Graeme Thickins on Tech

Reflections & analysis about innovation, technology, startups, investing, healthcare, and more .... with a focus on Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes. Blogging continuously since 2005.

Tag: Jim Moriarty

Surfing in Minnesota? Yes. In Winter? Hell, Yes.

January 28, 2009 / / 8 Comments

You've heard me say before that I've always been a warm-water surfer, born in Australia and growing up in places like Hawaii and Southern California. But I just have to tip my hat again to my surfing buddies here in Minnesota. They've been getting some nice attention lately.  Turns out the New York Times showed up recently at one of their favorite breaks up on the North Shore, and produced this story: Hanging 10 (Degrees) on Icy Lake Superior.

SurfSuperior-NYTimes

(Photo by T. C. Worley for The New York Times.)

My buddy Bob Tema is quoted in the story. Here's one of my favorite shots of him surfing that same break, Stoney Point, at an earlier time. 

(Photo by Brain Stabinger.)
SurfSuperior-Tema-StoneyPt2

And here's a great winter shot he took of fellow surfer Quinn Carmichael.

SurfSuperior-Carmichael

The New York Times story was soon noticed by my buddy Jim Moriarty, Executive Director of the Surfrider Foundation, which resulted in him writing a great post called Are You Core? on his "Oceans Waves Beaches" blog, read by a worldwide community of surfers. (Thanks, Jim!)

Speaking of Surfrider, our local chapter is building a lot of steam lately (so to speak!), and we got some further play this past week — actually on two Surfrider Foundation blogs, with this great piece: Shaping Boards at 13 Below Zero. It features photos of my good friend and fellow MN-Superior Chapter organizer, Stefan Ronchetti, in his board shaping room/garage in Richfield, Minnesota. (Photos by Jim Perry, our amazing fellow organizer, who's a cardiologist. Like me, he's not a native Minnesotan, but a lifelong surfer all over the world. Stefan's from the Iron Range and is a financial analyst at US Bank, and also a worldwide traveler — now surfing on Oahu's North Shore.)  And this post also made it onto Surfrider's Save Trestles blog. (That's one of Surfrider's major initiatives, to save a world-class surfing break in Orange County, not far from my second home in San Clemente. Stop the Toll Road!) 

Pretty damn cool, all this attention for us Surfrider members and lovers of surfing back here in freezing-cold Minnesota!  It's been one of the coldest Januarys in a long, long time, actually.  Bob Tema told me a few days ago that the big lake is pretty well frozen over, so "no surfing for a while." (Surprisingly, that doesn't happen all that much on Lake Superior.)

One last piece of news. Speaking of our budding MN-Superior Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, I recently entered us in a local competition for nonprofits, to try to win a free web site. (We're so new, we don't yet have one.) SurfriderMN-logo225w The competition is called the Overnight Website Challenge, and ten Minnesota nonprofits will be selected (from about 50 entries) to have some amazingly talented volunteer teams of web developers and designers build them a web site in a marathon session held all day and night on February 28, complete with massive amounts of Red Bull and other goodies. In the linked post above, I describe it as "24 hours of pure nerd energy"… 🙂

All lovers of surfing are attracted to the environmental mission of the Surfrider Foundation.  If you love oceans, waves, and beaches…and Minnesota's wonderful, lakes, rivers, and shorelines…and believe these resources are worth protecting and preserving, please add a testimonial to our entry page and help our chapter win a free web site!  Together, we can have fun and make a difference, too.

Surfrider Minnesota Chapter Starts to Take Shape

September 2, 2008 / / 6 Comments

As a followup to my blog post of earlier this month on the first, formative meeting of our Minnesota chapter of the Surfrider Foundaton, I wanted to post again about our second meeting, which was held August 26th and drew more than twice as many people! Big thanks to Stefan Rochetti, who again hosted the meeting, and everyone who came out, all pictured below. (Since I drove my woodie, we got that into the pic, too!) We had a great variety of people, some who came directly from work or school, and several other Lake Superior surfers were able to make it this time, too. Thanks also to everyone who brought the grub and the beer!

Mnsurfridermtg082608

We discussed topics ranging from what to call the chapter (Minnesota-Superior or Minnesota Headwaters were two great ideas), to one or more issues we will focus on as we build the chapter, such as beach and shoreline clean-ups and doing something about plastics polluting our waters, to education programs, to doing cooperative activities with other local clean-water environmental organizations. We talked again about how many of the group met each other at the Jack Johnson concert earlier this summer, where Surfrider Foundation had a presence. [Elizabeth Willes of the San Diego Chapter manned that booth and was the spark plug for us to form our chapter here! She was touring with Jack Johnson to raise awareness about the Rise Above Plastics campaign, which is a major new initiative of the Surfrider Foundation — one we discussed in our meeting as something we really want to support here in Minnesota. Here’s a cool post about that, on the Save Trestles blog. That’s another initiative all us California beach lovers support, too, and I’ll have to wear my Save Trestles t-shirt to the next meeting… 🙂 Elizabeth is featured as well in this Sept 1 post on the Surfrider on Tour blog. ]

Here’s another photo I shot the evening of August 26th, showing Stefan Ronchetti (left), chairman-elect of our chapter, explaining what’s going on in his "shaping room" (aka his roommate’s garage), where the two of them are getting ready to start glassing several boards.

Stefanshapingroom

I also want to give a shout-out to Ben Moren, who made the cover of our local Eden Prairie magazine’s August issue.  Ben (pictured at far right of front row in group photo above) surfs Lake Superior
and is a student at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He’s agreed to serve our new chapter as webmaster of our soon-to-be-launched chapter web site.  How did the magazine cover come about?  Ben says it all started with this video he shot during the winter: Ice Cube Surfers. Check it out. Hey, what some people will do for the love of surfing…  🙂

Epmagcoverbenmoren

Interested in being invited to our next Surfrider chapter meeting?  Please email me at graeme (at) tech-surf-blog (dot) com, and we’ll get you on the list!

Or drop us a note by clicking on "Comments" below.

UPDATE (9/2/08): Just caught a great blog post by my friend Jim Moriatry, executive director of the Surfrider Foundation, dated Sept 1, called Jack and Surfrider.

Surfrider MN Chapter Holds First Official Formative Meeting

August 6, 2008 / / 2 Comments

I’m delighted to report that, last evening in Minneapolis, I was lucky enough to be part of a group of charged-up volunteers that held our first formal get-together to plan a local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Surfridermasthead

This is a wonderful, worldwide volunteer organization, with more than 50,000 members — here’s the home page, www.surfrider.org, and here’s what it’s all about. As a lifelong member since it all started in 1984, I’m really, really stoked that we now have so many interested potential volunteers here in the Twin Cities and Duluth, especially — considering there’s a growing clan of surfers now active on Lake Superior! A new crop of volunteers, along with many existing Surfrider members already living in our state who have not previously had a local chapter affiliation, are now coming together to form a great nucleus that will become what we hope will be called the "Minnesota Chapter" (once we get officially set up with the headquarters folk in Southern California).

In addition to the increased local interest in surfing on the Big Lake (and, of course, the already strong communities we have in our state in windsurfing and wakeboarding), you might wonder, so what was the spark that ignited the recent coming together of Minnesotans interested in forming a local chapter?  Well, it was none other than…the recent Jack Johnson concert! That’s right — where the Surfrider Foundation had a strong presence as one of the sponsors of Jack’s current tour.  Many people signed up to show interest and support of the Surfrider’s cause at a booth they set up at the concert. And every single person at last night’s formative session had attended the concert…but me! 🙁  I did blog about it, though, just after the fact (see Jack Johnson Made Me Do a Post About Surfing).

In the photo below, here’s the crew that gathered last night at Stefan Ronchetti’s residence in Richfield. From left to right, it’s me, Amanda Jansen, Nate Clark, Keely Gerhold, Stefan Ronchetti, and Ryan Buus. Not pictured are Ryan Schroeder, who had to leave just before this, and a whole bunch of others who I know were there in spririt. Surfridermnchaptermtg

(A particular hat tip to Dr. Jim Perry, a fellow Surfrider member who had previously helped form the Connecticut chapter before moving here, and who met with Stefan and myself last year in what was really our first meeting to discuss…what if? Jim charged us up and convinced us it could be done. I know Jim was also at the Jack Johnson concert and would have enjoyed being with us last night if he could have. Thanks, bro! And another hat tip to all our brothers who surf the Big Lake, including Greg Isaacson, Bob Tema, Brian Stabinger, and, well, you know who you are….we salute you all!)

The group you see pictured here is just the beginning — the core or nucleus — of what I’m convinced will become a strong local, grassroots organization that will work toward monitoring and taking action on local issues relating to the quality of our water resources, shorelines, and beaches. And, here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes — and home to the largest freshwater lake in the world — everyone will benefit.

Rock on, Surfrider — here’s to a great future in Minnesota! 

And to all of you out there: to indicate your interest in becoming an early "charter" member of our local chapter, please say so in the comments section below, or email Keely at gerh0039@umn.edu.  You don’t have to be a surfer, windsurfer, or wakeboarder, you just have to like us 🙂 …no, seriously, you just have to believe in the causes of Surfrider, and that individuals taking action together can make a real difference in this world!  Everyone is welcome.  Cheers!

Surfrider Foundation Benefit: ‘Art for the Oceans’

September 3, 2007 / / 1 Comment

I’d like to take a little break in my tech blog here to put in a plug for an art auction benefit coming up September 17 in NYC, for one of my favorite organizations: The Surfrider Foundation. I’ve been a member since inception (1984), and one of my best friends has been executive Director for the past couple of years — Jim Moriarty, whom I met through our common involvement in the tech startup community. But that was before the Surfrider Foundation was lucky enough to snag him. Jim’s really been doing great things to grow the Foundation and increase its impact, worldwide. And I think this art benefit is an insanely great idea. Kudos to you, Jim!

Artfortheoceans

Any of you lucky enough to be in the Big Apple on September 17 should get yourselves over there, have a good time, and bid on some surfboard art!. It’s at the XChange, a cool, new event space you you can read more about here. I hope some people upload Flickr pix of the event — and I’d love to see some blog reports, too! (Because, unfortunately, I’ll be getting ready to leave for San Clemente right about then, which is ironically the Surfrider Foundation’s home base — so I’ll be rooting from the other coast.)

Again, this is the second annual “Art for the Oceans.” The first event was a big success, as Surfline reported here: Surfrider’s Art for the Oceans raises over $300,000 in NYC. And here’s how Surfrider’s annual report summed up that original event:

Nearly 700 people, including celebrities, New York socialites, and a host of East Coast surfers descended upon Milk Studios in New York City’s Meat Packing District for the Surfrider Foundation’s first-ever “Art for the Oceans” Auction. Master shaper Al Merrick created a whole school of 6’2” fishes, then gave them to artists to have their way with them. Some of the work was done by surfing artists and some was handled by artist surfers. Among the contributors were Thomas Campbell, Raymond Pettibon, John Van Hamersveld, Drew Brophy and Gus Van Sant. In addition, Herbie Fletcher and Gene Cooper each shaped 10-foot plus Hawaiian guns for the auction. Herbie’s was adorned by Julian Schnabel with his much heralded “Blind Girl Surf Club” motif, and the board took the honor of the highest bid, raising $75,000 from an anonymous donor. Following the auction, the crowd was entertained with an hour-long musical set by Citizen Cope.

I’m sure Surfrider is expecting even bigger attendance and attention this year. Right on, guys! I hope you raise tons more than $300k this time — gazillions! Because you’re doing great work, and surfers and beach lovers everywhere support you….

By the way, for more on the Surfrider Foundation, in addition to their great web site, also see their YouTube page.

A Day at the Coldwater Surf Fest – Duluth, MN

June 4, 2007 / / 1 Comment

Well, it’s been a while since I did a post on surfing — way too long. But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. So, I decided I had to get up to the annual gathering of the Superior Surf Club this year, something I’ve been wanting to do for a few years, and I was finally able to break loose this time. Coldwatersign_3 So, early Saturday morning, I pointed the Passat wagon north for Duluth — board strapped on top. [That was for looks only — I’m a warm water surfer only! 🙂 …and just in case someone wanted to try my vintage 6-ft singlefin stick.] I’d been praying for both good surf and good weather for a couple of days, really hoping the event could get a big turnout. Sadly, neither happened — well, not much in the way of surf, anyway. The weather? It was downright horrible. But nothing stops these guys, so I didn’t let it get to me, either! Actually it started out sunny as I left the Twin Cities, and the forecast there was for 75 F. Lukeboard_2 But I knew a nasty low system was just to the north of us, and rain was in the forecast for Duluth — a 70% chance. The forecast high in Duluth had been trending down for a few days and was now only 59 F. Well, it never even came close to that! My car thermometer was at 46 when I pulled into Duluth, and I doubt it got much over 50 before I left. But it was fun, anyway, and I’m really glad I went. I wanted to meet these guys, shoot some pix, and blog about the event, which is officially called the Coldwater Surf Fest — this year’s was about the seventh or eighth annual. Lukeleft_2 It was held at Park Point beach park, a very cool place out on a long, thin sandy penisula stretching straight south from the Canal Park bridge, lined with beach houses and, yes, even some new condo developments cropping up. The road dead-ends at a small airport, and the beach park is just before that. It has a gorgeous, wide sandy beach, lined with birch and pine forest, and lots of park area, with barbeques, and a big log-cabin type public beach building with concessions inside. Boardlineup

My photos, a selection of which you see here, are now up on this Flickr set. Warning: these are not great shots, to say the least! Far from my best surfing photography…. Headingout_2 But the weather and surfing conditions were hardly ideal! With temps in the mid-40s, and winds straight onshore from the East at 15 mph+, the wind chill had to be 30 F. Fog was blowing in onto the beach, and I didn’t even realize for a while that it was fogging my lens pretty badly! My exposed hands were freezing — I needed gloves! Very soon after I arrived, I had to ditch the shorts and Rainbows for long pants, socks and shoes, a hooded sweat and jacket — just to survive the hour or so at water’s edge shooting. Nohoodleft The surfers, however, had all the right equipment (6-mil wet suits) and seemed comfortable in the 45-degree water — where hood, gloves, and booties are mandatory, or you will go numb, guaranteed!

Anyway, even though my photos aren’t the greatest, I still thought you like to see the event documented. But, hey, if you really want to see some great Lake Superior surf photography, get this little book called Lake Superior Surf Guide. At only $8.50, it’s a steal. You will be freakin’ AMAZED! It’s by two of the Lake Superior North Shore surfing pioneers — Bob Tema and Brian Stabinger — who were both at the event. These guys are somethin’ else. Both residents of the Twin Cities, they often head out at 3:00 am just to make dawn patrol at their favorite breaks on Superior. I also got to meet Greg Isaacson, another, more senior pioneer of surfing Superior, whom I’d been wanting to meet for a long time — ever since I read this great article he wrote a while back. Greg was also raising money at the event for the Tom Blake memorial just across the MN-Wisconsin border, to honor one of the fathers of modern surfing.

That’s right, all you surfers out there — we’re talking the Tom Blake, who is more famously associated with surfing in Hawaii and California. He grew up right here on Lake Superior, on what’s called the South Shore in Wisconsin. According to Greg, Blake was undoubtedly the first person to ever take a board out onto the Big Lake. Brianbottomturn The sport of surfing owes this man a lot, this pioneering waterman from the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. The big hardcover biography published on him a few years ago is a classic in many surfers’ libraries. And I was stoked to see Greg honoring the memory of this great man with a fundraising effort at the Coldwater Surf Fest. He even had some cool Tom Blake t-shirts made up, and I just had to have one…

By the way, here’s my previous blog post on Lake Superior surfing, called Gitchigumi Surf, which I wrote way back when I first launched this blog. That’s how I ended up hooking up with some of these guys by email, when they found my story — including Bob Tema. Bob was one of the featured surfers in the great documentary of a couple years about Great Lakes surfing called Unsalted. Do yourself a favor: go buy the DVD at that link on Amazon — you’ll be amazed at the sub-culture of surfing all over the Great Lakes.

But none of that Great Lakes surf culture can be any better than this group of dedicated coldwater guys on Lake Superior’s North Shore! We also talked about the interest building here to form a Lake Superior chapter of The Surfrider Foundation. I’m really stoked about that! A couple of guys are coming forward to help make my dream of getting a chapter going here a reality — Stefan Ronchetti, a surfer and professional inline skater based in the Twin Cities, and James Perry, a surfing physician about to move here from Connecticut, who was instrumental in getting a chapter of the Surfrider Foundation founded there recently.

It seems only fitting to me that the birthplace of one of the real fathers of modern surfing, Tom Blake — second only to Duke Kahanamoku himself as a surfing icon — should be the home of a chapter of the premier membership organization in all of surfing. Hey, we may not have an ocean, but we have great water, great beaches, and great surf breaks to protect, too! As my friend Jim Moriarty says (he’s Executive Director of The Surfrider Foundation), surfers are truly a global tribe. And I’m here to testify that the stoke definitely lives here in Minnesota….

Surf on, Minnesota North Shore brothers!! And the rest of you: bookmark that great Superior Surf Club web site…and come up to the Big Lake soon to hang out and see the action for yourselves.

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