Tipping Barrels // Ben Gulliver

I met Ben Gulliver last Spring when he was in town... he bought Moci's used Log Rhythm. Ben does some film making with the guys from Sitka in Canada. Here is an absolute gem of a video that Ben put together...

Beautiful cinematography.

Gully // 9'2 Log Rhythm

Gully with his brand new 9'2 Log Rhythm.

He laid up a pretty fancy huck fin for himself... nice work Gull!

Sandia Fish // Video

If you need some more inspiration for the Pogie vs Sandia contest... here's a brief look at the Sandia Fish, courtesy of Cam Oden.

Music: The Red Fox Tails

Keep those submissions coming, we're loving them.

Simon Perini // Almond

Proud to finally have a T-SHIRT with the work of a very good friend of mine, Simon Perini.

This photo is of one of Perini's favorite targets, NSW shredder Simon Patchett.

Now available in-store and online.

Pogie vs Sandia // Win a Fish for Christmas

There are TWO twin fin fish models that we make here at Almond. ( Pogie Fish // Sandia Fish ) We want to know which of the two fish models you prefer; and why.

The winner will receive a Pogie or Sandia Fish for Christmas, from the surfboard making elves at Almond.

We want to hear your most convincing arguments for your favorite of the two models, as well as what you would do with it if you had one. So, write us a paragraph or two on your own facebook wall and tag @Almond Surfboards & Designs, so we can read it and pick our favorite response. The winner is entirely based up to our judgement, so get creative. The recipient of the new fish will be announced the last week before Christmas... but get your submissions in early, before we go cross-eyed.

Andy Nieblas // Mini-Simmons

Andy Nieblas giving a 5'4 Mini-Simmons a go, at 54th street, Newport Beach.

Photos: Cameron Oden

Arctic Surf // Ben Weiland

Our friend Ben Weiland has one of the raddest websites we've ever seen.. it's called Arctic Surf. (He finds remote surf breaks in the arctic and antarctic regions of the globe) We loved the concept so much that we asked Ben if he would do an Arctic Surf t-shirt for us this season. (His open-mindeness is your gain)

Here's a bit more about Ben and Arctic Surf, in his own words:

Who are you?

My name is Ben Weiland. I am a graphic designer and illustrator. I also occasionally write and make electronic music.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in Germany. I moved to Southern California when I was twelve or thirteen.

When did you start surfing?

I started surfing when I was fifteen. My parents bought me a 7'2 turquoise shortboard at a garage sale. Some older guys from a church surf club would pick me up to go surfing every Saturday morning. It took many weekends of getting worked by the whitewash before I was even able to paddle out to the lineup.

What inspired you to get into art and graphic design?

I've been drawing since I was a kid, and I always spent a lot of time doing it. I would draw batman, ninja turtles, and dinosaurs for hours. My interest in graphic design started with the internet. In seventh grade I made a web page, and I wanted to make it look cool, so I began to learn how to use Photoshop. Designing and building a website go hand-in-hand, but eventually I realized that I enjoyed the design part way more. The first thing I drew in Photoshop was a plesiosaurus, and I applied a ripple effect to make it look like it was underwater.

Tell us about Arctic Surf blog... where did the inspiration come from?

In my free time I like exploring Google earth and looking for potential surf spots. I found a handful of quality breaks in snowy places and thought it would be interesting to have a page on my website devoted to showing these images. It was such a strange idea to me that there could be dozens of perfect waves in the coldest places on the planet, and no one knew about them or had ever surfed them. My friend Cody Iddings encouraged me to turn the web page into a blog.

Where is the most remote place you've gone surfing?

Earlier this year I surfed in Yakutat, which could be considered the surf capital of Alaska. There are only a few communities in Alaska that have road access to the coast, and Yakutat has a handful of great breaks located just outside of town. It was at the end of the spring season, and the water was actually warmer than I expected. It was pretty surreal to be surfing with a white mountain range and glacier in the distance.

Where is your next surf trip going to be?

There are so many places I want to visit, but a few of the main ones include northern Norway, Tierra Del Fuego, and Iceland. I'm hoping a few of these will come together next year.

What is the most intriguing spot you've discovered in your Arctic Surf search?

There are a few places in the islands off the coast of Antarctica that look like incredible setups. It's really expensive to get there, and the weather is very unpredictable, so it's hard to say whether these waves will be surfed any time soon.

Have you ever played the Antarctica level in Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer..?

Haha yes! I actually just recently found a video clip of Kelly Slater surfing in Antarctica and was wondering whether that trip inspired the Antarctica level. I had no idea that he had surfed there, I wish I knew more about how that trip came together. But regarding the game, it's pretty nice to be able to surf in Antarctica from the comfort of your home.

Final words:

Thanks Dave for the interview and thanks Almond Surfboards!

Dave Allee // 9'7 Nathan Adams Model

Exploring Blackies last weekend on my new 9'7 Naters model. Haven't been doing much logging for a while (blame the cash-yew) but it feels good to get back on something fresh and new and distinctly familiar.

Surfer+Craftsman // Woven

The new Surfer+Craftsman Woven Shirt by Almond

Hand-made in Santa Ana, CA

I know what I'll be wearing 5 days a week...

Cam Oden // Almond Woven

Cameron Oden, testing out the athletic performance of the new woven shirts; on his coffee-break commuter.

New Product // Now Available

We're currently updating the online store, but we have all sorts of new products available in store and online.

Hope there is still some room on your Christmas list...

Aaron Cervantes // Drop-Knee

Rattest on his Cy's Aquatic Almond at Blackies...

Photo: Tom Green

Andy Nieblas // Sunset

Andy Nieblas ducking under a little lip at Gravels.

Quadkumber for Thibaut

Thibaut picked up a 5'6 Quadkumber while he was visiting from France.

Used Board

9'7 Pin Tail

Tan Bottom w/ clear top and pin line

Glass on Plywood fin

$775