Two weeks remain in the voting for the five “wildcard” surfers to join the 19 already selected for Mavericks.  You can vote online at Surfer magazine’s website. This is the first year any competitors would be chosen by open ballot. 

The candidates for the five slots are: Carlos Burle, Mike Brumett, Ion Banner, Jake Wormhoudt, Rodrigo Resende, Danilo Couto, Troy Virostko, Garrett McNamara, Noah Johnson, Ross Clarke-Jones, Alex Martens, Russell Smith, Josh Loya, and Grant Baker.  

The list of invitees already in the contest includes: Anthony Tashnick, Greg Long, Tyler Smith, Zach Wormhoudt, Shane Desmond, Matt Ambrose, Brock Little, Ryan Seelbach, Ryan Augenstein, Evan Slater, Eraldo Gueiros, Shawn Rhodes, Randy Cone, Grant Washburn, Darryl Virostko, Kenny Collins, Peter Mel, Nathan Fletcher, Mike Gerhardt.

The Mavericks big-wave surf contest will be held on the Coastside again in 2006. Twenty-four of the best big-wave surfers will be on 24-hour call between January 1 and March 31. The organizers have added a gimmick this year, allowing fans to vote on who gets five of the coveted slots to compete. From the press release:

When Mavericks roared through Half Moon Bay last March, 30,000 spectators and two million television viewers in 70 countries watched the best big-wave riders on the planet conquer waves that crested at nearly 50 feet, frigid waters, dangerous currents, jagged rocks and the ever-present threat of the Great White Shark. Last year’s contest was dominated by 20-year-old local surfer Anthony Tashnick, who will be one of the key threats in this year’s contest. According to Contest Director Jeff Clark: “Anthony was rock-solid all day long, consistently riding the best of the big waves. He’ll definitely be a contender again this year.”

That’s right, the great white shark will be adding to this year’s excitement.

Click “read more” to see the press release. 

A viewing of Wayfinders: A Pacific Odyssey, by local award-winning filmmaker Gail Evenari, will be hosted by The Visionary Edge, at The Depot in Half Moon Bay, Saturday, November 19. Ms. Evenari, a resident of Half Moon Bay, traces the extraordinary maritime accomplishments of ancient Polynesian seafarers, and documents the adventures of present-day Polynesians attempting the life-or-death voyages of their ancestors. “It is a dramatic and moving tale of indigenous people reclaiming their ancient knowledge and wisdom,” says Reba Vanderpool, co-founder of The Visionary Edge. “This remarkable film shows how preparing for a voyage is itself a spiritual journey. Ms. Evenari will talk about her motivation and experience of making this extraordinary film.”

Centuries before European explorers, Polynesians had sailed to every island in the far corners of the Pacific. Wayfinders: A Pacific Odyssey sweeps viewers into a seafaring adventure with a community of Pacific Islanders as they build traditional sailing canoes, learn how to follow the stars across the ocean, and embark on a 2,000-mile voyage in the wake of their ancestors. As with many indigenous peoples, the cultural identity of Polynesians has become obscured by Western belief systems, history, and economics. Evenari focuses on the revival of “wayfinding.” the art of navigating a canoe over long distances using only natural signs: the sun, the moon, the stars and the ocean swells.

Friday, November 18, at 8pm, the Coastside Film Society presents a classic film about insane obsession.

Werner Herzog is one of our most obsessive directors. When he heard the tale of an opera lover who built a concert hall in middle of the Amazon jungle he knew it to be a story he had to tell. To realize his vision, the opera buff had to haul a riverboat across a mountain.  Herzog decided he had to duplicate this insane endeavor.  So the film was shot in and around a real 300 ton steamship as it was dragged up a real mountain by the sweat labor of local Indians. The conditions under which the film was shot proved to be too harrowing for the first crew.  So filming started all over again with Klaus Kinski, an actor who matched Hertzog obsession for obsession.  The end result is a visually arresting trip through the jungle that feels insanely real because it is insanely real.

“Fitzcarraldo” is a movie in the tradition of grandiose cinematic visions. Like Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” or Kubrick’s “2001”.—As a document of a quest and a dream, and as the record of man’s audacity and foolish, visionary heroism, there has never been another movie like it.—I would not have missed for the world.” Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Fitzcarraldo
1982, 157 mins.
$6.00 donation per person
Friday, Nov 18, 8pm

Community Methodist Sanctuary
777 Miramontes, Half Moon Bay
Corner of Johnston & Miramontes.
Half Moon Bay

Wal-Mart is expanding in the Bay Area, adding to the big-box pressure on Coastside retailers.

“Wal-Mart: the High Cost of Low Prices” is a powerful exposé on the toll the Wal-Mart behemoth has taken on workers and communities across the country, and how we can help turn the tide. It will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ted Adcock Community Center, 535 Kelly Ave., Half Moon Bay. And it’s free.

The film is from the director of “Uncovered: The War on Iraq” and “Outfoxed”.  Wal-Mart is going into attack mode. The company has literally created a war room, staffed with political consultants who are working day and night to undermine the movie and spread pro-Wal-Mart propaganda. But it’s not working: thanks to the questions raised by the film, national media are tuning in to Wal-Mart’s high cost to American families—and last week the movie was featured on page 1 of the New York Times.

Nancy Schaub has purchased the film for our showing next week. She has spoken with the Chamber of Commerce in Half Moon Bay who is very supportive of our efforts. We hope to open a dialog about creating a more sustainable Coastside environment, by shopping locally and making sustainable choices every time we spend our dollars.

The DNC (Democratic National Committee) has asked grass roots Democrats in all fifty states to hold house parties or other events next Tues night, Nov 15th, and to hear a live conversation with Howard Dean, DNC Chair.

I will host a party here on the Coastside. You are invited to celebrate our recent successes and join a discussion about next year’s campaign.

We will start at 6:30 pm. The Dean phone call will start about 7:30. We will be serving pizza courtesy of the Coastside Democrats to those who RSVP. You can use the DNC web site:

http://www.democrats.org/page/event/detail/wfm

for details and to sign up for this event or call me at 712-0498.

To learn more about the Coastside Democrats or to join the club, visit:

http://www.coastsidedemocrats.org

We do accept credit cards.

Thanks,

Dennis Paull
President, Coastside Democrats

Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) opens Mel’s Lane at Pigeon Point Lighthouse to the public Friday, November 4 at 2pm. The Mel’s Lane segment of the California Coastal Trail will be opened to the public for the first time. The trail is named in honor of Mel Lane, the first chair of the California Coastal Commission, co-publisher of Sunset magazine and books and a founder of POST.  The Lighthouse is about 20 minutes south of Half Moon Bay on Highway 1. Following the event, refreshments will be served in the Fog Signal Building.

On Saturday, November 12, California State Parks staff & Pigeon Point Lighthouse volunteers will light up the original Fresnel lens at Pigeon Point Lighthouse State Park. It will burn for about 2 hours, from approximately 6 to 8pm.

Friday, the Coastside Film Society presents the gloriously restored version of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, and the fascinating short film Calder’s Circus.

Click “read more” for details.

State Senator Liz Figueroa speak at the next meeting of the Coastside Democrats. The topic will be the Nov 8 election, especially the eight ballot propositions.

the meeting will be Thursday evening, Oct 6, at 7:30 pm, at Leslie Gardens, at 701 Arnold, near the corner with Main St. in HMB, a few blocks south of Cetrella.

Sen Figueroa represents a district in the south part of the East Bay, but she has a second home here on the Coast. She is a candidate for Lt Governor in 2006 along with our own Senator Jackie Speier and Insurance Commissioner, John Garamendi. It should be an interesting primary election next June.

The special election this November 8 will feature eight statewide propositions, including three that are considered the Schwarzenegger propositions. A fourth proposition has been designed to limit the political power of public service unions, a primary source of funds for Democratic candidates and issues. The State and County Democratic bodies recommend a NO vote on Props 73 through 78, and YES votes on Props 79 and 80.

Anyone who would like to help our club walk precincts and register voters during the Pumpkin Festival should contact us at: 712-0498 or PO Box 1046, Half Moon Bay, 94019 or by email to: You are also welcome to come to our meeting Thursday evening.

Additional info is on our web site at:  http://www.coastsidedemocrats.org

Dennis Paull is president of Coastside Democrats

If you were unable to participate in Coastal Cleanup Day a couple of weeks ago, it’s not too late to do your part. The Montara Beach Coalition is scheduling a cleanup for Gray Whale Cove on Saturday, Oct 1, from 9am to noon.