My origins

This is me. I'm a 7'1" Hull. Deftly shaped by Steve Mast. Here I was in Gut-Bucket's apartment a few nights before we left for Peru. Gut-Bucket wanted to get some shots of me before he waxed me and dulled my luxurious finish.
This is my creator Steve Mast EL Maestro (above) with 7'5" Cali Fun-Gun (Una tabla Mucho quick).

I was glassed by the master-glassers Randy and Kevin at Channin's in Encinitas, CA.

Me and Sancho. Gut-Bucket's other prized possesion.

So I begin...
Call me Ata. Sit close and listen to the stories of my travels...

...I was named, by my owner Gut-Bucket, after Atahualpa the last Inca King.

Atahualpa in the custody of the Spanish.

The same King who was captured by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro. The same King who offered Pizarro to fill a room full of gold and silver as a form of ransom to gain his freedom. The very same King who was denied that freedom but granted one final wish. Which was to be killed by having his wind-pipe crushed by a garrote as opposed to being burned at the stake. Not much of a 'wish' if you ask me. Still, for the Incas, who believed that the soul could not pass on to that sweet-by-and-by after it had been charred, death by strangulation was infinitely preferable to being roasted.

Now, so you know, none of this has much to do with me or my travels. I don't see myself getting garroted on this journey. Truth is I stand a better chance of being ripped from the roof rack by hard gust of wind, and then being crushed to dust on the highway under the wheels of a semi. No, my name only matters as it relates to my destination; Peru.

Gut-Bucket thought the name was appropriate because he had ordered me to be shaped to take on our trip to Peru. Peru is famous as the land of left-handed point breaks: Lobitos, Chicama, Punta Hermosa and Cabo Blanco. Or as our guide Pulpo called them break punts'. Good man Pulpo. Great Guide and compadre.

Cabo Blanquillo, one of Peru's famous left points. Breaking here as it never did during our trip.

So I was made to ride lined left points. Made to catch the waves with ease and rise up and skim down liquid walls tracing long, languid lines. Kind of like Nat Young in "Morning of the Earth". Unfortunately instead of Nat Young I was piloted by Gut-Bucket...

Gut-Bucket; not quite Nat Young, is he? Can you see the inspiration for his nickname? Ah, he did his best with me.

My origins are somewhat of a mystery. I believe I was created out of a blank supplied by Mitch’s surf shop north. Maybe a US blank? What is certain is that I was molded by the gifted hands of Steve Mast. He is also a tattooist, and aside from shaping several boards for Gut-Bucket he also tattooed Nuestra Senora de la Guadalupe on Gut-Bucket's calf as a memorial to his mother Molly, God rest her Soul.

Tattoo by Mast. A lovely tribute to mama.

My colors red with a white comp-band were an homage to the Peruvian flag. Which was well received by the locals. Based on what the called me in Mancora, Peru my name should have been “Ay que linda la tabla”.

Honestly I don’t know what made a bigger stir me, or Gut-Bucket’s tattoo of the Guadalupe. “Mira que bonita es ella!” was all we heard in Lima. People would stop on the al Jiron de la Union and just stare at Gut-Bucket’s calf. Jiron de la Union, downtown Lima, Peru

Some even would ask permission to touch it. He let them. How could you say no. They were obviously touched by the image of the Blessed Mother on some white dude’s calf. Why not? What’s the harm?

From here on out, what follows is a series of photos of me at different surf spots throughout Peru and Costa Rica. Along with my accounting of events, most of which is true. Now, some of these pics I didn’t want put up but I lack the necessary fingers to delete them. So if there’s a shot where my tail looks huge or my hips look flabby it’s probably just bad lighting. Face it I'm sexy. Damn sexy. I was shaped by Mast and glassed at Channin's. With that pedigree I can't help but be one hunka-hunka burnin' hull.