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A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .
Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.ivan
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Friday, April 27, 2012
Puerto Escondido: Markets, Turtles, and Phosphorescence Posted in Animals, Mexico, Travel on April 27th, 2012 by Lisa
Puerto Escondido: Markets, Turtles, and Phosphorescence
Posted in Animals, Mexico, Travel on April 27th, 2012 by Lisa
Needing groceries (the hotel has a community kitchen), Ty and I, accompanied by Helen and Belinda, two Aussies also staying at the Swiss Oasis, hopped aboard the camionetta (a small pickup truck with bench seating in the back like Thai songthaews) to the market.
Puerto Escondido’s market is very clean and well maintained, with a good selection of food and small restaurants. We had a jugo verde at Myrna’s juice stand and tortas (for which Ty developed a taste in Guanajuato) for lunch,
bought a big bag full of produce, did a small walkabout downtown, and jumped on the camionetta once again for the trip back. Back at the ranch, I enjoyed a swim in the pool. Puerto Escondido is hot – the day after we arrived the temperature hit 38 degrees.
The Hotelito Swiss Oasis supports the Escondido economy by recommending local people with whom to do eco-tours. Brandy had done a turtle release and lagoon tour and highly recommended it, so yesterday evening was the moment to give it a go. Chop (not sure about the spelling), a fellow who lives at the lagoon, arrived to pick us up at 6:40 and we were off in his car to Playa Delfin (Dolphin Beach), a twenty five kilometer long beach a ways north of Escondido, to release turtles.
This beach is almost deserted along its length; a few housing developments, most shuttered or unfinished, dot the area, and one small town lies near its middle but other than that, the beach is undeveloped.
It is home to a couple of species of endangered sea turtles, the Green Turtle and the Leatherback (although leatherbacks are rare in this part of the world, apparently). We were driven to the turtle release area, which consists of a couple of small camping tents, a wooden lean-to, two quad motorcycles, three nesting areas, and one crazy dog who keeps the fellow who looks after the area company.
This place is a one man operation; the caretaker works here alone, without pay, subsisting on the tips of people who visit to participate in the turtle release. He live here all year round in one of the small tents.
This evening, in addition to Ty, myself, and Coco, there was a van load of Mexican tourists for the release of four baby turtles, three tiny greens and one larger leatherback, born that morning and ready to start their life in the ocean. The four turtles were kept in a small pink plastic tub and, after we washed our hands, we were allowed to pick up and examine them (I wasn’t sure about the merits of handling them …).
After waiting for a while to watch the sun descend in the sky, and watching a couple of kids pretend to be turtles crossing the sand, the moment for the release arrived. The caretaker drew a line in the sand and told us that we weren’t allowed to go beyond it.
I had thought that we would guide the turtles down the beach but that wasn’t the case; once released from the tub, they must make their own way down the beach to the water without human help. This enables their location to imprint and helps to ensure that they can return to this beach later on; if we simply put them into the water, or helped them out, they would likely die.
All of us lined up and each small group was given one turtle; we received the leatherback and I put it on the ground facing in the direction of the ocean. It started moving towards the water but then got disoriented and headed back up to us again. I really wanted to pick it up and turn it around but the guide said that we must leave it to make its own way. It was painful to watch the four tiny beasts attempt to crawl towards the ocean and life.
“Our” turtle, the largest and strongest of the bunch, figured out the correct direction and headed off at a fast crawl towards the huge waves; finally, after a couple of false starts, a large wave caught it, and lifted it out to sea – we all clapped.
This same process was repeated for each of the other three, one of whom was particularly weak. Although they all reached the sea eventually, the weakest one had to be helped out a couple of times by being lifted down towards the water (I don’t think that it will survive, unfortunately).
After it was washed out to sea by a wave, one of the tiny turtles was washed in again farther down the beach by another wave; Ty saw it struggling and gently put it back in the water again – hopefully it will live.
I found the whole experience very moving; it’s hard to believe that these creatures, only one day old, have to go through that onerous process in order to begin their lives. Very few turtles survive; many die on their way to the ocean, picked off by predators, and many die in the ocean from ingesting plastics they mistake for jellyfish. Cut up all plastics before disposing of them and don’t dump plastic – better still, don’t use plastic.
After the turtle release, which probably took about two hours or so, we were off north again to the six kilometer long Manialtepec Lagoon, a body of water surrounded by mangrove swamp vegetation, its tropical climate lending itself to a diverse ecosystem. Dozens of migratory bird species such as herons and ducks make Manialtepec lagoon their home at various times of the year. Chop told us that, in addition to birds and fish, crocodiles live here.
We, and six other people, boarded the small tour boat and headed out on the cloudless night to tour the lagoon and see the phosphorescence created by the water’s phytoplankton. Beside the boat, we could see streaks of bright silver zipping hither and yon; these were fish. Running our hands through the water produced long streaks of brilliant white and silver; resting in the lagoon, our hands appeared white and skeletal because of the phosporescence. Encouraged by Chop, several people, including Coco, jumped in and swam,
their bodies making white and silver patterns in the dark – fabulous (unfortunately, it was impossible to get a decent picture of the phosphorescence). We were told that, in the rainy season, the area is completely dark and the falling rain makes the entire lagoon shine brilliantly against the black background. That would be amazing to see.
See more pics here.
Puerto Escondido’s market is very clean and well maintained, with a good selection of food and small restaurants. We had a jugo verde at Myrna’s juice stand and tortas (for which Ty developed a taste in Guanajuato) for lunch,
bought a big bag full of produce, did a small walkabout downtown, and jumped on the camionetta once again for the trip back. Back at the ranch, I enjoyed a swim in the pool. Puerto Escondido is hot – the day after we arrived the temperature hit 38 degrees.
The Hotelito Swiss Oasis supports the Escondido economy by recommending local people with whom to do eco-tours. Brandy had done a turtle release and lagoon tour and highly recommended it, so yesterday evening was the moment to give it a go. Chop (not sure about the spelling), a fellow who lives at the lagoon, arrived to pick us up at 6:40 and we were off in his car to Playa Delfin (Dolphin Beach), a twenty five kilometer long beach a ways north of Escondido, to release turtles.
This beach is almost deserted along its length; a few housing developments, most shuttered or unfinished, dot the area, and one small town lies near its middle but other than that, the beach is undeveloped.
It is home to a couple of species of endangered sea turtles, the Green Turtle and the Leatherback (although leatherbacks are rare in this part of the world, apparently). We were driven to the turtle release area, which consists of a couple of small camping tents, a wooden lean-to, two quad motorcycles, three nesting areas, and one crazy dog who keeps the fellow who looks after the area company.
This place is a one man operation; the caretaker works here alone, without pay, subsisting on the tips of people who visit to participate in the turtle release. He live here all year round in one of the small tents.
This evening, in addition to Ty, myself, and Coco, there was a van load of Mexican tourists for the release of four baby turtles, three tiny greens and one larger leatherback, born that morning and ready to start their life in the ocean. The four turtles were kept in a small pink plastic tub and, after we washed our hands, we were allowed to pick up and examine them (I wasn’t sure about the merits of handling them …).
After waiting for a while to watch the sun descend in the sky, and watching a couple of kids pretend to be turtles crossing the sand, the moment for the release arrived. The caretaker drew a line in the sand and told us that we weren’t allowed to go beyond it.
I had thought that we would guide the turtles down the beach but that wasn’t the case; once released from the tub, they must make their own way down the beach to the water without human help. This enables their location to imprint and helps to ensure that they can return to this beach later on; if we simply put them into the water, or helped them out, they would likely die.
All of us lined up and each small group was given one turtle; we received the leatherback and I put it on the ground facing in the direction of the ocean. It started moving towards the water but then got disoriented and headed back up to us again. I really wanted to pick it up and turn it around but the guide said that we must leave it to make its own way. It was painful to watch the four tiny beasts attempt to crawl towards the ocean and life.
“Our” turtle, the largest and strongest of the bunch, figured out the correct direction and headed off at a fast crawl towards the huge waves; finally, after a couple of false starts, a large wave caught it, and lifted it out to sea – we all clapped.
This same process was repeated for each of the other three, one of whom was particularly weak. Although they all reached the sea eventually, the weakest one had to be helped out a couple of times by being lifted down towards the water (I don’t think that it will survive, unfortunately).
After it was washed out to sea by a wave, one of the tiny turtles was washed in again farther down the beach by another wave; Ty saw it struggling and gently put it back in the water again – hopefully it will live.
I found the whole experience very moving; it’s hard to believe that these creatures, only one day old, have to go through that onerous process in order to begin their lives. Very few turtles survive; many die on their way to the ocean, picked off by predators, and many die in the ocean from ingesting plastics they mistake for jellyfish. Cut up all plastics before disposing of them and don’t dump plastic – better still, don’t use plastic.
After the turtle release, which probably took about two hours or so, we were off north again to the six kilometer long Manialtepec Lagoon, a body of water surrounded by mangrove swamp vegetation, its tropical climate lending itself to a diverse ecosystem. Dozens of migratory bird species such as herons and ducks make Manialtepec lagoon their home at various times of the year. Chop told us that, in addition to birds and fish, crocodiles live here.
We, and six other people, boarded the small tour boat and headed out on the cloudless night to tour the lagoon and see the phosphorescence created by the water’s phytoplankton. Beside the boat, we could see streaks of bright silver zipping hither and yon; these were fish. Running our hands through the water produced long streaks of brilliant white and silver; resting in the lagoon, our hands appeared white and skeletal because of the phosporescence. Encouraged by Chop, several people, including Coco, jumped in and swam,
their bodies making white and silver patterns in the dark – fabulous (unfortunately, it was impossible to get a decent picture of the phosphorescence). We were told that, in the rainy season, the area is completely dark and the falling rain makes the entire lagoon shine brilliantly against the black background. That would be amazing to see.
See more pics here.
LA To Tulum, Day 10 — Puerto Escondido To Tulum APRIL 26, 2012
LA To Tulum, Day 10 — Puerto Escondido To Tulum
By Larry Crowson
Day 10
It was raining softly when I woke up and the surfers were already pounding the waves. I really wanted to stay for a couple of days—I was both road tired and wanting to explore this inviting place.
Walked down the malecon and had coffee and breakfast and then headed out south towards Puerto Angel, a small fishing village that I had heard about and wanted to see for myself. It turned out to be a little surfing and fishing village with not much in the way of services but lots of For Sale signs. I got out briefly to see the turtle museum and then got back on the highway. I was feeling the call of home and it was time to fly.
I cut up at Salina Cruz and headed over the Oaxaca mountain range towards Minititlan and the Gulf of Mexico.
A couple of hours in, I came upon a huge wind farm. Going up, there must have been over 100 parts being staged for assembly. This was a large valley in the mountains and I have to assume that it blows hard here between the oceans.
I came into a small village in the mountains called Matias Romero. It seemed like a junction for many smaller roads all converging from the countryside and the street merchants were out in force selling everything you could imagine. I even saw several folks selling Parrots just sitting on their arms.
Well this place has had a history of trouble with the cartels and drug smuggling, and I ran into a pretty serious Mexican Army checkpoint where they proceeded to go over my paperwork and car with a fine tooth comb. They were all very polite and then told me to have a safe day and proceed as I pulled away. Literally 100 yards ahead was a Federale checkpoint where the guys acted like we were going to do this all over again in case the Army missed something. I have driven many thousands of miles in Mexico and never seen this before.
The guys were all about checking my VIN numbers to make sure they match my title and car permit paperwork.
Funny thing was, this one cop seemed almost disappointed that it did match, as his partner was opening up a few bags asking me what each item was where had I’d been and was going. One of my bags had several boxes of Trader Joe’s chocolate covered almonds with Sea Salt, and he didn’t seem to understand why I had so many. This isn’t my first rodeo, so I opened one up and offered him a taste. He immediately said no politely, but I insisted and you should have seen the smile come across his face as he chewed on it. Priceless! Wish I had a picture of it! He then said he understood why I had gone to so much trouble and I told him my wife would kill us both if I didn’t show up with these intact. He laughed real hard and said take care and have a nice drive.
The drive over to Minititlan was uneventful until I turned off onto the new highway heading towards Villahermosa. About 5-6 miles down, both lanes on my side came to a halt with everyone out looking down the road. I figured it was an accident which can cause quite a stir, sometimes for hours. Well, all of a sudden, lots of folks further ahead started turning around and heading back and then just ahead I noticed some farm workers cutting an opening into the fence to access the small dirt road running along side of the highway and everyone started taking their turns jumping the dirt mound to get up and over onto the dirt road. I wasn’t so sure if my Honda SRV would clear but what the heck—made it, now what? I hadn’t a clue where we were all heading now and after a mile or so we came to a bridge junction going over the highway in both directions. It seemed that no one knew exactly which way to go so I followed a couple of folks left towards the town off in the distance. A couple of miles of weaving thru the little village and we came to another on ramp back to the highway and we were off again. I never did find out what had happened back there.
The rest of my drive back to Tulum from here bored me, as I have made this drive many times thru the countryside and then the jungles off the Yucatan— home was calling and I picked up the pace considerably now. Traffic flow here was an easy 80-85 mph until you reached a small town. Everyone seemed to be going towards Merida or Cancun up the Yucatan peninsula. Two more Army checkpoints and then home.
In closing, this was a long road trip and I had no choice but to keep up a good pace, but it also opened up a wealth of incredible beauty to explore further on longer trips as I seek to better understand my newly adopted country of Mexico.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
GOOD-EPIC: NORTH CAROLINA | SURFLINE.COM "With the early season swells and small crowd, tons of perfect waves go unridden at Puerto Escondido," explained local photog Edwin Morales when we asked ...
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
puerto escondido « no hay bronca From the concrete roof of my little hotel on the beach in Puerto Escondido, the flat horizon of the deep blue ocean looks calm. It's hot, and the wind kicks up some ... nohaybronca.wordpress.com/tag/puerto-escondido/
Puerto Escondido
Posted by TC
From the concrete roof of my little hotel on the beach in Puerto Escondido, the flat horizon of the deep blue ocean looks calm. It’s hot, and the wind kicks up some dust from the street of sand below. I’m at the far end of Zicatela beach, a spot called La Punta (the point).
There’s a lot of water out there; from this angle the straight blue line towers over the beach, where good waves come crashing in day and night. I see more small concrete houses, including a pink castle, but no high-rise exclusive condos. I hear the ceaseless crash of the waves, but no beachside street traffic. The Oaxaca coast is a little far, and the roads to get here are a little bit too curvy, but there is plenty of return for making the extra effort.
Puerto Escondido is right about in the middle of Mexico’s southern coast. Its main beach Zicatela is a surf beach. La Punta is the spot on the far end of the beach where there is a point break. It’s full of surfers all day.
The beach is wide and clean. Small houses and hotels are visible between lots of palms, all set back from the beach. As of now there is no hotel larger than a story or two, no pumping beach music, no hustlers.
I ruin my bodyboard in the heavy breakers my first day out. I keep thinking to rent a surfboard, but I’m not so good and am happy just swimming all afternoon. Plus, my legs are already sore from the several hour runs I do on the beach each morning. If you go around the rocks and cliffs past La Punta, you will find a near-virgin beach on the other side. There is only just a little development on the hills above, none on the wild beach.
La Punta is quiet; it’s comparable to other underdeveloped spots on the Oaxaca coast, like Zipolite up the road, Mexico’s only nude beach. Only every third building in La Punta is made for tourists: small hotels/hostels, good restaurants, and at least one Spanish school. The rest is all for the locals: grocery stores, laundromats, private homes, a church.
A sand-road block up from my hotel is a great four-way. On one corner is a falafel place, the other a burger place, and then next to the burgers is a pizza place. It’s all first rate: all-beef grilled burgers, thin crust pizza, and the first falafel I’ve found in Mexico. All have outdoor seating, and if they don’t serve beer then they don’t mind if you bring your own. You might think I’m a dummy for eating this stuff instead of awesome Mexican food, but then I live in Mexico and eat awesome Mexican food all the time.
Other than when I arrived after an overnight bus trip from Mexico City, I only venture into Puerto Escondido proper once. First stop is the market for lunch and some shopping. We go to a juice bar – I have an alfalfa mixture and my friend gets straight-up orange juice. Then at one of the little market restaurants I have mole negro and my friend gets a big seafood soup of fish, shrimp, clams, and octopus. Each meal is about $3 US, drink included. If you ever want authentic eats, go to the little restaurants in the market, and always choose the busiest one.
Then I went around to buy some essentials: a big bag of finely ground, rich local coffee, some almonds, some raisins, and a big 3-day papaya. This all costs me around $12 US.
The larger, more enclosed part of Puerto Escondido’s market has the stuff for tourists: t-shirts, handicrafts, beach gear.
The walk along the beach from central Puerto Escondido back to La Punta takes about an hour. You pass through the more developed part of Zicatela with its little tourist strip of restaurants and souvenir shops. It’s set back from the beach and not too gaudy. Here I saw some even cheaper hotel deals – as low as $4 US a night advertized. At night it’s a place to stroll with a big, sweating Michelada in hand.
Farther along are more hippy-like establishments. My friend and I stop at a bar/coffeeshop full of books and cool carved masks.
8 Venado, my hotel/hostel, is family run, clean, and convenient. I get a sizable room with balcony and private bath for 100 pesos, or about $8 US. They also have dorm rooms. The best feature for me is a sizable open-air kitchen. I can pay a little more for a hotel (you can go cheaper than 100 pesos in Oaxaca) and will more than make up for it by brewing my own coffee and making simple meals, like Mexican buns (teleras) with mango jam.
Puerto Escondido is a about half a day from Oaxaca City on a very twisty road. Be warned if you get carsick. Second class buses and combis are cheapest, and the place to go is the second class bus terminal by the Centro de Abastos, a big market in Oaxaca. On the way to Puerto Escondido you will pass San Jose del Pacifico, a mushroom town in the mountains; Pochutla, a good hub for all points on the Oaxaca coast; and low key beaches Zipolite and Mazunte. You can also get direct buses from Mexico City. Check out this post for tips on bus travel in Mexico.
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Huatulco Life: Popocatépetl Volcano Huatulco Life was inspired by people with a passion for Huatulco and the Mexican lifestyle. It is a place to find out more information about the region and enjoy ... huatulcolife.blogspot.com/2012/04/popocatepetl-volcano.html
Huatulco Life: Popocatépetl Volcano
Huatulco Life was inspired by people with a passion for Huatulco and the Mexican lifestyle. It is a place to find out more information about the region and enjoy ...
huatulcolife.blogspot.com/ 2012/04/popocatepetl-volcano. html
Huatulco Life was inspired by people with a passion for Huatulco and the Mexican lifestyle. It is a place to find out more information about the region and enjoy ...
huatulcolife.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 23, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Gretchen Wegrich, Stoked and Broke: Savannah Shaughnessy a finalist for Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award - Posted: 04/22/2012 01:30:47 AM PDT
Gretchen Wegrich, Stoked and Broke: Savannah Shaughnessy a finalist for ...
Santa Cruz Sentinel
After pushing the limits of paddle-in surfing at Puerto Escondido's Mexican Pipeline last summer, Shaughnessy charged the 2012 winter season at Mavericks with fearless abandon. Her performance at Mavs was recognized at the Mavericks Big Wave ...
See all stories on this topic »
Santa Cruz Sentinel
After pushing the limits of paddle-in surfing at Puerto Escondido's Mexican Pipeline last summer, Shaughnessy charged the 2012 winter season at Mavericks with fearless abandon. Her performance at Mavs was recognized at the Mavericks Big Wave ...
See all stories on this topic »
Gretchen Wegrich, Stoked and Broke: Savannah Shaughnessy a finalist for Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award
-
Posted: 04/22/2012 01:30:47 AM PDT
Savannah Shaughnessy charges harder than you do.
The 23-year-old Santa Cruz surfer recently received recognition for her hell-woman status as a 2012 nominee of the Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award.
The journey has brought her into close contact with her heroes and pushed her from one life-threatening situation to the next. But more than the glory, Shaughnessy is chasing the sweet reward of reaching her full potential.
After pushing the limits of paddle-in surfing at Puerto Escondido's Mexican Pipeline last summer, Shaughnessy charged the 2012 winter season at Mavericks with fearless abandon. Her performance at Mavs was recognized at the Mavericks Big Wave Invitational's closing ceremonies when Shaughnessy was presented with the Top Female Performance of the Year Award. In August of last year, Shaughnessy was the only female competitor at the Mexican Pipeline Tube Ride Invitational.
"It has been exciting to watch the progression of Savannah in big surf. So many people show up to surf Mavericks with so much excitement but don't last more than a few sessions or a season. Savannah has kept coming back and proved her competency, enthusiasm and deservingness of being a XXL finalist," said Santa Cruz surfer Zach Wormhoudt, the 2004 Billabong XXL Monster Paddle In Award winner, in a statement.
In order to win the Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award, Shaughnessy will need to best four of her peers -- Hawaiians Keala Kennelly and Paige
Alms, and Brazilians Maya Gabeira and Silvia Nabuco.
The Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award criteria are for the greatest number of outstanding performances at the most diverse number of venues over the course of the entire year. Excellence in the water and leadership in safety at both paddle-in and tow-in surfing is considered.
"I am stoked to see a woman like Savannah dedicated to charging big surf, and it shows when she's out surfing at Maverick's," said Maverick's pioneer Jeff Clark in a statement.
Shaughnessy's submission to the XXL contest includes six waves on video and four waves captured on a still camera. This is the second year Shaughnessy has been nominated for an award in the Billabong XXL Girls Performance category.
"I'm really happy to see Savannah nominated as one of the finalists for the XXL women's performance award," said Derek Dunfee, the 2009 Billabong XXL Monster Paddle In Award, in a statement. "Over the past few years, Savannah's been pushing the limits of big wave paddle-in surfing for women. She's done this by paddling on all the biggest and heaviest days in Puerto Escondido and Maverick's. Plus, she's not just sitting out there; Savannah's catching bombs, taking wipeouts and coming back out with a smile. Savannah's on her way to becoming the best women's big wave paddle-in surfer ever."
Mention her name to anyone familiar with Santa Cruz big wave surfers, and it's immediately obvious that Shaughnessy has a reputation for fearlessness.
During bad wipeouts, "I just try to relax and distract myself by thinking about other things," she said.
Still, getting mowed down by a 30-foot wall of whitewater isn't exactly a trip to the dentist.
"Training is really important," Shaughnessy admitted. "If I'm planning on going to Puerto or getting ready for the winter, I try to run and surf as much as I can. ... Right now, I'm trying to get back into Bikram [yoga] and to start swimming more."
Shaughnessy is also focused on success outside of surfing. Not only did she graduate a year early from high school, she also graduated with a B.S. in biology from UC Santa Cruz. She plans to continue her education in the future and eventually pursue a career in nursing.
Step by step
Like many local surfers, Shaughnessy caught her first waves at Cowell's and 38th Avenue when she was a 13-year-old grom with sun-bleached blond hair. It wasn't long before she distinguished herself from her peers, showing a natural athletic ability under the guidance of Scotts Valley High surf coach Duke Brouwer.
Shaughnessy felt the pull of Maverick's early on, from the first moment she heard about the famed big wave break and saw footage of the behemoth waves breaking far out to sea.
"The first time I paddled out to Maverick's, Sarah Gerhardt took me up there," Shaughnessy remembered. "I've always looked up to her, I still do. But at that time she was like my idol. She pointed out things that I needed to know in the lineup and gave me some tips. Then I watched her catch a couple of waves and we headed home."
Gerhardt, a chemistry professor, was pursuing a doctorate at UCSC when she became the first woman to surf Maverick's .
The world of big wave surfing has always been wide open to young surfers from Santa Cruz with the skill and commitment to go big when the ocean gifts them with opportunity. Shaughnessy followed in the footsteps of other surfers before her -- Jay Moriarity, Anthony Tashnick and Nic Lamb, all of whom entered the lineup at Mavs before their 18th birthdays.
This first tantalizing taste of the world of big wave surfing was all it took to hook the 16-year-old Shaughnessy.
"What stood out to me," Shaughnessy remembered of her first day in the infamous Mavericks lineup, "was the power of the waves. They barrel so much harder and are moving so much more quickly than you gather just by seeing a photo or watching video. I decided that I needed more experience before I could surf there."
That summer, Shaughnessy made the first of many pilgrimages south to Puerto Escondido, a warm-water big wave break located on the Pacific coast of Mexico, almost at the Southern border in the state of Oaxaca.
With added big wave experience to draw on, Shaughnessy returned to Maverick's to ride her first waves when she was 18.
Gender barriers
While most surfer girls have experienced the machismo culture of surfing at one time or another, big wave surfing is on a whole other level.
"The future of women's big wave surfing is definitely in paddling [as opposed to tow-in surfing]," predicted Shaughnessy. "I think that, as a woman, if you're doing it for the right reasons -- train, take your beatings like everyone else, take off deep and keep showing up -- you'll be accepted and people will come to respect what you're doing whether you're a girl or a guy."
While proving herself in the lineup is a challenge Shaughnessy thrives on, the surf industry is slow to reward the accomplishments of female surfers in the big wave arena.
Shaughnessy believes that female big wave surfers will continue to have untapped potential until the industry fully supports these committed athletes.
"It is hard to know how far women could push the limits when they do not have the opportunities to travel or chase swells," Shaughnessy said.
She added, "While the industry doesn't really support women's big wave surfing, I have been very fortunate to have found a supportive community here in Santa Cruz. I've had my brother, friends and family encourage and help me along the way. Also, local shaper Jon Henderson with Strive Surfboards, Buell with wetsuits, Village Yoga and photographer and friend Nikki Brooks, to name a few. I am very appreciative of them all."
Learn more about Savannah Shaughnessy at www.savannahshaughnessy.com. The Billabong XXL Award winners will be announced on May 4 at the Grove Theater in Anaheim. The awards will be broadcast live at the Billabong XXL website at www.billabongxxl.com.
Santa Cruz surfer Ken "Skindog" Collins is also up for a Billabong XXL Monster Energy Paddle In Award this year. Stay tuned for further coverage of the awards.
Gretchen Wegrich's Stoked and Broke appears every other Sunday. Contact her with feedback and story suggestions at sports@santacruzsentinel.com.
The 23-year-old Santa Cruz surfer recently received recognition for her hell-woman status as a 2012 nominee of the Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award.
The journey has brought her into close contact with her heroes and pushed her from one life-threatening situation to the next. But more than the glory, Shaughnessy is chasing the sweet reward of reaching her full potential.
After pushing the limits of paddle-in surfing at Puerto Escondido's Mexican Pipeline last summer, Shaughnessy charged the 2012 winter season at Mavericks with fearless abandon. Her performance at Mavs was recognized at the Mavericks Big Wave Invitational's closing ceremonies when Shaughnessy was presented with the Top Female Performance of the Year Award. In August of last year, Shaughnessy was the only female competitor at the Mexican Pipeline Tube Ride Invitational.
"It has been exciting to watch the progression of Savannah in big surf. So many people show up to surf Mavericks with so much excitement but don't last more than a few sessions or a season. Savannah has kept coming back and proved her competency, enthusiasm and deservingness of being a XXL finalist," said Santa Cruz surfer Zach Wormhoudt, the 2004 Billabong XXL Monster Paddle In Award winner, in a statement.
In order to win the Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award, Shaughnessy will need to best four of her peers -- Hawaiians Keala Kennelly and Paige
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The Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award criteria are for the greatest number of outstanding performances at the most diverse number of venues over the course of the entire year. Excellence in the water and leadership in safety at both paddle-in and tow-in surfing is considered.
"I am stoked to see a woman like Savannah dedicated to charging big surf, and it shows when she's out surfing at Maverick's," said Maverick's pioneer Jeff Clark in a statement.
Shaughnessy's submission to the XXL contest includes six waves on video and four waves captured on a still camera. This is the second year Shaughnessy has been nominated for an award in the Billabong XXL Girls Performance category.
"I'm really happy to see Savannah nominated as one of the finalists for the XXL women's performance award," said Derek Dunfee, the 2009 Billabong XXL Monster Paddle In Award, in a statement. "Over the past few years, Savannah's been pushing the limits of big wave paddle-in surfing for women. She's done this by paddling on all the biggest and heaviest days in Puerto Escondido and Maverick's. Plus, she's not just sitting out there; Savannah's catching bombs, taking wipeouts and coming back out with a smile. Savannah's on her way to becoming the best women's big wave paddle-in surfer ever."
Mention her name to anyone familiar with Santa Cruz big wave surfers, and it's immediately obvious that Shaughnessy has a reputation for fearlessness.
During bad wipeouts, "I just try to relax and distract myself by thinking about other things," she said.
Still, getting mowed down by a 30-foot wall of whitewater isn't exactly a trip to the dentist.
"Training is really important," Shaughnessy admitted. "If I'm planning on going to Puerto or getting ready for the winter, I try to run and surf as much as I can. ... Right now, I'm trying to get back into Bikram [yoga] and to start swimming more."
Shaughnessy is also focused on success outside of surfing. Not only did she graduate a year early from high school, she also graduated with a B.S. in biology from UC Santa Cruz. She plans to continue her education in the future and eventually pursue a career in nursing.
Step by step
Like many local surfers, Shaughnessy caught her first waves at Cowell's and 38th Avenue when she was a 13-year-old grom with sun-bleached blond hair. It wasn't long before she distinguished herself from her peers, showing a natural athletic ability under the guidance of Scotts Valley High surf coach Duke Brouwer.
Shaughnessy felt the pull of Maverick's early on, from the first moment she heard about the famed big wave break and saw footage of the behemoth waves breaking far out to sea.
"The first time I paddled out to Maverick's, Sarah Gerhardt took me up there," Shaughnessy remembered. "I've always looked up to her, I still do. But at that time she was like my idol. She pointed out things that I needed to know in the lineup and gave me some tips. Then I watched her catch a couple of waves and we headed home."
Gerhardt, a chemistry professor, was pursuing a doctorate at UCSC when she became the first woman to surf Maverick's .
The world of big wave surfing has always been wide open to young surfers from Santa Cruz with the skill and commitment to go big when the ocean gifts them with opportunity. Shaughnessy followed in the footsteps of other surfers before her -- Jay Moriarity, Anthony Tashnick and Nic Lamb, all of whom entered the lineup at Mavs before their 18th birthdays.
This first tantalizing taste of the world of big wave surfing was all it took to hook the 16-year-old Shaughnessy.
"What stood out to me," Shaughnessy remembered of her first day in the infamous Mavericks lineup, "was the power of the waves. They barrel so much harder and are moving so much more quickly than you gather just by seeing a photo or watching video. I decided that I needed more experience before I could surf there."
That summer, Shaughnessy made the first of many pilgrimages south to Puerto Escondido, a warm-water big wave break located on the Pacific coast of Mexico, almost at the Southern border in the state of Oaxaca.
With added big wave experience to draw on, Shaughnessy returned to Maverick's to ride her first waves when she was 18.
Gender barriers
While most surfer girls have experienced the machismo culture of surfing at one time or another, big wave surfing is on a whole other level.
"The future of women's big wave surfing is definitely in paddling [as opposed to tow-in surfing]," predicted Shaughnessy. "I think that, as a woman, if you're doing it for the right reasons -- train, take your beatings like everyone else, take off deep and keep showing up -- you'll be accepted and people will come to respect what you're doing whether you're a girl or a guy."
While proving herself in the lineup is a challenge Shaughnessy thrives on, the surf industry is slow to reward the accomplishments of female surfers in the big wave arena.
Shaughnessy believes that female big wave surfers will continue to have untapped potential until the industry fully supports these committed athletes.
"It is hard to know how far women could push the limits when they do not have the opportunities to travel or chase swells," Shaughnessy said.
She added, "While the industry doesn't really support women's big wave surfing, I have been very fortunate to have found a supportive community here in Santa Cruz. I've had my brother, friends and family encourage and help me along the way. Also, local shaper Jon Henderson with Strive Surfboards, Buell with wetsuits, Village Yoga and photographer and friend Nikki Brooks, to name a few. I am very appreciative of them all."
Learn more about Savannah Shaughnessy at www.savannahshaughnessy.com. The Billabong XXL Award winners will be announced on May 4 at the Grove Theater in Anaheim. The awards will be broadcast live at the Billabong XXL website at www.billabongxxl.com.
Santa Cruz surfer Ken "Skindog" Collins is also up for a Billabong XXL Monster Energy Paddle In Award this year. Stay tuned for further coverage of the awards.
Gretchen Wegrich's Stoked and Broke appears every other Sunday. Contact her with feedback and story suggestions at sports@santacruzsentinel.com.
IN THE HOT SEAT
Savannah Shaughnessy
Q: What big wave surfers do you look up to and why?
A: I really look up to the Gerhardts, Frosty, Derek Dunfee, the Longs, Peter Mel and Zach Wormhoudt. They all charge, there's so much to learn from them and they really love surfing big waves.
Q: What's the scariest moment you've ever had while surfing?
A: During my worst wipeout at Mavericks, I didn't make it past the second section and went through the rocks. I've had some really difficult swims while surfing Puerto, and those were scarier.
Q: What is something about you that is surprising or that most people don't know?
A: I have three jobs and volunteer for Hospice of Santa Cruz, which is an amazing organization.
Q: What advice or words of inspiration do you have for other young girls interested in big wave surfing?
A: To take your time and to take baby steps, which is actually pretty difficult when you're excited about something. I would tell them to learn as much as they can from others and to stick with it.
-- Gretchen Wegrich
Q: What big wave surfers do you look up to and why?
A: I really look up to the Gerhardts, Frosty, Derek Dunfee, the Longs, Peter Mel and Zach Wormhoudt. They all charge, there's so much to learn from them and they really love surfing big waves.
Q: What's the scariest moment you've ever had while surfing?
A: During my worst wipeout at Mavericks, I didn't make it past the second section and went through the rocks. I've had some really difficult swims while surfing Puerto, and those were scarier.
Q: What is something about you that is surprising or that most people don't know?
A: I have three jobs and volunteer for Hospice of Santa Cruz, which is an amazing organization.
Q: What advice or words of inspiration do you have for other young girls interested in big wave surfing?
A: To take your time and to take baby steps, which is actually pretty difficult when you're excited about something. I would tell them to learn as much as they can from others and to stick with it.
-- Gretchen Wegrich
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