by Clay Schmitz | Nov 2, 2016 | adventures, surf videos, videos
The most unique surf session I have had yet. Fall always brings gifts, treats, and magical days. After six months of spring and summer onshore winds Ocean Beach smooths over for a beautiful day of fun waves, a pod of dolphins, and a Great White Shark jumping straight up clean out of the water. Maybe most incredible is that the Surfline camera captured the amazing shark jump. I always look forward to fall and appreciate the arrival, and now I suspect this day will stand out in my memories for a long time.
Below is the entire video with narration from this magical fall day.
Length – 02:57
I hope you enjoy…
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by Clay Schmitz | Nov 1, 2016 | adventures, articles
I was shopping for a new propane hose for a camp stove. A big box hardware store was selling it for $25, and at the small local hardware store it was $40.
Both stores were about the same distance out of our way, my first thought was what a ripoff, why pay more for the exact same product? And then I wondered if I really wanted to go to the huge warehouse megastore and feel unknown in some cold uncaring system? In my feeling torn over where to shop the question that came to me is what is that extra $15 supporting? Or what does our world look like when our custom(er) is to support local mom and pop shops or huge international chain megastores…
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by Clay Schmitz | Oct 29, 2016 | adventures, articles
I challenge you to stop watching the news, listening to news radio, or reading news magazines and websites, and NOT feel better. I certainly felt much calmer, relaxed, peaceful, and at ease without that constant stream of negativity conditioning us to believe that this is the dominant way of our world. The proof for me is asking this question: how many people do I know personally that commit violent acts or are violated on a daily basis? I don’t know any people who commit acts of terror, murder, rape, robbery, or battery, and yet if I watch the news I’m told these people are everywhere all around me. And even if our world is this violent how does sitting on the couch watching endless stories about it help…
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by Clay Schmitz | Oct 29, 2016 | adventures, articles
What?!? Sound crazy? Well for me eating food I don’t want to eat and doing workouts I don’t want to do, that’s crazy. I tried for decades to commit to formulaic diets and regimented gym workouts. I stuck it out for months and sometimes as long as a year, and every time I would eventually burnout. I wasted thousands of dollars on unused gym memberships and uneaten supplements, protein powders, and bars.
Why did I fail? Or did I? A lifetime spent doing stuff I don’t want to do sounds more like failure to me. I like to see it as I succeeded at escaping some miserable choices that weren’t really mine, I broke out of Shawshank…
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by Clay Schmitz | Oct 20, 2016 | adventures, surf videos, videos
I had a great time at the Heavy Water event at Ocean Beach Yesterday. Big thanks to the organizers and athletes for bringing the wonderful SUP community together. Feels good to see and be seen and known among good people at the beach. Also might be the first time in history there have only been SUP surfers in the water at Ocean Beach.
Here is a quick slo mo highlight, and below is the complete edit with narration…
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by Clay Schmitz | Oct 11, 2016 | adventures, surf videos, videos
A mini video review and my thoughts on the GoPro Hero5 Session camera. Also I talk a bit about the expectations and desire for new tech and the reality of how we feel after we get it. I swapped out the original GoPro session for this new one and gave it go on my bamboo SUP surfboard mounted elevated pole. I am impressed, as the camera looks and sounds better with more image capturing horsepower in it. Feeling stoked! I am looking forward to capturing many adventures this fall and winter…
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by Clay Schmitz | Jul 13, 2016 | adventures, articles
What would you call a couple that lives in separate houses, doesn’t eat meals together, dates other people, and splits custody of their children? I would call this couple separated and if they aren’t already I’d say they will be divorced soon. We have this similar separation from our neighbors and our community and yet we don’t say we are divorced, we say this is normal and the way we are supposed to live.
I am twice married and both times our relationship changed significantly after we got married and lived together. In my dating experience there was often much time apart, and before we saw each other there was a discussion about where, how, and when we will be reunited. Then there was the parting of ways and saying goodbye for the night or maybe forever. For me that’s the real difference between dating and being married, we are uncertain where we stand and if this person is going to be in our life and for how long. Probably the real question we need answered is…
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by Clay Schmitz | Jun 29, 2016 | adventures, articles
I’m sitting on the lanai in Maui enjoying breakfast after a really fun surf at the break we can see from the kitchen window. The enjoyment of the sound of the waves breaking and the birds singing is interrupted by the roar of leaf blowers and a sit down lawnmower. Cue the phrase “first world problems”, and that’s when it sank in how far from natural this development is.
The monthly Home Owners Association (HOA) dues at this gated community in Maui are around $800 and where I live in California are $380. Both grounds are beautiful and very well taken care of, and at the same time I’m wondering where are the crops, the orchard, and the fruit trees? Every Tuesday a full crew of people come and mow the lawns and blow the leaves for what is usually a full days work. What if instead of taking the mowed grass and tree trimmings to the landfill they left…
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by Clay Schmitz | Jun 6, 2016 | adventures, articles
When my first wife left me I was living in her house, in her neighborhood, next door to her brother and his wife, and most of my social relations were with their friends. So the day she walked out I lost most of my community and to say I felt isolated, lonely, and terrified would be a massive understatement. Also I didn’t see us living in this higher crime neighborhood for very long so I didn’t invest much time making friends nor knowing my neighbors. Further I was also doing most of my shopping either online or at the big box stores, so I didn’t have any relationships with the people that worked there. For me the pain of divorce was a huge wake up call to take a look at all my relationships and how I want to live.
When our first impulse is to invest our time and money outside the community we are…
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by Clay Schmitz | May 16, 2016 | articles, projects
Surf Village Sketch From 2012
One of my teachers offered this idea:
Imagine being born into this world and being seen by everyone in the community as a cargo bay containing precious goodies that no one else carries, and these goodies are needed by the community. Also no training, diploma, or certification is necessary, we are seen as being born with the diploma and all the credentials necessary to take up this unique purpose of giving these gifts to everyone. Further our community recognizes and acknowledges and celebrates us for our giftedness, before we achieve or accomplish anything. There is something about being seen in this way that elevates a human being in a way that is very exhilarating.
Once this idea got a hold of me I haven’t been able to let it go, and even more so when I learned that all our ancestors used to live this way…
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