I began surfing in Newfoundland in 1987 and started shaping and glassing shortly thereafter. Now when you look at your world atlas and play that “I wonder what the surf is like there?” game, you’d probably think of cold water but still a healthy contingent of local surfers. After all, our island seems suitably positioned in the North Atlantic to receive a variety of swell directions. The fact of the matter is that somehow (and thankfully) we have escaped the onslaught of surf fad and frenzy that publicly traded multinational surf companies thrive on. The surf media, to my delight, has also been negligent of my backyard. Not that the surf here is anything to brag about; we’re about as mediocre or epic as any traditional east coast destination. However, I would estimate the total surf population is less than twenty. Isolation, though, is a double-edged sword. Prior to the advent of Swaylocks, trial and error in the shaping shed was comical at best. In surf rich cultures the majority of surfer/shapers thrive in an environment where board building and glassing expertise may only be impeded by a scant one or two degrees of separation. Basic information which most shapers take for granted took me six or seven years to acquire. Resin types, Hexcel product codes, mixing ratios, and other basic building techniques and requirements were the most frustrating of Holy Grails. The knowledge and information provided to me by the genesis of Swaylocks is beyond invaluable. Direct access to master shapers and glassers is a privilege that I don’t take for granted. It’s refreshing to experience the most generous side of the sport. Thanks Mike for keeping me in touch. KEEP SWAYLOCKS ALIVE http://www.eastwoodco.com/email/default2.asp?SRCCODE=1CJBAN8&PageName=default