed over Florida in early November, was a belated storm until Hurricane Olga emerged from a massive gale center in the middle of the Atlantic during the final days of November, providing waveriders with long-interval, Pacific-like swell. Our Jersey sources said Manasquan Inlet was 6-ft and flawless. Our Outer Banks contacts swore Hatteras Lighthouse’s First Groin was 8 to 10-ft and rifling. And our Southern NC lookouts claimed Masonboro Island was well-overhead and glassy. So how was your spot?

•Paul Poston urges all Central North Carolina surfers to stand up for their rights. Following increased tension between waveriders, pier owners, and fisherman, a group of Atlantic Beach, NC, surfers addressed the town council in late October. Since May, at least 22 different surfers have received citations for riding too close to the piers, and spokesperson Danny Meyers requested council members lift the ban on surfing within 200-ft of the area’s fishing facilities. “We’re sick and tired after 35 years of getting no respect,” complained Meyers. “You can swim, raft, boogie, or bodysurf, but you can’t go out there with a fiberglass board.” However, pier operators, represented by Sportsman Pier owner David Bradley, not only suggested the ban remain in place, but also requested that the no-surfing buffer zone be expanded to 500-ft. As of yet, no final resolution has been reached, however, Atlantic Beach’s Mayor Joe Stroud did take both
parties’ arguments seriously, stating, “This has the potential to get out of hand.” For now, the 200-foot rule will remain in place in Atlantic Beach, but since fishing season doesn’t begin until spring, surfers can look forward to several hassle-free winter sessions at the piers.

Wes Laine -- Modaddy

•And just when you thought it had run its course, The Jeff returned to Virginia Beach for the ninth year in a row, honoring late VB shredder Jeff Hunter. Dubbed “El Jefe Nueve,” this year’s event took place on October 20th, and Wes Laine, who couldn’t top the comic relief of Gary “Smitty” Smith to gain official accolade as the ESM Kingpin of First Street Jetty, had no problem taking down the competition this time around. And he didn’t even have to clean up any garbage on his lawn afterwards!

•X-Treme Surf & Skate’s Phil Luter wants everyone to check out the new shop located at Monkey Junction (that’s 6132-6 Carolina Beach Road if you’re coming from Wilmington, NC). Besides featuring a heavy selection of 40+ skate decks, X-Treme will house Havoc Surfboards, carved by Dru MacDaniel, and Buddha Bonifay’s Vison shapes. Stop by and give ‘em a look-see.

•Break out the cigars, because Long Branch, NJ, photog Chris “Captain Lou” Fuller’s baby boy arrived on November 16th. Weighing in at 7 lbs, Aamion Jacob Fuller, takes after his mother, Krissy, in the looks department (Thank God), but has the “4 Eyes” of his daddy. Job well done, Fuller. Glad to know you didn’t spill any on your leg this time.

Capt. Lou -- Crusty

•Ryan Kingsbury, 17th Street Surf Shop’s Kill Devil Hills store manager, wanted to thoroughly ruin employee Chris Bray before he moved to Virginia Beach to manage one of 17th Street’s Old Dominion outlets. It seems after being on the job only four days, Chris challenged VB nightlife to a grudge match... and lost horribly. Another employee found him drooling, passed out, and caked with vomit the next morning. Chris, who is closing in on 30, actually had to have his mommy drive up from North Carolina to take care of him. (But you didn’t hear it from us ‘cause we ain’t ones to gossip.)

•Big props to Delmarva rippers Jennifer Abrams and Hunter Merrit. Jennifer won the Girl’s Open and Women’s Longboard divisions at both the Delaware and Maryland State Championships while Hunter took two Open Men’s titles in both states as well.

•Be sure to check out Wrightsville Beach, NC, surfer Joe Cheshire’s new East Coast surf flick, The Dirty South, shot over the course of 2001 in California, Mexico, Florida, and the Carolinas. Cheshire’s is the latest in an increasingly long line of grassroots productions showcasing unsung Right Coast talent at home and abroad. A few star rippers finally getting their due screen time in The Dirty South include Emerald Isle contest freak-turned-La Jolla mystery Justin Schub, Wrightsville Beach fortunate son Mitch Baker, and Tarheel Volclone Dylan Stone. Cheshire was in the process of rounding out his feature with some last-minute footage of Slater and the boys while competing in this year’s Quiksilver King of the Peak contest at Sebastian Inlet, FL, but was attacked mid-heat by a shark. Wide-eyed and shaking, Joe proceeded to pack up his surfboards and his video equipment before hightailing it back to Wrightsville faster than you could say, “Hi-8.” For the full fish-story, turn to our KOP feature on page 90. Look for The Dirty South to hit surf shops sometime in January.

Dylan Stone -- Sasquatch

•While we’re talking about The ‘Ville, Ben Szafran gave us a shout from his new SoCal hovel. After finishing school at UNCW, he permanently relocated to San Diego and now lives less than a mile from Cardiff Reef. Since leaving the nest at Aussie Island Surf Shop, Ben picked up a new surfboard sponsor, Moss Research. The quality shapes are crafted by Cardiff local Jake Moss. Call 760-753-6089 to order one. The terrorist attacks forced Ben to pull the plug on his October trip to Indonesia. Fortunately, the cancellation worked for the greater good because he used the leftover money to buy an engagement ring for his longtime girlfriend, Wilmington, NC’s, MaryChris Pullen. ESM wishes these two the best of luck for a long and happy life together. We’re sure the goofyfooter is thrilled with the way things worked out, but how much you wanna bet the honeymoon will go down over the cliffs of Uluwatu?

•In other wedding bell news, congratulations to longboard legend Scott Edrington and his new bride Carolyn, who were married on Sunday, October 28th in their Seaside Heights hometown. According to Frank DeSilva, the raging reception lasted six hours and wasn’t declared over until madman shaper Vito DeFranza treated himself to a “Wild Thing” song-and-dance routine with the classic longboard decor which adorned the hallways. Aside from his wife’s hand, Scott was also presented with the “Edrington Snake Model” surfboard from Eastern Lines Surf Shop. Special thanks to Kooks­The Band for providing the tunes for the festivities.

Eddie "Vito Defranza" Money -- Fringnut

•Also from Jersey, hats off to Chris Stelzl and the rest of the crew at Stone Tyler Shapes. The company vows to donate 3% of their total sales to the American Red Cross’s World Trade Center Fund in care of the many police and firefighters who tragically lost their lives at Ground Zero on September 11th. For more info on Stone Tyler Shapes, log onto www.stshapes.com, or call Hank Stelzl at
858-535-0732.

•Chris Barber and John Blackwell recently purchased Emerald Isle, NC’s, Eastern Edge Surf Shop, transforming it into 58 Board Surf Shop. If you’re in the area, check out their schwag, or for a surf report, call 252-354-5800.

•Hotline Surf Shop owner Gurney Collins sent the remaining blahs from the Virginia Beach area. At the ripe age of 41, Old Skool Hotline rider Joe Hanley, from the “Jam Town Boys” days, finally tied the knot with his sweetheart, Lori. Hotline also added two new members to its surf team—Kyle Head, 16, and Scott Wagner, 17. Kyle since picked up sponsorship from Osiris, Counter Culture, and Arnette, while Scott, who won his age division in November’s Volcom Jellyfish Contest at First Street Jetty, got the hook up from Volcom, Globe, and Arnette. See? Leave it to the industry-stroked Vah Beach surfers to show not everyone’s getting dropped due to recession.
Compiled by Matt Pruett

Bernie Crouch -- Dugan/ESM

In the final weeks of the Southeast’s relatively waveless tropical season, the Atlantic rallied for a last blast as Category Four Hurricane Michelle raced across Cuba, combining with a strong cold front just off the Florida coastline. But even though the buoys reached an incredible 18-foot, and the waves peaked with 10-foot faces, the surf was no match for the gale-force onshores which totally shredded lineups for all but two days of the week-long swell. However, when the winds finally let up, Florida’s Ponce Inlet became the scene of an all-star airfest as several of Central Florida’s best boosters sought to fit an entire week’s worth of surfing into one session. Fresh off his King of the Peak victory, Kelly Slater joined Shea Lopez, as well as Aaron Cormican and launched filthy blasts off the head-high north jetty dumpers. Not to be outdone on their own turf, the local crew, including Bernie Crouch, JC Korin, and Graham Gilcrest, used their homebreak knowledge to snag some of the best sets of the day off the pros. Like the rest of the season, it wasn’t the best hurricane surf ever, but East Coasters managed to make the most of what little swell came their way.

•Also making the most of Michelle’s swell was Village Surf Shop manager Rob Williams and the rest of the Northern South Carolina crew. Williams reported that Spring Maid and Garden City Piers reaped fun chest-high peelers for two days straight. And the waves weren’t the only things cooking because right about the same time, the Grand Strand chapter of Surfrider held their second annual Chili Cook-Off at the Hot Fish Club in Murrell’s Inlet to raise money for local enviro concerns. Rob said the chili fest drew nearly a hundred people and went off without a hitch unless you count the rise in the city’s methane levels.

Tony Soland -- Welsh/Surfer

•Just down the beach in Pawley’s Island, SC, Scott Benston announced the grand opening of Surf the Earth’s new 2000 square-foot outfitter store. The shop carries the entire STE clothing line, full surf and skate departments, as well as kayaking hard and soft goods. Coinciding with the shop’s start-up was the launch of Surf the Earth’s newly updated website, surf-the-earth.com. Brought to the web by marketing giant Big Daddy Media, the site features full e-commerce; surf, skate, and kayak links; as well as a specialized industry news column. Check out Surf the Earth’s products at the new store, online, or by calling 800-864-6752. •Oodles of toodles to new ESM contributing photographer Ben Kottke. Leaving the ever-growing nest at Primedia, the former Surfing Magazine Marketing Assistant scored a retainer from Flame to pursue surf photography full-time on the west coast. Any Pacific-bound Right Coasters looking to hook up with Kottke for a session can reach him at 949-291-8817.

•In North Florida, Ponte Vedra Watersports owner Brian Naines announced the birth of his daughter Kaia Lyndsey Naines. The little girl was shot from the fallopian tubes on October 29th at St. Vincent Baptist Hospital by Brian’s wife of six years, Kristie. Naines also wanted to give a shout out to Ponte Vedra Watersports teamrider Nic Brenner, who placed 1st in the Pro/ Am division of the Volcom Sea Cow contest in Cocoa Beach and 4th in the Men’s division at this fall’s Easterns in Hatteras.

Ben Kotke -- D.O.B.

•Also in Sunshine State’s northern regions, new ESM subscriber Oz Surfboards opened their factory showroom this fall at 585 1st Ave. S. Jacksonville, FL. The new shop will carry top of the line surf gear including surfboard shapes by Hank Warner. Stop in, check out their shop, and pick up the latest copy of ESM.

•Georgia ESA Director Jeff Mosley announced that Lisa Williams is now the Fundraising Director for their district. Lisa is wife of head ESA-GA judge Travis Williams and has worked alongside Jeff’s wife Tara assisting with administration and event organization for a long time. If you have any questions about fundraising, want to volunteer, or want to donate, call Lisa at 912-786-9941 or e-mail williams@savmarriott.com.

Bryan and Tiffany -- Furbandit

•As if there hadn’t been enough debauchery in Central Florida during the King of the Peak’s numerous all-night parties, the Florida Institute of Technology Surf Club threw their 12th annual Shugga Dugga bash on the Friday following the KOP event. Sponsored by Hurley, Arnette, and ESM, the fiesta was held at Indialantic’s finest watering hole, The Hustler, and featured live music by Don’t Look Down and False Idols, as well as tons of prize give-aways. Props go out to Hurley rep Tony Soland for his rockin’ performance as the lead singer of False Idols, and also to ESM Assistant Photo Ed Donald Cresitello and friend Rob Ernst for organizing the soiree. Additional props go out to ESM Art Director Tim Saunders and Kenny “Gibber” Gibbs for their entertaining narration of the ESM slideshow and for keeping their nut sacks in their pants for the entire party.

•Gulf Coast young gun Sterling Spencer spent a month on The Rock this October charging the North Shore with his father, Innerlight Surf Shop owner Yancy Spencer. Together, the two Pensacola, FL, locals surfed everywhere along the coast, but Sterling said his best session was at Sunset on a 10-foot day where he caught one of the biggest waves of his life. That ride, and the whole trip for that matter would not have been possible if not for the help of Billabong, who aided with the monetary end, and Local Motion, who shaped five brand new guns for the teen. Both father and son thank the two companies for their gracious hookups and look forward to more visits in coming months.

•ESM thanks Gulf Coaster Tim Stark of St. Petersburg, who sent a case of his new hot sauce, Stark Naked Mango Tango, to our Melbourne office. Although the spicy concoction burned more than a few of ESM’s orifices, we did manage to kill a couple bottles during late-night Comedy Issue work sessions. To get your hands on some of Tim’s secret mixture, call Stark Naked at 727-644-9656.

Pete Jagocki -- Mez/ESM

•Burning up the contest circuit this fall was Flagler Beach, FL’s, Pete Jagocki. Pete pulled 2nd in the Pro division at the NKF Surf Festival in Cocoa, won the Volcom Sea Cow Surf Series at Jax Pier, and boosted his way to 2nd in the ESM Airshow at the King of the Peak. With those recent victories under his belt, Jagocki is looking for a clothing sponsor, and any interested backers can check Pete’s surfing at cleversurfboards.com.

•As a present to himself for his 50th birthday, Indo Board creator Hunter Joslin set out half-way around the world from his Melbourne Beach, FL, home and spent 14 days sailing around several remote islands of Indonesia. Accompanying the Hunster was surf artist Mike “Nemo” Nemnich, Todd McDowell, and Matt Hopkins. During the day, the crew surfed several perfect reef passes all by themselves and by night, they feasted on fresh mahi, lobster, and tuna. Hunter said the trip was an epic way to celebrate his half-century, and best of all, the captain hooked him up with a senior citizen’s discount.

•A double congrats to Bryan Hewitson, who married Tiffany Osborn on January 4th, 2002 and then went on to win appointment as East Coast Team Captain for Billabong, his longtime sponsor.

•In other news from the Bong, Scott Bouchard recently gained appointment as the Southeast sales rep for newly acquired Element Skateboards. ­Compiled by Chris Towery.

Terry Gibson -- Welsh/Surfer

Ever since September 11th, sharks have taken a back seat to terrorism as our coast’s most menacing threat. However, Surfer Magazine East Coast Editor and ESM Assignment Writer Terry Gibson told us about a group of vigilant Floridians fighting to protect Sunshine State waveriders from these predators. South Florida Surfrider chapters, spearheaded by Palm Beach County Chapter Chairman Rick Khan, teamed up with local environmental groups to battle dive operators running shark feeding charters just offshore. Although an initial ban on these operations passed earlier this year, a lawsuit brought by the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association sought to overturn the restrictions. But after a heavy debate from both sides this November, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission unanimously decided to keep the ban on shark feeding in place.

Bill Hamilton -- Mez/ESM

•Out on the island of Kauai, East Coast transplants Clyde and John Rodgers, formerly of Daytona, FL, have been building boards with legend Billy Hamilton for the past eight years. Using that experience as a foundation, the two developed a progressive fin system called The Edge Performance Fins. The new product allows riders to adjust the angles of their skegs depending on conditions or maneuvers: Angle them in for a looser, more responsive feel, and angle them out for more control and speed. To get more information, call 808-651-1459 or e-mail clyde@hawaiian.net.

•Also in the Aloha State, Elenice Senn and Stephanie Tufts’ Oahu-based Kelea Surf Spa will open in March 2002. The business is an all-inclusive women’s spa and offers warm-water surfing, gourmet food, yoga, massage therapy, as well as several other heath and beauty options. Kelea Spa is located in a luxury beach house directly on the North Shore and features easy access to all of the island’s northern breaks. If you’re a women who wants to escape the stresses of life and bask in Hawaii’s healing atmosphere, go to keleasurfspa.com or call 949-492-SAND.

•Another all-girls waveriding experience is the new Betty Series surf, skate, and snowboard camps and contests. The series has locations up and down the East Coast, including Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina, as well as programs in California, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. The first camp started December 26th at Sebastian Inlet and the leading contest goes down on January 19th at the same place. From there, the Betty Series will alternate events between the different locations until the last contest in Virginia Beach on August 19th-20th. Participation is open to females aged seven to seventy, regardless of experience or affiliation. To find out more or to look into sponsoring the Betty events, call Erin Dippolito at 321-733-8994 or go to thebettyseries.com.

Diana and Matt gettin' their drink on! -- Kline

•On October 5th, Jeff Schieman, owner of Old Skool Skates in Satellite Beach, FL, and his wife Anastasia welcomed the birth of their son Maximus Lee Schieman. We’re not exactly certain where the kid’s ancient Roman-sounding name came from, but we think it may be related to Jeff’s love of Russell Crowe and the film Gladiator.

•The stork also blessed Volcom Marketing and Team Manager Daniel Terry this fall. After a grueling 17 hours of labor, his wife Amy delivered Graham Kirkland Terry at Beaches Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, FL. The Ponte Vedra-based couple realized the reason for their son’s slow birth when they saw his enormous size. The hefty kid weighed a whopping 10 pounds, and he even needed a vacuum attached onto his head to suction him out of the tunnel of love. Daniel wanted to congratulate his wife for her superhuman endurance and also thanked God for not letting him pass out during the arduous process.

•Weighing not much more than little Graham, Satellite Beach, FL, super-grom Adam Wickwire spent two weeks at Salani Surf Camp in Samoa this fall. Adam was in the South Seas with several Aloha State kids as well as Surfing Magazine journalist Flynn Novak, photog Brian Stephen, and videographer Eric Ippel. They reported catching sick overhead reefpass waves, and you can check out footage of the trip on Mike Latronic’s TV show Board Stories this winter.

•In more vacation news, Quiksilver Team Manager Todd “Spike” Kline, his wife Tiffani, along with Matt and Diana Kechele, spent a week relaxing on Tavarua this November. The trip went insane, and the guys scored good surf while their wives worked on their winter tans. But the most exciting part of their stay took place during an inter-island volleyball tournament with Kline and Kech representing Team USA and several locals heading up Team Fiji. After a couple humiliating shut-outs, a Kava-charged Kline, egged on by the Fijians’ taunts of, “You can jump if you want to,” went ballistic and drove home a volley of vicious spikes and slams, propelling Team USA to a smashing victory. Kech added that if Todd could only translate some off that same power to his surfing, he’d be World Tour material for sure.

Justin "Firecrotch" Ellingham -- Mez/ESM

•Myrtle Beach, SC, videographer Jamie Hooks premiered his new film Headshots at The Pad in North Myrtle Beach on October 19th. Jamie said over 300 people attended, and the crowd response was off the richter scale. But during a November Jack Johnson concert at the same location, Jamie got his biggest compliment of all. Out in the lineup before the show, Hooks met Johnson, who’s also the director of the film September Sessions, and asked if he’d check out Headshots. Johnson agreed, and within a few days after his show, Jack called Jamie to say that he was really impressed with the South Carolinian's flick. With that kind of response from one of today’s hottest musicians and filmmakers, be sure not to miss ESM’s review of Headshots in our upcoming March issue.

•Don’t miss Gregg Pechenik’s new GanjaSurf website, either. Although it sounds like it’s made for boardriding Rastafarians, the site is actually a valuable surfing resource for the East Coast and the Caribbean, featuring news, WAM models, weather maps, live cams, frequently updated surf reports, and photo galleries. Log onto this smokin’ new internet location at ganjasurf.com.

•Surfing an overhead day at Spanish House during Florida’s November slopfest, Justin Ellingham ate shit on a head-high thumper and his fin seriously sliced his ankle. Luckily, friend Ryan “Pickle” Mickelsen was also out, and he rushed Justin to Holmes Regional Medical Center some 40 minutes away in Melbourne. Pickle said the wound was ghastly, and as he made his way to the hospital, Justin fell into shock, requiring Ryan to apply repeated slaps to Ellingham’s face to keep him conscious. In the emergency room, Justin’s shredded ankle took 28 stitches, and Ryan’s life-saving bitchslaps also left his face quite swollen as well. During his recovery from both wounds, doctors estimate Justin will be out of the water for over a month. ­ Compiled by Chris Towery.