Cascadia 2.0

Adios blogspot. 

Hola tumblr. 

That's right, I've got a new home on the web and you can check it out right HERE

If you hover over the images with your mouse, the text will come up. Also, left and right arrows next to an image will indicate a photoset, or slideshow. Use the arrows to navigate. 

Update your bookmarks and check in regularly. 

ENJOY!

A Dedicated Rhythm

Rhythm's Winter 2012 line covered by your favorite Aussie periodical, Stab Magazine.

 HERE.

Intergalactic

Site Update

Fairly major SITE update today.


You'll find new images in the Surf, Nature, Potpourri and Media galleries.

I also removed any images from the Surf gallery that repeated in the Media gallery. However, a few key portfolio pieces remained in both locations.

Well, enjoy!

Day 2

Despite rain, sleet, hail and snow, we went fishing again today and Brett landed a nice one. It wasn't as huge as yesterday's prize Steelhead, but it was a beautiful native fish that put up quite a fight. We got some good photos and Brett thanked his fish with a kiss.

There's a real relationship between an angler and his catch. It's special to see. The fisherman puts all of his time and energy into getting the fish to shore and should be thankful that the fish got duped into the struggle. And the fish, well, the fish is simply late to wherever they were going.

"Bro, you're late!"

"Dude, I know, I got caught!"

"Bullsh!t. Let me see the inside of your lip."

Here Fishy Fishy Fishies

So apparently surf isn't everything. I mean, it is, but it isn't.

I surfed alone for a combined total of 5 hours yesterday. The waves were really fun and I was wishing I had a buddy along to share some with. It's a bummer when you're paddling out after a good one only to see the wave of the set go by unridden. But I guess it's a lot better than dealing with a crowd. I'm not complaining.

The weather took a turn for the worse and there was no surf on offer today. My good buddy Brett practically lives with me out here (stoked!) and he was talking about how good the fishing had been on the Nehalem recently. So we headed up the North Fork this afternoon and Brett just happened to land one beast of a Steelhead. The fish of his life to be precise and the photos don't lie. What makes it even better is that he caught the thing on a fly that he tied right here on the coast. It's great when things come around full circle like that. He also scored a hatchery Steelhead that is now sitting comfortably at the bottom of my belly. There's just nothing like fresh fish at the end of the day. I'm so thankful and blessed right now. Life is grand.

The bottom line is that I had an unbelievable time shooting and participating in something other than surfing. That might not come as a surprise to you, but it certainly shocked the sh!t out of me. I enjoy life, all aspects of it, but surfing is far and away my favorite thing on earth. I never stop thinking about it. It consumes me. Surfing, watching people surf, photographing it, body surfing, just being in the ocean, there's really nothing better. However, I have to say, that I had an eye opening experience today while photographing Brett fly fishing. In fact, I'm actually jonesing to get after it again.

Stoked!

Pipe Boogie Video

Out of focus, tripod-less filming of a boogie boarding competition at Pipeline. I know, I know, but the waves were worth documenting and out of focus is so hot right now!


Pipeline Body Boarding Comp from Mark McInnis on Vimeo.

The Bay

I'm not going to act like I've been all over the world and surfed a lot of iconic waves. If I did that, I'd be lying. You can count my foreign surf travels on one hand. Out of the world-class waves located on the West Coast, I've surfed very few of them. So, I'm no expert.

Now that we have that all cleared up, let me tell you something that I do know about somewhere that I am familiar with. 

If you're a regular footer, enjoy long rights and don't mind tropical waters, reef rash and hellacious crowds, you owe it to yourself to visit Honolua Bay. 

Seriously. 

It's no secret. Just last year, Surfer Magazine named it the 13th best wave in the world in their 100 Best Waves issue. That's sayin' something. Honolua outranked Padang Padang, Bells, Lance's Right, Rincon and Restaurants to name a few. Read that small list again and you'll be googling before you finish reading this sentence. Like I said, it's no secret, but because of its location, Honolua often get overlooked by its flashier cousins on the North Shore of O'ahu. So you don't see a ton of press on it. And that's a good thing. 

However, if you visit The Bay and it's head high to double overhead, expect to wait a while. The locals have it dialed and us white folk stick out like sore thumbs. The good news is that you will get a wave. Unlike the disrespectful gringo expats at Scorpion Bay, the Hawaiian locals generally play by the rules. Meaning that if you get in line and wait it out, when your wave comes, it'll be your wave. And what a wave it will be. I have surfed The Bay when it has been working from The Point all the way through The Cave and into the Keiki Bowl section. That right there is about a hundred yard ride. And a fast hundred yards at that. Then there are the stories of legendary swells connecting Coconuts, all the way on the outside of the bay, through Subs, through The Point, through The Cave and through Keiki bowls. I've never seen that, but when it happens, if it happens, you'd be talking about a half mile paddle back outside. Maybe a little more and that's no joke. Then, just wait another hour and snag another. It's worth it. 

Or maybe you'll get lucky like a small group of friends and I did in 2008. We scored classic Honolua. 8-12 foot faces breaking at all the different points around the bay. It was the day after a holiday and it appeared that almost everybody had to be at work. From dusk until dawn there were only 20 people scattered about the entire day. And we would know. We were up there at daybreak and watched a full moon rise as we left. To this day it was the best -- and longest -- surf session of my life. There's simply nothing like trading waves with your brothers at one of the best waves in the world. 

If you haven't already, I suggest you give it a go as Honolua is officially on death row. The nitwits responsible for developing the rest of Maui's beautiful Westside have been trying to develop atop Honolua for years now. You can learn more and participate at SAVE HONOLUA. Not many other things would break my heart more than seeing this unbelievable wave reeling off below a bunch of golf courses and a Ritz Carlton. Help save Honolua. Please. 

Thank you Dad. Thank you Maui. Thank you Honolua Bay. 

Aloha. 

Fish Out of Water

The term "a fish out of water" accurately describes any human -- or other land dwelling creature -- that enters the ocean. Maybe we should just change this clever term to, "a human in the sea". Because what goes on in there is truly otherworldly. 

Pipe

I told myself I was going to shoot all over the place: Rocky's, Waimea, Sunset, V-Land, etc., etc. But when Pipe is firing it's hard to tear myself away. The best surfers in the world surfing the best wave in the world. Not quite an everyday affair in the life of this haole.