And, "I’m going to try and keep the bar low and get
videos out rather than dwell on what’s worthy."
A gift, this afternoon, in the form of a big plate of
liver mush fry topped with red-eye gravy from the still best surfer
in the world, Ventura’s Danny Reynolds.
Reynolds, who is thirty-four and surrounded by bacon fat, has
returned to the blog, vlog, whatever it is game, with Chapter 11
TV, a reboot of Marine Layer
Productions, which was shuttered two years
ago.
In a manifesto posted to the homepage of Chappy Eleven, Reynolds
writes,
Sometimes the absurdity of trying to make surf videos
becomes perfectly clear. This particular morning I showed up before
dawn and the waves weren’t what I had hoped for.
Mini had texted me the evening before ‘JW going off’ as I
was making the kids dinner, which is kinda cruel as I can’t just
drop everything for a session anymore, things have to be at least
somewhat planned and evenings are mostly reserved for bathing,
feeding, managing conflicts and trying to get the kids to bed early
enough to have a brief moment of solace. So we agreed to meet first
thing in the morning.
But by morning the swell had dropped and it was foggy and
cold. I still paddled out to validate the effort. Surfing at dawn
is awesome when the waves are exciting enough to get your blood
pumping but trying to do airs at this hour is like waking up and
doing gymnastics in a cold shower. Water trickled through the seams
of my suit as I waited for a shitty little refraction off the jetty
to connect with a meager 2 foot swell from the South Pacific so I
can catch it and stand my fossilized body up on my surfboard and
hopefully do a trick that I can post on my website.
Shit wasn’t coming together so I paddled down the beach
where about a dozen people had gathered and there seemed to be a
little more action. The waves were a little more interesting with
even a few novelty tubes.
I notice a kid paddling for straight closeouts and getting
pitched then sitting in the impact zone waiting for waves.
The best wave I’d seen all morning formulates just within
paddling distance so I dart off. I see him darting off in the same
direction. My goal is to catch a 2 foot clean little barrel, his
goal is to not get smoked by a 2 foot clean little barrel.
I get into position.
As I’m dropping in I see him in my peripheral vision still
paddling his ass off hoping to not get demoed.
He just makes it out of the way of the waves devastating
blow, but bails his board to ensure no physical harm. I make the
barrel but have to change my line to avoid hitting his
board.
“I should snap on that kid” was my first thought.
Of course I would never because I hate bumming people out
more than anything but I’ve been conditioned to think this is a
worthy scenario for verbal abuse.
i grumble to myself “If you can’t hold on to your board in 2
ft surf you should be at a beginner spo-”
“Bro that was a SICK barrel!” He shouts which instantly
disarms my thought process.
“Ha, yeah, that was a fun little one”
“BRO are you Dane?”
“Ha, yep…”
“Why aren’t you on tour anymore???”
“Cause I’m old and out of shape”
“Bro, but Kelly’s like 50 and he’s still doing IT!”
“Yeah I know… he should probably give it up”
“No way bro, NEVER give up on your dreams!”
This conversation is comical, his level of enthusiasm lifts
my spirits.
“But you’re still a PRO SURFER right?”
“I don’t think there’s such a thing as a pro surfer
anymore”
Kid was a little confused…
“Do you ever surf Tar Pits??”
Over the course of 2 hours of surfing no clips that i would
typically put in a video were recorded, I came home to chaos of
fighting children. Bobbie has a knack for spite which triggers
Maggie who’s usually cool but when she passes the threshold of
frustration there’s no coming back. Sammy loves the chaos and
contributes at will. It was more tolerable than normal after
getting a few little head dips.
In 2019 I surfed the least I ever have. I was running a
business out of my garage while raising 3 kids under 5. Plus the
waves in California were mostly shit and the few trips I made time
for we got skunked.
With all the kids going to school and Former graduating out
of my garage my goal for this year was to make more time for
surfing. It’s my salvation.
I got excited to start Chapter 11 TV in January when I was
surfing a lot and feeling pretty good about it and getting inspired
by the new generation of local surfers. I miss making surf videos
despite the preposterousness of the pursuit.
Things have changed for everyone since January and for me
has slowed the development of the site but i’m still excited and
ambitious. I’m going to try and keep the bar low and get videos out
rather than dwell on what’s worthy.
There’s no real concept or criteria for Chapter 11 TV,
Surfing means different things to different people, I’m just trying
to convey our version of it.
From my experience the less you expect the less you get
disappointed.
Do you think Kelly should give it in?
I don’t, at least not until he’s so decrepit he has to be tossed
into an incinerator to save his rep.
The other points are all very well made.
Hit here to watch his, and filmer Mini
Blanchard’s, first five-minute cut.
