Tuesday, July 16, 2013

This Calls for Another Update

Good morrow kind surf folk. I dropped off some 'artisanal' handmade lesson cards at Pilgrim the other day and am getting an influx of messages. I have directed a bunch of you to the site already, so I feel an update is in order. I am leaving for CA for three weeks starting a week from today--July 23--and will return August 13. I am booked this coming Saturday. I have openings tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday mornings/late afternoons (pre or post work for you working folk). I will be in Montauk on Sunday and will have boards with me. So if you're keen to get on that let me know. Would prefer to do an early morning or late afternoon/evening lesson out there if I do do one. As of Monday I'm pretty much out. Leaving car out east till I return, which will mean that I'll have a few Montauk lessons available August 14-15 because I'll have to go out and fetch my car. I am available to start booking for the weekend of the 17-18 nowzers. The weekend of the 24th of August is up in the air. My birthday is the 23rd and I'll be up on Cape Cod, but I should be back by the 24th. Will update.Totally down to book early morning/late afternoon/evening sessions for remaining August weekdays.

This morning I got in the water at 5am, was done surfing by 6am, and back in Brooklyn by 7:30am! Lessons of course are longer than that (2 hrs), but I mention it just to give you a picture of how to fit surfing into your working day. I surfed with my buddy, Bryan, who works a 9-5 schedule. He manages to get in the water 3-4 days a week. Oh and the water was waaaaarrrrmmm. I felt like I was on a Hawaiian vacation. All this said, I can book as early as a 5am meeting time or as late as 6pm. It's warm enough for shorts and bathing suits and I have a few extra wetsuit tops if you want some sun/wax protection.

More price run-down: Private (1-on-1) lessons are $250 and include everything. Semi-private (1-on-2/3) are $200 a person and include equipment, except in the case of a third person, then it's an extra $35-$45 to rent a board from a shop. All lessons are to be paid in cash. My speciality is private lessons. I offer an old school approach with real surfboards and intend to equip you to really learn how to surf. I am the best in the business make no mistake about it.

And as for my name, well, everyone usually takes their own approach. My full name is Dionysos S. Mattison. You can call me Dion, Di, D, or hell, Dionysos (pronounced either Dee-oh-nee-sos or Dye-oh-nye-sus). Whatever is clever for you. If you want me to pick one for you, well Di (pronounced either Dye or Dee -- Romance language speakers prefer the latter and that's cool with me -- I am fluent in Spanish and introduce myself with Latinate pronunciation when speaking Spanish) is what I am most familiar with.

Ok that's it for now. Stay cool and drink lots of water!!!

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Mid Summer Update

Holy heatwave batman. Hope everyone has managed to stave off heatstroke by drinking plenty of water. Yesterday I dropped off a stack of cards at Pilgrim Surf + Supply. I am looking to book a few extra lessons between now and July 23rd, after which I will be out of town for 3 weeks. I am going back home to CA for a cousin's wedding and to escape from the brutal midsummer concrete doldrums that is NY in the summertime. I return on August 13th and will be booking up for the rest of August soon. Many of you are looking for weekend lessons, which fill faster. I highly recommend taking a half day off of work and getting in an empty early morning session!

Weather/Waves update:
Well, it's hot. The water is wavering from about 65-73 degrees. I have seen people still surfing in full suits, but I am done with them until at least October. On the days when the water is a little cooler I'm wearing either a 2 mil long john wetsuit, a 2 mil long sleeve short leg wetsuit, or a 2 mil long sleeve jacket and shorts. On the warmer days I just wear a 2 mil vest with shorts. Most days it is certainly warm enough for just your bathing suit. I like the neoprene on my belly at all times because of my abnormally protruding ribcage. We've had consistent surf in the 1-3 foot range for a majority of the summer. Light SW (read: onshore) winds have prevailed, but haven't been too much of an issue in the early mornings (7-11am). Looks to be more of the same for the next few weeks.

Surfboards:
Lots of people have been really seeing the light when it comes to buying/investing in a longboard and have been asking about where to get one used. All I can say is Craigslist and perhaps try Sundown Surf and Ski in Long Island. Also look at Ebay for boards that are selling in the Long Island or New Jersey area. Most people could certainly deal with having longboard in their quiver. As Maddog (my dad) always says, "If you're not catching waves, you're not surfing!" What he means is that if you cannot catch waves because your board is too small for your paddling ability then you're doing yourself a disservice. Get a bigger board!

Events:
The Brooklyn Surf Flea is happening this Saturday at Union Pool. I'll probably make an appearance so come meet me and share a beer and network. Would love to see you there.