Merrick Family Buys back Channel Islands

[Bonzourno]

Some of my best memories are riding my cruiser down 67 block of DP and getting excited for my first look at the swell at Deveraux before getting to Sands. Hop in the water for an hour or two, roll back to the apartment and grab a burrito and a beer from Cantina...life was simple and sweet.

.....amen brother. I lived on the 67 block of Sabado which was ideal for quick strikes to Sands.....and don’t get me started on the fun little spring wind swell peaks over at Depressions.....didn’t own a C.I. though to get us back on topic.

 

[Sbbcc]

Britt is really fun to surf with. He has never burned me on some best waves I’ve ever gotten....

 

[Bruce Fowler]

.....amen brother. I lived on the 67 block of Sabado which was ideal for quick strikes to Sands.....and don’t get me started on the fun little spring wind swell peaks over at Depressions.....didn’t own a C.I. though to get us back on topic.

Ah, stay off topic" long enough to check out vintage "Depressions" from the www.goletasurfing.com/fowler tribute page showing HOW GOOD DEPRESSIONS could get! Sands was definitely home base and more consistent, but Depressions had many days of its own worth reminiscing.

.....amen brother. I lived on the 67 block of Sabado which was ideal for quick strikes to Sands.....and don’t get me started on the fun little spring wind swell peaks over at Depressions.....didn’t own a C.I. though to get us back on topic.Ah, stay "off topic" for a minute longer. You got me to remind

 

[Sax-son]

I learned a long time ago, pro surfers & lots of bro price team riders don't pay my mortgage.

That's for sure!

 

[Sax-son]

I was never a follower of the CI line, so I am neutral as to my opinion on their boards. However, having said that, they never looked any different from some of the similar model of boards other manufacturers were building. I guess the roster of top riders made those boards specials. I guess to each his own.

 

[Bonzourno]

Ah, stay off topic" long enough to check out vintage "Depressions" from the www.goletasurfing.com/fowler tribute page showing HOW GOOD DEPRESSIONS could get! Sands was definitely home base and more consistent, but Depressions had many days of its own worth reminiscing.

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Thanks for sharing that link, Bruce. While Sands was way more consistent, I had some of my most memorable sessions out at Depressions during the 5 years I lived down there.

 

[Bobo]

Thanks for sharing that link, Bruce. While Sands was way more consistent, I had some of my most memorable sessions out at Depressions during the 5 years I lived down there.

Depressions is not now the same as it was. I suspect because of the loss of sand. When Depressions was good there was about 200' of beach and bamboo around the point in the cove.

 

[dingdong]

switchfoot? dang Mr. Fowler...I didn't know you had that in the bag!!!

 

[Sax-son]

Tom Hale shaped the first Owl V Bottom I ever rode, Bob Duncan, ZOG's "Wave Delineation", Doug Roth,

I definitely knew and bought boards from Tom Hale who was "the man" there in Ventura for a while but then closed up shop around 1968 or early 1969 if my memory serves me right. Doug Roth had a pretty big footprint in Oxnard as a local by the name of Pat Chase was one of his team riders. Pat's involvement sold quite a few DR's in the Oxnard area, but I never knew what became of Doug Roth.

 

[Bruce Fowler]

Doug Roth actually was in Goleta.
His shop was on Gaviota St. in old town Goleta just north of Santa Barbara.
Doug was a noteworthy surfer, good in big waves and made surfboards while going thru dental school to become a dentist.
My first new surfboard was a 9'4" Doug Roth for $134 that my parents bought me for Christmas.

The shop later became John Bradbury's shop, where he began "Creative Freedom Surfboards" later moving down to Santa Barbara behind Bob's Glass Shop on Gutierrez Street.