Outdoors, action and adventure

After tsunami scare, pro surfing resumes on Australia's Gold Coast

The second round of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast has commenced after the first round of the Roxy Pro Gold Coast was contested at Snapper Rocks in Australia.

Both ASP World Tour events were postponed for one day because of tsunami concerns in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday morning.

Not surprisingly, Australia's Stephanie Gilmore was the standout performer on the first day of the season-opening Roxy Pro. Gilmore, 22, has won the world title in all three of her years on the World Tour, and her dominance is reminiscent of Kelly Slater's dominance early in his career on the men's tour (Slater once won five consecutive titles).

Her score of 17.37 in the best-two-waves format was the day's highest, as she prevailed over fellow Aussie Tyler Wright and Brazil's Bruna Schmitz, to advance directly to the third round.

Meanwhile, men's second-round action (involving non-winners during the first round) was underway at the time of this post. Australia's Taj Burrow, Florida's C.J. Hobgood and Santa Barbara's Bobby Martinez won their heats to make the third round. Thirteen elimination heats remained and among those striving to advance were three rookies from San Clemente, Calif.: Patrick and Tanner Gudauskas, and Nathan Yeomans.

Slater, a nine-time world champion, and defending world champion Mick Fanning were among first-round winners who advanced directly to the third round.

A live webcast is available on the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast link.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Stephanie Gilmore in action during the first round of the Roxy Pro on Australia's Gold Coast. Credit: © ASP / CESTARI

Tsunami storm surge in San Diego Harbor caught on video

The accompanying video, which apparently was shot today in San Diego Harbor, shows the subtle nature of a tidal surge caused by a tsunami generated by a faraway disturbance.

The video was passed to Philip Friedman of 976-TUNA, and Friedman passed it to me. It's long but worth watching. Keep your eye on the bottle.

My brother Scott, who works at King Harbor Marine Center in Redondo Beach, said he saw a similar surge within King Harbor at about lunchtime Saturday.

Thankfully, the Pacific-wide tsunami generated by the massive earthquake early Saturday morning in Chile, did not cause widespread damage. Unfortunately, more than 200 people were killed in Chile by the 8.8-magnitude earthquake.

-- Pete Thomas

Tsunami threat forces postponement of Quiksilver Pro in Australia

Australia's Gold Coast is among areas facing a tsunami threat because of the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday morning, and that has forced postponement of the Quiksilver Pro surfing contest at Snapper Rocks.

Tsunami waves or tidal surges, if they materialize, are expected at 8:15 a.m. Sunday, Australia time.

The ASP World Tour contest, the first of the season, had been scheduled to run the second round on Sunday.

"We’ve been monitoring the situation with chief meteorologists throughout the night and all projections are indicating the effects to hit the Gold Coast at approximately 8:15 a.m.," Rod Brooks, the event's contest director, said in a news release. "What those effects will be, we cannot be sure. We’ve been advised that the biggest surge could hit anywhere from six to 12 hours after the initial surge, so we’ve called competition off for the day. The event site is closed for the day, and we’ll check back tomorrow at 6:30 a.m."

The tsunami threat exists at New South Wales, Queensland, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Mick Fanning in first-round action at the Quiksilver Pro by © ASP / SCHOLTZ

Abby Sunderland, sailing west of Chile, not affected by earthquake

As beleaguered residents of Chile dig out after enduring a massive and devastating earthquake, which has resulted in tsunami warnings and advisories being issued as far north as Alaska, global sailor Abby Sunderland is more than 945 miles south of the equator and west of northern Chile.

The 16-year-old from Thousand Oaks is OK, though. Here's part of what her family posted on her blog:

"She is well and has not experienced anything out of the ordinary. Her current position is 16 19S and 123 26W heading south at 6.5-7 knots. Winds are light out of the NE.

"The ocean depth is so great where she is there is very little chance that she will experience even an unusual swell. The effects of a tsunami are felt when the wave action reaches shallow coastal waters. In fact being near the Southern California coast, we may be in more danger than her!

"It was a bit alarming waking up to concerned calls from the Coast Guard but we do appreciate all of your concerns. Abby will blog later on today and will be checking in more frequently today in light of the situation. Our prayers are with those who have been effected by this catastrophic earthquake in Chile."

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Abby Sunderland by Pete Thomas

Hawaii is under tsunami warning, citizens urged not to panic

Sirens sounded early this morning in Hawaii as surges from a tsunami are expected later this morning. Residents are urged not to panic but already lines are forming at gas stations and crowding is occurring along evacuation routes leading to higher ground.

People are trying to remove boats and ships from ports and several coastal businesses and tourist sites will be closed for the day. First waves are expected, in Hawaii time, as follows: 11:05 a.m. Hilo; 11:26 a.m. Maui; 11:37 a.m. Oahu; 11:42 a.m. Kauai.

The warning was issued after a massive Chilean earthquake. You can read more in the story just posted on the Honolulu Advertiser website. Good luck to all Hawaiians and tourists visiting the islands. May the damage be nil or minimum if, in fact, the waves materialize.

-- Pete Thomas

Todos Santos Island big-wave surfing event is a go Sunday

The Todos Santos Big-Wave Event, at the island 12 miles west of the Baja California town of Ensenada, has been given a green light for Sunday.

Here's the announcement posted on the event website:

"Sunday February 28th – the Todos Santos Big Wave Event is ON. Contest Director Gary Linden made the call this morning after checking out the latest report from Surfline.com the official forecaster of the event, and consulting with Surfers Representative Greg Long.

"Sunday looks like an epic day out at Killers, with a swell at 18 to 20  feet with the winds seeming to calm down. Stay tuned and tell your friends!"

The paddle-in event will feature 28 of the world's top big-wave surfers. Hopefully the wind, in fact, will lie down after Saturday's storm sweeps across Southern California and northern Baja California.

-- Pete Thomas

Surfer Brett Simpson passes first test as a World Tour rookie

Of the four Southern California rookies on the ASP World Tour, only Brett Simpson of Huntington Beach won his first-round heat during the season-opening Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks in Australia.

So while he earns a free ride to the third round, Patrick and Tanner Gudauskas, and Nathan Yeomans, all from San Clemente, must compete in the man-on-man elimination second round, which presumably will get underway later today, or Sunday morning in Australia.

Conditions were tricky during the first round, with small hollow waves offering sandy barrels close to shore for those able to choose the right waves. Those who did, such as nine-time world champion Kelly Slater and defending world champ Mick Fanning, posted the highest scores.

"You just have to know what to look for out in the water," Fanning said. "It’s a little bit tricky and what can look like a good wave behind the rock doesn’t always last. I’m just stoked to get through."

Simpson was best in a three-man first-round heat that included Dave Reynolds of Ventura and Roy Powers of Hawaii.

In the second round, Tanner Gudauskas will face World Tour veteran Fredrick Patacchia of Hawaii. Tanner's older brother Patrick will face Michel Bourez of Tahiti, and Yeomans will face Kai Otton of Australia.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Brett Simpson in first-round action during the Quiksilver Pro. Credit: © ASP/ Kelly Cestari

 

Kelly Slater busts huge score in first round of Quiksilver Pro

It's far too soon to declare that Kelly Slater, who is seeking a 10th world surfing title, has issued a statement to his fellow competitors on the ASP World Tour. But his score of 17.77 is the high score more than halfway through the first round of the season-opening Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks in Australia.

Slater, 38, easily outclassed Australia's Ben Dunn and Brazil's Marco Polo to advance directly to the third round. Defending world champion Mick Fanning also won his three-man heat and cruised into the third round, with a best-two-waves score of 17.36 in hollow but sloppy two- to three-foot surf at the sandy point break.

For those keeping tabs on the Southern California rookies, Brett Simpson (Huntington Beach) won his heat. Tanner Gudauskas of San Clemente finished second and will have to compete in the second round. At the time of this post Patrick Gudauskas and Nathan Yeomans (both from San Clemente), had yet to compete.

Australia's Joel Parkinson, last season's runner-up, also won his heat and advanced to the third round.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Kelly Slater by © ASP/ Kelly Cestari

Kelly Slater, seeking 10th title, puts thoughts of rebel tour aside

Organizers of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in Australia have given a green light for the first round to commence in two- to three-foot surf at Snapper Rocks.

And as the first of 10 ASP World Tour contests gets underway, here's some good news for the tour but bad news for those who have to face him: Kelly Slater, the nine-time world champion, has committed to competing the entire season and has implied that the so-called breakaway rebel tour, which stirred so much controversy last season, is all but dead.

Slater's quotes in the Gold Coast newspaper: "I think everyone does know there was some stuff being thrown around, there were some options. I think it is obvious to say that those options have had an effect on the ASP Tour, for us all getting our butts moving and making things change a bit.

"That is where it stands and until another contest runs, a hooter blows, somebody raises a check and there is a winner, I don't see another tour."

The changes include a single ranking system for the World Tour and the ASP qualifying circuit, and shrinking the World Tour field from 45 to 32, beginning at the midway point of this season.

The first-round heats for the first of 10 World Tour contests are listed below:

Packing heat in national parks: America's best idea?

In case you weren't aware, it's now legal to carry guns into most national parks and wildlife refuges, including loaded and concealed weapons, as long as you're holding a proper permit.

The law went into effect Monday and already people are discussing whether it's a good or bad idea. And, predictably, people also are poking fun at the issue.

Whatever your feelings are, you'll probably get a kick out of the video-trailer parody of Ken Burns' outstanding documentary: "The National Parks: America's Best Idea." The video is courtesy of The Snaz.com.

-- Pete Thomas