New York Fish Fry report

Here is Steve Pendarvis on the beach for the New York Fish Fry 2010.

Steve and Cher said they had a great time even though the surf was very small and the water achilly 49F that is less than 10C. Bloody cold.
The East River Fish Taco cook off was a big hit I am told. It was hosted by Mollusk Surf Shop New York



Looks like Josh Hall checking out the boards on the day.

The following story is from www.easternsurf.com

" On a blustery, surfless Saturday, May 15th, fish enthusiasts enjoyed a powwow of sorts at Grand Blvd. in Long Beach, NY. It wasn’t the surf that brought wavesliders from near and far out of the woodwork, but rather a mutual appreciation for the fish design and other well-crafted surfboards, a chance to catch up with old friends and meet new ones, and an opportunity to talk story and enjoy the New York springtime yearned for by those cooped up all winter long.

Fish Fry(e)s — the (e) honors legendary San Diego fish proponent Skip Frye — remain a time-honored event celebrating subsequent design offshoots from the original twin-keel model, and for the past four years New York has hosted a Fry(e) in Long Beach that’s attracted some of the best modern-day craftsmen in the game. This year saw New York’s adopted west coast paisan Josh Hall, along with ride-anything stalwarts Steve and Cher Pendarvis. New York not being one of the most conventional surf destinations to have such minds in attendance means that a lot of the design insight shared falls into the priceless category. But enough about that…

The weekend really went down like this: knowing that there wasn’t going to be much surf on hand, I indulged in the drink the night before the Fish Fry(e). And as it’s known nothing good happens after midnight, I awoke bleary-eyed after only a few hours of sleep and hit the road to Long Beach with coffee in hand.

Immediately upon arriving at Grand Blvd. it was a reunion of friends I haven’t seen in some time, and after high-fives and hugs in the parking lot it was time to cruise the beach and check out the boards on hand. It was pretty much a hot rod show of the avant-garde in surfing, with some mind-blowing works of art on the beach. Earning top honors were a Skip Frye model, a few Pendoflexes, Lis fishes, Pavels, Josh Halls, and, representing for the home team, Mark Petrocelli’s Faktion Surfboards. Everyone was geeking out and talking design theory, but I slunk around protected by a dark pair of shades. A few of the homeboys and girls ventured out into the surf, despite it only being about a half a foot, and when I walked down to the shoreline to take it in I saw Dutchie prone out on a piece of foam and get a cover up. Stoked on that, I retreated under the boardwalk, where Tommy “Snapwater” Colla set up a boom box and reggae laced the airwaves.

With the fuzz already paying the Fry(e) a visit because they saw a poster and thought there would be a BBQ on the beach, we sought refuge under the confines of the boardwalk. A cooler of coldies emerged from the sand and the boys kicked back and enjoyed the Saturday afternoon. As I was leaving the beach, Steve Pendarvis’ wife Cher was donning a wetsuit and heading out for an optimistic surf.

After that, grinds were in order, so Josh Hall and I bounced to Gino’s before hitting the road and enjoyed some fine pizza and good conversation on our way back into NYC — in fact, I’m pretty sure Josh ate pizza while he was here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Stuck in traffic, I thought it would be apropos to give him a rundown on New York’s hip-hop history, which brought us all the way up to pulling into Brooklyn. Mollusk Surf Shop NYC was generous enough to host their East River Fish Taco Cook Off in conjunction with the Fry(e), with three of New York’s finest chefs doing battle in the street to see who would walk away with the title of best taco. Not sure who the winner ended up being, though the Lobster Roll Taco got my vote and I think the whole thing ended in a tie.

I was then regaled to the basement of the venue, where I slung beverages provided by Blue Point Brewery until the well ran dry and I again got to mingle on the street. Up until this point, I hadn’t gotten to talk much with the Pendarvises, but I was antsy for my opportunity. After a proper introduction, I talked story with both Steve and Cher for some time and was amazed by how kind and grateful they were to be a part of such an event so far from their home. Steve had me in stitches as he was so animated in his storytelling, whether it be design theory, reminiscing about stashing his boards in the bushes at a San Diego surf spot as a kid and riding down to surf after school, or being catapulted in the air by his flex tail surfboard at Hanalei Bay. Cher is also an absolute sweetheart and is the total embodiment of aloha. Both have surfing roots that run so deep and have been such integral parts of our sport’s rich history, so it was truly an honor to meet them.

As the party was in full swing, we kept an eye open for the boys in blue that lurk for the unsuspected partygoer carrying an uncapped beverage on the street. We grabbed some brown bags and kept a vigilant eye out while talking some more, before everyone parted ways at the end of the evening glad we had all developed a cross-coast bond. After a quick cleanup, the party commenced and another New York City night ensued.

Although there was no surf, the 4th Annual New York Fish Fry(e) was a total success. It’s great that an event like this is gaining momentum in the metropolitan area and heads are busy getting jazzed on quality board design and theory. For next year though, a little bit of waves wouldn’t be bad."

For more on the New York Fish Fry(e) and to stay abreast of future events, visit www.fishfryny.blogspot.com