Human Ragdoll

Camping on the beach is amazing.


There's nothing quite like rolling out on the sand and staking claim to your own little piece of heaven. That's exactly what I did last night. I drove a few miles down the beach and found the perfect spot to camp out and watch the clouds roll in off the water. During the day, the shimmering surface of the ocean with its constant south wind gently rolls waves all along the shore....perfect for some surfing and kayaking. We had some great sessions and were absolutely exhausted, there's something about spending all day in the water, it's a happiness few people ever really know. The sun was setting on another picture perfect day which, as usual, created one of those classic postcard scenes that many of us who live on the coast take entirely for granted.

Watching the moon rise over the ocean is something you have to see. The horizon is so defined and distant that it gives the moon the most beautiful setting to bless us with its presence. Every time I see this.....it moves me. I feel compelled to thank the moon for the waves we have enjoyed, for without the moon, there would be none. Typical of a coastal nighttime sky, clouds drift in off the water. They are giant and fluffy with a kind of glow to them....somehow the moonlight gives them a light all their own. They roll in like squadrons of aircraft silently moving across a backdrop of stars. The stars are also unique out here far from the lights of town they can be seen all the way to the far horizon. They shine with a brilliance that can only be appreciated with a total absence of light. Watching the clouds and the stars I become aware that something big is moving out in the water. Whatever it is, it is kicking up a phosphorescence trail in its wake, absolutely beautiful.

I set up camp as the wind begins to kick up from the south. I decided to park my JEEP in between me and the beach in an effort to break some of the wind. I am kind of weird.....I Love setting up camp and camping chores in general. I get lost in it. I can truly say that I really enjoy camping and everything that comes with it. I step back and admire Base camp. The tent gently fluttering in the wind, the reflection of clouds overhead in the JEEP's paint, Kayaks and Surfboards everywhere. I am a blessed man.

Reading a book inside my tent I feel the south wind kick up even more. This happens from time to time.....the weather out here has a knack for being bipolar. Looking at the interior of the tent and watching the fabric whip back and forth, I am reminded of so many times in the past that I have been here. Inside a tent through every element you can imagine....wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail......I have seen it. Canyons. Mountains. Plains. Riverbanks. I've camped on ship decks and bivied on the side of mountains......the funny thing is, in here.....you could be anywhere. Unless you unzip that door and look out into the night, you could be in any of these locations and situations. The view is always the same in here, like being with a good friend. And I gently drift off to sleep listening to the wind test the nylon......the waves rolling in the surf....It's absolute perfection.

Mother nature it seems doesn't want me to get too soft.

Around three in the morning, I wake to something that just doesn't seem right. Groggy and unawake, I look around and try to focus on the situation. Suddenly, a North wind slams into the side of the tent, tossing my feet up over my head. I'm still not quite awake when this happens and my brain feverishly tries to process this assault. My first thought is that one of my friends camping nearby is messing with me. That someone is grabbing the tent and trying to roll me over. As I am about to call out to whoever is doing this, The next gust of wind hits the tent with much more power than the first. So much power that my brain thinks whomever is doing this must really be pissed. The tent rolls violently over, tossing me through the air and pitches me into the side of the JEEP. As the wind subsides, I come crashing down on the sand just as the next gust rams the tent once more. Again, I am tossed into the side of the JEEP. Only this time I am pinned, the wind is full on now and has no intention of letting up. I had my warning....and I did not react fast enough. The air mattress is an excellent rigid sail that the wind is using as leverage....constantly slamming me into my vehicle. The last of the stakes gives way and the wind rolls me right over the top of the JEEP. Carried by the wind.....I am rolling head over heels straight toward the surf which I can hear growing louder as I near it. I fight for a hand hold on anything, but my fingers find no purchase on the slick nylon. The air mattress, my sleeping bag, and everything else is tumbling with me.....and suddenly I feel a familiar shaped as I am thrown to the ground....one of my tent stakes. These over sized stakes I use in the sand are just like a normal tent stake, only massive, about a foot long. I seize it and brace for my next tumble. As I slam into the ground.....I drive the stake deep into the sand.....like an ice axe when your trying to arrest a slide in the snow. I use my leatherman to cut a hole in the fabric and squeeze out through the opening. As soon as I release the stake......the tent is torn away.....rolling violently for the water.

I find myself in such a different setting than the one I fell asleep in. The wind is gusting at near hurricane force and I find it hard to even stand. Sand is racing across the ground and stings every inch of exposed skin as I make my way to my vehicle. The JEEP bucks wildly in the wind as I watch my tent get absolutely battered by the surf. My heart is racing.....My body starts to feel the pain of being tossed like a rag doll as the adrenaline fades from my system. I catch myself laughing that strange laugh that people get when they have been scared and pushed a little too far. That laugh that is usually accompanied by tears or uncontrollable shaking. Going from comfort to chaos is hell on your senses....there will be time to reflect on this later....right now, I have a tent I have to fetch from the Ocean.


I have the all kinds of weather monitoring equipment. No one called for a Northern to blow in with such fury. I have seen this happen before and wondered what it would be like to be caught in a situation like this. No need to wonder anymore. I am a veteran camper....there is just no way to prepare for something like this. I check the weather before every expedition, but make no mistake....have no illusions......if mother nature decides you need to be tested, then your in for a ride. She's a hell of a teacher.......sometimes giving the test before the lesson. underestimate her and she will humble you every time.




Can't wait for my next lesson.
See You Out There.......


-Chase Savant

Laundromat Lunacy

In such concentration he stares at the dryer window. Perplexed by its constant rotation, mesmerized by the chaos within. As if he were looking out a porthole into a storm of whirling sea. I can not help but wonder the source of his fascination. What could possibly occupy his mind to justify such focused attention? Did the spinning laundry reflect an imbalance in his life? Did the vortex of garments encapsulate some state of disarray in his mind? Did the twist and turn of clothing harbor some havoc that he found deeply meaningful? Had he lost his equilibrium and become paralyzed by the revolution of fabric? Has he found himself beginning to unravel, spinning...losing his grip on his very sanity?

Or, more likely, is he just Easily entertained?

I suppose I am as well. You should have seen this guy. Starring into the dryer window with absolute fixation. It was like he was trying to dry the clothes with his mind. I watched him for half an hour and I don't think he ever even blinked. That guy is on a whole new level of strange.

Possesion of the Heavens

The Sun is Coming.

A faint glow on the horizon will soon be replaced with the first rays of sunlight announcing the arrival of another day. The Epic battle between night and day over the possession of the heavens. Though the sun always prevails...the night never fails to challenge the reign of day. This morning will be another glorious confrontation.

The darkness reluctantly loses its hold on the horizon as shades of amber, red, orange, and gold fight the night back in a furious attack upon the front line of darkness. Armies of light breach the defenses and race across the morning sky. They fall all around me like fire, kissing the sand surrounding me and begin to replace the chill of night with the warmth of day. As the night retreats across the sky, darkness is replaced by a stunning blue....an impossibly deep blue that envelopes the stars. The infinite void of space with its countless stars burning begins a magical transformation. For a moment, it is a challenge to decipher night from day. In this moment the Star field above me looks as if night and day are one. As if a handful of diamonds has been cast across the bottom of a dark blue pool. As the forces of light lay claim to the far horizon...only the most brilliant of the stars remain, all others have faded into the truest blue sky. Radiant beams of light emit from the apex of the sun as the king of the daytime sky makes his presence known. The sun rises past the razor thin line of the horizon and lays claim to a new day.

on the opposite horizon....the slight hint of darkness whispers a promise into the sky. A promise that the suns victory will be short lived as the forces of night gather their strength. For the Sun rules the day............ the night, however, belongs to the Moon and Stars.


-Chase Riley Savant

Carvers Dream

A few years ago I got into Carving. Or as some people say, Longboarding. It's basically a big skateboard outfitted with really technical trucks that allow you to turn very sharp turns. I have a few boards. Sector Nine. Original. CarveStick. I have even built a few of my own. That turned out to be a really fun experience......never really thought about "Wheel Bite" before. Thats comes just before "Road Rash" in the carvers dictionary.

I am a big fan of the Sidewinder Truck. It's essentially a double truck and it carves like a dream. I recently moved from the coast to the hill country and let me tell you, it is a carvers paradise. There is all kinds of hills here, long bombs, switchbacks, blind turns. One of the guys at Wind N Wave in Flour Bluff told me about the hill country and it has been every bit as good as he claimed. There are several hills where I live that provide several minutes worth of drop. Coming from the coast....that is like living a dream.

Sector Nine has been very helpful with my efforts.......they have helped me find the set up that fits my style and have been really informative when it comes to gear. Big Fan of S9, if you have questions...they've got answers. Give them a call, they're awesome.

Yesterday, bombing a local hill I have dubbed the Goat Trail....I slid for at least thirty yards, no hands. Been working on my slides and that one was my best. I felt a little out of control in the beginning but once I got my form dialed, it all came together. I can't quite explain how that makes me feel. Even now, years into this, I still get a rush out of losing traction. That moment where I Lose it and Find it.....gives me a rush like nothing else.

I'm looking for other Carvers in the Dallas area. There's tons of skaters but few longboarders. On the coast, there were longboarders everywhere....the surfing scene is all about carving. It was there that I got into KiteSkating. The addition of the Kite was a new twist on it that turned out to be a lot of fun. I'm looking for an area big enough, without overhead obstructions to start KiteSkating up here. If there are any Carvers out there interested, just let Me know.

-Chase Savant

Macro Photography

Macro....beauty is in the details.

Every time I work with Macro photography I am amazed at the little details. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Whoever wrote that never REALLY looked at one. To get lost in a photo is like stepping back in time armed with the vision to fully appreciate all that the sight had to offer. You look long enough in ANY picture and you will find another, possibly more interesting picture. Maybe they meant to say that a picture is a thousand worlds....that would be a little more accurate.

Stand Up Paddleboarding

I've Kayaked. I've Surfed.

Never in my wildest dreams would I do both on the same watercraft. I have kayak surfed and it is awesome....its such an amazing adventure to use something you are so familiar with in a new method. Paddling out in a kayak is so different than a surfboard. That transition was such a fun experience. What a rush it was to feel that kind of power in a new way. I was in heaven, I could not think of anything the next morning except getting out there again.

New things fuel my soul.

Then I saw my first paddleboard. At first sight, I thought it was a windsurf rig. Closer inspection made me realize it was a freakishly big surfboard. All I knew was that I had to try it. All the surfers were crazy about how well it caught waves. You could catch waves so much further out than ever before possible and you could ride waves too small for any standard surfboard. The applications for this mutant board in the surf were amazing. The concept of standing on a board and the ability to paddle around in that position was enlightening. My brain lit up like vegas thinking of all the places I wanted to take it. I have been in Oceans, Rivers, Lakes and ponds. I have surfed on it. I have fished from it. I have even used it as a Dive boat. There are so many things I have done...and so many I intend on doing.

I have always held great affection for non motorized forms of motion. There's something about the quietness of it all, just the sounds of nature all around you as you make your journey. To use nothing but your muscles to power yourself through an adventure is as real as it gets. A true test of yourself that reveals to you answers you didnt even know you were searching for. If you haven't tried it....give it a go. You will be in Heaven.

If you have tried it, give me a shout. Tell me how it changed your life. Share your adventures with me. Here's one of mine....

May 5th .... somewhere on the river.....


Sitting on the lakeshore looking across the water I can see the break in the trees that must be the mouth of the river that feeds this lake. I realize that I am so fortunate to be here...in this moment. I close my eyes and take in all the smells and sounds of this place. Flowers blooming on the lakeside.... honeysuckle blowing across the water from the far shore. Birds singing the songs of summer against the backdrop of leaves blowing in the wind. The smell of wet grass and wood from the giant Oak that sits halfway in the water. Upon opening my eyes, I see a perfect summer day. Clouds so fluffy and thick it looks as if you could walk on them. The waters surface so calm that there is a perfect reflection of the clouds as they drift slowly across an incredibly blue sky. Cottonwood trees are setting their seeds adrift on the wind and for a moment you would almost be convinced it is snowing. A duck quacks in the distance. Somewhere a dog barks. And the sounds of people laughing while children play fills the air. People are not the same out here as they are in town...they're quick to smile, eager to laugh. Life is good outside.

I pull the paddleboard off the JEEP and lay it in the grass. It always gets some strange looks out here...people just dont know what to think of it. Its a surfboard allright. Ten feet six inches of four inch thick happiness. I put on my leash, grab my paddle, and head toward the water. Its usually about this time that someone comes to ask me what I am doing, where I got the board, and can I really stand up on it. Sure enough, a man walks over to me and asks me these questions. I tell him I am from the coast and that I am up here checking out the lakes and rivers. He is quick to tell me everything about this lake and the river beyond, he offers to draw me a map of the things I must see here. I take him up on the offer and I hand the board to his grandchildren. They take turns paddling around and jumping off of it, then try and see if all four of them can stand on it at the same time. I look around at this mans family and see that he is blessed. His beautiful family is gathered around him laughing and telling stories. Barbeque is cooking on the grill and it smells so good. There's a table draped in the iconic red and white checker pattern that has graced so many picnics in the past. There's beer and watermellon, dogs chasing eachother, laughter, smiles.......just pure Joy.

There are moments in our lives that leave an impression. A thousand work weeks fade into time....but this day. This Moment, is everlasting. No one here will ever forget this day. I feel Blessed to have shared it with them.

I Thank them for their hospitality and tell them I must get moving. They protest and insist that I have some BBQ when I return. I tell them that I would be happy to and then paddle out into the lake. There is something about Stand Up Paddleboarding that is magical. Its like you're breaking some rules here.....standing atop a board, paddling across the water. The elevated prospective gives you a front row seat to all that is around you. It's as if you're walking across the water, not down in it, not on its surface, but standing up and gliding forward. Amazing. I set the paddle and take off.

Reaching forward, I set the paddle and draw it back. A few more strokes and I am moving quickly across the water. It's amazing how fast these boards are, how effortlessly they glide. Small waves gently pop the underside of the turned up nose of the board. They are occassionally joined by larger waves that have been caused by passing boats and jet skis. After paddling this board out in surf, through the breakers, These wake waves make me smile and think of things back on the coast. Fisherman watch with strange looks as I paddle past them and I know deep down inside they want to give it a try.

This lake is beautiful. Texas has so many lakes and each one has its own specific type of beauty. Trees of all kinds line the shore which can change from mud to rock in just a few feet. In some places there are huge rocks and I can see fish swimming around them. its time for a dive.

I grab my mask from my deck bag and dive in. The water here is cold and murky. The kind of water that makes you think of Lake Placid and if you stare into its depths too long...you just might convince yourself you saw a giant crocodile. Swimming in the rocks reveals more fish than I thought I would see. Minnow. Perch. Crappie. Bass. Catfish....and Turtles are everywhere. I follow a turtle into the rocks and watch him swim in front of me. Its funny the difference between sea turtles and freshies.

swimming back up to the Board is a cool sight. Looking at an SUP from below, it looks every bit like a surfboard. it would be interesting to watch someone paddle while I swam underneath. Back on deck I look to the horizon and realize that a storm is blowing in from the east. Here in central texas a storm can bloom up in a moments notice. A sunny day can turn dark quickly. I decide to head back to basecamp and leave exploring the river for tomorrow. Besides, there's BBQ waiting.