The Doors of Malta

One of my favorite parts of my recent trip to Malta was the architecture. You feel like you are in a cross between Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East. Most of the buildings are an off white stone, some crumbling, some new built on top of the older buildings. When you walk down the narrow streets you can feel the old european influence. Here are some of my favorite pictures of the many doors of malta.

Fits Like a Glove: The Process

Working on the book on the history of Body Glove was one of the most amazing experiences and life testing projects that I have ever worked on. Last week I was going through all my pictures and I found these from one of the last times we all met to discuss the book and review it. These photos made me smile as I reminisced on how crazy the book writing and publishing process is. Though we were all driving each other crazy going over every little detail we made it through the process and have such an amazing story to share. 

"Fits Like a Glove: The Bill and Bob Meistrell Story" 

http://www.amazon.com/Fits-Like-Glove-Meistrell-Story/dp/0982694067

Sometimes you just need a little extra energy from Body Glove Surge

Robbie Meistrell pounding his head against the desk with Bob smiling in the background

Billy Meistrell making his final edits

Uncle Bob reviewing the draft

Scott Daley, master of controlling the madness

Frank Gromling, publisher and author, just wanting us to tell him what to do!

A Little Slice of Paradise

One of my favorite parts about traveling is feeling the “rubber band snap”. It might sound weird but I promise its the best feeling ever. It happens when you board a plane and you are heading on a new adventure. You take off, feel the airplane wheels retract, level off at a cruising altitude and games on… best feeling ever… Especially when you are heading to the North Shore.

One of the best parts of traveling is going on mini adventures with friends. On the North Shore there is a great little hike up Bunker Hill and you get an amazing view of the North Shore. Thanks to these peeps for waiting for me!!! Steep hills aren’t always my best friend :) I promise I only fell twice! There is a gorgeous view from the top. So amazing being able to see the lines of waves heading towards Pipeline. 

Nothing like a post hike snack. This trip I learned what Pitaya was and oh my was it tasty. So many awesome food trucks on the North Shore. One of the things that I love most about the North Shore is how healthy you can eat. Maybe not if you go to Ted's Bakery (which I so did) but there are tons of healthy options!

There is nothing better than traveling with a buddy. Lucky girl here got to travel this island with this adventure girl! 

We had one massive house full of a lot of crazies but I wouldn’t have had it any other way… well maybe next time I won’t be sleeping in the bathroom… but it was quite the adventure! With this view it was all smiles. Can't get much better than sunsets on the North Shore a glass of vino :)

So much healthy eating on the North Shore… and the best of all was Beet Box… such an amazing little place in Haleiwa. Definitely my favorite find of the trip! Lionel Richie posters everywhere, the cook rocking out to Fleetwood Mac… such a cool little joint.

This girl always makes the simplest things so much fun. So stoked she talked me into booking a ticket so I could make some guacamole with her :) 20 avocados later and oooooh la la such amazing Guac! 

Even though the view was tough to beat, the best part of the trip was hanging out with everyone. We had a great group of retailers, reps, all of our surfers... just one big happy family :) Here is a shot of the crew hanging out on the deck getting some amazing footage!

Gotta put your toes in the sand one last time in Waikiki before heading home, while singing the Zac Brown band song "A** in the water, Toes in the sand!!!"  ... something like that :) Till next time!

Fits Like a Glove: Korea Calls

My grandfather fought in the Korean War. Though I have always appreciated it, the older I get the more I realize how proud I am to say that my grandfather was a United States Veteran. I was lucky to be able to work with our book publisher, Frank Gromling on "Fits Like a Glove: The Bill and Bob Meistrell Story." I was able to spend a lot of time researching my grandfathers experience in Korea for the chapter titled, Korea Calls. I learned a lot! Its been over a year since the book was published and today I decided to re-read the chapter for the first time in awhile. I decided to post the chapter today to share my grandfathers story of the being in the Korean War. Happy Veterans day to every hero who has fought for our country. I hope you enjoy the read.

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Korea Calls

As the United States entered the Korean Conflict, Bill and Bob decided to join the Navy, but when they tried to enlist Bob was rejected because of his high school back injury, and Bill wouldn’t enlist without his brother. Shortly, however, life on the beach ended abruptly for Bill and Bob when they were called into the Army. The Korean Conflict was changing the lives of many young men in America and Bill and Bob were drafted in 1950. Bob thought he wouldn’t be accepted but, as he remembers it, “They said, ‘You’re warm, you’re breathing, you’re in.’” While Bob was assigned to the Army’s Fort Ord induction center in Monterey, California, in an administrative role, Bill was shipped off to Korea. This was the first, and last, time the twins were ever separated, and neither of them liked it.

Bill Meistrell in his combat fatigues.

Bill’s tour in Korea saw him assigned to a heavy mortar company on the front lines. He had thought he was signing on for a heavy “motor” unit, because he was interested in fixing and working on things. Despite his wanting to avoid the front lines, ultimately Bill earned a Bronze Star for bravery.

Bill on active duty.

Bill in South Korea.

Because Bill had worked for a telephone company before being drafted, he was sometimes given work to repair the unit’s communication equipment. In Korea, communication between units was hard wired and run on the ground and where Bill was stationed the lines had been severed somewhere in a valley between his unit and another. There were heavy artillery and counter-attacks in the valley and the US troops were taking heavy fire. Because the lines were down, they could not request help. Against orders, Bill went running from the camp with a large spool of wire to try to re-establish communication. He ran about a mile.

His unit’s commander, Captain Baron, told two other guys to follow Bill, which they did for a little while but, when they saw all the enemy activity, they figured there was no way he was alive. When they returned to camp, Captain Baron ordered them to look again. The men didn’t find him the second time, either.

Before nightfall Bill walked into camp without a scratch after re-establishing the communication lines. Based on the significance of his brave act, he should have received the Silver Star but, because he was a communications technician and wasn’t “allowed on the front lines,” the army gave him the Bronze Star. Captain Baron said, “Bill was the bravest soldier he ever commanded.”

Incredibly, even while in Korea, Bill succeeded in finding time to get into some water. On a Rest & Recuperation break at a beach in Pusan, he found a guy sitting on a high chair, like those used by lifeguards back in the States. He asked him if they needed more lifeguards and, in what Bill thought was a lifeguard test, the guy told him to swim out to a black object offshore. “So I beat the water to a froth and when I got back, he told me I was a good swimmer.” Then the guy asked Bill what the black thing was. Incredibly, he and others had watched it for three days and thought it might be a shark. Bill told him it was a big rock, turned in disgust because the lifeguard obviously wasn’t much of a lifeguard, and headed on down the beach.

While Bill was fighting for his country in Korea, Bob had drawn an easier assignment in Monterey, California, and quickly found places in Santa Cruz where he could surf. In his 24 months at Fort Ord, he and Patty lived in several different apartments and homes in Monterey, Pacific Grove, Seaside, and Santa Cruz. One day Bob and Patty took a trip north and stumbled on Santa Cruz. They instantly fell in love with the little town and Bob liked the surf he saw there, too, so he and Patty decided to live there, even though it was 45 miles from Fort Ord.

Bob hitch-hiked to work until one day Bob met a man in a coffee shop who worked in the photographic section for the army and Bob rode with him most mornings. One day after his shift Bob got a ride from Captain Jefferson, an administrative officer at Fort Ord, and ended up riding home with him every night. Bob tried to pay for the gas but the captain wouldn’t accept any money, so Bob did his yard work to repay him for driving him home. 

While in Santa Cruz, he and Patty lived at Pleasure Point and at 17^th Street, both locations near the ocean. Not many people surfed the ocean in Santa Cruz at that time. Every time Bob took a trip back to the South Bay he loaded up his car with the new “lighter” surfboards and sold them in Santa Cruz to surfers who were hungry for the new innovation. He was more interested in having people to surf with than he was in the money he earned.

Bob often surfed at night after work during the week at Pleasure Point. While this was easier in the long summer daylight hours, surfing in the winter became more challenging. He’d park his car overlooking the ocean and turn their lights on at night, facing one large rock to give them some idea of the surf and how the waves were breaking. With luck, he’d get in about 15 minutes of surfing before he got too cold to continue.

Every weekend when the surf was good, he’d call his friend Chuck Nichols, who lived 20 miles inland in Los Gatos, to tell him to get down right away. They wore wool sweaters that had kind of an oily texture to them. When they got wet, the guys would take them off, whip them around their heads to dry them as best as possible, and put them back on. 

Another place Bob surfed in Santa Cruz was at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River, where it flowed into the ocean. He, Patty and their son Robbie cooked out on the shore of the river, with Bob then paddling out the river to the ocean. Again, there was never anyone surfing there. But, Bob did find one new friend on these frequent outings.

A little seal approached Bob several times, often staying very close. One time Bob brought anchovies with him and fed some to the seal, who climbed right up onto the front of his board. The seal balanced on the board as Bob surfed to shore. 

Bob surfing in Santa Cruz while stationed at Fort Ord.

It was in Santa Cruz that Bob realized more than ever that there had to be a way to reduce the potential for hypothermia from the cold Pacific Ocean and the cool northern California air. He realized that wearing woolen sweaters, rushing to a campfire on the beach or the heater in his car to get warm, was just not enough. Nothing worked well. He knew something had to be done, but a solution was years away. 

Patty Meistrell in Santa Cruz while Bob was stationed at Fort Ord.

The twins after honorable discharges from the U.S. Army in 1952.

Do What You Love, Love What You Do- Bob Meistrell

Today I lost one of the most important people to me in the world, Uncle Bob. When my grandfather passed away Uncle Bob without hesitation stepped in with an open heart and did everything he could do to fill in. I couldn't have asked for a better 7 years. One thing about Uncle Bob that I will never forget is his love and passion for life. It still amazes me how much zest he had for almost everything that he did no matter how big or small. From running a business to wanting to save the clippings from his succulent plant so that he could pot them and grow more. I think his love for the ocean transpires all of us. Especially our family. We will always be connected to the ocean through my grandpa and Uncle Bob. They taught us to love everything the ocean has to offer us and in return we need to protect it as well. The most important thing that I think that we can learn from both my grandpa and Uncle Bob is to do what you love and love what you do, because if you are not enjoying life then you really aren't living. This last weekend at Catalina with Uncle Bob was one of the best weekends I have had with him. He was in his element and I hope when I think of Uncle Bob I always look back at how happy he was this last weekend.

I have been so lucky to have had some amazing adventures with Uncle Bob. Here are some photos and stories of the great times we have had. There are many more that I want to share but heres a start:

For all of you who know him you will never forget this quote: "If you are smoking on this boat... You had better be on fire." 

This photo was taken right before he went on a dive for his 82nd birthday.  He loved these foam hands so much. He would always use them to wave as boats passed. 

A photo of Uncle Bob and me before his birthday dive. All three generations of Meistrells dove with him this day. It was an effort getting 18 sets of gear on the boat but we did it!!

Uncle Bob with his 82nd Birthday sign :)

Aunt Patty and Uncle Bob at Dive N Surf holding the photo of the family that went on the dive with him that day. 

I love this photo. These are wetsuits that were made in the late 80s early nineties and believe me the rubber was thick and not flexible. My dad, Uncle Bob and I squeezed into these suits and we went on a dive. We called it "Clowning Around."

This is my favorite photo of Uncle Bob. He is holding a picture of my grandpa. Now they are both together. 

This is a trip that I will never forget. Uncle Bob and I went cage shark diving at Guadalupe Island.  When the guide told us we could get out of the cage Uncle Bob was the first to get on top. Each cage got to stay under for about 30 minutes and he said he could have stayed down for hours even though the water was freezing. 

Uncle Bob loved to go and look for whales. This day we had a pod of blue whales that were about 30-40 feet long. Probably one of the coolest days off of Palos Verdes.

This day we went searching for Pilot Whales. I got to use uncle Bobs mask when we dove in the water to check them out. You can see the mask around his neck. He loved that oval face mask. You couldn't get him to wear another one. 

Uncle Bob got a call from a guy one day that had just bought a submarine and invited Uncle Bob to go over to Catalina and go for a ride. The man picked us up in an airplane and we jetted over to Catalina. The man drove the submarine the whole time which drove Uncle Bob crazy because he just wanted to fly through the water but it was an amazing experience. When we flew back the man took us around down town Los Angeles during sunset. I will never forget that ride.

The submarine crew. And boy did Uncle Bob love his submarines. Those of you who know him well I am sure have heard hundreds of his stories of diving in his yellow submarine.

No one lit up a tradeshow booth better than Uncle Bob. I am really going to miss having him there. Here were are a DEMA and took a break from standing on the show floor and went over to the oxygen booth for a little R and R. 

Always a jokster. Here is another R and R moment after dinner at our house. He said he was so content he could just fall asleep at the table... so I brought him a pillow. Couldn't snap the photo before he started laughing though.

Here we are at the Society of Environmental Journalist conference in Miami. Uncle Bob was always dedicated to keep ing the ocean blue. Even if he had to pick up the trash piece by piece in the harbor with his pool net.

Here we are with Jean Michel Cousteau at DEMA. Another effort to bring awareness to the ocean.

Jamie Daley Uncle Bob and I at the breakwall in Redondo.  Nick Meistrell, bobs grandson took the photo. 

Bob holding up the 60 Year Anniversary edition Body Glove SUP board. Pretty remarkable that the business has lasted 60 years. 

Uncle Bob and Aunt Patty came into the office every day. That is what I am going to miss the most. Their smiles as the walked in the door. It would be hard to think of a day of work that Uncle Bob did not stop by. This day was so gorgeous they pulled the chairs out front and decided to soak up some sun. 

Uncle Bob and I doing a little product testing of our winter line. He loved this hat.

Aunt Patty Uncle Bob my dad and I all dressed up at the Hardrock in Vegas. It was jazzed themed and we were rocking out.

This is from the Catalina Classic last August. Uncle Bob had his massive bag of croakies and he was handing them out to all of the paddlers. He loved those croakies and from the smiles it looked like the paddlers did do.

This photo wasn't taken too long ago. It was the real boss sitting in the head chair telling the younguns what to do.

This photo was taken on Friday while we were driving to dinner. Aunt Patty and Uncle Bob were so in love and are a perfect example of a couple that loved each other for so many years. We should all aspire to have a life full of as much love and happiness as they did.