Surfing, Skateboarding, Music, Photography, Travel, Culture and general antics of the youth on the run.

Media Model Subsidy Line Noise Ordinances and surf video making with Mitch Coleborn, Harry Bryant, Nate Tyler, Colin Moran and more

This morning we received a note on our front door reminding us that this town operates under a noise ordinance and that we may have been in violation during our first night here. And I may know why.

You see, we lucked into an AirBnb that’s equipped with a pool table in the sun room, and last night after some dinner we fired up a few games. And while I’m not going to specifically single anyone out for the noise ordinance, I will say that Mitch Coleborn is a passionate pool player. Very passionate.

So here we are: On the road, all thanks to YOU! An ongoing experiment in creative freedom for the sake of making something. At your service and doing what we do. And we’re doing it in a place where there are constant fluctuations in wind and swell and local vibe and mood and it turns out that moving 8 to 10 fully grown surf dudes around a town in a 15-seater van takes a lot of energy. And food. And time. And toilet paper. And music. And patience. And Taco Bell. And that’s just fine by me — that’s what makes these trips unique and fucking awesome: we’re a rolling pile of wet wetsuits and sand careening across the state set to a soundtrack accompanied by the clatter of rattling fins and boards. There are the endless wave checks. And re-checks. And coffee stops. And second guessing. And burrito stops. And piss breaks. And parking issues. And as Colin pointed out: the need for music to be playing in the car at all times. “Can you turn the music on,” he asked during a slow and silent morning start in the van today. “I’m way too in my own head when it’s silent.” So Mitch put Silverchair on.

This afternoon we all walked into a crowded Trader Joe’s after surfing fog wind straight-handers in Jaws infested water and filled two shopping baskets with the basics: Avocados, bananas, bread, coffee, frozen pizzas, hummus, chips, salsa, and various other Trader Joes hummus surprises before heading back into the wild to find waves. We found our groove today. And tonight, we did find some waves as well. And it evidently ignited the surf psych as everyone is in bed already dreaming of jumping sharks long before the noise ordinance even kicks in. We’re ready to surf. The coffee pot is on automatic mode for tomorrow and we’ll be up in the dark. Because we got a lot of ripping to do before we find our way into the front door of Vesuvio. —Travis 

austyn gillete what youth part friend skateboarding

Dear Youth Our weekend with Austyn Gillette and Part Friend

Austyn Gillette was down in San Clemente for physical therapy on Friday. He said he’d be back to his house in LA around 2:30 and invited us to meet up. His band Part Friend was playing with Swimm. all was well until I arrived and Austyn was at the Emergency room with his friend who…

Ian Walsh and John John Florence what youth Eddie opening ceremony

Dear Youth Ian Walsh and John John Florence at the opening ceremony for “The Eddie”

“I don’t understand them, but I sure do respect them.” Nate Lawrence told us that last night after attending the opening ceremony to the 30th Annual Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau event with Ian Walsh, John John Florence and the rest of the world’s best big wave surfers — including DEKKA author/photographer Derek Dunfee…

derek dunfee what youth dear youth

Dear Youth DEKKA Journals by Derek Dunfee

Editor’s Note: For those of you who don’t know Derek yet, you’re in luck. Basically this is like getting to ride shotgun to some of the world’s scariest places and waves, with one of the nicest, most talented dudes there is. He shoots photos, surfs the world’s biggest waves, travels at the slightest breath of wind…

The Anxiety of On the Road’s Original scroll After reading On the Road (Twice) I feel different

I’ve read Jack Kerouac’s coming-of-age novel On the Road twice now.  First the heavily edited, Penguin Edition and now the racier, much more raw original scroll edition. I’ve also read most of Jack’s other books including Big Sur, The Dharma Bums, Tristessa, Visions of Cody, Mexico City Blues, The Sea is My Brother, and Satori in Paris…

Julian Wilson what youth surfing

Dear Youth European Photo Diary of Quinn Matthews

Editor’s note: It’s well documented what a national treasure photographer Quinn Matthews is. And while his Europe tour of duty wasn’t without it’s hiccups and we thought we lost him, or he’d lost it, or both, he did manage to come back with some gold. The gallery and story below by Quinn are proof that…

Kai Neville Cluster France What Youth

Dear Youth France, you son of a bitch

Chip nearly stomped a huge backside slob. Noa came so close I vomited on the beach. Dion lost his credit card, got a new one, and lost it again.

Quinn matthews in portugal waves surfing what youth

Dear Youth Damp Jeans and the wave of your life

I’ve been in Portugal for about two weeks, and it’s been sunny all of two days. The rest of the time it’s been gale force winds and rain. All of my clothes are wet, cold and dirty from the rain and mud everywhere. I tried to do some laundry the other day, but we don’t…

Kelly slater 540 surfing air photographed by quinn matthews for what youth

Dear Youth: Kelly Slater’s 540 sequence Processing Kelly’s air at the Cluster House in France

Kai, Blake and myself went down to Bayonne to pick up some film from a French lab. We had moules and frites on the river (just like Chas suggested) and were enjoying a warm Fall day in France when Mitch Coleborn texted us and said the waves were firing and to hurry the fuck up…

Noa Deane guitar what youth surfing

Dear Youth France House

Every one knows now that the best camera in the world is the one in your pocket. And hell, we all have one in our pocket! The only difference with these photos and yours, is Blake tends to wander around France with the world’s best surfers. He’s with Kai filming Cluster. Eating baguettes, drinking latte’s…

John John Florence in France Photographed by Quinn Matthews What Youth

Dear Youth Deep Frence sand and currents with Quinn Matthews

France has been fun. Like, really fun. But like I think I said earlier, it’s a lot colder than last year, and I didn’t pack properly. There’s been a bunch of stuff that’s gone on but I’ll just get right to it and rattle off some observations and experiences in the past week or so….

what youth issue 9 deadlines dead lions what youth

Dear Youth Dead Lions Suck

Can we start planning the party yet? Holy shit. Issue 9 deadline nearly made us dead. And we need to start party planning. It’s time. And while shit aint confirmed, we need this man. Let’s just say, mark your calendar: Thursday, October 23 Something is going down. If you’re in the greater CA area, we’re…

Dane Reynolds, Craig Anderson, Dion Agius and Noa Deane surfboards in france surfing what youth

Dear Youth Scenes from Europe: Part 2

Today I drove past a little Russian gypsy stall and there were a bunch of old cameras on display. I noticed a vintage 35mm Leica, brass plated with a slick wood grain wrap. It had this Nazi emblem etched into the brass. I managed to heckle them down to 120 Euros. It was a relic,…

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