A Slice, A book and a Pint

Caught Inside by Daniel Duane

“Caught Inside: A Surfer’s Year on the California Coast” by Daniel Duane. For those of us obsessed with checking the tides and the surf cams and dropping everything we are doing at a moment’s notice (work, girlfriends, boyfriends and other grown-up responsibilities) to go chase the next swell, this book makes for the perfect read. A memoir of Duane’s time spent surfing California’s Santa Cruz coast after quitting a dead-end job, the book delves deep into the surfing life and what makes it such an alluring thing for those who choose to pull on a wetsuit, grab a board and paddle out. From the history of surf culture to the physics of wave dynamics, the intricate art of surfboard design and sharp-eyed descriptions of the flora and fauna of the Pacific wilderness, “Caught Inside” is a must read and one of our favorites from the shelves of the PPC library.

This book paired nicely with a slice of our new winter seasonal Pork Belly Hawaiian Pizza and a pint of Christmas on the Beach Mango Passion IPA from Orono Brewing Company - just the right choices for a cold winter day.

An interesting backstory to this book: About 12 years ago during a meeting with El Jefe (our fearless leader here at PPC) he seemed a bit dazed and shaken up. Turns out that earlier that morning before work he had been out surfing some pretty gnarly waves during the fall hurricane season here in Maine. The ocean was fierce that day and he experienced a serious wipeout that left him thrashed on the beach in a bad way. He credits this book with getting him back in the water, charging the waves and ready for the next swell.