Beach Party

Come on in, Speedo wearers, the water's fine: Your skimpy little swimsuits are legal now. For more than 30 years, this quaint little Victorian-themed resort at the southern tip of New Jersey said no to "skintight, formfitting or bikini type" bathing attire on males over the age of 12.

Not at all! On the contrary, I was impishly pleased. The reactions of the public showed me that the film worked and was touching the primeval fears of the audience. The greatest thing a film director can achieve is a film that works on a very fundamental level. Besides, I also increased the pleasure in bathing for many people: after seeing the film, they even organized little competitions on the beaches to see who dared to go furthest.

The island is idyllic. White, white fine sand beaches, clear blue water and quaint little villages around the island with the best restaurants in the world. The food is mostly french, and very expensive, but truly amazing. That was the hardest part - picking the restaurant for the evening. We were about 2 miles from the Gustavia port - the main town on the island. Loaded with mega yachts and some of the best high end shopping in the world. The island is 2 miles by about 10 miles long with about 6,000 permannet residents.

The California Coastal Records Project is now online. It is a set of photographs of the entire California coast, from Mexico to Oregon, taken in October 2003. I love it.

I was surprised to find that, on the border, Mexico is more developed than the U.S.

This is Aliso Beach. The straight side. The middle. The gay side.

My favorite weekend spot is seen here.

The festival’s name is derived from the local term for sardine fingerlings, and everyone in attendance enjoys a beach party with dorome cuisine washed down by local sake, albeit at a slower pace. Other events included a Dorome Dance by the kids, a fishing boat parade, and a chin-don performance. Hey! Chin-don bands, food and drink on the beach, and women who can knock back a liter of sake in 10 seconds—I know where I’m going to be this time next year!

Seat up, Paddle up, let us go, this is the formal jargon for the peddlers when we were practicing, the team of our dragon boat club. Years after years, thousand of people had participated into this traditional water sports, and enjoy fun and exciting moment at dragon boat festival. Almost all Canadian adopt the ancient Chinese tradition of dragon boat racing as their own. Search "dragon boat" on the Internet, you’ll find over a third of the sites are from Canada. The International Dragon Boat Racing Community considers Canada a world power. Our women and international mixed team are ranked number one in the world. . We're good at it (naturally). We obviously love it..

The beaches at Cancun are the most popular among tourists of Quintana Roo. Their beauty is an irresistible invitation to a totally unique holiday. Some of the most outstanding among the many available options are: towards the north, Las Perlas, Linda, Langosta, Tortugas and Caracol; towards the east, Chac-Mool and El Rey, among others.

So what to do? I don't know how other attorneys handle it, but I know that when this stuff starts getting to me, I need a break. It does not have to be a long one, but I need to get out and spend a day with a fly rod, going for large trout or silver salmon. Or maybe with a rifle trying to get a moose or a caribou. Unfortunately, trout season is closed (as is moose and caribou and the salmon are not running yet. We have not reached breakup yet (this is where the ice goes out of the lakes), although the rivers are fairly clear. I think this is proof that I need to get a good 4-weight rod and go after some grayling. A day on a river, smoke a cigar, drink some Scotch. Don't answer the phone and think about perfecting that backcast. Just don't know how likely it will be that happens anytime soon. What other coping strategies for the stress of this job does anybody out there use?

IT looks like the rumored romance between Brad Pitt and his sexy “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” co-star, Angelina Jolie, is for real. Despite denying any love connection was made on the set of the movie — or that any romantic feelings between the two caused the split between Pitt and wife Jennifer Aniston — Pitt has joined Jolie and son Maddox on vacation in Africa. Photos have appeared in the London Sun of the couple walking on a romantic beach “in an African country,” possibly Tanzania, with Maddox trailing along. One picture...

I love this particular area of the country. If you've never been to Florida's Gulf Coast, you are missing out on some of the cleanest, most beautiful beaches that our nation has to offer, bar none. The sand is the exact same color as confectioner's sugar, and nearly as fine. The water is beautiful, crystalline blue in the shallows, deepening to a truer emerald as the seafloor drops away, as the Gulf gets deeper. And there are shallows - in many places along the Gulf Coast, you can walk hundreds of yards from shore and never get water above your waist, or you can find a convenient sandbar on which to sun your buns, look at sand-dollars, crabs, and schools of fish, or just generally gallivant around and act a fool.

In town to speak about Social Security, Bush told the crowd: “I want to thank the mayor for being here _ Lyda Ann Thomas greeted me coming in. I said, ‘Do you still have Splash Day?’”

The crowd laughed. “You have to be a baby boomer to know what I’m talking about,” Bush said. The crowd laughed again.

Splash Day once marked the end of school and the beginning of summertime fun. The city backed off from it many years ago when it turned a little too wild, says Christy Benson of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce. It later became a party day for gays and lesbians.

Sarasota Bay could become the testing waters for a floating bus service connecting downtown Sarasota, Mote Marine Laboratory and St. Armands Key.

Whether the pilot project actually casts off -- and when -- depends on the city of Sarasota's luck in securing a federal or state grant to subsidize it. The precise costs haven't been calculated, but could easily surpass $1 million.

Welcome to H2uhO. Or H2 - oh no! We will be looking at water sports activities that go wrong. There are a bunch of folks out there that get in trouble on the water and this will be the place to find out more about them, There is trouble not just on the water but in the moutians ,streams, rivers and in your own hometown. What the heck we may even post info about tuff luck in space. If something goes wrong, you can find out more about it here.

Seattlest learned to sail at the Center for Wooden Boats' sailing school last summer, and en route to each lesson we tromped past the work-in-progress Pirate. Since we are plum ignorant about wooden boats, the Pirate inspired us to think things like, "Wow, uh, that one looks kinda un-done."

Last year, my senior class and I traveled down to the south of Thailand for our senior excursion, kayaking and snorkeling at some of the tourist islands in Pangna, Phuket, and Krabi. Below are pics of the islands and the Andaman Sea, taken just a few months before the tsunami hit.

Continuing south we will check out the famous 17-mile drive of Monterey, the beaches of Big Sur, the famous Hearst Castle in San Simeon, and the beautiful coastal city of Santa Barbara. Then it’s on to L.A. and the famous beaches such as Venice, Newport, Manhattan and Laguna.

Wind continues to be a factor in the overall fishing, however, the marlin show has been extraordinary for this early in the year. It is unusual to have enough fish at this time to actually get enough shots to merit attempting the flyrod. The yellowfin tuna have appeared and the catch numbers are climbing every week. What is missing is the sardina and mullet usually found along the beaches. Of course, that not only makes the beach fishing tough, with no bait for chum on the boats, it changes the strategy dramatically for the fly-rodder.

As best as I can tell the photos were taken at least 2 years ago in the fall. I like this photo because you can see people sunbathing on the Diag.

I'm trying to imagine my father on a topless beach, and I'm having a hard time picturing it. Not because dad's a prude (quite the opposite, actually).

It's because I can't imagine him being able to control himself. I'm picturing something akin to the behavior of the Anaheim Angels Rally Monkey. If the Rally Monkey was randy. And touching himself. In places we won't talk about.

The problem is, Miss America may have seen its day. Women in swimsuits competing for scholarship money used to be exciting TV. (Remember how I Dream of Jeannie's Barbara Eden wasn't allowed to show her belly button while wearing her genie ensemble because it was considered too risque?)

Well I've had quite the week. Josh's brother and his girlfriend came down to visit from Alaska for a few days. That was fun because we got to do a bunch of touristy stuff that we never do. It's pretty easy to take Santa Cruz for granted when you're here everyday so it's nice to have to get out and do fun stuff. We took them to Natural Bridges to see the butterflies but they were all gone. Then we took them to the pier to see the sea lions and what do you know, they were gone too. I couldn't believe it! There's ALWAYS sea lions!

I wish I was there once again. My good friend Whisky is in Turkey now, and I imagine will soon be following a similar trail to the Gallipoli beaches as I did. Though I have done it before it seems to me that this pilgrimage is something that can be done again and again. I hope to stand on those beaches once more in the years again.

Now guests at the Waikiki Parc Hotel can get a sneak peak inside the surfing mystique with the appointment of the property's first-ever Director of Surfing, Hawaiian Fire's owner Garrett Valles. Valles will serve as the perfect ambassador for hotel guests looking for a truly authentic surf experience as they are introduced to the sport's rich culture and history.

This unique and exciting appointment will give Waikiki Parc guests access to the best and most secluded surfing spots on Oahu as well as teach them how to master this ancient sport of Hawaiian Kings. Waikiki Parc guests will receive transportation to and from the remote and semi-private Kalaeloa Beach, surf amenities (soft surfboard, a leash, reef shoes), a shade tent with chairs, and a two-hour lesson. Hawaiian Fire maintains a three-to-one student teacher ratio or better, making certain students receive personal attention in the water. One-on-one lessons are also available. Prices start at $119.00 for a three-hour experience.

I’ve been telling Jesse for a week or two now that I want to go to the Tulip Festival that goes on just a little south of here, and yesterday was the first day our schedules coincided. We invited my brother and his girlfriend Brittany along, and they wanted to come as well, so we packed into Jesse’s car and made a day of it. The tulips were fabulous - all the different colors lined up in the fields were breathtaking, and spending time together was hilarious. Andrew and Jesse both have a sort of dry, sarcastic wit, and Brittany’s just sweet and fun. We ended up spending time at the tulips and then headed back up toward Bellingham to scout out a somewhat uninhabited beach a friend told Jesse and I about. After sunbathing for a while (all four of us crammed on a little blanket in the sand got some funny looks from the few passersby we encountered), we went back to my place for pizza and the four of us split up for an hour or so before meeting back at a movie theater to see “The Interpreter.”

Our more action packed days included scuba diving and Nate got his PADI certification (so Garth - this means you are coming to meet us in Vietnam, you realize. We will do some scuba, OKAY?) Other highlights included the Full Moon party which was a sort of wannabe Burning Man, but with more cops and Europeans. And some Thais. We actually found some good drum n bass and some bad hip hop - but it was more than welcome. The setting was beautiful, on the beach nestled between two outcroppings of rock and a big moon overhead.

"What's so ludicrous about windsurfing?" asks Real [a Slug Man expert]. "It's effete -- which is another way of saying it's feminine." Yet guys are forced to contend with such inane stereotypes. (Have you ever tried windsurfing? It's about as easy as riding a shark.)

He makes it sound like South Beach circa 2005 is Cuba on a bad day. Are things really that bleak for poor Octavio? Let's read further and find out.

- Once applied, lipstick will never rub off. Even while scuba diving.

This past Sunday was such a beautiful day that I just had to pull my 14-foot inflatable catamaran-kayak out of the closet, toss it into the back seat of my Neon, and head a half-mile down the road to Lake Carnegie. Engineered specifically for Princeton’s crew team, Lake Carnegie’s shallow calmness makes it one of the best rowing lakes in the world.

There were a few other kayakers out and about. These two are rowing past the Harrison Street bridge. The “BRING IT ON!” sign is a challenge to those schools who might dare to go up against the Princeton University rowers.

About a half mile past the dam, we came across our first bridge to cross the river. This bridge was plenty high enough to travel under. I think if we do this trip again, this bridge will be the place to launch at to avoid having to contend with the dam. After this bridge, we paddled for another hour and a half or so and then stopped for lunch. Finding a place to stop for lunch was not easy. Most of the banks were very steep… making it difficult to stop and get out. We finally found a small creek off of the river. We paddled into the creek and found a place to get out. We sat there and ate our lunch. Mine consisted of a tuna lunch pack, an apple and a kudos bar. You definitly develop an appetite paddling for hours. We walked around shore for a while and check out the big deer tracks, and then got back into the canoe.

“Pollution from runoff and combined sewage overflows, both of which occur after rainstorms, make it unsafe to take a small watercraft like a canoe out on the portion of the Mystic that flows through Somerville for a couple of days after a heavy rainstorm,” he said.

Casio announces the G-Shock GW-400CJ-1JF. The Radio Wave controlled wristwatch is aimed at water sports consumers. The new Casio G-shock features a vibrating alarm to be felt by the wearer even in noisy conditions.

Paden said the billboard will not be near the Shafer home and he also has written Orange officials, urging them to adopt an ordinance that prohibits chaining dogs or limiting the length of time that a dog can be tethered.

“The fact is, an unprovoked attack is a calling card of a chained dog,” Paden said.

In Virginia, only Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Northampton County restrict chaining, according to PETA. Norfolk and Northampton limit chaining to 12 cumulative hours in a 24-hour period, Paden said, while Virginia Beach limits the practice to three hours.

Chaining restrictions have spread across the nation in the past few years. In early 2003, about 40 localities had adopted such ordinances, Paden said. Today, 68 localities have them on the books, he said.

Oh, where to begin with all the fun preppy bathingsuits this year? You have several (somewhat diverse) sources for preppy swimwear and zillions of choices of colors and styles. Let’s start with J.Crew’s adorable seersucker set. Pieces are sold separately with a hipster tie bikini ($34); french tie bikini top ($36); and matching bikini skirt ($38). My previous rantings (see earlier posts) about the perceived decline of J.Crew quality notwithstanding, I HAVE found their swimwear to be well-made in recent seasons.

At the beginning of the 19th century, sail was supreme. The leading manufacturers of sailing ships were unassailable, their coffers overflowing with cash. Steamships were pathetic little river runners. At the end of the 19th century, steam reigned supreme, and not a single dominant player from the early part of the century made the transition. Their culture simply wouldn't allow it--they were sailing ship manufacturers, not steam ship builders.

What a week!! Last week, I went to 3 different beaches: one in San Juan,Batangas, one in Subic, and one in Puerto Galera (White Beach!)..

So, we checked out early *eeek* and came to Kuta, pretty much the tourist place. It’s fairly busy, but not as bad as I’d thought. Loads and loads of bead shops, cheap food (almost thai prices!) and we found a decent hotel with aircon, tv and nice bathroom for less than where we were staying before (11 pounds a night here, 12 at the other place). Now Emily doesn’t have to inspect the bathroom for unwanted creatures before she uses it haha!

There are lots of people here for surfing - I think I’d like to come back here and stay longer, learn to surf and explore the island more. The locals seem nice and friendly like Thai people, but it’s too early for me to say I feel entirely comfortable here yet!

Man, what a day. Just sitting here on Neal’s boat, Jacqueline, and waiting for him to get here. Should be a perfect day for sailing on Lanier, nice and warm with a decent breeze. Also nice to have a break in pace from the pressures of work.

I went sailing on “The Boate” yesterday in the San Francisco Bay, thanks to the wonderful and gracious Cap’n Eric Haller. MJ and Chris were also in attendance, and we shared in an amazingly great, beautiful, and exhausting 10 hour day.

If you and, let us say, your sister, are trying to carry a kayak with no handles, such that you must each cradle one end and move along in an ungainly shuffle, it is wise to refrain from cracking jokes at every second step, because otherwise you will have to stop at every third step and hastily lower the kayak to the ground before you drop it from laughing so hard.

It will also take you forever to carry the kayak from the clubhouse to the waterpolo pitch, and everyone will wonder why you took so long.

Salish aboriginal legends indicate that there has been a large sea creature living in south central British Columbia's Lake Okanagan long before the arrival of the white man. According to folklore, the lake monter was originally a demon possessed man who murdered a local man named Old Kan-He-K (who lent his name to Lake Okanagan). As punishment for the homicide, the gods turned the murderer into a sea serpent who would be stuck at the scene of the crime for all of eternity. Out of fear that the creature, known as N'ha-a-itk, would rise out of the...

Sitting atop a knoll on Dewey Lake, a “country retreat” awaits guests in the Irish Hills of Southern Michigan. The Irish Hills is a jewel nestled amongst clear blue lakes, red barns, botanical gardens, and quaint towns. This century-old home, furnished with antiques and original kerosene chandeliers, has five guest rooms, each with queen bed and fireplace, and one with jacuzzi. A large deck and glass enclosed porch provide a pleasant place to enjoy a full breakfast or to just relax. There are paddleboats, canoe and bonfires by the lake....

This weekend saw us practicing canoe polo again, on Saturday and Sunday.

Me demonstrating the superglue-butter method of paddling (feathered blades) to the intrepid canoeists, with some of Valletta in the background.

It has come to my attention that it would be a possibility to entice the nubile girls we are after to post bikini pics if perhaps others were to do it first, specifically me and possibly others of the brotherhood as well. Now as I am not sure about this and I have been pondering it for well over two minutes I figured I would make a post and see who amongst us is game for the challenge. Either others of the brotherhood or women who would take that challenge. Long live Solitarianism!!

As it was going to be a long Easter weekend, a group of us decided to go to the beach in Tauranga. Boasting to be one of the best beaches in New Zealand, we set forth on our journey with high expectations. Even the weather focus of “Light showers on Saturday and Monday, HEAVY rain on Sunday” did’nt dampen our spirits.

Half an hour later I lost the rest of my puritanical culture. When in Rome, I thought, and unclipped my top, let it fall to the side of my towel. I sunbathed topless the entire week, even nude on the more secluded sand dune beaches, let the light and water kiss my body, wondered at the ways I felt more free, more myself. I ignored the Fish and Chips, too, when me and my tanning Ta Tas hit town, found the odd Spanish dives serving boiled and salty potatoes with spicy mojo sauce, paella with sausage and mussels, odd stews and breads. And after such...

The Pumpabike (£445) claims to offer the most exhilarating ride at high speed, as well hours of pleasure. How nice! Basically, the Pumpabike is a lightweight contraption that can be used in a wide variety of water conditions. If you enjoy water sports and like to have fun while you exercise, the newly-released Pumpabike is sure to turn heads at the lake or beach as you cruise at speeds up to 18 miles per hour! The best thing about the device is the way you operate it by bouncing up and down in the...

We were expecting it to be colder, so we wore jeans and t-shirts, and were quite disappointed that we didn’t wear our swimsuits. Oh well, hopefully there will be time for another excursion, maybe after exams.

That night we discovered what Utila was all about as we talked with several people who were scuba diving instructors or who took frequent vacations to the island. The majority of the people who live there have a passion for diving and for drinking. This is an everyday occurrence. As I talked with one of the guys I asked him if he could choose to do anything in the world, what would he do. He told me that he loved how he was living his life on the island, and would choose to do the same for a long time....