Malibu Beach

Took this picture Tuesday, "vintage look" courtesy of Parlato Graphic Design Firm

Review: Doc's Proplugs

A few months back, I went to the doctor's office complaining of an earache. The doctor checked out my right ear, then my left, gave me a funny look, and asked if I spent anytime in the ocean. I wanted to say a joke about hunting a white whale, but I let that go, and told her that I was an avid surfer. Turns out that I have the early stages of surfer's ear. Cold water and harsh wind has actually caused bones to grow in my ear canal, and if I don't take care of it now, I may have to get surgery.

The doctor basically said that that I had two options available to help me alleviate my ear issue. I could either a) stop surfing (fat chance) or b) surf with ear plugs. The first plugs I tried were from the pharmacy at Gelsons, and they were an epic fail. That was probably because they cost around $5. So, the next time around I decided to shell out some extra dinero and purchase ear plugs designed for surfers. Doc's pro plugs caught my eye, mainly because that doctor who invented them is actually a surfer (not to mention that Santa Cruz surfer Ken "Skindog" Collins swears by them).

The plugs are shaped to cover the ear canal and the "crest of the helix" (that part of the ear just outside of the ear canal). There is also a tiny hole in each plug, so that you can equalize your ears if necessary with minimal discomfort. The plugs are meant to fit snugly, so that they can minimize water and wind entering the ear canal. With that being said, the plugs come in a variety of sizes and need to be custom fitted to the user's ears. That can be done either via a ear specialist, or you can drop 30$ and purchase a package of four plugs in different sizes (Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large), to find a plug that fits your ears best.

Field test results: I have used the plugs for a week now, and I will say that they have helped dramatically. Finding the best fit did take some time, but when the water is freezing (last session I actually saw my breath) the ear plugs help minimize the ear ache. They do seem to let some water in when I duck dive, but with further testing and trying different sizes, I think that issue can be resolved.

I will check back in a week or so to give an update on how the plugs are working out!

Will a paddle make me cooler?

To SUP or not to SUP: that is the question. Just like Hamlet, I too have slings and arrows on the mind. Oh, and paddles too. Lately I have been tormented by the "sport" of stand up paddling. For all of you unfamiliar with the preferred pastime of Satan, it involves a surfer utilizing an enormous board, and instead of lying prone and stroking, said surfer remains standing for the entire session, and uses a paddle to slowly chug along. 


Now SUP has been around for awhile, and it has gained quite a following. Before I start attacking the institution, it is important to point out some of its good points. For instance, you can build up your upper body to Laird Hamilton proportions. You can also see approaching sets miles out to sea. And above all, if a shark swims by, the only thing he can nibble on is your paddle and not your feet.

However, my fault with stand up paddling is not with the sport, but with its followers. SUP has become very popular, so much so, that people with little surf experience are picking it up. In other words, individuals who have little understanding of surf etiquette, the ocean, or surfing as a whole are picking up a sport that allows them to dominate a line up; they can see farther out, take off earlier and paddle faster than any non-SUP. All in all, it just isn't fair for anybody else. 


Yet I was hit with a sudden realization on the nature of SUP when I first witnessed the bizarre sight of a skateboarder using a paddle to coast along a sidewalk. That's right, a paddle. Just like Huck Finn. Except there was no raft, no mighty Mississippi, or even... (bad word) Jim. 


Mark Twain aside, the land paddler pointed out a very important attribute of mankind, and that was that we as a society love to make our lives easy. We invented a remote for the T.V. so we didn't have to get up from the couch to change the channel. We invented the microwave so we could make our meals quicker. Hell, we even invented peanut butter and jelly in the same container. Hopefully though, that  latter invention will go the way of other misguided inventions like the helicopter ejection seat or the Snuggie for dogs and just disappear. 


The paddle is just another gimmicky invention designed to make surfing, and now skateboarding, easier. What is important to remember with SUP, and now SUS too, is that the rider should be willing to participate in the sport sans paddle. If they are able to do so, it shows that said rider has a passion for the sport itself, and doesn't need any sort of new fad to keep them skating or surfing. If the rider can't part with the paddle, then he or she must go the way of the dodo, and get hunted down by Europeans and giant rats, because that is what they honestly deserve.