The Watery Rave

Even if you can’t be a Big Star In A Karaoke Bar you can look like one. If you’re into cold Corona’s, pretty girls in cowboy hats and country music superstars that own flip flops (and who isn’t), be sure to check out this little seven piece band rolling through you’re town soon, along with the smallest biggest name in live performances. Kenny Chesney kicked off his Goin’ Coastal Tour the way any other country music superstar would, by opening on St. Patrick’s Day in West Palm Beach, Florida. The 49 stop tour rolls its video screen and amp collection across the U.S. and Canada like a stegosaurus-sized chick magnet, as Kenny and the band belt out new tunes from his Number One album Hemmingway’s Whiskey along with a jukebox full of past number one hits.

 For those that want to get a little closer to Kenny, this year’s tour will provide the opportunity to keep Kenny Chesney “Somewhere With You” at all times. Chesney who has a lifelong passion for the ocean and beach environments and shares it in his music also digs seeing what’s out there and protecting these environments for the future, which is why this year’s tour will feature the sale of Limited Edition Signature Kenny Chesney Costa’s, with proceeds from the sales going to the ocean conservation group Coastal Conservation Association.   

 After trying on every single pair of Costa’s in the warehouse (with the help of every female employee on the property), Chesney selected five Costa styles for his limited edition sunglasses line.  Each style – Hammerhead, Caballito, Rincon, Howler and Little Harbor – feature unique hand drawn artwork etched inside the sunglass arms, along with Kenny’s signature. And since the KC Limited Edition Costa’s represents only Chesney’s passion for the ocean, SEC college football fans will be disappointed to learn there are no orange frames with a music box implanted that play Chesney singing Rocky Top in the mix.  

 The artwork designs on each sunglass style are tied to a piece of Kenny’s life – one style features the song lyric, “No Shoes. No Shirt. No Problems!” while another commemorates the 2011 “Goin’ Coastal” tour.  The etched sunglass designs are reminiscent of scrimshaw, an ancient art form practiced by Native Americans and then Yankee whale men in the early 1800s, who carved nautical images on whale’s teeth during long sea voyages.

So When The Sun Goes Down, we’ll all be groovin’ in outside stadiums across the continent, but when the sun comes up, we’ll be diggin’ the fashion and function of the Limited Edition Kenny Chesney Signature Costas.

Get your Limited Edition Kenny Chesney Signature Costa’s at one of the tour stops below, or visit the Costa website www.costadelmar.com. 

Casey Ashley knows what’s out there. Whether that’s on the St. Johns River in Florida or Lake Murray in South Carolina, the Bassmaster Elite Series Pro can be found pitchin’, chunkin’ and windin’ as he lives his dream of getting paid to go fishing in the best bass lakes across America. But the work (and dream) doesn’t stop when the boat hits the dock. At night, you can find him on stage at events along the Elite Series trail singing about his passion–fishing and music—a one-two combination that touches the soul.

During five years as a professional angler, Ashley has nine Top 10 finishes, yet many of his biggest fans know him as the singer of the song “Fisherman” that’s often heard playing from tow vehicles waiting at the ramp in the predawn darkness. The popularity of Ashley’s music has driven him to Nashville, where the fishing is good, but the music even better, as he hit the studio recently to record two new singles “Sunshine” and “That’s What I’m Fishing For.” 

If you can’t catch Ashley in a Honkey-Tonk, you certainly won’t miss him on the water in his newly wrapped Costa sponsored boat as you see your reflection in Ashley’s Costa’s Corbina and Harpoon frames with 580™ green mirror and 580™ copper lenses. And while he’s looking good, he’s seeing even better, which means any bass without a case of lockjaw can potentially find itself on stage, right beside Ashley, living the dream.  

The Rest Of What’s Out There—Anywhere, Earth (and then some)

 THE STORY:

Costa Del Mar Sunglasses are more than the best eyewear on the planet—they’re a lifestyle. From being able to spot a swarm of black “V’s” moving left as a school of pig permit ghost off the flat to standing on the beach counting the waves in a clean-up set before paddling out, Costa’s follow us on an active lifestyle of action, adventure and unbridled fun.

 Whether you’re a fashion statement and don’t know it, ripping across a lake in the glass calm dawn or getting ready to high-five the guy holding the gaff the second he stings that giant wahoo, your Costa’s are the window to seeing what’s out there. Why see your future when you can live your future?

Some people will sacrifice comfort for style, but Costa believes fashion, function and total eye protection are the gateway to a great outdoor experience, even if you’re just hanging out on a sandbar with the family. In other words, when you’re in the groove, we’re grooving along with you and helping make the experience the best it can be. Because when you can’t see everything, you’re not totally out there.

If it’s cool, rad, fun, adventurous, crazy, gnarly or just a mellow groove, it’s Costa Cool. That might come from the best barbeque shrimp in Islamorada, a shotgun that lived in the hands of a legend or a lost hunting dog that found its way home. Happiness comes from within, and if it can touch your soul, you know it’s Costa Cool.   

THE ADVENTURE:

Life is an adventure—for everyone. Whether you’re tossing a Frisbee in the parking lot at a Kenny Chesney concert or freefalling 50 feet down a waterfall in a plastic boat, the things that make adrenalin zing through our veins are the places we visit when life gets tough. For some, it’s the endorphin highway, for others it’s the sweat on the back of a bucketful of longnecks, and for many it’s the accomplishments along the way, whether that’s switchfoot walking a longboard, pretzeling a rod or screaming “I’M THE KING OF THE WORLD!” from a mountaintop.

Our adventures start with you and end with everyone you impact with your actions. Whether that’s the kids down the street who “Ollie” up on the old skateboard you gave them, the stream, river or ocean you protect with your time, vote and heart, Costa Del Mar is right alongside you riding the rush and protecting it for future generations.

So what are you waiting for, the passion comes from within. You can’t See What’s Out There, if you can’t be Out There. Live the dream, love the lifestyle, be the adventure, experience all that’s out there.   

THE PLAYERS:

Life, death, and how you spend the time in between determines the Rest Of What’s Out There. These are the things that bring out the passion when you tell the story of an adventure to the point that your fingers are curled and your voice cranks a deeper octave and everyone listening steps into the moment with you. Most never even realize their Costa’s were there along the way, but we do because we’re out there every day.

Yeah, we’ll slip in content of what’s new and cool with the Costa army of celebrities, outdoor extremists and misfits, but we’ll also add a dash of the stuff that makes an experience epic. See the future. Be the future. Even if it’s in the lumber yard.

Summertime and the 4th of July just seem like the right time of year to talk about bass fishing, doesn’t it? We went digging in the IGFA film vaults again for something bass-centric and came across a little film of two guys fishing for smallmouth bass in Lake St. Clair in Michigan. What’s the trouble Clyde? Talk about the good ole days…

Big Jumpers Bass: Vintage IGFA Video from Costa Sunglasses on Vimeo.

It’s no secret that Chris Fischer loves to fish and he and his crew are no doubt pros at it. But there’s a method to the madness and there’s certainly more to it than just catching fish. We caught up with Chris at his home in Utah and dove deeper into where he’s been and what he’s up to now.

Captain Rick Murphy and Joe Gonzalez tag a nice Permit down in the keys as part of the tagging efforts that we’re pushing in conjunction with the Bonefish Tarpon Trust. To date, BTT has sent out more than 4,200 tags and more than 240 Permit have been reportedly tagged. That means the first ever population study of Permit in Florida is well underway. It’s our hope that this effort will help all parties involved to better understand what’s going on with Florida’s Permit so we can protect what we have so that future generations can have a shot at catching one of these beauties. Learn more about the effort here.

Chris Ross has been our go-to photographer for many of our adventures. He’s a pro in every sense of the word and isn’t afraid to jump in (literally) and get shots that few others have the skill (or guts) to get. Chris has been along for much of the Expedition Great White revelry, here are some of our favorites from his time with Chris Fischer and crew.

Click to view the Photo Gallery.

We really dig these frames and the guy we named them after. Turns out other folks are digging them too. Here’s what Outside had to say about Fisch frames.

Before you start looking, know exactly what you’ll use your shades for: Generalist sporty street designs get you around town and through low-impact pursuits; bigger challenges call for sports-specific numbers. When it comes to superfine optics, glass is unparalleled, but chances are you’ll want lighter polycarbonate (plastic) lenses if you play rough, even a little, with any chance at all of facial impact. The skinny on tint: Go with brown, copper, or amber for almost anything on terra firma.  Performing in lowlight or fog? Try yellow. Rose or violet are ideal for serious speed sports in medium or flat light. Gray, first choice among newbies, is often not the best choice—while it’s good for open water and the road, it’s less so for action sports, as it can flatten the view. If you go with gray, get polarized lenses, which filter out glare—a big plus except where sheen off wetness or ice is vital data (as with road bikers).

(more…)