by Clay Schmitz | Apr 10, 2016 | DIY camera mounts, projects, surf videos, videos
Experiencing the fun and welcoming vibe of SUP Downwinding and seeing how undiscovered it is I wanted a way to get the word out and share the stoke. I have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 40 years and had no idea there are surfable waves in the bay, and even after I discovered this I didn’t really believe it until I saw it. Growing up I had the belief that the bay was dirty or gross and only for boats, definitely not a warm sandy beach for swimming kinda place. My first summer living in Alameda introduced me to a different idea, one where there are thousands of empty waves every day right in front of a beautiful warm sandy beach. For me the thing that really blew mind is that there is no one out surfing these waves, and when I tell other surfers this they don’t believe it. The idea or dream of having endless uncrowded waves with warm welcoming people is real…
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by Clay Schmitz | Mar 10, 2016 | adventures, articles
My electric bike was stolen out of our garage a few weeks ago. The feedback I heard was how brazen the thief was to come into the garage during the day while someone was home. This could be an easy chance to lose trust in our neighbors and neighborhood and to feel unsafe and in danger of losing more.
This is exactly what I did many years ago in my previous marriage when we lived in a higher crime area. My reaction was to get the weapons ready and install an alarm and camera system, and together with other neighbors, the mayor, and police chief we formed a sort of lynch mob. Even though the suspected thieves were now watched by everyone we felt more fearful, anxious, and unsafe. Our perception and thoughts about our neighborhood became narrowly focused on danger and the threat of crime and or violence…
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by Clay Schmitz | Feb 24, 2016 | adventures, articles
I am laying down on a rug, because it’s to painful to stand or sit down, when my son crawls into the other room. Getting up has been sending sharp shooting pains through my lower back so I figure crawling after him might be easier and quicker. As I’m crawling I notice it doesn’t hurt as much when I move my legs. So we crawl around the room together and make our way back to the rug. It feels so good to be able to move my legs after several days of feeling constant agonizing pain. This is the most excruciating physical pain I have ever felt, my wife had sciatica pain last year and she said it is more painful than labor pains…
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by Clay Schmitz | Jan 24, 2016 | adventures, articles
I ran into a friend the other day and she asked me about teaching paddleboarding and specifically what happens when you fall in the water? I quickly responded with, “you get wet”. She shook this unsettling thought off and voiced her concern about the “dirty” water. I said there is more healing in being in the ocean and nature than not, and she agreed.
Later as I was on my way home a deeper answer came to me along with a feeling of calm and connectedness…
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by Clay Schmitz | Dec 29, 2015 | projects
A wall calendar designed to inspire us to love, respect, take care of, and enjoy the ocean and the surf. Our Kickstarter project is a success and we have received the funding we asked for, the calendar is available on Amazon.com.
This wall calendar is a first step to publishing guides designed to show people how to love, respect, take care of, and enjoy nature. As surfers our primary focus is on the ocean and the surf zone, and at the same time this wisdom is applicable to all of nature.
The photos were captured in each month so they accurately represent nature during that time of year. Each month’s photo is accompanied by inspiring words. Some days throughout the month offer encouraging words or challenges.
With your help we have completed this 2016 calendar project. After successfully completing this project we will start projects for weekly and daily book guides. Then expanding to video projects. Our goal is to build a live/work place to live in harmony with the ocean and nature and teach others to do the same…
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by Clay Schmitz | Nov 12, 2015 | surf videos, videos
This is page 2 of the post: POV camera pole mount for surfboards. Page one has the newest bamboo pole videos and can be found here. ... Read more
by Clay Schmitz | Oct 23, 2015 | adventures, articles
“If it was easy everyone would be doing it.” This idea that life is hard and needs to be overcome is how I lived the first 20 or 30 years of my life, no pain no gain was my motto. The idea of an easy and peaceful life was for wusses and viewed as undesirable or even impossible. I applied this way of thinking when I learned to surf, believing that I couldn’t afford lessons and I was afraid to ask for help, to do so would be a sign of weakness and make me a target for ridicule and rejection.
I remember like it was yesterday the excitement and beauty of the first time I caught a wave and went down the line riding the clear blue face and seeing the ocean floor race by underneath my board. It was a taste of a world I had only imagined, and this two week summer family vacation in Maui had whet my appetite…
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by Clay Schmitz | Sep 6, 2015 | adventures, articles
Since I was about five I worked in my grandfather’s small meat business. He was a genius at finding creative affordable solutions to everyday problems and did well financially, sadly it was often at the expense of his relationship with everyone around him. A lot of people who new him use harsh words to describe him. I was fortunate to go on a trip to Europe with him and see his hometown in Germany and I was able to see a warmer side to him that most people never saw. I also recognized part of myself in him, I have the same ability to see what’s not right and to see the solution. I also have his potential to come off cold and rigid, I have seen how much trouble that caused my grandfather and so I do my best to hear, acknowledge, and have compassion for the feelings and opinions of others.
At the meat shop my grandfather often told me not to smarten up the other guy…
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by Clay Schmitz | Aug 4, 2015 | adventures, articles
Imagine this: I arrive at a a popular surf spot and everyone makes welcome eye contact with me and they greet me or introduce themselves. As I paddle out everyone who recognizes me is happy to see me and those who don’t are curious and excited to meet me. I’m welcomed into a place in the lineup and while I wait my turn those around me engage with me in authentic conversation and they are genuinely pleased that I am there. They believe I have something to offer and they are stoked to help me practice my abilities for the benefit of the group. When it’s my turn to catch a wave they all hoot me into the wave and cheer and celebrate my ride. I have heard stories from parts of the south pacific that this is real and the local villagers greet and welcome outsiders in this way. I saw in Fiji…
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by Clay Schmitz | Jul 25, 2015 | adventures, articles
I saw a video of surfing this wake on Lake Tahoe about a week ago and I’ve been envisioning surfing it every day since.
My amazing wife, our baby, and I were leaving Tahoe when she said she felt like we only did part of all the activities we planned. I agreed and said I really wanted to surf that sternwheeler boat wave. She replied let’s do it, so we impulsively turned the truck around and drove to South Lake Tahoe…
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