Category Archives: sports
Photographing Strong People
While in Myrtle Beach for the Thanksgiving holiday, I was invited by friends to attend a power-lifting competition. Never having been to an event like this I figured I should jump at a chance to shoot something new. Besides, I wanted to see our friend’s brother set a new world record. Yes world record. The event is sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union and many of the athletes in attendance are competing for world records. Having a chance to photograph a new sporting event is always at the top of my list.
The event hosted competitors ranging in age from pre-teen kids to masters. The oldest competitor was aged 76 years young. Also, Special Olypmic athletes are represented at this event.
Being a competitive athlete for many of my adult years, I can appreciate the amount of effort these competitors put into reaching an event like this. It was apparent that many of these athletes are serious about their training practices and maintain a unique focus.
Kite boarding in Cape Hatteras
After a long wait for ridable wind, it seemed like a long wait, more like a couple of days, the wind picked up and people were on the water getting their fix. While waiting (and hoping) for the wind to build a little bit more, I took my camera into the shallow waters of Kite Point in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to shoot a couple girls that were throwing some nice moves. Not having a water housing for my camera(s) limits my shooting abilities near and around water. So I continiue to work in knee to waist deep water praying that nothing bad happens.
Surf and Photography
Two recurring themes at my new home away from home. Surf and Photography. I have been fortunate enough to have an abundance of both lately.
Some of our friends were already in the water and others showed up as we were surfing. The surfing was a fun little wave about chest-high. Kim managed to paddle out through the break which is a big accomplishment for any aspiring surfer. I have always said surfing was the hardest sport I ever learned, and I participate in a lot of steep-learning-curve sports. So to see her progressing is pretty awesome.
Surf, Surf, and more Surf
The past week or so on Hatteras Island has been a great time for playing on the water. With Hurricaine Bill passing by and sending some beautiful waves our way, and the nice dose of winds that have blown through on an almost daily basis, I have been surfing and kiting just about as much as I can stand.
Today, I surfed at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The swell was anywhere from chest high to 1-2 feet overhead. A very fun wave. Here I am dropping into a baby wave – last ride of the day.
As I write this, I have a head full of salt water and bloodshot eyes… Souveniers from another awesome day of surfing. Today has rounded out my run of surfing 6 of the past 8 days. A few of those days I surfed twice a day. Others, I was surfing and kiting in the same day. It is a tough job, but someone gets to do it.
We only had one day of surf that was crazy-high. Thankfully, the other days were more normal. The waves were anywhere from knee high early in the week to well overhead towards the end of the week, but not quite what we call double-overhead – or, even triple-overhead.
Until this weekend. Saturday.
When waves get as big as they were this past Saturday it starts to become very tricky to paddle into the wave and catch it for a ride. This is where motorized assistance comes in. A technique called tow-in surfing is when a JetSki pulls the surfer along until the surfer can use the speed generated by the JetSki to ‘drop in’ to the wave and successfully ride.
I am quite thankful the waves were ‘ginormous’ for only one day. For that one day, I happily sat on the shore and deployed my photography equipment to capture some of the phenomenal action directly offshore. My surf photography is not something I get to practice very often, so I was thrilled when Kim and I spotted two skis towing surfers into waves yesterday.
Back when I started surfing (too many years ago to mention) I found myself paddling into quite a few storm swells here in the Outer Banks, so I have enormous respect for the kind of heavy water these guys were playing with. Never did I attempt to paddle into triple-overhead though. Of notable mention, there were paddle surfers out in the waves catching rides on Saturday.
Aloha.
Gone Surfing…
Yeah, many of my friends and family have wondered where I ran off to recently. No blog posts. No emails. Not even a text message from me. Well, I have been stranded on a small island.
That isn’t exactly true, but close… I took a job in Cape Hatteras, NC. As most who know me know I like to play, a lot, and Kim and I do much of our playing on the sandbar known as Cape Hatteras.
As the story goes, I have been coming to this island for 40 years now. It started with me at 6 months old and my parents kayaking from island to island freely camping. I don’t know all the details, but the story suggests that I (as in all of us) almost didn’t make it back due to typical storm conditions for around here. Since then, learning to surf here as a young Marine helped solidify my bond with this area. Kiteboarding has taken over and now I have the opportunity to spend even more time here for my career.
I was lucky enough to find a position with a local kiteboarding company, REAL Watersports in Waves, NC, who has crossed over into surfing and stand up paddle boarding. The atmosphere, the people, and the mission of the company make it a great place to work and make part of my life. As a long-time surfer and now kiteboarder this is an awesome way to continue (and further) my career – and yes, have a teeny bit of fun while I’m at it.
Since taking the job on July 16th I have spent a lot of time on the water as well as behind my desk. The job is demanding but the rewards are commiserate. The job description is Technology Manager. A new direction for my career. A lot of things are new to me and I am enjoying the challenge of learning new areas of the Information Technology industry. I will primarily be working from Richmond, VA but during the beginning I am spending a lot of my time ramping up at the office.
So my lifelong dream of becoming a surf bum is finally being realized. Kim and I have a ‘cozy’ little camper parked at a marina where things feel just like home. It is a bit tough sometimes with Kim being back and forth between Richmond. However, as I start to work from Richmond more we should be able to develop a manageable schedule.
To date, things have been a little hectic for Kim and I. Setting up some sort of domicile on the island, taking the new job, being apart, keeping our house in Richmond going, meeting new friends. It all adds up. Luckily, at the end of the day we have each other and get to go surfing, or kiteboarding, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, or having a sushi picnic on the beach enjoying a beautiful sunset.
Thanks and much love to Kim for being the amazing wife I am still wondering how I deserve. She has done so much to make this happen. Always supportive of me, and enjoying the lifestyle we built for ourselves as much as I do.
Aloha.
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