hard to believe it has been nearly 60days that i've been on the road, away from my family, friends and new baby jones! italy has been amazing. the hospitality of the local italian people is overwhelming. without their support, Bella Vita could never happen.
we have been chasing waves, making amazing dinners, harvesting grapes at the castellani vine-yards and sharing with chris del moro, his reconnection to family and friends here in italy.
we have watched the seasons change from warm summer heat to a tempest of energy as the high-pressure system over the mediterranean breaks down, storm systems take over and violent wind storms produce rideable and sometimes, very good, surf. it is a bit surreal to enjoy everything the world loves about italy and to then combine it with the joy of surfing.
the outer islands are raw and country. i liken it to america's "old west" for surfers. a vast frontier, open, and undiscovered. every drive, every turn, shows us the natural potential this region has- but with sometimes fickle and frustrating conditions, a surfer could spend a lifetime absorbing information on what reef, cove, point or slab could have it's epic day. Rastovich has already eyed a couple shallow zones- that we've been told have never been surfed.
we get our first solid pulse of swell this week- and it will be truly interesting to see what mother nature provides. i think all the locals are excited to see their home-breaks in the sights of chris, rasta and the coffins. it is a very sharing, family oriented culture here and the tribe of surfers is no different. it reminds me of stories i read in The Surfers Journal about early California or Hawaii. Where the tribe lived together, ate together and chased waves together. That spirit is alive and well in italy. We are honored to spend our short period of time within it. - jb 10/14/12
