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).

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

SUP STORIES: Kevin Seid – Offical Stand Up Project Trailer from Soul Surf Media 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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His back story is amazing, a near death infection followed up by a top placing in the Pipe Masters after learning how to surf. Kainoa is of legendary status in the bodyboard community, the surfing community and now in the stand up community as one of the few willing to stand up paddle into Pipeline.

We did the shoot at Pipe after the bodyboard championships wrapped for the day. I had never been to Pipeline before; it was like a major dream come true to be standing on that beach shooting. I had a sense of what Bruce Brown must have felt shooting it for the first time in the 60’s. As Kainoa paddled out, he got tossed around by a set and came in with a broken leash. Undeterred he charged back out and started to weave his way around the pack of bodyboarders and surfers. I guess what I did not realize about Pipe is that it is crowded. I mean REALLY crowded. And since it is such a short, shallow wave, I am amazed that more people do not get hurt or killed there.

I will never forget actually rooting for Kainoa NOT to take any waves. It was just scary to watch him on his stand up board charging into the barrels and paddling into the steep drops.

Morgan Hoesterey came with me (without her I would not have found it ) and snapped some incredible pictures of Kainoa and of me hard at work. An amazing day, and I tell you, his story is taking a while to edit out. There is so much to it, it is hard to focus on just one thing. It is possible that we will do his story in two parts to cram it all in.

Here are some pics from our first Pipe Shoot (all photos by Morgan Hoesterey - Plant Ocean Photo)

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By morning I was standing at Liberty Landing looking for Darrick Doerner. Never in my wildest dreams a year ago, would I imagine myself in this crazy position.
 I immediately recognized Darrick. I have learned to find these guys solely by their presence. Darrick has the same presence that I found in Gerry Lopez. A very surreal, peaceful, feeling. Almost like you have known them forever. Darrick is no exception. He is a kind, gracious, passionate guy.

As we crossed the channel from Jersey to New York, the crew from Idol Maker Productions (who were shooting for Darrian Boyle) commented to me (after learning that I had only been to New York one other time) “yea, that over there is the giant green thing people come to check out” (the Statue of Liberty). It was going to be a day full of humorous tour notes. On another occasion, I felt a tap on the shoulder and was told “yep, over there is where they dismantle all of the old subways”. And on another occasion they yelled out “look! a tire! maybe we can come up with three more and get a full set!”. The fellow media on our boat was a cast of characters and perfect companions for the eight hour paddle

I never realized that we would be floating into some really woodsy areas. There are actually some remarkable parts of the island.. The other thing I immediately noticed was the current. Darrick even commented to me “I do not want you in the water, the current is really strong. And if you end up in the water, cover your mouth. I do not want you swallowing the water”. 
Well, at the half way point, I needed to change out Darrick’s Go Pro. He offered to bring his board on deck, but I have to admit to wanting to jump into the water and do the change out on his board. I felt it would be “cool” WRONG- always when I feel that something is going to be “neat” it ends up a disaster. So as I was drifting in the current on Darrick’s Paddle Surf Hawaii board with no paddle towards a bridge – I knew I was in trouble. A small rescue was initiated with the Jet Ski that had just come back to life. The result, one Go Pro got a bit of the East River on it. And I spent the next 10 minutes saying “I am so sorry”.  And that my friends, is the fun of guerrilla production.

We got everyone into the harbor at World Trade Center OK- but the next problem was what to do with all of these paddlers and boards in a harbor where Yachts were trying to get in and out. Another logistical nightmare ensued.

The after party at liberty landing was truly a celebration. But for me, a quiet moment with Max, founder of the Best Day Foundation, a beneficiary of the paddle really put things into perspective…

Max traveled from Santa Cruz to be in the event. He started his charity when he felt he needed to do something to help people. He left a good job and struck out on his own to create The Best Day, a organization that takes challenged children into water sports. As he told me stories of kids they have helped, I started to tear up. These guys are miracle workers.  We struggled to snag pictures of the Manhattan skyline on the ferry from Liberty Landing to the city.
When I got to my friend’s place in Manhattan I looked at the pictures and the faces of everyone paddling. I thought of Max. Of the kids that would be helped by what just happened. Not just of Max’s group, but the Autism charities that are being helped. I felt tears well up. Maybe if our video from this makes a difference and adds one more paddler to the event next year, then perhaps the 17 hours of weary travel between coasts was worth it. Maybe the Stand Up Project is fulfilling that one dream I have always had for it. To make a difference. Isn’t that, after all everyone’s dream?

Someone once told me that when someone helps someone else, that three people are helped. The giver is being helped as they are feeling the good feeling of giving, the receiver is obviously being helped- but the third person is the person watching this exchange take place. They are helped as they get to witness the power of giving. Sitting on that boat laughing with new friends as the men and women paddled around Manhattan, I was that witness. With each stroke- someone, somewhere was being helped. Thanks to Darrian Boyle and to Darrick Doerner for giving me the gift of witnessing the loving transaction of giving. (also for pulling me out of the east river- that could have been really bad!)

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