“Well, give the fact that we're going to have access to a jet ski the whole time we're there should eliminate the need for the big guns.”

“Jet ski? Like step-offs? This just keeps getting better!”

“Yeah, pack your bags, we leave from Tijuana at 2:00 am Tuesday.”

Two days later we were crossing the US-Mexico border at San Ysidro bound for warm water solitary waves. The forecast looked promising, with a solid 5-8 ft 14 second period NW on its way to meet us.

We landed at about sunrise, and were met by a certain incognito ex-pat big wave surfer who would be our guide for the week (to protect the innocent, and more importantly, the guilty, names have been omitted). We headed straight westward and were in the water with the ski as quickly as possible to avoid the predictable onshore noon wind. The waves were pumping, the water was 80, I'll just let the photos do the talking…

Chris scoping the scene.

PK slotted.

PK looking pretty comfortable in there.

PK in his happy place.

Chris with some steez on a sandy one.

Gopro Hero3 FTW

Chris with a hell of a view.

Finally Reid whips into a round one!

Chris closes out the trip with a clean little one.

Paradise, really.  I've already booked my flight for July to go back.

-PK

But one thing we did do on our trip was hunt for waves.  If I could somehow get back every dollar I've spent on gas driving up and down the California coast looking for waves, I would be a rich man.  Not surprisingly, surfers all over the world operate similarly.  From the minute we landed, we were frothing for waves and started putting miles (kms) on the rental car, and there was lots to see.

Like I had mentioned in the previous post, The Azores is a volcanic island chain with an amazingly varied coast.  Exposed to swell from all directions, there's rarely a flat day if you know where to look.  The main island of Sao Miguel is about 30 miles long and 10 miles wide, so you're never farther than an hour away from any surf spot.  Our surf guide has been on the island for about a decade, and knows every nook and cranny that pulls in waves.  In the week we were there to explore, we saw about a dozen spots that can turn on with the right conditions.  We saw some flat, and we saw some firing, and we never saw a crowd.

I'm going to give a rundown of the spots that we visited, but I do so with the understanding that some will be impossible to find without the help of someone with local knowledge.  Let's start with the most obvious, and end with the mysto.

Santa Barbara:  The main surf beach on Sao Miguel is a half mile long black sand beach on the north coast at Ribeira Grande.  It's the only place we ever saw other surfers, and it's easily marked on every map.  Shifty sand bars, a rock cliff and reefy wedgy on the west side, and a rocky reef on the north side, if there's north swell, there will be a wave (or many) here.  There's even a deep water big wave spot about 200 yards offshore that can hold 20 foot+.  We heard stories of the only time someone tried to ski to it, got stranded outside the beach break, and had to be rescued by the Coast Guard.  Are you man enough to be the second to try?

Spinach:  Directly to the east of Santa Barbara, this is another large stretch of beach with a (dirty) river mouth sandbar.  We never surfed it but we were told it can be as good or better than Santa Barbara, and since it's tougher to find down a scary narrow alley, can be less crowded.

Milicias: This is the closest beach to Ponta Delgada, about 10 minutes west of the harbor.  The parking lot is just past the cliffside church in the photo below.  This steep beach break is south facing and we were told, can be as good as beach breaks get.  Think wintertime perfection at Blacks, but with predominantly offshore winds and board shorts in the summer.  There is a deep water canyon, lots of peaks, and no crowds.  You convinced yet?

The Slab at Maia: At Ponta de Maia, on the north side of the island, there is a reef slab left that was created by a landslide from the cliff above.  We never saw it break, and it's more of a bodyboard spot, but when conditions are right, it's the most critical wave on the island.

Ponta Formosa:  This small beach break to the east of Ribeira Grande was dead flat when we were introduced to it on the first day.  There is a small cafe called “The Mill” at the bottom of a steep hill.  Parking is tough, but we're told theyserve the best burger on the island.  We can't speak to the burgers, but the post-surf beers were some of the best, and most earned, we had ever had the pleasure of drinking.  Needless to say, we saw a lot of action there later in the week.  We had solid N swell, 12 feet at 15 seconds, with  SW wind at 25 knots, gusting 50.  Challenging doesn't begin to describe it, but bombs were had.  Anyone want to volunteer to sit on the beach and shoot next time?

Monsteiros:  Pronounced moose-trrey-oosh, which took us a week to learn to say, means “The Monastaries”.  It's named for the rock formation at the mouth of the harbor that resemble, you guessed it, rocks.  The harbor is on the Northwesternmost tip of the island.  This was the longest spot to travel to, as the coastal roads are windy and meander through the countryside.  Gorgeous, but less than direct.  The mouth of the harbor has both a left and a right reef point, about 20 yards away from each other.  The makings for a pretty epic wave park if you ask me.  We had W swell when we saw it, but also W wind and too much tide.  I want to surf this spot when it's on!

Rabo de Peixe: Just to the West of Ribeira Grande, is a small fishing village with a harbor.  Unfortunately, the story is not all good here.  This used be the most perfect and lengthy left rock point on the island, but a new addition to the existing break wall has caused the wave to be less than perfect.  The Surfrider foundation got involved during the engineering of the addition, but the builders ignored the recommendations.  The result is the wave energy and sand now have no exit, resulting in a wicked backwash on the inside.  We saw swell here, but surfed elsewhere.  Keep meddling civil engineers out of our precious resources people!

Ribeira Quente: This is another south facing break that we saw totally flat, but with amazing potential.  Down the mountain from the volcanically active town of Furnas, this remote fishing village is far from the surfing population.  The wave is an a-frame reef that breaks off the break wall of the harbor.  The right (we were told) is a hollow and shelfy short wave that closes out into the rocks, and the left is equally hollow but is much longer, makable all the way down the length of the jetty and finishes in a channel.  Apparently, the thing to do in summer is surf until you're noodled, then drive 20 minutes up into the crater and have a soak in the volcanic hot springs with the visiting Norwegian co-eds (which we did, sans waves, and the girls, unfortunately).  I've got my summer flight booked already, do you?

Santa Iria:  I culminate our wave tour with the most remote, and basically impossible to find spot on the island.  The irony is that you can very easily see this wave break from the road, at the bottom of a 1,000 foot cliff.  In fact, there is a parklike viewpoint just off the highway that teases you to try to navigate the drop below.  It might just be worth your life to try, with a hundred yard cobblestone barreling point on the left, and a shorter right barrel on the opposite side of the cove.  When we finally saw it break, we were led to the 1.5 mile goat trail, but even if I wasn't sworn to secrecy, my directions would be worthless to you.  Over a river, through some woods, dodge electric fences, you get the idea.  Not to mention the rocks on the point (the last 300 yards) are so slippery, you have to wear shoes to navigate them. We got some great waves this day, but only saw about 10% of its potential.  This is another spot I will surf perfect and alone one day in my life.  Just me, a buddy, and the hammerhead sharks that come from thousands of miles to breed in this cove…

Well, that was partially more comprehensive than I had planned, but as far as I'm concerned, if you have the balls to fly over 2000 miles to an unconventional surf destination, you should have the tools to score.  There's no doubt that this is a world class surf destination, and will be popping up on surf travel sites sooner than you might think.  But what makes it world class isn't how amazing the surf can be but rather the combination of surf and the things to do on the island when conditions are less than perfect.  There's no better way to take your mind off not surfing than soaking in a 100 degree hot spring in what feels like the set of Jurassic Park.  More on that, in the next post…

-PK

In the past, when we were first exposed to Maui Jim Sunglasses, I just remember being so floored at the crisp image and lack of straining I had to do when checking the morning or evening surf behind a pair of their lenses.  It sounds funny, but it makes things seem like they are in High Definition!!!  They have a large “quiver” of frame and lens styles, shapes, and colors, and they have a set of shades for anyone or any situation.  They styles geared towards men and women but they also offer quite a few unisex options that could compliment anyone’s face.

Although I love their glasses, historically you do have to take a bit more care than you usual to maintain the glass lenses and keep them free from scratches; as well as some of the more critical/mechanical areas like the arm hinges or outer frame where the tolerances can get quite thin.  This usually isn't a problem, but it has kept me from taking them on some last minute missions or to events or activities where I could lose or damage such an amazing pair of glasses.  To combat this challenge, Maui Jim’s team of mad scientists have created a solution to tackle all my previous worries and produced a new generation of nearly indestructible glasses.

No other glasses on the market share the DNA makeup of this new line and we are stoked to have the chance to introduce you to MauiPure.  MauiPure is the optical industry’s clearest “non-glass” with unmatched impact and scratch resistance – which from what I have been told is really hard to do. Most lenses, if they are clear, are fragile. And if they’re strong, they have less than optimal optics for some sports and outdoor activities. These lenses are the best of all worlds. New MauiPure™ lenses are the lightest lens in the Maui Jim portfolio and they have quickly become a new favorite of many of our staffers.

For the purpose of this review, Maui Jim sent us a pair from their new Nakalele line.  Right out of the box I was just blown away with the weight reduction and light feel they offered.  I can honestly say that they are the most comfortable shades I’ve ever worn!  The arms are hinge-less and incredibly thin which I was a bit skeptical about, but they fold down well for storage and are crazy durable!!!  Sit on them, bend them, drop them, these frames are bulletproof and incredibly resilient.  The nose and arm pads are made of a soft, durable, nylon that add a key and very effective no slip feature.   Although the frame is impressive and offers a DNA and features not commonly seen in the optics world, the new MauiPure lenses are where the WOW factor can be seen.  Just as crisp and clear as any of the other Maui Jim line, these lenses also offer that HD factor and are perfect for scoping the surf. However, their resistance to scratching, nicks, and blunt force impact is just amazing!  For the sake of this review, I first tried to just scratch a small corner of the upper lens with a key…long story short, I ended up rubbing the sharpest corners of the key all over both lenses with some serious elbow grease and I couldn't get the faintest sign of scratches, lines, or chips!!!!  NASA should call Maui Jim and ask for their recipe for the next spaceship!  The MauiPure lens is just unreal!!!

From style, to performance, to durability, these Nakalele shades with the MauiPure technology are outstanding and we feel compelled to get the word out to all our readers.  You can’t go wrong with a pair of Maui’s and coming in around $300.00, your getting outstanding quality at a competitive price.  But, more importantly, you’re investing in top notch protection that will help ensure the long term health of your eyes and enhance your outdoor experience.  Do yourself a favor and visit Maui Jim’s site today and grab yourself a proper pair of shades: www.mauijim.com.

The start of the New Year historically also marks the start of the best swell window in my neck of the woods. Our usually tame and mostly playful breaks come alive and they are capable of producing world-class, and sometimes very dangerous and intimidating surf conditions. Staying fit and in “surf shape” in the off season is vital to be prepared for if, and when, those fickle conditions come together and the stars align to make the waves we dream about a reality. Over the years I have tried countless tools, methods, and programs to keep my surf muscles and technical skills strong, limber, and ready to battle Mother Nature at a moments notice. The gym is certainly helpful but only with conditioning certain mechanical parts; it does little to help influence the timing and instinct it takes to be successful in the water and maximize your wave count and quality. Longboard skating has been able to help supplement some of those gaps/skills, but even with the latest technology in skate decks and hardware, you are still not moving on water. The simple loss of that medium and the dynamics that come with sliding across it’s surface simply cannot be replicated without dropping a few million on a wave pool…until now!

Not only did I discover the best way to beat the flattest of surf days, but I also discover the most useful surf training tool – and a whole new sport and group of others who are just as, if not more, STOKED than any surfers I have met! I am honored to have the chance to introduce you to the sport of wakesurfing and a company that has been in it since that start. ShredStixx Wakesurf Co. has been a leader and innovator in the development of the wake surf movement since it’s beginnings and almost everyone in the game considers their founder, Jerry Price to be the Godfather of the sport. ShredStixx Wakesurf Company was founded by Jerry in the late 90’s out of Discovery Bay,CA. An avid ocean surfer, he also spent lots of time sliding across the lake trying to harness a way to surf the wave created by the many boats inhabiting the lake. Jerry developed the first surfboard specifically for behind the boat surfing in 1972 and ShredStixx was born. By 1999, ShredStixx became the leading developer and manufacturer of premium hand shaped and glassed wakesurf boards and has been driving the progression of the sport since. With a board for all sizes and skill levels, their quiver has been designed to offer the closest simulation to ocean surfing. Today the company continues to be the premier provider of wakesurfing equipment, accessories, information and media, and their efforts are helping to take the sport to a whole new level; while introducing thousands to the possibilities and opportunities wakesurfing holds.

What is wakesurfing? Most ocean surfers have tried barbaric forms of this at one time or another, or at least thought about it while sitting in the stern of any powerboat. With a vessel underway, the dynamic physics that are produced have been known to create a continuous, somewhat surfable – WAVE! Traditional surfboards or wake-boards could be towed into the wake/wave but it was too hard to sustain enough drive and momentum to ride it without the assistance of the rope. Fast forward to today and things are quite different. Companies like ShredStixx have tapped into and leveraged lessons learned and technologies/advancements from other sports, industries, and companies and they have created a line of specialized equipment that makes wakesurfing possible, super accessible and fun! The boats play a big part in producing the right ratios of power and energy that ultimately create the liquid ramps we love to shred. However, additional engineering cheats/advantages like ballast bags help enhance the shape, size, and magnitude of the end product or “wave” and make it possible for almost any powered water craft to produce the right conditions. However, no matter how good you make the wake surf wave, your standard shortboard just ain’t gonna cut it. That’s where ShredStixx really stands out and illustrates their competitive advantages as an OEM and promoter/supporter/participant of this new and exciting sport.

At the helm of their development and shaping efforts is Nick Wiersema. Nick has plenty of street cred in the shaping world and has seen enough foam dust to stand tall next to any of today’s leading surfboard shapers. He comes from the surf world and the boards he and ShredStixx produce have the most surf-like feel on the market today. Some other wakesurf boards we have seen look more like skimboards or boogie boards. A ShredStixx board feels just like a surfboard and it gives you the same experience and stoke as you’d get with a new surfboard…from the foam and glass work, to the fins and deck pad…there is a lot of universal similarities that any surfer would appreciate.

At first glance these boards look a bit like the front half of a broken board at Pipeline. However, closer inspection paints a much different story. Each board offers very unique and well thought out hydrodynamic profiles. You can just tell that great care has been taken to make sure that drive, speed, and maneuverability are maximized in this scaled up surfing tool. For the purpose of this review the boys at ShredStixx sent us one of their most popular models with the quad set up of the 2013 Semi Pro. We were honest and told them that we had very limited experience behind a boat and most of us were born and raised on the shore surfing beach breaks or the occasional reef; but all traditional ocean surfing experience and not Pro at anything. Any time behind a boat was mostly on tubes or old longboards at summer camp…We do have a few guys on staff that wake-board and even wake-skate, but they all said that this is an entirely different animal and much more like traditional surfing than any of the other water based board sports on the lakes or flats.

Unboxing it, the first thing that hit me was that “new surfboard” smell…freshly sanded and polished fiberglass & resin, there’s nothing quite like it! First impression is that is just a mini surfboard. Being so stout and the one responsible for reviewing it, it was easy to spend extra time inspecting every square inch of the deck and hull to look for any flaws or weaknesses. However, the board is absolutely flawless and you can tell that the attention to detail is a top priority for the company. I’ve glassed enough boards myself and reviewed more than enough to know a good glass job and I can honestly say that ShredStixx have it knocked it out of the park! Overall, the shaping, fill, sand, and finish is better than I’ve seen most surfboard manufacturers bang out…even the smallest of air bubbles or voids couldn’t been seen and the symmetry and aesthetics were just perfect . In the end these details and craftsmanship just translate into a more durable, longer lasting, and better performing piece of equipment.

 Dimensions are:

Length: 4’8.

Width: 20 1/2.

Thickness: 1 7/8.

 Special Feature(s):

Step deck with built in kick tail, bottom channel, grab rails, enhanced diamond nose,dove swallow tail, quad fin Futures setup.

The board comes standard with ShredStixx very own quad fin Futures set up…yes, the same Futures boxes and fins I’m sure you have somewhere in your current quiver of surfboards!!! ShredStixx seems to be the only ones in the wakesurf game exclusively utilizing traditional surf hardware and fins. The quad set up they provide allows for maximum drive and control down the line and when combined with the crazy bottom channels that are engineered into the hull, it allows for an easy, smooth, and controlled release off the off the lip…basically the exact polar opposite of the horrible experience you probably had trying to tow your 5’11’’ fish around the lake!!! ShredStixx also added foam to create a firm and “built-in” step/kick tail that aids riders in staying in the wave after big airs and tricks (something I’d like to see on more surfboards, especially with things going more vertical than ever before). EVA deck pads are also very similar to those put on the tail of performance shortboards or tow-boards but they cover more surface area and make long hours on the deck much more comfortable and controlled. I also loved the all inclusive feel that ShredStixx provides…they have their own lines of fins, deck pads, apparel and accessories and enough options to cover any preference, environment, or riding style. A very cool on-stop-shop…

Testing took place over a few months in varying conditions (from lakes and rivers to open ocean on both choppy and flat days). All of the surfers seemed to adjust to the wakesurf board well. The lack of overall real estate took some getting used to but it didn’t take them long for everyone to get comfortable and find their “happy place” – enough to at least explore the basics of self propelling themselves on the wave, turning, and some pathetic air attempts, all un-assisted by the rope. The cocky wake boarders/skaters were immediately humbled when they took the deck for a spin…the added surface area and drive provided by the fins seemed foreign to them and it took a bit more time for them to learn the mechanics and limits/benefits of working with fins and such advanced hull configurations. I will say, now that they have had some more time on the wakesurf boards, they are absolutely killing it! Many are now actually making the full-time transition over from wake-boarding to wakesurfing and not looking back!!!

There are also more and more sponsors (many who also support surfing) that are seeing the value in the sport and there is somewhat of a “gold rush” of opportunity for those committed to making this a profession…it’s all around a good time to get into wakesurfing!!! Everyone that rode the board found way more speed and agility than anticipated and all were surprised at just how much “wave face” there actually was to work with. The board also offers a ton of flex and controlled pop that you can leverageto get more vertical and above the lip, or for creating drive or thrust in critical situations and aiding in connecting sections more fluidly.

What resonated with me the most goes back to one of my original comments on using this sport as a great training tool for surfing. It keeps your surf specific muscles strong and in tune and I found my experience behind the boat translated into a big improvement in my small wave game. The water flows fairly similar to an ocean wave and because it is so consistent and almost unlimited in length, you can practice maneuvers over and over and learn new ways of producing speed, drive, and airtime…all of these lessons can again easily be applied to surfing and will allow you to make the most of any ankle to thigh high, small wave day at the beach. This also has proved to be true when applied to other board sports (i.e. – snow, skate, wake, etc.).  The most important part to highlight is that the training is taking place on the water and not concrete! Also of note: NO CROWDS IN THE LINE-UP!!!

In closing, I just can’t say enough about the sport of wakesurfing and the ShredStixx brand; my only regret is that I didn’t find out about them sooner…If you surf, like boardsports, or spend anytime near the water, your quiver should definitely have a ShredStixx deck to go with. I GUARANTEE you will not have another boring day if ever struck by a flat ocean. I will go even further and say with confidence that your surfing skills will also greatly benefit from some time on a ShredStixx board. It is a super fun, safe, and affordable sport and with companies like ShredStixx behind the movement, there may be no need for wave pools after all!!! Coming in around: $699 for the 2013 Semi ProModel I’d say you’re getting a steal! It is great for beginners to advanced riders and it will provide plenty of bang for your buck and years of fun to share with friends and family. Not sure what model you want, or just want to know more about wakesurfing?

ShredStixx has you covered yet again!!! Although they are one of the most customer service / customer satisfaction focused companies I’ve ever dealt with, they also have another extension of their business that handles, organizes, and publishes the massive and growing amounts of media being produced around the sport of wake-surfing.
They conveniently post it on:www.slayshTank.com. SlayshTank is a really great site with a near endless amount of footage, pics, reviews, articles, tutorials, and more. It is an incredibly user-friendly site and it makes it easy to educate, entertain, and cross-sell those interested in wakesurfing for FREE…it is already bookmarked under my favorites tab and I find myself visiting the site daily. Be sure to check out SlaysTank when you finish reading this article and be sure go to ShredStixx site: http://shredstixx.com/ for even more info. If you don’t have time to read up, take my word for it and do yourself a favor – order one of these boards today!!! To further entice you to give wakesurfing a go and illustrate what a good investment a board makes, ShredStixx and the Dailystoke are teaming up and offering a limited 10% discount on any gear purchased in their online store – just add the discount code: “dailystoke” at checkout. As always, thanks so much for reading and be sure to tell a friend…It’s kind of sick, but I’m looking forward to the next flat spell!!!

- Shaper

* I also want to drop a personal thank you to Clint, Nick, Rusty and the entire ShredStixx team for making this review happen…you guys are really onto something big and we wish them the best of luck as the wakesurf craze continues to explode! 

The islands were created much like their Pacific Ocean counterparts, the Hawaiian Islands.  A tectonic plate scraping over a hot spot of liquid hot magma (Dr. Evil voice) created the 9 majestic islands in the chain.  Major eruptions later in the life of the islands created calderas, or craters, if you will, that now contain the islands' most picturesque, and aforementioned attractions.  The volcanoes are still active, which will come into play shortly.

Before traveling to the Azores, I had seen my freakin' hero, now renowned food travel writer Anthony Bordain visit in an episode of No Reservations.  Let me first say, that our experience was a bit less, um, sterile, than Tony's.  It's hard to be incognito when you have an entourage and film crew of 15 trying to experience all the island has to offer.  Led my our fearless leader Xolim, we got the real experience.

The day began early, with a quick pre-dawn surf check to make sure we weren't missing anything by spending all day in the crater.  Our fears were confirmed as we squinted in the dark to see only chest high onshore slop.  A day inland was just what we needed.  We climbed the hydrangea-lined mountain switchbacks up to the crater's edge, marveled at the epic view from the top, and descended into the caldera, with no expectation of the day to come.

The first stop once in town was the obligatory coffee shop, which was still very sleepy at 8:00 am.  Ricardo, like most of the islanders, runs on high octane, and without his morning caffeine is a bit quiet.  After mainlining a couple espressos each, we ventured to the market to build our menu for the day.  In case you've missed something, our plan was to use the geothermal energy from the still active volcano to cook a godly feast.  We filled a basket with beers, handcrafted cheese, bread, local meats, and a few more beers (they were little).  All told, we spent about 15 euros.  Next stop was the veggie truck.  Parked in the city square, an elderly man and woman sell their daily haul of locally grown veggies and we loaded up with many familiar, and some unfamiliar greenery.

We loaded our bounty and headed down a narrow alley to a nondescript parking lot with a small fountain in the corner.  The natural freshwater spring would be our prep station for the morning.  We spent the next hour peeling, chopping, cleaning, and assembling the meal.

Important side note.  Remember when I mentioned we bought some veggies I did not recognize?  Well, being the curious guy I am, while peeling a certain root veg I had never seen, I took a small piece and chewed and swallowed.  No sooner than I could swallow the piece did Ricardo yell, “NO!  That's poisonous!”.  I had not been informed that the local taro root is very unpleasantly toxic when eaten raw.  Great.  The guys had a good laugh, I pounded 2 beers, and had pins and needles in my throat for the next 3 hours…

When everything was ready, we had a feast of local cinnamon blood sausage, chorizo, pork, chicken, and all of our veggies to look forward to.  Well, I wasn't too excited about eating taro again, but it was out of my control.  A little salt and pepper, seal the lids, and off to our next destination.

We circled the small lake in the crater and ended up in a bizarre grove of mossy trees with a La Brea Tarpits-looking landscape beyond the trees.  The smell of sulfur was powerful and it's tough to imagine anything cooked there would taste any good.  Our executive chef wrapped up our meal in a table cloth, expertly tied a rope around it, and we went to find our sous chef (who in all reality is just a man you pay 5 Euros to make sure no one steals your food).  We dropped our care package in a steamy hole, our new buddy did some quick work with a spade and told us to return in 6 hours.

So, what is there to do for 6 hours in the bottom of a volcanic crater?  Lots, as it turns out.  We started with a quick walk around the lake, ending up at a mysterious looking church and boat house.  Our guide informed us that 200 years ago, a Portuguese prince proposed to his princess and there wasn't a church in all of the land worthy of being wed in, so he did what any prince would do; he built himself one, as well as a botanical garden and estate 900 miles from the mainland.  Sounds convenient.  We enjoyed another picnic in the apple grove adjacent to the estate de Nossa Senhora.

We jumped back in the car, only to realize that the automated gate in the pay parking lot was not working.  After some creative problem solving, and our rental SUV climbing a flight of stairs, we were on our way to our next destination.  We pulled into a parking lot at Terra Nostra, paid 5 Euros, and went into the park.  This 18th century estate built by the American Consul is nothing short of breathtaking.  The sprawling estate and botanical garden is built around the unquestionable centerpiece, a 300 ft x 200 ft geothermally heated swimming pool.  Tinged a Willy Wonka chocolate brown from a particular algae, the stone-lined pool was pretty trippy to swim in.  We spent over an hour alone floating around in the 100 degree water, soaking up the minerals, reflecting on the day, and enjoying the sounds of songbirds and the running spring water.

After our water therapy, we took a stroll around the gardens, which were an amazing collection of species from all over the world.  Unfortunately, we were there during December, so the flowers weren't as spectacular as they could have been.  Still, there was plenty to see.  I even found the world's largest sombrero.

Having consumed all of our tiny beers, we quickly traveled down the mountain to rectify this situation.  The quaint fishing town of Ribeira Quent cured what ailed us.  Apparently, during summer south swells, the harbor jetty goes off with a perfect a-frame wave.  Something I'd definitely like to come back to.

With sunlight waning, and our 6 hours not quite over, we left the park in search for one more ecotourism gem.  We arrived at the hot springs at Poça da Beija at dusk, so there's no decent photodocumentation, but what a way to end the day.  These naturally fed rock-lined terraced hot tubs were the hottest we experienced on the island.  Could you imagine surfing your brains out at Ribeira Quent, then driving 15 minutes to soak your weary bones?  I can!  A very kind Azorian couple runs the small hotel and gift shop on the grounds and sell some really nice hand made jewelry and crafts.

Partially drunk, and exhausted from all the relaxing (I know, tough day right?), we finally were able to collect our dinner in the dark.  The only eventful part was driving home 45 minutes with a sulfur steamed tablecloth in the backseat.  We were convinced our meal was ruined…

To our great amazement, everything was cooked perfectly!  Our gracious hosts Ricardo and Kaisa invited us into their home for was was to be an amazing meal.  The beer flowed like wine, festivities ensued, we were merry.  I have a hard time believing that Anthony Bordain had a fraction of the fun we did this day.  Sitting at a restaurant having this meal brought to you doesn't hold a candle to peeling the veggies with your own hands, poisoning yourself in the process, having some laughs, a couple of good soaks, and finally enjoying the fruits of your labor.  So what are you waiting for?  Get out there, try something new, have an adventure.

I've been reviewing Firewire boards for a number of years now and I have always found them to live up to, or surpass all the “hype” that has been built up and seemed to surround the brand since it’s start.  I've seen their boards make believers out of the most hard-core “poly-only” traditionalist and give “average Joe's” the ability to perform like Taj, even if just for a second.  My personal experience with the brand is extensive and I have the honor of holding a few prized Firewire models in my quiver.  I can honestly say that even with access at our headquarters to so many different board styles, brands, shapes, sizes, and technology, Firewire has become my daily “go-to” board of choice. This has also clearly  become the case in many local line-ups around the globe and it comes down to one thing – You simply cannot

argue with the formula that Mark, Nev, Chuey,Brion, Mike, and the entire Firewire team have in place.  Their growing line of boards offers state-of-the-art technology in an incredibly durable and user-friendly package; and at a price point that can now compete with any other stick on the rack.

This ultimately puts once unattainable, game-changing technology within reach of the average consumer.  With or without knowing it, Firewire’s efforts have basically spawned a whole new generation and gene pool of wave catching tools, technology, philosophies, and riders; and changed the modern day approach to surfing and board construction in the process.

Brand loyalty is hard to earn but the positive experiences I've had with Firewire’s boards, customer service, and overall recommendations; as well as all the positive chatter and feedback we've received from our readers, puts them at the top of our list of must have brands.  In this review we are stoked to introduce you to the Potatonator.

I had reviewed the Firewire Dominator and the Sweet Potato models a few years back and instantly fell in love with both boards.  They were totally radical concepts at the time and I

can remember being rather skeptical about their designs and promised performance.  But, after riding them for awhile, they delivered on their promise and just opened my eyes up to

what was possible; both in the shaping room and in the green room.  I now look at boards based on overall volume; instead of just length and width like I did for the first few decades of my life. Mastering the science, ratios, and equations to universally apply this delicate science of re-configuring volume into any board design has been instrumental in the progression of the industry, and a big key to Firewire’s success.  It is still hard to wrap your head around the fact that the same amount of volume (a.k.a. – foam) in your favorite 6’0” can be stuffed into something closer to 5 ft., but once you ride one of these boards, you will just question why/how someone didn't think of this sooner!   I wrote back to Mark and the team complimenting them on the board suggestions and thanking them for the opportunity to review and share my opinions.  I also noted how much it changed my outlook on board design and asked them to keep me in the loop on any new developments that would combine their winning combination.

Fast forward a few months…I am sitting at my desk and the email I was waiting for popped up!  It was from Firewire and it was titled Potatonator – MUST TRY!!!  The Firewire boys were stoked from the feedback on the Dominator and Sweet Potato reviews and they said that if I liked those boards so much, I was going to LOVE the Potatonator! Could this really be true?  Did my two favorite boards really just play spin the bottle and create the ultimate hybrid as their offspring?  It seems they did, and their love child is a stunning combination of the two; bringing the best of both worlds and adding yet another amazing tool to sleigh the waves with!!!

The goal of the Potatonator was to create a board aimed to ideally maximize your wave count and quality in 2-4 ft. surf.  However, with a wide variety of fin configuration options and an incredibly tuned hydrodynamic hull profile, riders can easily handle surf in the 3′-5′+ range with confidence.. The most significant changes from the Sweet Potato include less overall girth, a slightly increased rocker, a softer double barrel hull concave, and a pulled in nose similar to the Dominator’s silhouette. This board quickly proved itself as the best solution to the crappy, mushy, previously considered “un-surfable” conditions that we now have a “groveler” board category for in our office rack.  Whenever the swell was less than ideal our staff quickly started fighting over who was taking her out!  It has proven itself in all types of conditions and it amazed me just like it’s parents did a few years before!  You still get a great vantage point when laying prone and it adds that huge boost to the amount of paddling power and output you can generate to catch waves. The diamond tail and extended rail line add a bit of functional flare – aside from making the board look less stubbie, it also aids in making slightly tighter pivot based maneuvers (i.e. – top and bottom turns and adjustments in the barrel), and when setting and trying to hold a firm line on bigger, cleaner days where you just want to make the drop, fade, and hopefully outrun the cascading lip and/or ultimate closeout.  It is suggested you ride this board 4-6″ longer than a Sweet Potato, or about 2″ shorter than a Dominator. I found that you can go even shorter than that you’d think and still be comfortable and in control…local shops are usually pretty good about letting you take one out for a test drive and Firewire hosts many demos throughout the year you should keep your eyes out for.

For the purpose of this review the boys sent us a 5’8” Potatonator Rapidfire [RPN_508D-03] to put through some sea trials.  We took it out in everything from ankle slappers to double overhead days and each ride brought a lively and responsive platform that generated speed like crazy!  The ideal fin configuration to ride this board with is as a quad, but they've added a fifth fin option to mix things up and allow the pilot to custom tailor the ride even more for any conditions.  Under arm, it feels similar to the both the Potatonator and Dominator but if I had to pick just one, I would say the overall DNA profile favors the feel and look of the Dominator.

It is super light weight and the bamboo deck now synonymous with the Rapidfire series is always such a standout and functional feature.  The handsome finish isn't just for looks.  It also provides amazing durability and pop and liveliness I have yet to feel matched in another board.  The Potatonator still hosts a pretty pronounced double concave towards the rear third of the board which I am glad they kept when splicing the genes of the two models.  As with the SweetPotato (that has an even deeper double barrel concave), this feature just adds so much power and acceleration that can be harnessed and manipulated with very little effort.  I personally feel it’s positive effects most significantly on my heel side riding – from big, steep walls to the deepest barrels, the slightest adjustments can influence the boards thrust and output and provide horsepower almost on demand. It is a great little feature and again, I am so glad Dan and the boys at Firewire made the decision to add it to the Potatonator design.  Combined with a surplus of other amazing technology that Firewire has packed into this five-foot-eight little gem, I can’t imagine anyone that wouldn't be able to attain a new milestone of fun or performance in their surfing…it’s that good!

Another standout and newer technology that Firewire is utilizing is NanoTune “Board Tuning Technology”.  This scientifically engineered product creates a super-hydrophobic barrier by forming a chemical bond with the rails and bottom deck of a surfboard.  This is supposed to lower the surface energy of the material while increasing  the surface tension.

Combined, the effect creates an invisible coating that promises to lessen drag and ultimately increase speed and maneuverability.  After being treated with NanoTune, tiny water droplets simply bead up on the surface on the board. Surfaces not treated with NanoTune will allow water to spread over the surface rather than beading up, creating greater friction.  As a chronic skeptic and wanna be “Mythbuster”, I was a bit weary of the big promise they were advertising but after my first wave with the NanoTune coating I felt like I could actually feel a difference.  It sounds funny, but the ride seemed quieter and smoother – even when compared to my other Firewire boards without the coating!

Whether it is science or some kind of crazy voodoo, I have no doubt that it works for me and in my opinion, it is worth the investment!  You can get it standard on your Firewire boards but you can also buy their kit to refurbish and upgrade even your oldest boards.  Bring some new life to your quiver and check out NanoTune: http://www.nanotunenow.com.

In closing, I have to say that the Potatonator has completely exceeded my expectations and Firewire has done it yet again – they created another finely crafted instrument that will allow any surfer to enhance, enjoy, and make the most of any wave conditions – anywhere in the world. With the Potatonator coming in around $650-700, I feel like you’re getting some incredible bang for your buck as it could easily replace two to three boards you currently have in your quiver that you have set aside for individual/specific breaks or rare conditions.  It is basically like the Swiss-army- knife of boards and I have yet to show up at the beach with just that as my only option and not gotten my share of rides and stoke!  Do yourself a favor and visit Firewire (www.firewiresurfboards.com) today and pick up a Potatonator or anyone of their amazing boards!  I guarantee you won’t have a single day of buyer’s remorse and you’ll be telling everyone you know to get one!  As always, thanks for reading and be sure to tell a friend….

- Shaper

* A special thanks goes out to Mark, Chris, Nev, Dan, Chuey, Brion, and Mike.  You guys were instrumental in making this review happen and bringing life to this incredible line of wave catching machines…keep up the amazing work, we can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next!