Water Cam in DogLand




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Six Years Ago on DogMan's Chronicles

The Green Room

Water Cam in DogLand


Inside section of an overhead takeoff.


Sunday, March 3, 2002, DMC reader Scott wrote:

"If you like surfing by yourself so much, why do you associate with a web site who's goal it is to promote surfing and tell everyone when it's good? I am confused by your non-rational thinking. Could you help me understand?"


Ridin' a Right at Dawn.


Replied to Scott, thought it makes a good column subject. The essence of DMC is ez: share the stoke of surfing. DM surfing is indeed different; hell, even my close surfing friends (and you know who you are) think I'm crazed. Decided to photo-document the DogMan super dawn patrol solo surfing experience from a different perspective: the water. Used a disposable waterproof camÊ tied to my waist. Over several weeks, many sessions, different breaks, recorded some of the visuals. Even took pix looking down the watery walls while riding my Arrow stick. Tricky indeed!


Sun in the eyes while goin' right.

Real Pix of Real Surfing

Here's the result: enjoy.Ê The colors in the photos are real, not faked on a computer. One beauty of surfing during sunrise is the horizontal red/yellow/orange natural lighting. Another beauty is DogLand itself, a collection of little-surfed, remote and dangerous breaks in and around Santa Cruz. Click on the thumbnails to open large pix in a separate window.


Dawn Rainbow in DogLand.

Why is DM so Crazy?

  1. Likes surfing alone. Also likes surfing with friends, new and old.
  2. With work and family commitments, gets in the water early, gets out early, arrives at work "on time."
  3. A group of dawn patrolers just as crazy as DM share the waves. BTW, crazy fishermen and golfers also awaken in the middle of the night to pursue their sports at dawn in less crowded conditions.
  4. Sunburns easily, avoids midday when sun is fierce. Sunrise and sunset sessions are better for the skin.
  5. In DogLand the ocean is glassiest early in the day. Afternoon windz tend to blow the heck out of the surface.
  6. Likes competing with own fears, abilities, the ocean, and luck. Doesn't like competing with crowds of surfers. The *only* times injured surfing have been in crowds when someone did something stupid.
  7. Butt-headed: Likes to paddle for any wave, and not yield to others.


Empty Wave lit by the Rising Sun.


Why does DM write for a Website?

  1. To share the incredible stoke of surfing. When not in the water, surfers like to read about and look at pix of surfing.
  2. To remember the good times, Long ago, DM began writing about surfing. Began to share with friends via email.
  3. After reading and enjoying websites like PWR for many years, DM responded to ggcarroll's request to email surf stories. Sent "Vampire Surfing," which was posted as a guest column.
  4. Talked to the owner of PWR about a regular spot; has been writing and posting for many many months.
  5. Ain't nearly out of ideas and pix for columns.
  6. Feedback from readers has been great, even the flames!
  7. *DOES NOT* write to expose "secret" or "uncrowded" surf breaks, or to gloat about surfing. Actually DM isn't a very good surfer.


Surreal scene at dawn in Dogland.


Hope you enjoy the pix and wordz. Maybe they can impart just a littl bit of what it's like to surf the DM way. Email your strange surfin' habits to DogMan and together we'll write a future column from the replies.


Another crazy surfer snags a wave in DogLand.


But He's Not the Only One!

Late breaking newz: Got this email message from one of my surf budz just this morning:

"DM, you can put this in your page if you think it worthy. Being super pressed for time this morning I got my earliest start for surfing in months. It was around 5:45 when I walked down the trail at ?????. Once on the beach it was still too dark for me to see the waves so I waited until about 6AM. As I walked out over the reef I noticed what looked like two rocks sticking up in the line up. As I started paddling I could see that it was actually two grommits sitting way inside. They told me they had been out since 5:30AM! I couldn't see the waves properly until around 6:15. During a lull I asked if they ever checked PWR. They said yes and that they were big fans of the DogMan Chronicles as well. I told them the DM was one of my surf buds and that I was going to nominate the two of them to the DogMan All Star Vampire Surf Team. They were stoked."

Dm sayz: Thanx Mr. Low Profile. Cool contribution to the column. Hope I see these guyz out there one day, fellow Vampire Surfers Extrodinaire! Catch one for me, and ride the heck out of it.

CU Out There,

DogMan


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