Icemen Cometh

Rev Mike and Scott, two eternally stoked dudes! Showing us that a hot shower is necessary after a frigid session like this, not just to warm up; but literally just to get out of your wetsuit! Rock on guys! Those are some killer ice crowns, and gowns.

Our new hobby!

This is totally awesome!! We need to get into this soon! Anyone have a crane we can borrow?

Southend Fires!

The southend went off this Monday!! Not quite as warm as Costa Rica, the water temp and air temp combined probably didn't add up to the Costa Rican water temps of 80 degrees.

Anyway, I would have liked to been down there Monday, but like most of us I was called to work. Nice to see these thumpers were captured be some.

Costa Rica

Now I know why everyone loves Costa Rica!

The whole time we were there the waves were the perfect size. Big enough to be a little scary but not big enough to keep you out of the water.

Hope the SAMA Crew had a great Thanksgiving!

Mt Bohemia Pass Sale

Saturday, December 6th
Online or by Phone

Mt Bohemia

Hey Bros,

The Mt. Bohemia trip is 2 months out right now - Jan 28 - Feb 1.

Important: the Season Pass sale is December 6th for $99.00 - ONE DAY ONLY.
Visit www.mtbohemia.com for purchase information (online or by phone).

We had an absolute blast last year and are planning on bringing up a few more bros this year. As it stands, I think we're on for at least 10 guys right now. In order to make plans for an additional yurt if needed, it would be great to hear back from everyone who plans on going.

Please RSVP to me at: goofykid55@gmail.com

As always, twin-plankers are welcome but just know that there will be plenty of knuckle-dragger-bro-brah going on, and we tend to stink up the bathroom real bad...

Lookin' forward to another epic session,

Johnson

November Lake Michigan Love

Just found these pics on Thirdcoast's site. Great shots!! Not very often do you see such good quality pics of lake waves. I really wish I would have been there that morning.

Heavy Metal Holiday Air Guitar Championship

Heavy Metal Holiday Party

Air Guitar Championship

December 13th

8pm-?

Bring:

· Your favorite beverage.

· Your best rocker costume.

· An open mind towards the genre of ROCK!

· 1425 Colfax Ave. Grand Haven MI

Mitten Coast Eco Surfboards

Hey Crew,

Here is a big shout out to one of blog readers. Nate Lattimore, owner and artisan of a new line of locally produced environmentally friendly wooden surfboards!

Mitten Coast Surfboards
The goal of Mitten Coast Surf Company is to help grow the Great Lakes surf scene and be an environmentally friendly alternative to foam, creating beautiful boards out of nature, not plastic, right here in Michigan.

We'll do our best to come up with the surf board, paddle board, or any other kind of wood board your heart desires.

From Nate:

A little background on me, I grew up in Michigan snowboarding and skateboarding, went to college, got a degree, got the cool job of working in pro sports in

Charlotte North Carolina and realized it wasn't cool at all and completely hated it. My wife and I moved to Holland in January so I could take a job restoring wooden boats (www.mbbw.com).

Rusted Root??

To all who are interested chim in here on the blog, or send me an email. It looks like a nice south is shaping up for the weekend, so we could hit Frankfort for a surf, or kite. Let me know so we can see how many are interested in making the show!!

The concert is Friday night. We could grab a hotel room or if the weather is still really nice we could swoop a campsite somewhere close by.

UP Goodness This Weekend

I love this shot of our little point. This photo was not taken this weekend, but it shows the beauty of the break. The surf Sunday was bigger than the this day. I will allow you to draw your own conclusions about the size. But, I will remember some of those rides for many years to come.

Rusted Root Nov. 7th in Traverse City

Who is up for a Rusted Root Show??!!!

Friday Nov. 7th at Streeters in Traverse. The show starts at 9pm. We could rally up there and check into a hotel room. Hopefully, there will be some surf or kiting to be scored that weekend up north on Saturday. Let's do it!

Check out the Streeters website by clicking on the blue link.

Spill baby Spill!

AP investigation: Hurricane Ike environmental toll apparent

09:23 AM CDT on Sunday, October 5, 2008

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Hurricane Ike's winds and massive waves destroyed oil platforms, tossed storage tanks and punctured pipelines. The environmental damage only now is becoming apparent: At least a half million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico and the marshes, bayous and bays of Louisiana and Texas, according to an analysis of federal data by The Associated Press.

In the days before and after the deadly storm, companies and residents reported at least 448 releases of oil, gasoline and dozens of other substances into the air and water and onto the ground in Louisiana and Texas. The hardest hit places were industrial centers near Houston and Port Arthur, Texas, as well as oil production facilities off Louisiana's coast, according to the AP's analysis.

"We are dealing with a multitude of different types of pollution here ... everything from diesel in the water to gasoline to things like household chemicals," said Larry Chambers, a petty officer with the U.S. Coast Guard Command Center in Pasadena, Texas.

The Coast Guard, with the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies, has responded to more than 3,000 pollution reports associated with the storm and its surge along the upper Texas coast. Most callers complain about abandoned propane tanks, paint cans and other hazardous materials containers turning up in marshes, backyards and other places.

Bummer,, we hope our SAMA South Texas rep Travis Smith isn't having to surf in oil.

Movie Night Oct. 24th

Get ready for the official release of a Marc Hoeksema Production! This film will entice you back into the beauty of nature. Let's get a bunch of us down there to cheer on Marco's flick. I have see several portions of this film and the cinematography is amazing!!

Monday Morning Wave

I had to send this one on! With the snowcapped mountains in the background and this epic barrel shot I thought it was a nice way to start your Monday morning.

Courtesy of Surfer's Path.

Relief!

Finally, the wave and wind starved heroes of the SAMA nation have a few sessions to brag about. I hope everyone got out and scored some freshwater greatness. Here is a shot Ingrid took of yours truly heading for an epic Grand Haven State Park kite session, waves, big air!!!

But, it could be a touch warmer....

SAMA Groms!!

Click on the "SAMA Groms!!" title to view a great little video segment from Vince Deur Productions.

I think these two guys do a good job reminding us of the Michigan we feel in love with long ago.

Keep climbing boys!!

SAMA kayak weekend!!

What a beautiful day on Saturday!! The salmon were shooting around under our kayaks as we gently flowed down the Platte. We dumped out into Lake Michigan with a breathtaking view of Sleeping Bear Dunes. I was hit with the reason SAMA was created. Those of us who know how beautiful it is here, and all the activities there are to do would be hard pressed to leave these lakes, and when we are gone for too long we suffer from a homesickness most people couldn't understand. Long live the Lakes!! Long live SAMA!!

September SAMA weekend approaches!!

Hear ye, hear ye!!!


The SAMA weekend is upon us. Currently, we have about 5-7 Samainians going. We are looking at staying DH day campground near Sleeping Bear State Park, where the Platte River flows into Lake Michigan, the wind should be pushing some waves up there for surfing and kiting. It is going to be a SAMA weekend to remember!!

So, if you can make it we would still love to have as many of us up there! Bring all your favorite SAMA toys and pick your activity!

Email or call me if you are interested in coming up!!
benbraymer@hotmail.com
616638-3313




Forecast:

.FRIDAY...SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. WAVES 1 TO 3 FEET.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...SOUTH WINDS INCREASING TO 10 TO 20 KNOTS. WAVES
BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FEET.
.SATURDAY...SOUTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 20 KNOTS TURNING TO NORTHWEST AT
20 TO 25 KNOTS. WAVES BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FEET.
.SUNDAY...NORTH WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. WAVES 4 TO 6 FEET.

Surfrider Beach Explorers + Tall Ship Sailors

Here is a couple of shots from our epic field trip this week. My students were hard at work sailing the Friends Good Will replica Tall Ship. The students were appalled at the amount of trash they found on the beach! We are gathering human impact data from 4 different beaches this year and sending it to Surfrider. The students learned to appreciate the power of the wind while sailing aboard the FGW. This ship is docked at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven and was used for merchant sailing on the Great Lakes until it was pressed into service to sail with Oliver Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie. This was a decisive battle that kicked the British out of the Lakes region during the War of 1812. Amazing experience for the students!!

Clean-up Set

Skinny Bruddah not only drove us to St. Joe (powered by a 50% vegetable oil fuel blend), but then did a post-surf beach clean-up. Way to go Skinny Bro!

SAMA kayaking trip Sep.26-28th

It is getting closer to river time!! I am really excited about getting a bunch of us up to the Pine for a fall kayak session. I am going to reserve the camping at Coolwater Campground in Wellston MI. It is 12 bucks per person per night, they have hot showers and bathrooms. If you click on the title it will take you to the campgrounds website for a look at the photos and map.

If you are planning on coming please email me or call so I can get a good idea of how many of us are going. We will leave on Friday after work, camp Friday night and Saturday night. We are kayaking the Pine on Saturday around noon. If you need rentals there are several places close by.

Pine River Paddlesports
Horina Canoe and Kayak Rentals

Let's get a bunch of us up there and have a great time on the river! Again, let me know if you are coming ASAP so we can figure if we need two sites or one! SAMA Rules!!!!

benbraymer@hotmail.com
616-638-3313

"Of Surf and Friends"

Another warm summer draws to an end
So many great days spent with a friend
Now the North winds start blowing again
Looks like more time to be spent with a friend

Tawas Point Kiteboarding

Hey bros,

I went over to Tawas Point yesterday to hook up with Mark Kuban (Liquid Force) and check out their kite scene. The wind was forecasted SE to 25 knots...didn't happen. So I grabbed my camera and did a recon of the point (Sandy Hook).

They have huge sandbar flats with knee-deep water holding in the high 70's to low 80's for most of the summer. When it blows, pretty much every direction works except for NW.

Waves, flats, warm water, steay winds, State Park camping, and good people (I met this kiter called "Safety Rick" who let me stay on his boat for the night).

All said and done, a four hour drive would be well worth it when the wind is on in Tawas. Lets keep this one in mind and make plans for a mission...

Mt Bohemia - Official 6 Month Alert

Hey bros,

It's official; 6 months till go-time!

Here's the gig:

January 29th to February 1st

Mt Bohemia

Season passes go on sale (one day only) December 6th for the $99.00 special... You know what to do.

For those who haven't already been there, check this link for more details:

www.mtbohemia.com

Cheers,

Johnson

SAMA Meeting Success!!!

Thanks to all who showed last night to the meeting at Lucky's! We just hungout and put together some ideas for this up coming fall winter season.

Currently, we are planning:

Xavier Rudd concert Sept. 20th Vic Theatre in Chicago. (Anna and I, Aaron and Lesa, and Ben Burgess have all purchased tickets, check the SAMA site for the link to buy tickets for yourselves.)

Kayak / canoe trip the weekend of Sept. 27th (Pine River - camping at Coolwater Campground).

Mt. Bohemia is currently scheduled for Feb. 6, 7, 8th (booking yurts with bathroooms and heaters).

We also are talking about setting up a SAMA camp on Brian Scott's parents land on Sutton's Bay up north. That way we are in striking distance for kiting, mt. biking, kayaking, surfing, hiking or whatever your outdoor purists souls desire. We are tentatively planning sometime in October for that weekend. Again, if you don't want to miss any of the swashbuckling SAMA action trips then you should make sure to sign up for the email subscription.

Again, I will post all the details of each trip soon. Please email me if you are interested in going.

www.samanationgreatlakes.blogspot.com

ok, maybe I can handle this...

I just got this to work... So I am officially open for SAMA business. Anyone need a cameraman? Will work for surf!

I can't make the meeting but I want my sticker!

Welcome to the next generation of the SAMA nation!!

Welcome to the next generation of the SAMA nation!!

We will be holding the first SAMA monthly mission meeting this Monday Aug. 25th from 7-8pm at Lucky's Coffee Shop in Spring Lake, MI. The plan is to chill with friends and throw out some ideas for trips that will be scheduled for the fall and winter season. Bring friends and ideas for adventures! Kayak, mountain bike, surfing, climbing, kiteboarding, skiing/snowboarding, and even music festivals all fall under our commitment to making the Lakeshore area a great place for outdoor enthusiasts and positive fun loving people to live and connect with each other. Bring your laptops for WiFi research on the logistics of these epic adventures. Also, in the future we will try to have a data projector to show slide shows and videos of past trips.

I will bring a notebook and calendar. We will jot down some trip ideas to be posted on our SAMA blog. I will update the blog as trips become confirmed and the organizing persons contact information. Therefore, it will be imperative that you sign up for an email subscription on the SAMA blog to keep up to date with all the current SAMA adventures. As always, we are stoked to the core about the outdoor possibilities of our region and abroad.

Here is the bait!! I have just purchased 20 new and improved two color SAMA die cut stickers. Made from the highest quality of vinyl all weather die cut material. I will be handing out these killer new stickers at the meeting while supplies last! Every batch of SAMA stickers is unique so you don't want to miss this opportunity to grab these special editions of the SAMA nation sticker collection. These stickers will show the world that you are part of a growing force of individuals who the love the beauty of our region and vow to live a life that personifies the SAMA spirit. How SAMA are you??

A sign from God

We travelled up to Mackinac Island this weekend for my cousins wedding. It was a great time, we spent a couple of nights on the rock. What a special time with family, and an amazing wedding! From there we headed out US 2 and camped on the beach for a night. As Anna and I walked along the coast, we were stopped in our tracks at this sight. With the cross blazing in the post sunset glow, illuminating the headland where Seul Choix Point juts out into expanse of Lake Michigan; we couldn't help feel that we had seen something special. I think this photo truly deserves the title "God's Country".

Surfrider on Tour

Greetings from the salty shores of N.C.! I had the amazing opportunity last night to work at the Surfrider booth at the Jack Johnson show in Raleigh...and wanted to let you all know that everyone is talking about the Great Lakes Chapter! Lots of positive comments on the dedication of the SAMA crew!

The show was awesome...and Jack Johnson matches every dollar donated on his tour to Surfrider

http://www.surfriderontour.blogspot.com/

ESPANA

A couple photos from our little side trip to Spain over here in France. More to come when we get home.