Santa Claus is coming to Bass Pro Shops

Santa Claus is making his annual visit to Bass Pro Shops. Giving his reindeer the afternoon off, Santa will be arriving at 3 p.m. Sunday, riding in a boat being hauled by a pickup truck. There will be a special tree lighting ceremony, a ribbon-cutting to Santa's Wonderland and also a chance to win one of many Bass Pro Shops gift cards.

All sorts of activities will be taking place to get young and old geared up for Christmas, including the opportunity for children to visit Santa and get their photo taken,  a Red Ryder laser arcade (reminiscent of the popular holiday movie "A Christmas Story" except you can't shoot your eye out), and the chance to play the new fishing video game, "The Strike."

On weekends beginning Nov. 14, kids can take part in making Christmas cookies, candy cane reindeer and craft items, including Santa bobbers and moose and reindeer ornaments.

"Santa's Wonderland -- A Classic Christmas" will be at the Bass Pro Shop store in Rancho Cucamonga through Dec. 24.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Santa's Wonderland. Credit: Bass Pro Shops

Ski Dazzle opens Thursday at L.A. Convention Center

Ski Dazzle makes its return to Southern California, opening Thursday and running through Sunday at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The annual ski and snowboard consumer event, touted as the world's largest, will feature more than 375 exhibit booths showcasing equipment and resort information.

There will also be activities each day, including ski and snowboard lessons, contests and seminars, a climbing wall, and skateboard and BMX Vert ramp shows.

Event hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Adult admission is $17; children ages 6 to 12, $5 ; and those 5 and younger, free.

Once inside, paid adult tickets can be exchanged for a one-day lift ticket coupon to either Snow Summit or Bear Mountain resorts (certain restrictions apply).

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A snowboarder takes a turn at Snow Summit in Big Bear. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Learn tiki carving at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is holding a tiki-carving class this Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

Master carver Jim DePompei will teach carving techniques and tool care while students work on their own palm wood tiki.

Attendees will also learn about the cultural history and significance of the wood carvings.

Open to anyone age 10 and older, no previous wood carving experience is necessary.

The cost to attend is $59 ($53 for members). Class fee includes a palm log, set of chisels, a mallet and a t-shirt.

Registration is required and can be done by calling (310) 548-7562. Class size is limited, so call early to ensure your spot as this class fills up quickly.

The aquarium is located at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro.

--Kelly Burgess

Photo: A tiki statue stands in a corner at a restaurant. Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times

Life of iconic, schizophrenic surfer Michael Peterson explored in documentary now touring Southland

Any fan of iconic surf films will know the footage of rising Australian icon Michael Peterson in the movie, “Morning of the Earth.” Shot during the cyclone season of 1970 in Kirra, Queensland, the breakout performance of “MP” has been a point of obsession for almost 40 years; in it, he is supremely confident, handsome, animated, clearly a gifted athlete who, like the warriors in the Homeric epics, has the “shine” on him and is leading the field in a new direction.

It was an auspicious debut that not only foretold MP’s total domination of Australian surfing from 1972 to the 1977 Burleigh Heads contest that was the birth of the modern competitive surf tour – but also gave a glimpse of his strange and soon-to-be legendary intensity. That intensity gave way to bizarre and antisocial behavior, like hiding in the bushes after winning the 1975 Bells Beach contest and letting Ian Cairns accept his prize check for him.
 
That intensity that would also later find its root and bloom into uncontrolled paranoid schizophrenia, a brooding life as a recluse, drug use, a chaotic car chase to prison, and finally a life of relative obscurity. In his wake, MP left one of the strangest legacies of any modern sports champion.

A moving new film about MP, “Searching for Michael Peterson,” is making its debut tour and is in Southern California this week. Because Peterson rarely gave interviews, and when he did they were strangely brusque, Australian filmmaker Jolyon Hoff rightly focuses the piece on outstanding footage from the contests of the era and interviews with many of MP’s Australian contemporaries.

'Searching for Michael Peterson' surf documentary making West Coast rounds

“The story of Michael Peterson makes 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' look like 'Alice in Wonderland,' " says Sean Doherty, the iconic surfer's biographer.

That might be a melodramatic description, but the story is compelling and the documentary "Seaching for Michael Peterson" has received rave reviews and is now showing on California's West Coast.

Peterson ruled the Australian surf scene in the early to mid-1970s but was an undiagnosed schizophrenic who could find normalcy only while in the water. He could not cope with with his increasing fame, however. Drugs and shadows came to rule him.

He struck bottom in 1977, after beating future four-time world champion Mark Richards before 20,000 fans to win the first event of the world tour. It was Peterson's last competition, and he was only seen occasionally until 1983, when he was arrested after a 15-car police chase from Coolangatta to Brisbane. "MP" never surfed again, and after years in prison, he was finally diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

The 55-minute documentary, directed by Jolyon Hoff, features footage of Peterson’s life and interviews with his friends and surfing rivals, including Richards, Peter Townend, Wayne Lynch, Phil Jarratt and others.  Screening locations and dates are as follows:

-- Today: San Fransicco, Victoria Theater, 7 p.m.

-- Thursday, Santa Cruz, Veterans Memorial Building, 8 p.m.

-- Friday, San Luis Obispo, La Perla Del Mar Chapel, 8 p.m.

-- Saturday, San Diego, Del Mar Fairgrounds, 6:30 p.m.

-- Oct. 15, Venice Beach, the Stronghold, 8 p.m.

-- Oct. 16, Santa Barbara, Victoria Hall Theater, 8 p.m.

--Oct. 17, Long Beach, Shelter Surf Shop, 8 p.m.

-- Pete Thomas

Malibu Film Festival opens tonight with 'Jesse's Story'

The Malibu Film  Festival open's tonight with an 8 p.m. Malibu Cinemas screening of "Jesse's Story." It features Jesse Billauer, who was 17 when a surfing accident rendered him a quadriplegic.

Billauer still surfs despite being paralyzed from the mid-chest down. The film documents his childhood success as a sponsored athlete; the accident; inspirational figures in his life; and his quest to re-learn how to surf with no use of his hands or body, except from the shoulders up.

The film, directed by Mark Jacobs, stars Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Bob Hurley, Christopher Reeve and friends and family.

On Friday night the centerpiece film, to be shown at 8 p.m. at the Ocean Avenue Screening room, is "Sea of Darkness" (see video trailer), directed by Michael Oblowitz. This film has received rave reviews.

The location is the Indonesia coast, the era is the 1970s, and the documentary is billed as "almost too wild for fiction." It involves a small group of thrill-seekers for whom surfing was a "way of life—one that sometimes was seen through the lens of psychedelics," according to the film's description.

"Sea of Darkness" is said to recapture "the life and attitude of this wild '70s surfing culture."

The Malibu Film Festival, which runs through Saturday night, features many other independent films from around the world. Check the blue link for a lineup and more information.

--Pete Thomas

Video trailer is for  "Sea of Darkness"

Fall Hunting Classic begins Friday at Bass Pro Shops

The annual Fall Hunting Classic, a series of hunting-related seminars, workshops and activities, begins this Friday at Bass Pro Shops.

The Rancho Cucamonga store is expecting more than 100,000 visitors over the course of the 17-day event, which concludes Sunday, Aug. 23.

Events planned include seminars hosted by pro hunters Allen Treadwell, Wayne Carlton and Mike Eastman, turkey and duck calling contests, and myriad activities for children.

"This event is huge and hunters and other outdoor sportsmen and women look forward to it all year long," store manager Bob Minor said. "Outdoor enthusiasts will be able to learn the secret techniques and strategies used by professionals to gain a better advantage in the field, see all the latest products and attend workshops and seminars."

A complete schedule is available on the store website.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo credit: George Wilhelm / Los Angeles Times

Grunion movie, exhibit and spawning run Thursday in San Pedro

 

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro will be holding a "Meet the Grunion" program on Thursday, its last for this season.

The aquarium exhibit hall will open at 8 p.m., with a film on grunion to be screened at 9. The program cost is $5 for adults and $1 for children, seniors and students.

Afterward, everyone will head to the beach to await the spawning run, which has a projected two-hour window of 10:50 p.m. to 12:50 a.m.

Grunion runs are a sight to behold. For four consecutive nights, beginning on full and new moon phases during spring and summer, the small silvery fish leave the water to spawn on beaches. The shoreline may glisten with fish as the silversides attempt to lay and fertilize their eggs.

Grunion may only be caught by hand. Catchers 16 and older must posses a valid state fishing license.

There is no limit to the number of fish that may be caught, but the Dept. of Fish and Game ask that people only catch what they will eat.

Preparing the fish in a simple method seems best. After cleaning and scaling, they should be coated with a mixture of flour and yellow cornmeal (plus a pinch of salt or seasoning) and then sauteed or deep fried. Though bony, the fish have a very delicate flavor.

Directions and parking information for the the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium are available on the website.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Grunion scramble to get onto the beach to spawn. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

Note: To follow this blog on Twitter, visit @latimesoutposts.com

 

San Clemente Ocean Festival this weekend

Those looking to beat the heat this weekend might want to check out the 33rd annual San Clemente Ocean Festival, taking place Saturday and Sunday adjacent to the pier.

There will be a myriad of things to see and do, including fishing clinics and derbies, surfing and body-boarding contests, a woody car show and a pancake breakfast each morning griddled by San Clemente city lifeguards.

The main event will be the California Waterman and Waterwoman Championships, with competition taking place each day in sports such as distance and stand-up paddle-boarding, ocean kayak racing and biathlon.

There will also be plenty of activities for kids. A special pavilion will offer carnival games, face painting, ocean crafts and relay races. The Discovery Science Center and the Ocean Institute will also have booths offering various educational activities and projects.

The finale event will be the Great Rubber Duck Race at 4 p.m. Sunday. Festival attendees can purchase and decorate rubber ducks, which will be turned loose near the pier, with prizes awarded for ducks that reach the shore first.

Parking near the pier is limited, so complimentary parking and round-trip shuttle service will be available at San Clemente high school, located at 700 Avenida Pico.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Katie O'Keefe climbs the portable rock wall at a San Clemente Ocean Festival. Credit: Geraldine Wilkins / Los Angeles Times

U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition this weekend in Imperial Beach

The 29th annual U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition will be taking place this weekend in Imperial Beach, Calif., and there are sure to be some impressive creations beyond castles.

The largest contest of its kind in the country, the event attracts sand-carving teams from across the U.S. and draws more than 300,000 visitors.

The sculpting begins at 9 a.m. Sunday and continues until 2 p.m., when officials will judge entries in various divisions and award prizes.

On Saturday there will be a sand-sculpting contest for children, giving kids 12 or younger a chance to win various prizes.

A street festival along Seacoast Drive on both days will feature live music, local food and craft vendors.

The works of sand art will be available for viewing until 4 p.m. each day, when high tide begins moving in to wash away the sculptures.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photos courtesy of Imperial Beach Chamber of Commerce

Vert skateboarding to unveil new look at Maloof Money Cup

**Updated with TV info.

Vert skating finally has an exciting new look, thanks to the progressive mind of Bob Burnquist, who won the X Games' big-air competition the last two years on the towering mega-ramp.

Burnquist, with input from Pierre-Luc Gagnon and Jake Brown, designed a miniature version of the mega-ramp, which was unveiled at a recent competition in Santa Rosa. It features a 35-foot roll-in ramp and a rainbow rail spanning a 25-foot gap, leading to an 18-foot quarterpipe wall.

For this weekend's Maloof Money Cup, which begins with practice and prelims on Friday, California Ramp Works has constructed a tweaked version of the mini-mega-ramp, which will connect to a tricked-out vert ramp. Athletes will compete in a multistage format that promises to be more entertaining than the back-and-forth acrobatics currently on display during traditional vert contests.

"This is where it's at," says Burnquist, who has a full-size mega-ramp in the backyard of his Vista, Calif., home. "This is the reality. This is not killing vert. This is vert."

Burnquist was referring to last year's situation at the X Games, when the vert competition was canceled -- briefly -- in favor of a superpark competition on a course many vert skaters did not like. Some even pulled out of that event.

Says Burnquist of the mini-mega-ramp: "Dude, this is  superpark. This is progression; what they were trying to do. It's happening and materializing. We still have to deliver, but I have a strong feeling about this."

Sunday's final, then, is about more than simply who wins. It might provide a glimpse into the sport's future.

Note: Fuel TV will provide a live HD webcast during the Maloof Money Cup on Saturday from 6:30-9:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1-7:15 p.m.

-- Pete Thomas

Graphic showing mini-mega-ramp courtesy of Maloof Money Cup

Dew Tour begins season with Nike 6.0 BMX Open in Chicago

 

The fifth season of the Dew Tour begins today with the Nike 6.0 BMX Open at Chicago's Grant Park.

Competing will be some of the top BMX athletes, including four-time Dew Cup vert champion Jamie Bestwick, Dave Mirra and Daniel Dhers.

In addition to the vert, dirt and park disciplines, the BMX Open will include a street specialty competition with Garrett Reynolds, Sean Sexton and Van Homan.

Saturday's action will be televised live at 11 a.m. on NBC.

The five-city tour also visits Boston, Portland, Ore., and Salt Lake City, culminating with the final in Orlando, Fla.

Competitors are vying for part of a $2.5-million purse based on overall tour standings.

The complete 2009 Dew Tour schedule:

June 26-27        Nike 6.0 BMX Open                                                                     Chicago

July 24-25         Skate Open/ISF Skateboarding World Championships            Boston

Aug. 13-16        Wendy's Invitational                                                                Portland, Ore.

Sept. 17-20       Toyota Challenge                                                                         Salt Lake City

Oct. 15-18         PlayStation Pro                                                                            Orlando, Fla.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Cameron White competes in the BMX dirt finals during the 2008 Dew Tour. Credit: Bo Bridges / For the Dew Tour

X Games party Thursday at L.A. Live

The X Games are having a party and everyone's invited.

The X Games 15 Quinceañera party will begin at 3 p.m. Thursday at L.A. Live to herald the opening of ticket sales for the 15th annual X Games.

The street celebration will feature appearances and autograph sessions by numerous athletes, including MotoX stars Todd Potter, Ronnie Faisst and Kyle Loza plus Olympic silver medalist and Winter X Games Snowboarder X gold medalist Lindsey Jacobellis.

There will also be a skateboard street demonstration by X Games boarders Paul Rodriguez Jr., Terry Kennedy, Amy Caron and Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins.

Attendees can check out the world's largest skateboard, which is more than 36 feet long, and also get an opportunity to design their own skate deck.

Correlating with the Quinceañera theme, vendors will be offering churros, tacos and burritos for sale, plus  a mariachi band will perform.

X Games 15 will be held July 30-Aug. 2 in Los Angeles and will feature some of the hottest global athletes competing in MotoX, BMX Freestyle, Rally car racing and other events.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Chad Kagy on his way to another medal at last year's BMX Vert competition. Credit: Pete Demos/ESPN Images/Shazamm

Red Bull X-Fighters freestyle motocross tour hits Texas this Saturday

Above is a promo video for the Red Bull X-Fighters freestyle motocross tour, which comes to Texas Saturday, June 27.

The third stop in the five-round global series, this will be the only X-Fighters event held in the U.S. this year. After Texas, riders move on to Leg 4 in Madrid on July 16 and 17 and then London for the Aug. 22 finale.

Those invited to compete include previous X-Fighters winners Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg, Mat Rebeaud, Robbie Maddison and Danny Torres.

Stenberg recently had his motorcycles stolen from his Temecula home and there has been no news as to if they have been recovered, so he may be riding some different bikes.

Also, newcomer Levi Sherwood, winner in Mexico City, had a bad landing during a training session last week and will not be able to ride. His replacement will be Metal Mulisha rider Jeff "Ox" Kargola. Sherwood should be back in time for Madrid.

With the riders coming out of the bull chutes at the historic Fort Worth stockyards in head-to-head competition featuring jumps of 75 to 115 feet, this should be an exciting event.

Enjoy the video.

-- Kelly Burgess

Video courtesy of Red Bull Motorsports

Bass Pro Shops offering free weekend activities for families

Bass Pro Shops is offering free outdoor workshops and activities aimed at children and families each weekend through Sunday, July 5, at stores nationwide.

The "Family Summer Camp" is taking place from noon-6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Children's craft activities include opportunities to decorate a fishing bobber or lure, make keychains, design a birdhouse and create plaster animal-track casts.

There are also outdoor workshops available for family participation, covering fishing, hiking and camping basics, bird watching, plant and animal identification skills, archery and even how to make campfire s'mores. Children will earn a collectible pin for every workshop completed.

Attendees will also receive a free summer guide booklet chock-full of tips, activities and ideas for enjoying time outdoors.

"This is our way of helping families enjoy affordable, fun activities together and create lifelong memories," said Bass Pro Shops president Jim Hagale.

The Los Angeles-area store is at 7777 Victoria Gardens Lane in Rancho Cucamonga.

With so many things to see and do, including a laser shooting gallery, large live-fish tanks, wildlife and fish mounts on display, a fine gun room and the on-site Islamorada Fish Company restaurant, the store is a must-visit for outdoor enthusiasts even if not participating in Family Summer Camp activities or shopping for equipment.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Children enjoy painting their own fishing lures. Credit: Bass Pro Shops

Half Moon Bay Big Wave Surfing Film Festival opens with spotlight on Greg Noll

The first annual Half Moon Bay Big Wave Surfing Film Festival opens tonight and runs through Saturday night at the Oceano Hotel & Spa in Princeton Harbor.

Sellout audiences are expected for an event taking place a short distance from Maverick's, one of the world's premier big-wave surfing venues.

Greg Noll, a.k.a "Da Bull," is featured tonight as he'll introduce his film, "Search for Surf," which will begin at 7 p.m. and showcase Noll's and filmmaker Bruce Brown's pioneering experiences off California and Hawaii.

Thursday night will be a tribute to Jay Moriarty, a beloved Mavericks's surfer who died while free-diving off India in 2001. Films to be shown are "Whipped" and "Ride On," both produced by Eric Nelson and Curt Myers of Powerlines Productions.

Friday night's featured film is "Year of the Drag-In" by Nelson, Myers and Frank Quirarte. It will largely showcase the Maverick's crew of regulars towing into waves with faces measuring to 70 feet.

Saturday night will feature "One Winter Story" by Frank Films. It will profile the inspirational Santa Cruz surfer Sarah Gerhardt, the first woman to ride Maverick's.

There's much more and tonight's program also includes an 8:30 film titled "The Perfect 10," which showcases the 2008 Big-Wave Africa event at notoriously large and shark-infested Dungeons.

Receptions each night are at 6 p.m. If you don't already have tickets, you might find them difficult to come by.

-- Pete Thomas

 

Catalina Island scientific excursion open to the public

The public is invited to join marine biologists, naturalists and other staff of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium on an exploratory day-trip to Catalina Island on Sun., June 14.

"Catalina Above and Below" is an annual scientific observation and collecting expedition sponsored by the aquarium.

Passengers will have the opportunity to assist in checking fish traps set the day prior. Anything captured will be placed in onboard tanks for close-up study, then later released or kept for display at the aquarium.

Throughout the voyage, staff will be watching for and discussing the variety of marine animals commonly seen in the area, including whales, dolphins and sea lions.

There are also plans to conduct a controlled shark-baiting exercise designed to lure sharks to the surface for observation and attempted tagging.

Mt. Whitney fish hatchery to reopen Saturday

 
The Mt. Whitney fish hatchery will reopen to visitors beginning Saturday at 10 a.m.

The historic trout breeding center in Independence, which began operation in 1917, was closed last year when floods and mudslides caused extensive damage to ponds, pumps and outbuildings.

The Friends of Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery, headed by Bruce Ivey, led a cleanup and recovery effort that brought about the reopening of the facilities.

Visitors can tour the grounds and the main building, which is now an interpretative center with displays and historic information.

The pond in front of the hatchery has also been cleaned and stocked with trout. Though there are no plans in the near future to raise fish onsite, the ones currently in the pond are Department of Fish and Game brood trout that will be used next March for breeding.

To celebrate the opening, there will be a barbecue dinner held at the hatchery Saturday at 5 p.m., with tickets available at the location.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery. Credit: California Department of Fish and Game

Flying Fish Festival begins today on Santa Catalina Island

*Updated Huell Howser to link to Huell Howser Productions website

Huell Howser will be grand marshal at this year's Flying Fish Festival, taking place today through Sunday on Santa Catalina Island.

Held to celebrate the return of flying fish to waters off the island, the annual event has a myriad of activities scheduled. Kicking things off this evening is the Taste Around of Avalon, at which attendees can sample fare from local restaurants.

Boat and kayak tours will take place each evening, when the fish are most active and can be lured closer to the vessels using lights.

Other activities include a parade, a street fair and beer garden, musical entertainment, live marine touch tanks, garden tours and children's crafts.

The festival this year coincides with the 80th anniversary of the iconic Casino Building, where a dance will be held Saturday evening. Admission will be $19.29, to commemorate the building's opening date.

Flying fish can be seen near Catalina from May to September. While they don't actually fly like birds, their unusually large pectoral fins enable the fish to take short gliding flights above the surface of the water.

-- Kelly Burgess

Image credit:  Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce

Sharks swim into spotlight at Aquarium of the Pacific

At a time when days are getting warmer and more people are venturing into the ocean, sharks are swimming silently into the spotlight.

The remarkable predators, which are so notorious yet so misunderstood -- and sadly embattled because of overfishing --will be featured at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach during what is billed as "Shark Summer."

The waterfront facility has added new species of sharks and rays and will offer an array of programs, including a lecture series that begins Thursday night with Chris Lowe, who runs the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach, dispelling myths and misconceptions. That talk, from one of Outposts' favorite shark sources, is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The cost is $8 or $4 for members, and free for students with valid ID. To RSVP, call (562) 590-3100.

Shark Summer officially begins Friday and runs through Sept. 7. On Sunday nights, the aquarium will remain open until 10 p.m. On Sundays in July, it will feature free Discovery Channel "Shark Week" screenings on the front lawn. On July 17, a "Feed a  Shark" program begins. It will enable members of the public an opportunity to feed sharks from a platform above the Tropical Reef Habitat exhibit.

There's much more, and it's hoped that people will come away with an appreciation of all sharks, large and small. Among my favorite aquarium residents is the sand tiger shark pictured below. Despite their fearsome appearance, these sharks pose little or no threat to humans and feed mostly on small fish, rays, other sharks and crustaceans.

-- Pete Thomas

 Upper photo: Bonnethead shark. Credit: Andrew Reitsma

Lower photo: Sand tiger shark. Credit: Robin Riggs

Pig-hunting clinic June 6 in Sonoma, but what wine is best?

 
The only time I ever went pig hunting we chased the feral animals with dogs and killed our quarry, a snarling beast that had become cornered in a ravine, with a large knife. But that was in Hawaii, where some hunters still employ traditional methods to harvest the destructive animals.

Using knives or spears will not be a topic during a June 6 clinic in Sonoma, because those methods are illegal in California. But the clinic at the Valley of the Moon Trap Club, offered by the Pacific Coast Hunter Education Assn. and the Department of Fish and Game, will provide hunters with lots of valuable information and raffle off dressed-out pig to conclude festivities.

Among topics will be pig biology, hunting requirements and ethics, methods of take, methods for locating animals, hunting techniques, prime locations, proper care of game and, of course, wild pig recipes (dishes which might best be accompanied by fine Syrah, Cab or Merlot).

Space is limited and registration must be completed no later than May 23. Cost is $40. Barbecue lunch is available for $10. Those 16 or younger will be admitted free of charge but must be accompanied by an adult. For more information e-mail or call DFG Lt. Dan Lehman: (916) 358-4356. To register online, click here.

--Pete Thomas

Photo of wild pig and piglets from California Department of Fish and Game

Boating safety fair this weekend at Lake Havasu

Boaters at Lake Havasu this weekend might want to check out the Tri-State Boating Safety Fair, taking place 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at London Bridge Beach in Lake Havasu City.

The free annual event, organized by the California Boating and Waterways, Arizona Game and Fish and Nevada Wildlife departments, is held to help educate boaters and families about general boating safety and marks the beginning of National Safe Boating Week, which runs May 16-22.

The Colorado river offers many locales for boating enthusiasts, including Lake Havasu, a popular destination.

"The river has several massive lakes and runs through three states, so we will be there to clarify both the fun boating opportunities and safety challenges we see with a waterway this large and complex," California Boating Law administrator Raynor T. Tsuneyoshi said.

Activities on tap include free vessel safety checks conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary as well as a life jacket trade-in, where attendees will have the opportunity to swap an unsafe or outgrown jacket for a new one (one per family, while supplies last).

"This year, the lakes are full to the brim and we want people to go out on the water and enjoy the experience, but we also want them to be safe and make good decisions," said Kevin Bergersen, Arizona Boating Law administrator.

"Expecting the unexpected and using good judgment are key factors in returning home safely," Bergersen added. "We want this event to provoke that kind of awareness and thinking."

--Kelly Burgess

Photo: Boaters cruise through the London Bridge channel. Credit: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times

Primo Big Bruddah Tour to swing through L.A. area this week

How many of you are old enough to remember the old Primo beer?

I could be wrong, but I think it used to be available only in Hawaii  because I recall, back in the 1970s, asking friends who were visiting Hawaii to bring some back. It didn't matter that it wasn't very good beer. We wanted it because it was a) beer, and b) from Hawaii, with a cool logo.

Well, Primo, which was first brewed in 1897 but discontinued in 1997, is back with a similar logo but a much smoother taste and a sale price competitive with other fine lagers. And the beer, though it's no longer mass-brewed in Hawaii, is using pro surfers and Hawaiian "bruddahs" as pitchmen.

In fact, the Primo Big Bruddah Tour will swing through Southern California on Tuesday and  Wednesday, so look for the woody bus in the accompanying photo or a classic VW double cab.

Surfers Keoni Watson, Rusty Keaulana, Brad Gerlach and filmmaker Chris Malloy - -plus a bunch of Hawaiian dudes -- are part of a tour that will visit Gladstone's in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m., then swing by Duke's in Malibu from 6 to 9 p.m. and pull into Paradise Cove in northern Malibu from 9 to 11 p.m..

On Wednesday, tour stops are Barney's Beanery (3-4:30 p.m.) and Rusty's Surf Ranch (4:30-5:45) in Santa Monica, and the Shore Restaurant & Lounge (10 p.m.-1 a.m.) in Hermosa Beach. Comedy shows, music and tastings are on tap at these events.

-- Pete Thomas

 

 

Photos courtesy of Primo

San Diego's Day at the Docks Festival is Sunday

With gorgeous weather on tap, and with prime saltwater fishing season just around the corner, folks may want to attend the Day at the Docks Festival on Sunday at the waterfront landings in the Port of San Diego at Point Loma. 

Myriad activities are planned, including seminars and contests, boat rides around the bay, cooking demos, live entertainment, children's fishing and tours of boats at participating landings.

The festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and parking is available on nearby Shelter Island with complimentary shuttle service running until 5:30 p.m. For more information and directions, click here.

—Kelly Burgess

Powersliding takes center stage Wednesday at Santa Monica Pier

One sport you won't see on the cover of sports sections anytime soon: powersliding.

To get a taste of what looks to be pure and painful craziness, play the video.

Even better, visit Santa Monica Pier on Wednesday from 3-5 p.m., and witness the Levi's 3rd Annual Powersliding Championships firsthand. It's essentially skateboarding on handrails and other features without skateboards, and not necessarily on your feet.

This will be a star-studded affair -- judged by Jonny Moseley, Jason Acuna and Kendra Wilkinson -- in a festival atmosphere complete with a performance by Brooklyn rockers Matt and Kim.

It figures to be a ridiculous event -- and I mean that in a good way.

-- Pete Thomas

Surfing wipeouts take center stage in big-wave awards program

Everyone can appreciate a good surfing wipeout, except perhaps the victims, given that they're becoming one with thunderous lips and hurtling downward and plowing shoreward during intense moments of fright and uncertainty.

And now, thanks to the marvels of text messaging, the general public can vote on which of five big-wave surfers endured the worst wipeout during the past 12 months (see video below).

Dean Bowen, Ross Clarke-Jones, Ramon Navarro, Grant Washburn and San Clemente's Greg Long are nominees for the Verizon Wireless Wipeout Award, which is among several categories, paying lucrative cash rewards, in the yearlong Billabong XXL Global Big-Wave Awards.

All finalists will be announced April 17 at the Grove Theater in Anaheim.

As for the wipeouts, I personally witnessed Long's 40-second flogging by a 40-foot wave at Maverick's near Half Moon Bay. But based on video footage I'm equally impressed by the drubbing Clarke-Jones survived at Pedra Branca in Tasmania; Navarro's over-the-falls nightmare at Santos del Mar, Chile; Washburn's perilous face dance at Maverick's; and Bowen's head-first dive and subsequent live burial at-sea at Shipstern Bluff in Tasmania.

Click on the video below to see for yourself, and click on the blue links for information on how to vote. It's good stuff.

-- Pete Thomas

Tijuana, saying tourists are safe, invites them to participate in 120th birthday

A city has to try to survive amid a devastating tourism scare caused by a violent drug war, travel alerts and oft-sensational media reports -- and Tijuana is trying.

The bustling metropolis, which until recently flourished as a festive tourism destination, turns 120 on July 11.

In advance of that milestone, at 11 a.m. on Saturday  at Jai Alai Palace Esplanade on Avenida Revolucion, various officials will launch a campaign titled "120 Things to  do in Tijuana."

A promotional calendar and website will list 120 things tourists can do in the historic city as they count down to its momentous birthday, and it's hoped  there will be enough tourists to make both celebrations happy and memorable.

"We want to remind people about the great things you can still do in Tijuana, tomorrow and the rest of the year," says Gerardo Delgado, secretary of the Tijuana Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Unemployment may provide impetus to enter lucrative Lake Isabella Fishing Derby

Unemployment in Kern County has soared to 13.8%, which is unfortunate. But locals with newfound free time, if they're willing to risk a $20 investment, might want to consider entering the Lake Isabella Fishing Derby April 4-6 at the sprawling reservoir in the Kern River Valley.

Actually, anyone feeling their luck is due to change for the better ought to consider entering the lucrative tournament.

Organizers somehow managed to secure 10 sponsors willing to tag a fish worth $10,000, so there will be 10 of those fish swimming around. All you have to do is catch one, and $10,000 is yours. No IOUs!

Also, to commemorate the 20th anniversary, if an angler uses a rented boat from French Gulch Marina or North Fork Marina and catches a $10,000 fish sponsored by them, it becomes worth $20,000. There's more: If an angler uses YUM TroutKrilla bait and catches a $10,000 fish sponsored by the company, it becomes worth $20,000.

Here's another incentive: The longest trout caught during the event, even if it wears no tag, will be worth $1,000. (Thousands of pounds of trout, including trophy-sized Alpers rainbows, will be stocked before the derby.)

Plus, there will be 989 tagged trout worth from $20 to $1,000.

Many or all of the big-money trout might evade capture during the onslaught, but in 19 years more than $200,000 has been paid to participants. However, if you decide to enter expect  competition. Organizers are expecting more than 5,000 entrants.

May the most deserving angler win!

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A Lake Isabella Fishing Derby volunteer dumps a load of trout into the reservoir. Ten tagged trout are worth $10,000 apiece. Credit: Rex Emerson

'Kingdom of the Blue Whale' to air Sunday night on National Geographic Channel

Marine mammal enthusiasts on Sunday can journey to the wintering grounds of the planet's largest and perhaps its most majestic creature: the blue whale.

"Kingdom of the Blue Whale," which will air at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time on the National Geographic Channel, will feature remarkable footage, including what is believed to be the first-ever underwater footage of a newborn blue whale, which is no minnow, measuring 25 feet. (See video below.)

The documentary will chronicle the efforts of scientists as they locate and tag blue whales off California -- where the mammals spend summer months -- and rejoin the graceful leviathans at the Costa Rica Dome far beyond the shore of the Central American nation.

These experts have spent years observing and filming courtship and feeding behavior of blue whales and part of their mission for the documentary is "to find and record the Holy Grail of blue whale science -- the breeding and calving grounds of the biggest mammals in the sea."

Also touched upon are the fairly recent vessel-strike fatalities of four blue whales in one season off California, and what can be done to help prevent these accidents in the future.

The show is a must-see for anyone interested in nature and its many wonders. Below is just a taste:

-- Pete Thomas

Photo courtesy of National Geographic Channel

Fred Hall fishing show opens today at Long Beach Convention Center

Employers throughout Southern California take note: If you have workers who enjoy fishing and have called in sick today, chances are good you'll find them inside the Long Beach Convention Center after 2 p.m.

Today marks the opening of the 63rd Fred Hall's Fishing Tackle and Boat Show, and for anglers it's not to be missed.

The world's largest fishing show runs through Sunday and features more than 3,000 exhibits and nearly nonstop seminars.

For many, it's a place to choose and book their next big fishing vacation, as concessionaires from Alaska to Argentina, and points far beyond, will be on hand.

For others, it's a place to load up on the latest fishing supplies at a time when springlike weather is beginning to beckon them back onto the ocean and to their favorites mountain streams and lakes.

Economic worries won't stop Fred Hall show from ushering in fishing season

Sales might not be as brisk during this year's Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show at the Long Beach Convention Center, but thousands will attend regardless of the beleaguered economy to help usher in the spring fishing season.

The 68th rendition of the show will run March 4-8 and boast more than 3,000 exhibits, and offer almost nonstop seminars. Trucks, boats, kayaks and trailers will be for sale, along with every type of fishing excursion and modern fishing product known to man.

You can subscribe to any of numerous fishing magazines -- Fish Taco Chronicles has nothing to do with Mexican food but is crammmed with stories and photos -- and meet such radio/TV personalities as Pete Gray, Philip Friedman, Dan Hernandez and Ronnie Kovach.

Whale Fiesta celebration Sunday at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium will host the annual Whale Fiesta celebration from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25. The 39th annual event, co-sponsored by CMA and the American Cetacean Society Los Angeles Chapter, is held to celebrate marine mammals and the migration of Pacific gray whales along the California coast.

Over 20 marine organizations will have exhibits, providing information on awareness and protection of ocean life. Whale experts will also be on hand throughout the day presenting lectures. 

Attendees can take part in activities such as face painting, games, contests, origami and other arts and crafts projects, including helping to build a life-size sand sculpture of a Baird's beaked whale.

Admission is free as is parking, which is available at 22nd and Miner Streets, with access to complimentary shuttle service to and from the Aquarium.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is located at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro.

--Kelly Burgess

Photo: Whale sculpture created out of sand at a previous Whale Fiesta event. Credit: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Travis Pastrana move over, Levi LaVallee to double-flip snowmobile

Action sports fans might remember the eerie hush in the moments before Travis Pastrana performed a double-back flip on his motorcycle at the 2006 Summer X Games.

It was essentially a make or break-neck situation. Pastrana nailed the trick and has since traded freestyle motocross for a career in rally car racing.

On Friday night at Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain, Minnesota's Levi LaVallee will attempt to make Winter X Games history by performing a double flip on a 450-pound snowmobile.

If he makes it, he will win the inaugural "Next Trick" competition. If he under-rotates and crash lands, fans will turn away in horror and medical crews will tend to LeVallee and try to put him back together again.

LeVallee, who has been called crazy by some, has been nailing the trick to perfection in his foam pit back home.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Levi LaVallee in action at the 2008 Winter X Games.  Credit: Associated Press

Surf San Diego... with your dog

As if the good surf spots weren't crowded enough already, the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego County is hosting an event certain to encourage a whole new breed of surfer to hit the water.

Yep, that's right. More than 60 dogs are expected to enter the 3rd Annual Loews Surf Dog Competition Saturday at Imperial Beach. With a little help from their owners, they'll be hanging 20 in three different heats -- no pun intended -- the first for small dogs, the second for big dogs, the third for dog-owner tandem teams.

It's no joke. The winner of each heat will land a feature in Modern Dog Magazine and a getaway to Loews Coronado Bay Resort, a 15-acre retreat with three tennis courts, three restaurants, a private 80-slip marina and easy access to Silver Strand State Beach. I suppose there's no need to inquire if the resort accepts pets.

The schedule for Saturday's event is as follows:

9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Optional surfing lessons by the Coronado Surfing Academy for less experienced canines
11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Heat One: Small Surf Dogs (40 pounds and under)
11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Heat Two: Large Surf Dogs (41 pounds and over)
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Heat Three: Tandem Surfing for Surf Dogs & Owners
1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Furry fashion show with doggie couture by Lucky Dog Boutique
1:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. Awards ceremony

It's $45 to enter a dog in heat one or two, $50 to join your dog in heat three (RSVP ASAP to avoid late fees), but it's free to attend and watch. If that weren't enough incentive, the resort's top chefs will be serving food during the comp. You guessed it -- hot dogs.

--Liam Gowing

Photo of Buddy hanging 20 by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Scuba show Saturday and Sunday in Long Beach

Scuba diving enthusiasts looking for some new gear should definitely get down to the Long Beach Convention Center over the weekend.

With 200 exhibitors scheduled to display their wares and more than 76,000 square feet in which to do so, the Scuba Show promises to be the largest consumer dive expo in the U.S. Even if you're not interested in purchasing any equipment, there are good reasons to check it out, including a variety of dive-related programs and seminars with top diving experts, a film festival and a casino party.

Tickets start at $12. The schedule of events is as follows:

Saturday
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Exhibits open
11a.m. - 5 p.m.  Seminars
11a.m. - 5 p.m.  Film festival
6 p.m. - 10 p.m.  Casino party

Sunday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.  Exhibits open
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.  Seminars
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.  Film festival

—Liam Gowing

Photo of model in wetsuit by Eric Boyd / Los Angeles Times

Southern California trails for our four-legged friends

Dog owners who hike — this one's for you.

Author, dog lover and avid hiker Allen Riedel will be making an appearance at Adventure 16 in West L.A. at 7 tonight to read and sign copies of his new book, "Best Hikes with Dogs: Southern California." The book rounds up 60 of the best trails in Southern California for canines — those that are rarely used by cyclists, horseback riders or motor vehicles — including many that are leash-optional.

In the book, Riedel breaks down the trails in terms of which are best for senior dogs, which have water along the way, shade, potential swimming areas and what the terrain is like throughout. He also describes how to prepare your pooch for a hike and how to put together and use a doggy first-aid kit, so it sounds like a great event for local hikers with dogs.

Now if Reidel can just figure out a way for me to take my cat hiking...

—Liam Gowing

Photo of Allen Riedel on Alta Peak courtesy of Mountaineers Books

Trapeze school swings into action at Santa Monica Pier

Here's something a little, OK make that completely, different.

The famous Trapeze School New York has come to the Santa Monica Pier to offer aerial acrobatic classes during summer, and to celebrate they're throwing a launch party Sunday. Refreshments will be served at 7 p.m. but the real show will begin at 8, when a group of the school's performers — dubbed Angeles de la Orquesta — will present their aerial stylings to the accompaniment of a string orchestra conducted by L.A. Philharmonic violinist Guido Lamell.

But that's not even the best part.

After the professionals come back down to earth, they're opening the trapeze up to the amateurs below — at least those who haven't boozed up — giving them an opportunity to gear up and hit the trapeze themselves during an "open fly" session while a DJ spins tunes below.

TSNY co-founder and president Jonathon Conant says tickets for the party are almost gone, but that the show will go on through the end of October. Intensive trapeze instruction is available for $47 to $75 per two-hour class, depending on the time slot (days are cheaper than evenings and weekdays are cheaper than weekends). And if you're on the fence about taking a course or just not flush with greenbacks, you can set up a "test swing" for $10.

Finally (if you're afraid of heights or just not up to the challenge), TSNY has set up shop in the open-air environment of the Santa Monica Pier between the Pacific Park amusement complex and Playland Arcade so anyone who wanders by can easily take a gander. Apparently the view of the trapeze from the Ferris wheel is particularly nice.

If you are interested, call (310) 394-5800 or drop a line at lainfo@trapezeschool.com.

—Liam Gowing

Photo of TSNY trapeze artist by Karen Maze

Boats for sale (though few for sail)

Not sure what to get dear old Dad for Father's Day?

Well, if you can pony up the dough, the Southern California Marine Assn. has a few suggestions for you and they're about to go on display at the Fairplex in Pomona. Of course, I'm referring to the Spring Boat Show, which begins Thursday and continues through Sunday.

All of you aspiring Thurston Howells beware, this is no highfalutin yacht extravaganza — that's coming up next week — just a down-to-earth motorboat-oriented show. It's a big one though. Boat Show folks have promised  more than 250,000 square feet full of merchandise, including "family runabouts, ski boats, fishing boats, cruisers, pontoons, performance "sportboats" and "personal watercraft," i.e. Jet Skis.

In addition to the exhibits and demonstrations, KLOS-FM (95.5) and other radio stations plan to broadcast from the show, the L.A. County Fairgrounds will be slinging barbecue and there will be a variety of child-friendly entertainers providing live music, face-painting, balloon sculptures and other novelties.

Tickets are $10, with a dollar discount for AAA members.

—Liam Gowing

Photo of last year's show courtesy of the Southern California Marine Assn.

Downhill half-marathoners, start your engines

To all runners out there who want to follow in Pheidippides' footsteps but aren't quite ready for a full-fledged marathon or even a hard half-marathon, Fontana may have your golden ticket.

Part of the Fontana Days Festival 2008, the Fontana Days Run will take place Saturday, offering a variety of courses to suit your fitness level. There will be a half-mile dash for children, a 5K "family fitness" walk and a traditional 5K race — all of which start at 7:45 a.m. — and then there's the half-marathon, which will start at 7:30 a.m.

If you're even slightly interested in trying the half-marathon, you'd be hard pressed to find a better one to start with. That's because the elevation of the course drops 2,125 feet from beginning to end!

The first six miles features a downhill grade so steep that a mixture of gravity and inertia will help keep you going, while the final 7.1 miles continues to descend moderately. Easy, right? Well, perhaps it's not quite easy. Still, according to Fontana's race planners, the event is recognized by U.S. Track & Field as "the world's fastest half-marathon course."

If you've got $40 ($25 for the 5K walk or $20 for the children's dash) and are interested in tackling the challenge, you can still sign up at the city's website or register in person on the day of the event starting at 4:30 a.m. Directions and parking and lots more information are available online.

—Liam Gowing

Technorati Profile

Photo of past half-marathon competitors courtesy of City of Fontana Community Services Department