Chemistry Surfboards

Despite all of the worry and preparation for disaster, Irene turned out cause a bunch of flooding and some relatively minor damage. What she also did is serve up the east coast with some pretty epic waves in her aftermath. Continue reading

As Hurricane Irene is on the verge of bearing down on the eastern seaboard, in particular the Northeast right now. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of our close family and friends who have applied the plywood to their windows, evacuated, or just awaiting the potential destruction. Continue reading

“The water in New Jersey may still be in the 40s, but PJ Raia is doffing the gloves so he can get his hands into the cookie jar – and steer his way out of the doggie door.”
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Travellin’ Man PJ Raia has been on an awesome run lately. “Just Off Da Jet” from Hawaii and he scores some fun little tubes at home in New Jersey. Continue reading

How does someone get the luck of Mike Gleason? The guy goes to Hawaii and scores pretty good back to back swells on the North Shore. Then fresh off the plane at home he falls right into another swell. I was seeing the constant tweets from Adam Holloway at Barewires saying the waves are firing and I called him out needing evidence. I received the below sequence moments later. I now see how these guys can brave the freezing cold conditions for epic barrels. Apparently at the time of these photos the ambient temperature felt like 12 degrees! I’m also a believer that New Jersey holds some of the best waves on the east coast next to Hatteras.
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As we sit through another flat spell here on the west coast the east coast enjoyed a traditional fall style swell last week. It gets pretty discouraging when you go and look at the ocean and think if it’s possible to ride a shortboard. Then you go to your office and your email box is filled with pics of guys getting full barrels.

With all the traveling that team rider PJ Raia does he still has the luck and timing to get the good ones while at home. As the photographic evidence shows, New Jersey lit up providing Garden State surfers a few hours of epicness. Granted their swells have a very unfamiliar short window, but I would trade our 5 day mushy swells for a few hours of tubes any day.

Click through for a gnarly sequence — photos by Ryan Struck
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Here are some photos from the East Coast Tour that I’m on with the Body Glove crew. More to come!
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A few clips of PJ Raia mainly from New Jersey. He is shown here in his own element of wedgy barrelling beachbreak waves. All of the footage was beautifully shot and edited by Phillip Mansfield.
Stay tuned for more footage from this duo as they are both going to Nicaragua next week.
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Our only pro team rider from the NorthEast has been caught tube riding again. Mike Gleason has graced many pages of the major surf magazines locked in perfect barrels. This time twice on the same wave and at home in Monmouth County, NJ. Featured in ESM’s Annual Photo Issue (Volume 19, Issue 145), “CrossFire” showcases a surfer photographed at multiple angles at the same exact moment in time, producing spectacular results.
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Between chasing contests around the country, PJ Raia sat down and answered some questions for ESM’s “Who Da Guy”. Look out for one of New Jersey’s most promising kids.