NXT 
Today marks one of my favorite days of the year: the end of the Vans US Open. It’s the first sign of many things that I love as a newly transplanted Huntington Beach resident. The crowds will soon dissipate, vacationers will retreat back to their beloved homes, kids will soon again be scribbling waves in notebooks from behind a desk instead of prowling the local lineup (sorry dudes), and most importantly: Fall, my favorite season is rapidly approaching. Today is a picture perfect example of this, the scaffolding is coming down, there is a new swell building and not many people out on the glassy wedges either side of the pier.
Huntington Beach cops get a bad rep from time to time, but when you live here it’s possible to see it’s brighter side more often than the dark that occasionally spills over from the east. Cheers to the combo swell, thinning crowds and a lot more sunshine that will grace Huntington Beach for the next few months. —Scott
What a difference a day makes Collected Thoughts 051
Craig Anderson, Mentawai Islands Collected Thoughts 111: Horrible waves in Indo aren’t that bad
“We hopped on the Bintang boat and got the best waves of our year. Shortly after, we got back on that same boat and got the worst waves of our year. Turns out, horrible waves in the Mentawais still aren’t that bad…” —Nate Lawrence
Gunner Day Mind Pump Collected Thoughts 110
“A three week flat spell led to an over-hyped swell. The over-hyped swell led to a crowded lineup. The crowded lineup led to searching for other waves. Gunner Day. A first timer to the inside-mind-pump section.” —Nate Lawrence
Have Surf Magazines Lost their Minds? Collected Thoughts 109
Have surf magazines lost their minds? First off, surf photographers have always been creepy people. Writers, not much better. But it seems in my years dealing with surf magazines that the people in charge are usually pretty turned on. They know how to make a very selfish sport look fun and inviting. I always looked…
Too Much Perfect in Indonesia Collected Thoughts 108
Living in Bali has it’s perks. It’s cheap, warm and has waves all year round. It also has it’s downsides. Traffic, pollution and kooks. But the perfect waves always conquer the cons when contemplating if there is a better place to live. But just recently the perfect waves didn’t seem so perfect. I found myself…
Nate Lawrence nearly robbed To get you this Collected Thought Number 107 lineup shot
I nearly got robbed trying to get a lineup shot. I probably deserved it though. After all, I am exposing surf spots. And taking photos of a wave and making it look prettier than it is. The wind? It was onshore. The crowd? It was packed. But that’s the thing with us sketchy photographers, it’s…
Dillon Perillo, Indo Collected Thoughts 106: “Dillon lost his mind out here, which is kind of like finding it for him.”
On an island in remote Indonesia, Dillon Perillo can finally surf again. 5 hour sessions in the middle of the day with no one out. And then again just before sunset. This is not Malibu. —Nate Lawrence
Chippa Wilson on the “Duo”, Bali Collected Thoughts 105
I was pretty amazed when Chippa pulled out this Neil Purchase Jr surfboard with only 2 fins and decided to ride it at pumping Uluwatu. The takeoffs were late and the drops were steep, but it didn’t hinder Chippa’s surfing. The positions in which he was riding the waves were something I hadn’t seen before.
The Bukit Peninsula Collected Thoughts 104
The warm water splashes on your toes as you pass mostly naked women on the beach on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula. Left, right, left. Your head can’t stop spinning. Then you see the waves. One, two, three, four. Lines stack up to the horizon and then you pick your time and go. Paddle towards the sun….
Julian Wilson in Bali Collected Thoughts 103
Still think spraying someone who’s paddling over the shoulder is one of the best things (and brattiest) in surfing. Julian Wilson partakes in Bali recently. —Nate Lawrence
Bronson Meidy, 12, Keramas Collected Thoughts 102
There’s a new kid to the surf scene in Bali. His name is Bronson Meidy and he just turned 12 this week. I usually don’t like to say anything about kids this young because you just want them to be kids. Eating candy and shit. Not worrying about sponsors and sticker placement. Just going surfing…
The Indian Ocean Spotlight: beach parties, waves and Scandinavian women Collected Thoughts 101
The Indian Ocean is back in the spotlight. Swells are stacking up and surfers are busy paying excess baggage on flights. So what’s new? It’s still hot, dirty and full of Brazilians. There’s still corruption and crazy tourists. People are still getting crunched my motorbikes daily. But there are parties every night and Scandinavian women…
Chippa Wilson, Bali 2016 Collected Thoughts 100
“Sometimes it feels so good to dig your back hand in the water and do a nice Larry layback. Chippa in Bali recently unveiling his new Brixton stickers.” —Nate Lawrence
