We drove from Break to Break looking for a new wave to surf, each one was a bit different and with the swell dropping off, time was a bit critical.

Some of these breaks are a bit famous for being less then friendly to cameras- and at C Street – a place where the parking lot is full, you can see it breaking from the freeway – one guy came up to me and said “great day for shooting” -

“yes” I replied”really nice day”

“Great, be sure to burn it when you are done shooting” he said back with a smile.

Could not believe it – was he under the delusion that no one knew where or how to get to C Street. There were five other photogs on the beach, one with a surfer magazine shirt on.

Chuck and I’s next shoot was his idea. Meet at dawn and shoot at the Dana Point harbor. Dana Point is a solid hour away from me. So I woke up at four, showered and headed to Dana Point to meet Chuck. He was right. Another dry, Santa Ana morning, the sun peeking over the mountains and we scored some of the most amazing sunrise footage I have ever shot.

The struggle on the shooting part was the voice in my head saying “don’t screw this up” and the large amounts of coffee in me struggling to keep the camera still for each pass Chuck did. The air was about 45 degrees outside and Chuck was cruising around in trunks and a rash guard.

These two shoots were really powerful to me. Here is this icon in the stand up paddle world, and in both shoots we capture something really simple. Just Chuck paddling and surfing with the sun creating the most amazing lighting ever. Nothing was really planned, all of it unfolded in the moment. In all honesty, we hoped on both shoots for big surf to really capture Chuck just charging it – and in both instances the big waves never really showed. But what did show up were really beautiful, simple moments. People make a big deal about how fit and powerful Chuck is, and let me tell you – he is. But in this session video, we capture a whole other side of Chuck that comes out in the simple act of him paddling across the glassy surface of Dana Point Harbor creating a solo wake. It is smooth, graceful, and powerful all at the same time. Anyways, I cannot wait to get this video out on the site. I think you all are going to really dig it (especially as storms move into So Cal and we all honker down for winter).

In watching back the video I am reminded of how emotional that whole day was. It was really moving. I realized, I guess the potential of paddling events to be fundraisers for great causes. plus, I had never seen New York in that manner and it was awe inspiring.

The people of SEA are just amazing and everyone was so appreciative of our presence. The cool part is that even if there were no cameras or coverage, they would be doing it anyways. The people who paddled believed in what they were doing.

The final video is encoding right now. Look for it in the next day or so to be on line.

I know what you are thinking, they are going to sell me a bunch of stuff. No so, we are not going to tie you to your data. With our utility – Survey Gizmo, we have set up ways to not match you with your data. We just need the data. Not that we do not care about you, but I just want to assure you that we are not out to sell your data to anyone. We just need to present an honest profile of the stand up community to our broadcast partners and other media outlets. To thank you, we are giving away Stand Up Project memberships for completed surveys. For 5 minutes of your time; you get a year’s worth of access to our content. Not a bad deal!

TAKE THE SURVEY
Happy new years everyone, and thanks for making the Stand Up Project a success.

If there is one thing that our sport can do it is bring people together. At the first battle of the paddle, I interviewed Mickey Munoz who said “it is like a tribe, a brotherhood. Like when we first started surfing”. And I can tell you, that for me this is so true. Prior to my niece passing, I did a shoot with Chuck Patterson. It was the first time I had met him and we spent two days shooting some central coast surf stuff. A month later sitting in Children’s Hospital Orange County, I got a call from Chuck just sending his condolences. That meant a lot to me. He was not the only one. My phone, email and facebook were blowing up with messages from friends in our community. Nate Burgoyne, Morgan Hoesterey, Eric Akiskalian and others were checking up on me regularly, and I just appreciate the time and ministration of these new friends to me and my family during such an awful time. As a friend once told me, “I am not strong, just well supported”. Thank you stand up paddle friends, for supporting not just me, but my family during that time.

In 2010, there is going to be a lot of activity at Stand Up Project. First thing to come out in about two weeks will be the NY SEA Paddle video. There will be three versions – one for the site, one trailer and a long form for the DVD release in March. Following that – a GORGEOUS session video with Chuck Patterson in Ventura on the last day of summer. It is really an amazing set of footage. Also with Chuck, we took a tour of the Hobie factory – see some works in progress with the Hobie guys. Then by month end, Kainoa McGee + Pipeline – enough said. It is awesome. Kainoa is one of those all around watermen, super nice guy, really amazing story and really an inspiration to me. March will bring us the Molokai Challenge with Morgan, Battle of the Paddle 2009 (over 12 hours of footage to turn into 10 minutes!), plus some new profiles that we are shooting now.

The other thing coming in 2010 (and why the site has been dormant the past 60 days) is The Stand Up Project DVD series. First edition will be out mid January. Soul Surf also just released Jack Gillen’s Wave Chi DVD and we jumped into pre-production on another SUP fitness DVD. Soul Surf has been REALLY busy so being a one man show, I have been slacking up posting new behind the scenes content here.

2010 will also see Soul Surf go on it’s first all out SUP expedition for a documentary shoot. The people and location are in tight secrecy now. But in the coming months, there will be some press about it. It is a historic undertaking and will be seriously epic.

We are ALWAYS looking for people to profile, so if you want to have your “SUP Story” told, drop me a note. chris@soulsurfmedia.com.

Thanks for your support this year and I look forward to a happy and productive 2010

Chris Aguilar
Executive producer, The Stand Up Project

Stand Up Project: Canoe Wipeout! from Chris Aguilar on Vimeo.

My plane ride over was really cool, got to sit next to none other then Jamie Mitchell. Great guy, super nice and we had a great ride over from Oahu.

I had never been out on this race before so it was a big first for me. The condo we were in (courtesy of Jeff Chang from Wet Feet) was awesome. Also rooming with us was Kevin Seid of Ever Paddle. The first day we just rested up at the beach and ran into Jared Vargas out from California and our close friend and first time Molokai paddler, Nicole.

As I saw all of the boats lining up in the small cove ready to escort the paddlers I suddenly had a realization. There is no dock! How was I supposed to get the camera gear from the island to the boat? I then noticed the large amount of pelican cases that Sanja brought. Opps.

The resort we were in was over run with frogs. It was crazy, you would be walking along and then you would see a pack of frogs just sitting there on the road. And you saw the remnants of frogs who did not make it out of the road. it was kind of gross. We had a frog stuck in our condo, that was our first debacle of the trip.

Race morning was full of anxious energy and anticipation. I think everyone was pretty jazzed to get their race on. Our boat had a dingy and I diligently packed my thousands of dollars of camera gear into trash bags and watched as Anders swam it out to the boat. (I have since purchased pelican cases for next year). The boat had a crew of well, good looking girls. Our captain must be the ultimate stud. Cause he had this all female crew in bikinis helping us out, making sandwiches and just being super cool to us. I think we were the luckiest team on the water

The Molokai challenge is like nothing else you will ever see. Morgan and the other paddlers are true heroes in my book for doing that race. I think she said it best in her interview “it is a race against yourself”. They have waves come from all sides, wind, chop and just terrible conditions. We heard stories of people dropping out from dehydration, throwing up over and over, and just plain old fatigue. Each time she got knocked off the board you could see the pain in her face. I just wanted it to end for her. She is my friend and I just hate seeing my friends in pain. And trust me, that race looks like pure pain. Wayne played the role of navigator and had consulted with friends in the marine world to help set up a course for us to follow and we stuck pretty close to that line. We ventured far from the pack hoping to ride the south swell into the finish.

The special part for me was watching Morgan and Jeff Chang finish together. I know how much she respects and looks up to Jeff and I can tell Jeff has a mutual respect for Morgan. They have been training together and well, it was just appropriate that they got to finish this grueling race side by side. Look for the full video (featuring footage from both myself and Sanja) in the coming months.

In the mean time, enjoy these photos

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The Rock to Rock is traditionally a paddle race, but they have been letting in stand ups slowly. This year a number of women were going relay, but Morgan was the only one doing it solo.

We got a couple of hours of sleep on the boat (not an easy feat I found) and at 5am were up in the dark getting Morgan ready. it was cold in the morning but the weather had been pretty warm.

The race start was a zoo. They had to navigate all of the boats moored at the Isthmus and then the insane amount of wake from all of the escorts boats. I was watching in terror thinking that there is no way anyone is going to stay on their board through the start. It was madness.

As the race progressed, the conditions got worse. Four foot wind swell at their side, direct head wind. Just no fun. Then the tanker came up on the horizon. The tanker was the kicker to me. Race officials and boats were all over the radio trying to avoid that obstacle and the Tanker captain was an idiot trying to thread a small needle between racers.

We came in able to witness Joe Bark crossing with his family, so awesome. Morgan held tough through some terrible conditions. I got my first real taste of a distance race and what happens. From tossing PBJ into the water, to watching the sheer determination of someone just wanting to finish. Pretty amazing. I want to try and do it next year- let the training begin.

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We were picked up by Jermoe and taken to Ekolu’s home on the island. We dropped off our stuff and headed out for pizza and sandwiches for dinner. I marveled at what we had here. Literally three generations of paddling with the purpose of this trip being that Morgan get to learn from two of the greats how to ride bumps. And then it happened back at the house. The three started to tell stories. I started rolling. I was enthralled by all of their tales and laughed with them recounting some of their funnier moments in the water. It was awesome.

The not so awesome part were the mosquitoes all over the place. I got bit so much that both my ankles and feet swelled to the point I was in pain walking. But this shoot was too important to me. We loaded up the boat and jumped into the pick up and made the 20 minute drive to the launch spot. There Jerome and Choppy met us in the whaler. I had this vision of sticking the tripod on the bow and putting our super expensive camera on top and just being able to shoot. WRONG. The first trip out convinced me that the “good” camera ought to be stowed. A big wave came up on us and it soaked my tripod and camera. The camera lived, but it did get a $500 cleaning when I got home.

The day was really magical. I shot on the SR11 in the cheapie Sony Housing and it worked out. The fog eventually settled in and towards the middle of the run, but the swell chilled out enough for me to use the big camera. It was awesome watching Ekolu and his family take turns paddling and enjoying one another. You can see how this family makes the water a part of the glue that binds them. They kept trying to convince me to jump in, but I have to admit to being intimidated. But the next day, I did try and for 15-20 minutes I was paddling like mad off Molokai, scared to death. But loving it.

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Well, It was Ernie from Ta-hoe-Nalu’s crazy idea. And I am here to tell you that everyone in that town has paddle fever and they are all nuts. I definitely can see how in the middle of spring and summer, Tahoe is the best paddling in the state. But Winter? Really, with snow on the ground ?

The fun part and hard part about being a one man production team is that you are the only one you can rely on. I had a terrible dinner the night before and had a case of uh, well – we can just call it an upset stomach. And it was gnarly. Plus, I was shivering all of the time. I found the Blue Onion and immediately was greeted by – NOBODY. I was early. This is where I think I have lost my surfer gene- I am early everywhere I go. I found someone to help me and turns out Ernie was in the water giving a SUP lesson to a new friend.

He arrived and I can see why everyone in Tahoe knows him. Ernie is one word- energy. The man has unending supplies of energy. I think he is the most stoked person I have ever met. He and Doug Erwin (Tahoe SUP) were amazing hosts and made my visit that much better.

Once everyone checked in, the crazy crew headed for the water. The “beach” was really just a pack of foot deep snow which then led to a thicket of ice that took you to the water’s edge. Everyone had on booties to make it through the ice. Crazy.

The morning was crisp and clear, really a beautiful day. 39 degrees and just perfect for a paddle. Just don’t fall in.

The Tahoe people know how to party- they had a great blues band foot, mai tais and leis for everyone. It looked like it would go all night. I had to leave and get back to LA – So I took off and made the long, 8 hour drive home. Slapping myself the whole time to stay awake.

One thing I learned, snow paddles look freaking cool and I want to come back and do this event next year. Secondly, there are no healthy food options from here to Tahoe. I have had about every variety of burger and chicken nugget to attest to that. Was it all worth it? Hell Ya! I mean the whole experience was just epic. I love that Tahoe crew, the most stoked group of people I have ever met.  I hope to get there at time when it is not near freezing next time.

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