Joelio
Joel Update 2: As you all know, I myself am back in the good ol' US of A, back to California after spending one fantastic week home in Oregon with family. Joel however is still out in the great unknown, travelling the road less travelled, taking in the sights and the sounds and the adventure and trials and tribulations of a true road warrior. But like any good traveller he eventually has to come home -- which he is doing soon this week. I'm not completely sure but I think he'll be back in San Francisco within the next couple of days. We'll all be glad to have him back.
On his adventures, he actually did get pretty lucky and had a few pretty excellent looking days of surf in Kovalam and in Varkala (both in Kerala, on the southwest corner of India). When I was in those places I noticed and spoke with a few people about the potential they may have, but didn't have any real swell during my short visit. Joel on the other hand timed it perfectly. He'll have to tell you the stories and what it was really like, but in the meantime, here are some pictures he took. (He also had a waterproof camera, which worked for the first couple days, but then broke, right when the surf got the best. Dang it!)
The lighthouse is a pretty well known monument for this beach. Which is a pretty well known beach. And one of (if not the only) beach in India where you can rent a surfboard. The guy in the foreground of this picture is Kafu (edit: Joel says it's Mufu) or something like that, he is the only native Indian surfer I met in my time there. He hangs out on the beach with a ragtag collection of 5 of 6 boards that he has acquired throughout the years. He surfs pretty good too...especially skilled at pulling into the close out waves I think this spot often gets. (See below)
Wave selection 101. Sure you want that one?
Positive? 
Too late now: Committed
And...Pummeled. Good times!VARKALA
Things got a lot better for Joel and co. in Varkala, a tourist beach spot about 4 hours or so north of Kovalam.
Wave selection 101: Lesson 2. Much better!
Niiiiiiice.
For more details, you'll have to talk to Joel. He had a good time, when he wasn't sick. Ask him about his surfboard rescue operation -- surfboard fins made out of cutting-board plastic are probably not the way of future. But desperate times call for desperate measures. Good try bruddah. Anyway looks fun, wish I was there! See ya back home soon!
