An Afternoon With Eithan Osborne and Micky Clarke

Ventura is the last place you’ll see groms going to the beach in golf carts or zig-zagging between cars on electric bikes. And if you do see that, there’s a good chance those groms will have to wrestle someone upon arrival at the beach. It’s a surf town that takes care of itself. Of all the coastal beach towns in Southern California it’s the most uncomfortable with the “Surfin’ USA” lifestyle — surf industry bros and bright wetsuits have long been discouraged from flashing. It’s still a one surf shop town (give or take) and it usually produces well-respected locals who quietly surf really well. 

Dane Reynolds has obviously used Ventura as a backdrop for Marine Layer and now for his Chapter 11 project, but the focus of Chapter 11 has shifted a bit to the next generation of core groms from the area. Dane is using his audience to give the next generation an authentic platform to shred on — something we need more of regionally. The other option being join the Vlog world or start self-promoting yourself into retirement. And chances are if you went that way, there’d be a local named Adam Virs who might heckle you into unplugging that Vlog account.

“YOU HAVE TO OWN YOUR SHIT HERE,” EITHAN OSBORNE SAYS. MEANING: PREPARE TO SEE YOUR EGO CRUSHED THE SECOND YOU GET A LITTLE COCKY.

We drove up to Ventura one afternoon for some parking lot time — a definite highlight of the Ventura zone. Dane quickly locked his keys in his car, Coors Light cans were floating around and the waves were “more fun than we expected.” We also got to meet two of the hard-working young guys from the Chapter 11 squad: Eithan Osborne and Micky Clark. Keep an eye on Chapter 11 (I know you do), these are those guys. —Travis