Alex and Luke drop in to S&A

Chances are, if you’re reading this blog post right now, you have been brought to us by the power of social media such as Facebook or Twitter.
While electronic visits to S&A get us amped, we had a real-life visit from a couple of really awesome people doing something truly innovative and unique. And, just like most of you, they were brought to us via Internet social media.
Alex Sabine and Luke Vigeant, creators of “Alex and Luke: Our Social Media Powered Road Trip” dropped into Sandbridge last week, and they were directed to us by suggestions from folks following them on AlexandLuke.com and their corresponding Facebook and Twitter sites. The friends are in the middle of a nine-month journey around the United States and Canada in which all of their destinations and activities are determined by their followers.
“When we came to Virginia Beach, everyone said, ‘You have to see the coast; you need
to go surfing, you need to go kayaking,’” said Alex, 26, who’s been traveling with fellow Canadian Luke since March. “We never would have done this stuff if it wasn’t for them. And this keeps happening over and over again everywhere we go. We don’t seek anyone out. We want to keep it true and genuine.”
Alex and Luke jumped into kayaks with our tour guide Sam for a spin around our waterway before getting some waves with our surf instructor Nick at Little Island Park. If the graphic they made for their site is any indication, we showed them one of their trip’s best times to date (check it out at their site!).

The story behind their trip is definitely one of taking a huge leap into the unknown for the sake of adventure and self-fulfillment. Utilizing social media as their guide adds an innovate dimension that taps the limitless potential of Internet communication.
Alex returned to her parent’s Toronto home in the fall of 2008 after completing her
master’s degree in London. While encountering a tough job market due to recession,
tragedy struck as her parents’ home was destroyed by a fire. The silver lining was an insurance check with enough funds to fuel a big trip, so Sabine decided commit her ambitions towards traveling.
Meanwhile Luke was pursuing a promising career as a corporate consultant for IBM,
but his cubicle-bound job left him feeling unfulfilled. A single text message from Alex suggesting that he join the road trip was all it took to convince Luke.
Since then, the friends have visited more than 25 American states and Canadian
provinces, experiencing the unique recreational activities each has to offer while drawing plenty of Internet buzz and media attention.
“Using social media to do this is so viable, it’s been incredible,” Luke said. “We’ve
really formed some true, meaningful relationships that would not have been possible
otherwise.”

Become a follower of Alex and Luke by visiting AlexandLuke.com.

Billabong stokes First Street with the Wounded Warrior Surf Camp, a glance at surf forecast...

For the second year in a row, one of S&A’s favorite brands, Billabong, produced one of the most fun and meaningful special events that united the Virginia Beach surfing community with dozens of combat-wounded veterans.
Taking over the beach at First Street was Billabong’s Wounded Warrior Surf Camp, which ran all day on June 20. Father’s Day obligations couldn’t keep upwards of 50 volunteers from turning out to lend a hand to the rehabilitating soldiers. In fact, once I was done snapping photos and made myself available for helping out, event coordinator and VB surfing fixture Jason Borte said he was maxed out with volunteers. He just told me to grab a board and get wet, so, of course, I did!
But that was what the event was all about: The surfing community giving back in a small way to people who lay their lives on the line everyday as they serve the United States.
One of the campers, John Madigan, shared his story with me under the tents. He is an Army man from Wyoming (stationed in Colorado) who was struck by an errant air supply drop in Afghanistan. The cargo blindsided John, breaking his ankle, arm and back. Currently, he faces another year of physical therapy before he can return to service.
But on this day, the only thing he had to worry about was catching the friendly one-foot rolling waves pushing across the sandbar -- perfect for learning and teaching the sport to newcomers.
“It’s been a great day - a bunch of fun all-around and definitely better than sitting around the hospital,” said John, who caught more than his fair share of waves. “I’m thankful that Billabong provided this for all of us.”
The stoke displayed by the vets was truly invigorating to witness. Several campers picked volunteers brains about taking up surfing either where they are stationed or call home. I have no doubt a few more lifers were created that day.
Jessica and Chris from S&A represented the shop by donating their instruction at the camp and stoked vets like Marine Daniel Mickel, pictured here getting a nice ride.

 

Also, check out Raven's vimeo vid covering the day's events:

http://www.vimeo.com/12765255

In unrelated surf news, the tropical wave we were tracking last week decided to flare out as it approached the Antilles. It’s now located near Hispanola -- way out of our swell window -- and will continue its run westward. I’ll keep you posted on future tropical activity.
As for weather closer to home, it looks like a fetch of southeasterly winds will blow up a small windswell for the Mid-Atlantic region, most notably on the Outer Banks, which should see surf in the knee- to waist-high range for the remainder of the week. Standout bars will probably get some plus sets. Up this way, there should be a longboard-able wave throughout the late week. Better than flatness, I guess.
Anyhow, we have a ton of content lined up to stoke you through these flat dog days. Keep checking back!

-- John Streit.
 

First Cape Verde storm is stirring... Cross your fingers!

Summer definitely came early this year, and it looks like hurricane season is cooperating.
The first tropical wave of the year pulled off the West African coast over the weekend and is making its trans-Atlantic march toward the Caribbean/western Atlantic rim.
While it’s waaaaay too underdeveloped and far off to get excited about a hurricane swell, the formation of a Cape Verde tropical low this early in the season is definitely a sign of an active hurricane season to come.
Hopefully this storm will wrap around itself, catch a bunch of fetch and intensify for an awesome early-summer groundswell. This is what NOAA has forecast for this low over the next 48 hours:
“SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE
LOCATED ABOUT 1375 MILES EAST OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS HAVE BECOME
LESS ORGANIZED TODAY. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE MARGINALLY
CONDUCIVE FOR DEVELOPMENT...BUT ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME LESS
FAVORABLE IN A DAY OR TWO. THERE IS A MEDIUM CHANCE...40
PERCENT...OF THIS SYSTEM BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE 48
HOURS AS IT MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TO NORTHWESTWARD AT ABOUT 15
MPH.
ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE
NEXT 48 HOURS.”
Sorry about the obnoxious caps...
This doesn’t sound like a very promising forecast for this pulse, but perhaps it will clear this rough atmospheric patch and blow up a little bit by late week. Either way, if the low keeps on its current track, it’ll be in our swell window by the weekend/early next week. Even if it produces a small groundswell, hey, it’s better than nothing.
Stay glued to the blog for future tropical swell updates. Also coming soon is the much-anticipated review of the new Meyerhoffer shapes by Modern Longboards, which has got all of us intrigued and excited!
Oh yeah, and check the Facebook as Cody continues to hammer out filming with the Go Pro. If there is swell, we will be posting web clips and photos of our team riders and crewmen tearing it up.
Hope you got that mysto swell on Sunday and stay AMPED!

-- John Streit.

It's sweepstakes time!!

Surf & Adventure Co. is sponsoring a giveaway this month on CoreShopsDirect.com 

Visit the contest entry page today for your chance to win- while you are there be sure to check out our CORE SHOP PAGE where you can purchase limited edition Surf & Adventure gear! 

Checking in on the S&A team at ESA Mid-Atlantic Regionals

OK, I know this post is a bit belated, but doesn't the old saying go, "better late than never?"That certainly applies to the recognition two of Surf and Adventure's team riders deserve for their performances at the Eastern Surfing Association's Mid-Atlantic Regionals May 13 through May 16, which qualifies surfers for September's "Easterns," the ESA's grand championship.
Hillary Watters and Forrest Roberts managed the small-but-contestable conditions at First Street Jetty to punch their tickets to Buxton.

Renaissance man Forrest Roberts showed his prowess on a different type of shred stick, winning a super-tight open bodyboard finals in which two points separated first and third places.
Forrest also knocked on the door of his bread-and-butter division in junior men's shortboard, placing third in the round-of-30 and second in the quarterfinals to earn a spot in an absolutely stacked semifinal heat. Against the likes of Outer Banks ripper Julian Payne and Central North Carolina's Evan Barton, who placed first and second in the division's finals, respectively, Forrest came up short in the deteriorating conditions and placed sixth.
However, his semifinal push in one of the ESA's most rugged divisions is solid evidence of Forrest's constant improvement, wave-reading savvy and explosive natural talent. Hats off!
Hillary showed her diversity as well as she cruised to two Easterns births in women's shortboard and longboard.
In shortboard, Hillary put a distance of five points between herself and fourth-place finisher Kaitlynn Curran of Delmarva to lock down a finals appearance and a guaranteed trip to Easterns. She ended the tournament with a fifth-place finish.
Hillary improved on her shortboard showing by earning a third-place finish in longboard, using her style and grace to snag a great seeding for Easterns.
Good luck in September guys, and keep checking the blog for how our team riders fare!

-- John Streit