Looking good for a nor’easter or ocean storm for New England on Thanksgiving week. Got to gather the wood for “Fire Fest” on Thanksgiving morning at the homebreak. A local tradition of sharing coffee and donuts around a wood fire, while watching and/or getting some rides on the incoming swells.
Fire Fest is a celebration of the ocean, waves and those who share the commaderie and the stoke of surfing.
Mahalo!
sing
Sounds like a wonderful celebration. Hope you get the weather you want!
We have had Fire Fest in sun, rain, fog and even snow. But the most important ingredient are incoming waves. I think we had a streak of about seven straight fire fest with waves. The streak was broken in the last couple of years. People would show, have coffee and donuts, chat a bit and them head home to their family celebrations.
Here is the thing with the homebreak, it still located in a working and middle class community right near downtown Boston. And, the shoreline is publicly owned with on the street parking protected by the state of MA. The average joe and jane surfer can show and enjoy that wonderful piece of coastline. In other coastal towns in MA, NH, ME and RI, coastal land is bought and owned by the ultra affluent. There have been increasing denials of access to breaks that had been opened in the past to surfers and/or recreational fisherfolk. It’s a shame. But, karma may be that these ocean front properties will be underwater in the next 30-50 years. We are seeing this already with some of the coastal towns. The question then will be whether we the public will be asked/made to bail these property owners out.
Sorry, got off on a rant about bad trend.
sing
Surfs up and so are the flames! Sounds like a fine tradition.
Ah the gathering of the true and faithful. I bet it’s a lot colder there than here. Have fun.
We are lucky in here in the People’s Republic of California - home owners and super hotels can’t block traditional beach access points, and you can use the water up to the high tide mark even in Malibu and “The Ranch”.
Kind of surprised that you don’t have the access fights in San Diego. But thumbs up to you all for that.
Here is a couple of our recent fights:
Collecting seaweed to make a point about beach access in R.I. - The Boston Globe.
I used to surf a nice point break on conservation land in Lil Compton, RI. Introduced to the break by guy who helped me move along in my surf kayaking and gifted me with a prototype Big Spoon surf paddle that I still use today. Anyway, the “neighbors” complained to my buddy as well as the LEO about seeing “out of state” plates at the point (which was never many to begin with). Bottom line - I don’t get to surf that break, unless I go through the rigormarole of meeting up with some one with RI plates, transferring my equipment over to that car and jointly driving to the break. More important, I just didn’t want to created hassles for my surf bud.
sing
@sing I was checking tides for today’s paddle and saw the swell/wind forecasts for next week, and figured you’d be out next week. I look forward to your surf videos!
Yeah… looking forward. Will more likely waveski if the waves are good quality. If there are leftover swells into the Thanksgiving weekend, will go back to longboat surfing to further refine skills with that. I am hoping to try a slightly offshore reef/shoal break with the longboat. I have surfed the spot with the waveski, but it’s bit of work to paddle out to there with the much shorter waveski.
sing
The waves have arrived. Will be here the whole week into early next week. No need to rush. Plenty of opportunities to burn off all the extra stuffing, pies and assorted carbo loading.
Mahalo.
Beautiful Thanksgiving AM surf! Nice 2.5-3’ swells, @ 11 seconds, rolling in against a light off-shore, cleanup breeze. Air temps in the low 40’s and water temp of 52 degrees. Warm enough that I didn’t need mitts. The 4/3 wetsuit was fine. Had to roll occaisonally to cool off.
Got in three hours before heading down to the Cape to have Thanksgiving lunch with my son, his partner and my beautiful granddaughter (I am biased, of course).
Still expecting surfable swells well into next week. Hoping to get a couple more surf sessions in before returning to work.
Mahalo!
