OSSIES SURF SHOP TEAM RIDERS
PIONEER YET ANOTHER LOCAL NORTHWEST SLAB WAVE.
Friday, January 25th, 2008. 8:00 a.m. Although air temps where in the 20’s and the roads were almost too icy to drive on, the surfing conditions were favorable. As I sipped coffee and checked the surf report from NOAA’s National Data Buoy Center from the safety and warmth of my home, Ollie Richardson was standing out in the cold offshore winds on the cliff near South Point in Depoe Bay watching a wave the local 
fishermen call “Flat Rock” explode off in the distance.
fishermen call “Flat Rock” explode off in the distance. “How’s the beach break in Lincoln City looking?” Ollie asked me over the phone. “A little inconsistent. It’s glassy, but kinda all over the place...and it has that low tide funk” I replied. Ollie goes on explaining the conditions where he’s at and tells me that He and tow partner Dan Hasselschwert are considering cracking the place but would like to have a look at the beach break and are risking the slippery drive into Lincoln City with jet ski in tow.
“Well I’m getting ready to meet Jason down at “Canyons” (the local beach launch) so I’ll see you guys down there too.” I said to Ollie and hung up the phone. As I got in my truck and drove in to town, I remember thinking how those guys are always so excited to tow new slab waves that no one else in the area wants to surf. I just laughed it off and tried to mentally prepare for my own tow session that was soon to take place in the beach break near Lincoln City.
When I arrived at Canyons I expected to see the usual faces of surfers and photographers hanging out in the parking lot, but that day was different. There were no tow teams launching there jet skis, there where no photo or video crews jockeying around to document the happenings of the day, Not even the usual early morning beach comber searching for glass floats. The beach was too cold and totally vacant that morning. I sat in my truck with the heater on high and watched the off shore winds blow the tops off of the waves while I waited for my surfing companions to arrive. After about ten bone chilling minutes I called my tow partner Jason Garding “where is everyone?” I asked. “We were all down there and the waves suck!” exclaimed Jason. “The tide is too low and it looks like a lot of hassle for nothing.” Apparently, I had been late that morning. Jason went on to tell me that Dan and Ollie had already been there and that they had decided to drive back to Depoe Bay to surf that wave out in front of the harbor. Next, I put in a call to the Double Vizion Photography crew and told them that something historical was about to go down and that they needed to be there to document the tow session. After that I drove down to Depoe Bay to see first hand what Dan and Ollie were getting themselves in to this time.
At first look, I was amazed! I grew up in Depoe Bay, watching the waves break near the channel. Many times I have mind surfed the bowling sections that throw mean spitting spray out of the left side of the wave while it consistently barrels. Now the daydream had become a reality. It was so awesome to see how Dan and Ollie had turned this otherwise hazardous area into there own aquatic playground
. Once again due to the frozen conditions, I sat in my truck with the heater on and watched Dan whip Ollie into the massive A- framed peaks of Flat Rock.
. Once again due to the frozen conditions, I sat in my truck with the heater on and watched Dan whip Ollie into the massive A- framed peaks of Flat Rock. They circled around the bay many times, patrolling for the biggest and best shaped swells that they could catch with the assistance of there jet ski. Dan (driving) would track along on the crest of an approaching swell while Ollie (surfing) leaned hard on his heels in order to pre-load the tow rope for what towsurfers call “The Whip” a maneuver that allows the surfer to get a burst of speed before letting go of the rope and committing to 
surfing the wave. Ollie being a regular footed surfer was mostly taking the rights which although not as hollow, seemed to give longer rides that day. The right hander wanted to take you toward more shallow water near the impact zone so it was slightly more dangerous than the left. “Just don’t take off on the first wave of a big set.” Said Ollie as he shrugged his shoulders when I asked him about surfing the rights. The Left would just rear up, throw out a huge top to bottom barrel, then violently spit out all of the air trapped inside it and then just drop off in to deep water which is the channel all of the fishermen use to navigate the harbor entrance. “It’s not a very long ride but the left has a very powerful section that is obviously reading something down there on the bottom!” Said goofy footer Dan Hasselschwert. Unfortunately, Dan never got to surf that day. While trying to switch the foot straps around on there tow board from regular to goofy foot stance the tip of there screwdriver shattered from a combination of the corrosion and cold temperatures. Due to minor equipment failures and extremely cold weather the team was forced to return back to the dock.
surfing the wave. Ollie being a regular footed surfer was mostly taking the rights which although not as hollow, seemed to give longer rides that day. The right hander wanted to take you toward more shallow water near the impact zone so it was slightly more dangerous than the left. “Just don’t take off on the first wave of a big set.” Said Ollie as he shrugged his shoulders when I asked him about surfing the rights. The Left would just rear up, throw out a huge top to bottom barrel, then violently spit out all of the air trapped inside it and then just drop off in to deep water which is the channel all of the fishermen use to navigate the harbor entrance. “It’s not a very long ride but the left has a very powerful section that is obviously reading something down there on the bottom!” Said goofy footer Dan Hasselschwert. Unfortunately, Dan never got to surf that day. While trying to switch the foot straps around on there tow board from regular to goofy foot stance the tip of there screwdriver shattered from a combination of the corrosion and cold temperatures. Due to minor equipment failures and extremely cold weather the team was forced to return back to the dock.As an oregon surfer I know first hand how fickle surf spots can be. Flat Rock is no exception to the rule. For example, If the swell gets much bigger than what it was on that day, the Coast Guard will place a restriction on the bar. Crossing a restricted bar is illegal and the Coast Guard can issue a fine of up to $1,000.00! Ollie told me that He and Dan have been watching this place for the last 2-3 years and this is the first time they have been able to surf it. “The place seems to break on the same conditions that some of our other favorite surf spots break on.” Said Ollie when I asked him about future sessions at Flat Rock. “The whole set up seems to be ideal for tow surfing” he stated. With a safe and easy harbor entrance, $2.00 parking near the user friendly boat ramp, and a U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Boat on standby, it seems like the perfect tow surfing spot in the area.
Somehow, I don’t think we will be seeing any takers out there in the near future though. Dan and Ollie surf because they love it and are miles ahead of the rest of us when it comes to tow surfing. Look for these guys to go down in Oregon Surf History as they have already had a huge impact on the tow surfing movement here in the Pacific Northwest.
Flat Rock 1/25/08
LOCAL SLAB PIONEER OLLIE RICHARDSON
DAN HASSELSCHWERT & OLLIE RICHARDSON
Written By Ken Wilson
Photo’s by Double Vizion Photography
OSSIES SURF SHOP
(541) 574-4634
4860 N. COAST HWY. 101
NEWPORT, OR. 97365
