Finding surf in Sicily is not easy. Being that it is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, I had this preconception that as soon as our train hit the coast I would be seeing some evidence of surf. Alas, there was nothing. Much like the rest of Italy (I traveled from the coast of Tuscany, south to the Amalfi region, and now into Sicily), the region is unpredictable surf wise. I was told Levanto had surf 140 days of the year, and Palermo (capital of Sicily) had surf some 200 days of the year. However, unlike here in Los Angeles, one can't just roll up to a local spot and expect their to be waves, because it actually requires a bit of hunting. Storm patterns are random and short lived, giving only a small window for potentially surf-able waves. In other words, if you are like myself, and have little knowledge of the local beaches, weather patterns, and above all the language, finding any rideable waves within Italy or Sicily is no walk in the park.
However, it was an interesting experience wave hunting in Sicily, mainly because telling people I was "surfer" and not a "windsurfer" caused quite a bit of confusion. For you see, Palermo and the majority of Sicily is well known as a prime spot for windsurfing. Strong onshore/offshore winds are a relative constant factor, and because of that, the sport of windsurfing is immensely popular.
Yet, aside from a couple of locals wearing "Bear" surf shirts and Quiksilver boardshorts (thank god Quiksilver does not make speedos), surf culture in northern Sicily is not as strong as it was in beautiful Levanto.
Hopefully, when I return to Italy in the future, I will be able to score a few waves. For now though, I will have to make do with my waveless memories of delicious spaghetti with tuna eggs , topless beaches (no joke!), and the bluest ocean water I have ever seen.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Surf in Italy
I am currently on vacation in northern Italy, in a very beautiful coastal town named Levanto. While I was aware that there was some surf in Italy (albeit fairly minor), I was honestly surprised to find out that this little centro apparently has surf 150 days out of the year. While walking to dinner, my girlfriend and I stumbled upon a surf shop (yes, with actual surfboards) called "Brothers Surfhouse." The young guy working there informed me that this town was one of the better surf destinations in Italy, as it is situated perfectly to catch large southern swells. While he said the surf was often fickle, apparently two days before our arrival the local spot was breaking at about two meters. Sounds like I just missed it, and it definitely warrants a surf trip in the near future!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Surf Session 003
Saturday May 15
Time: In the water at 10:30
Location: Staircase: Just south of County Line
I was in the water for a little over an hour and a half, the whole area was incredibly crowded, as the weather was pretty nice, and we had a nice swell crossing up from the N and SSW. About waist to shoulder high on the best sets, water was fairly chilly with a slight onshore breeze. Really fun day, only a handful of guys in the line up, was able to get a number of really nice rides. Rode my usual board, 6.0 Kennedy thruster, and despite it being a beachbreak board (my main board for El Porto), it still handles superbly at a pointbreak like Staircase. Worked on my cutbacks, and on pulling harder snapbacks. The larger sets tended to closeout, so the waves helped me in getting a little speed to launch off the lip. On a funny note, saw a very friendly seal, and sat next to two guys from Norway. In all honesty, I had no idea they even had surf there.
Overall, a great session
Time: In the water at 10:30
Location: Staircase: Just south of County Line
I was in the water for a little over an hour and a half, the whole area was incredibly crowded, as the weather was pretty nice, and we had a nice swell crossing up from the N and SSW. About waist to shoulder high on the best sets, water was fairly chilly with a slight onshore breeze. Really fun day, only a handful of guys in the line up, was able to get a number of really nice rides. Rode my usual board, 6.0 Kennedy thruster, and despite it being a beachbreak board (my main board for El Porto), it still handles superbly at a pointbreak like Staircase. Worked on my cutbacks, and on pulling harder snapbacks. The larger sets tended to closeout, so the waves helped me in getting a little speed to launch off the lip. On a funny note, saw a very friendly seal, and sat next to two guys from Norway. In all honesty, I had no idea they even had surf there.
Overall, a great session
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Surf session 001
Friday at 11:30
WNW groundswell at about 2-3 feet with occasional 4 footer. Mostly mushy closeouts, but still pretty fun. Water temp is still pretty chilly, and there was a steady onshore wind during the session. Only about 20 or so guys out, including a very friendly Australian guy. Ended up surfing just past 45th street, but then drifted down in front of the Oil refinery. Thankfully, the sand has opened back up, and you can walk from one end of the beach to the other. Friendly dolphins were also out, though one in particular seemed a bit too friendly. Overall was a good session.
Stefan
WNW groundswell at about 2-3 feet with occasional 4 footer. Mostly mushy closeouts, but still pretty fun. Water temp is still pretty chilly, and there was a steady onshore wind during the session. Only about 20 or so guys out, including a very friendly Australian guy. Ended up surfing just past 45th street, but then drifted down in front of the Oil refinery. Thankfully, the sand has opened back up, and you can walk from one end of the beach to the other. Friendly dolphins were also out, though one in particular seemed a bit too friendly. Overall was a good session.
Stefan
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Surf Session
Surf sessions: I will be recording every surf session, with details on time of day, surf conditions, and events that may have occured.
Sincerely,
Stefan Slater
Sincerely,
Stefan Slater
Review: Solarez
This will be an ongoing process concerning my personal preference for the easiest/quickest way to fix digs:
When it comes to any form of repairs or construction, I'll be honest, I am no Bob Vila (Yes I actually know who he is). However, with that being said, I recently gathered up the courage to try and repair the dings on my 6.0 thruster. Until now, I usually took my busted boards to my local shop (Kennedy's), paid around $20 or so, and then waited for my beloved board to be returned to me. Yet I will be entering the real world shortly (meaning employment), and because of that, I've needed to budget my funds appropriately. So, like every other manly man surfer in California, I will be fixing my dings on my own.
For my first go on fixing my board, I tried Solarez. Solarez is a "fiberfill UV-Cure polyester resin," and it is designed to be an easy/efficient manner to fix dings, especially for (gifted) individuals such as myself. The process is relatively simple and begins with the individual identifying the area in need of repair (duh), then roughening the damaged area, and then placing a small amount of the resin (in the shade mind you) on said area. The instructions also suggest placing a bit of plastic on top of the resin, so that you can smooth it out with your fingers, but I have gotten away with not doing it all. Finally, once the area is properly covered, bring your board into direct sunlight, and presto, in 30 seconds the gunk should turn as hard as a rock.
Final decision:
The stuff is very easy to use, but it can be a bit messy and stinky (the smell is comparable to immersing your head in a bucket of kerosene). Also, the finished product can look a bit rough, and though it can fix and cover a ding, the material is still pretty sensitive, so treat your board like the special lady she is and be gentle with her. In addition, the stuff only works in direct sunlight, so cloudy days can ruin your chance for repair relatively quickly. All in all though, Solarez is a great alternative to duck tape, and I will be using it on my boards for whenever I have a minor ding to fix.
When it comes to any form of repairs or construction, I'll be honest, I am no Bob Vila (Yes I actually know who he is). However, with that being said, I recently gathered up the courage to try and repair the dings on my 6.0 thruster. Until now, I usually took my busted boards to my local shop (Kennedy's), paid around $20 or so, and then waited for my beloved board to be returned to me. Yet I will be entering the real world shortly (meaning employment), and because of that, I've needed to budget my funds appropriately. So, like every other manly man surfer in California, I will be fixing my dings on my own.
For my first go on fixing my board, I tried Solarez. Solarez is a "fiberfill UV-Cure polyester resin," and it is designed to be an easy/efficient manner to fix dings, especially for (gifted) individuals such as myself. The process is relatively simple and begins with the individual identifying the area in need of repair (duh), then roughening the damaged area, and then placing a small amount of the resin (in the shade mind you) on said area. The instructions also suggest placing a bit of plastic on top of the resin, so that you can smooth it out with your fingers, but I have gotten away with not doing it all. Finally, once the area is properly covered, bring your board into direct sunlight, and presto, in 30 seconds the gunk should turn as hard as a rock.
Final decision:
The stuff is very easy to use, but it can be a bit messy and stinky (the smell is comparable to immersing your head in a bucket of kerosene). Also, the finished product can look a bit rough, and though it can fix and cover a ding, the material is still pretty sensitive, so treat your board like the special lady she is and be gentle with her. In addition, the stuff only works in direct sunlight, so cloudy days can ruin your chance for repair relatively quickly. All in all though, Solarez is a great alternative to duck tape, and I will be using it on my boards for whenever I have a minor ding to fix.
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