I met Dean this past July while surfing in Mexico. We nicked Dean "The Tube Monster" and that should tell you a bit about his surfing style.

Dean is a splinter of a man, slender and tall with a shock of blond hair and bright twinkling eyes. He lived for many years in Santa Cruz, surfing all the usual breaks in the area. Recently, he relocated to Whidbey Island in the Pugeout Sound, so his surfing opportunities are much more limited than in the past. Because of this, he was especially stoked to surf Mexico with us.

Dean is easy going, positive in his outlook, curious and creative. He spoke with me about possible joint ventures with artistic creations; these are ideas I want to pursue with him. We both were delighted to sit under the evening sky one day in Mexico, and watch an outrageously beautiful sunset. The lighting slowly evolved and shifted, creating a moving heavenly light show of warm colors deepening to indigo and finally black. While the main event transpired, we talked of the photographic challenges of the situation, snapped a few pictures, and discussed possible uses for the images.

But it was in the water that Dean's true expertise and unique skill set came alive. His waveriding style is playful, exhuberent, and most of all, barrelishous. Dean's surfing brought him into so many tubes that I couldn't count or photo them all. He made it look effortless, but I know it can't be since these maneuvers are so difficult for me. The appearance was that barrels came to Dean. The tubey water checked all the available surfers, then chose Dean from the pack. He had the favored status; he was the chosen one.

For sure others in our crew found the hollow room, but not so frequently as Dean. You can see many examples in the images that illustrate this column. So Dean became the Tube Monster, hiding from the fierce sun in the green cylinders of Mexico. After the trip, Dean flew to Seattle, then drove home. There aren't so many waves there, so his feast of waves and barrels in Mexico will have to hold him until the next trip. Perhaps he'll come to Santa Cruz and I can surf once more with the Tube Monster.

CU Out There,

DogMan