Nothing but lineups
DogMan's LinksNothing but lineups
Steamer Lane on a low low tide and a huge macking swell. Third reef is breaking in stormy conditions. If you look extra close, you can see a tiny dot in the white water of the gigantor wave in the distance. Yup! That's a surfer. Introduction
Frequently, email from a reader will inspire a whole new columnl that's the case this week. TSG wrote concerning the "Past Pages" piece, saying "Oh, and the empty wave pics from Steamer's were great. I don't know what it is about waves breaking -- but I love looking at them."
Sunrise at the Lighthouse. Sets are stacking, but no one is yet on it. Won't be long! 
Crew paddling into it at sunrise. Who will be the first to ride? Checking the Waves
Well it's true! surfers enjoy looking at waves. They might be less than perfect, mushburgers, closers, or even teeny tiny, we can't take our eyes off them. Go to the beach and you can instantly spot the surfers; they are the ones gazing intently into the incoming swell. Even when conversing with others they don't turn their stare from the ocean. A group of surfers will commune in this fashion, talking and laughing, but never ever looking at each other.
Empty wave with on one on it. Steamer Lane is looking good. 
Four deep at the Lane. Any wonder it's the most famous break in Santa Cruz? Lineup Photos
Lineup photos hold a special place for us. Unlike the tight shot of a snap turn or a lip bash, these overview pictures paint the scene for us. They show the big angle, the waves as well as the surroundings. Such shots provide context and a literal background for the usual tightly framed surf pix that predominate most photo spreads.
A sunrise lineup at Highlanders. 
The lineup shot that started it all. Highlanders, December, 2003. A Unique Sport
How many athletes enjoy staring at their playing field when not actually participating in their sport? How many tennis players will gaze at an empty tennis court? How many footballers go out of their way to look at an empty football field? How many ping-pongers collect pictures of of ping-pong tables? You get the point.
Autumn, 2003 at Highlanders. 
January, 2003 at Highlanders. Too Many Pictures
So here's a photo pheature with nothing but lineup shots. Even this proved too daunting for the DogMan; making an inventory of lineup shots from around the world revealed too too many for one column. So a course correction; this column features lineup shots from only two spots in DogLand: Steamer Lane and Highlanders. Maybe a future column will expand upon this theme and show lineups from around the world. If you are like most surfers, you'll enjoy the pix as much as any closeup surf shot.
Another day from the day to end all days at Highlanders. December, 2003. 
One more time. Highlanders lineup from December, 2001. Conclusion
Got a good lineup shot you want to share? Got a good lineup story? Just email 'em to the DogMan and see your stuff spewed across the web. You could be famous, or maybe just noticed a little bit. There's more lineup material in the wings, so this probably isn't the last time you'll see the subject in the Chronicles.
CU Out There,
DogMan
Email DogMan |
