Little Tom and I watched this twice, we are definitely *Inspired*…
“Give the Gift of Love”
Lotus Earth will be hosting a charity event for Krochet Kids International during the week of December 7-14, 2009.
KKI is a charitable organization raising money and awareness for the communities of Northern Uganda.
Our idea is to host an outdoor surf film with a booth selling their cool beanie hats and spreading the word about the impoverished situations of this peaceful country.
I need volunteers to help with the event. It’s still in the early planning stages and we only have a couple weeks to accomplish our goal.
I have all of the equipment necessary, hats and info on the way and a proposed location for the event.
Again, the event will take place between December 7-14, 2009.
Please let me know if you would like to help.
Mahalo,
Tom
Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit
“Now I lay me down to sleep
but troubled dreams are all I find
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
I pray so I won’t lose my mind
Streetlights come streaming
on wings tonight I’ll soon set sail
The devils are dreaming,
dreaming of a blue angel” –Squirrel Nut Zippers
My grandfather was a composer and I’m told he would write songs in his sleep. On several occasions he awoke in the middle of the night with a song stuck in his head and would quickly jot down the lyrics in an old notebook he kept on the nightstand.
I wonder if he enjoyed this talent, as I dream too, though most of the time I feel haunted by an unrelenting quietless mind.
I sometimes think of Eckart Tolle and his feelings on the power of inner silence.
Would I be a more productive human if I were simply able to sleep?
This morning I am grateful as I was pleasantly entertained last night with dreams of Malibu…
In my research on Tom Blake and the early days of “modern” surfing, I learned of the wonderful story over the battle for this beautiful ranch.
The “Battle for Malibu” is an interesting and twisted tale of what was, at the time, the last Spanish land grant remaining in California.
These dreams I have are lucid. I realize I’m dreaming and I could probably change the story if I really wanted, but I prefer to remain an impartial viewer.
Oddly enough last night’s dream of Malibu didn’t involve surfing… I know, how can you dream of Malibu and leave out surfing, but I did?
The dream begins in the late 1920’s as Malibu is being overtaken with movie stars and socialites searching for a weekend escape from Los Angeles.
The main character is rather small piece of land in the Malibu hills. The property was purchased by a young movie star who tragically dies very young.
The story is told to me through the eyes of his beautiful girlfriend who visits the ranch from it’s conception to her own death many years later…
Isn’t that a hoot? Dreams are funny! If you want to know more read the book -or- better yet see the the movie. I’ll write the screenplay someday…
Es-cent-ial Wetsuits
My friend Carl of Es-cent-ial makes the most amazing wetsuits from limestone-based neoprene.
Here’s a 4-3 he designed for Lotus Earth with our signature diamond on the right shoulder.
Being a Floridian by birth I instinctively loathe cold water and wearing a wetsuit.
With that said, this suit has such unbelievable flexibility and warmth that I’m actually looking forward to catching some of our great winter swells!
If you’re in the market for some new rubber check out Es-cent-ial for sure…
The General
*The General* is a classic 1960’s Noserider designed after the Nuuhiwa Noserider by Bing.
The General features pigment dyed panels and a hand shaped walnut skeg.
Built for the cool glassy corduroy days of Fall and the tiny warm Floridian swells of summer.
The perfect board for styling on ankle to head high surf.
It’s the Cadillac your grandfather drives on special occasions…
Untitled Tubes
A short *day-in-the-life* film by Dustin Miller of Saint Augustine.
Inspiration
This is the type of film which makes me laugh at myself for being human.
I really want to cry corporate commercialism and note the synopsis is contradicted by simply making the film, but I can’t…
It’s just sick and I dig…
Moonlight Glassing
Nuuhiwa Noserider
Shaper’s Block, is there is such a thing? I skinned the Nuuhiwa blank last week and then decided to put it aside as my mind just wasn’t functioning in a 60’s paradigm.
A visit to the chiropractor musta jarred the brain and I’m now feeling abnormal again (thank heavens).
The downtime allowed for a revamping of my shaping stand and I bought some great new tools on a recent jaunt to Melbourne.
Here’s the blank. It has a traditional high density blue foam between two strips of bass wood.
Here’s the skinned blank… Look carefully and you can see the Nuuhiwa hiding in the foam!
Shaping the signature deep Nuuhiwa concave…
I love the lines of this board. It’s very refined and much different from a modern longboard.
I’m still trying to decide the colors and theme of the traditional resin tint. Thinking butterscotch with maybe a Tiffany blue deck inlay with thin white pins and a teardrop accent on the hull…
Restorations of the Soul
It’s been twenty-five days since my last post.
The Bing Nuuhiwa Model is finished, as well as a transitional 1970’s single-fin swallow tail by Oceanside.
I haven’t mowed fresh foam in almost a month and I am starting to feel withdrawals!
On Monday I visited a new blank distributor and was able to score a 9’8″ for my Takayama project! More on that later…
Here are the completed restorations.
I am proud 
Above is an amazing gift from Mr. Bing Copeland himself. Bing sent me an original David Nuuhiwa Noserider laminate seen here prior to the second clear lamination and an autographed copy of his new book! I owe Bing and Tom Moss a huge thank you!!! Check out Classic Bing Surfboards to learn more about these very special boards.
Also above is a photo given to me by my Aunt Cevera Burgess. This photo was taken in 1964.
As you can see there were a couple guys fortunate enough to have a Bing! I recognize the fourth board from the left being a Bing with the wild inlay stringer (if you use a magnifying glass you’ll see a the cat’s eye on the skeg).
From left to right we have Buck Bibb, Jerry Bunch, Jack Barniak, Mike Conner, Wayne Uffelman, Dwight Morris and David Osteen.
This photo has really sparked my interest in the history of surfing on the Island.
If you know of anyone with more photos, boards or any memorabilia, please drop me a line thomas@lotusearth.com
So enough words, here are the restoration photos… Enjoy!
Lotus Earth 