A marine layer is an air mass which develops over the surface of a large body of water such as the ocean or large lake in the presence of a temperature inversion. The inversion itself is usually initiated by the cooling effect of the water on the surface layer of an otherwise warm air mass. As it cools, the surface air becomes denser than the warmer air above it, and thus becomes trapped below it. The layer may thicken through turbulence generated within the developing marine layer itself. It may also thicken if the warmer air above it is lifted by an approaching area of low pressure. The layer will also gradually increase its humidity by evaporation of the ocean or lake surface, as well as by the effect of cooling itself.^{[citation needed]}Fog will form within a marine layer where the humidity is high enough and cooling sufficient to produce condensation. Stratus and stratocumulus will also form at the top of a marine layer in the presence of the same conditions there.

In the case of coastal California, the offshore marine layer is typically propelled inland by a pressure gradient which develops as a result of intense heating inland, blanketing coastal communities in cooler air which, if saturated, also contains fog. The fog lingers until the heat of the sun becomes strong enough to evaporate it, often lasting into the afternoon during the "May gray" or "June gloom" period. An approaching frontal system or trough can also drive the marine layer onshore. With Southern California's high concentration of military bases, a marine layer propelled inland can be colloquially described as "the marines coming inland".

Dane Reynolds (born September 7, 1985 in Long Beach, California) is a professional surfer from Ventura, California. He is known for his "go for broke" style of surfing that includes many experimental and aerial maneuvers.

Reynolds started surfing at the age of 10 after he moved from Bakersfield, California to Ventura. It was here on the point breaks around Santa Barbara and Ventura that he honed his progressive style of surfing. Reynolds first started competing at age 13 and at 16 had dropped out of school to surf.

Reynolds competed in the 2003 and 2004 X-Games and received the highest single wave score both years. The 2008 ASP World Tour marked his rookie year on the esteemed tour after finishing 2nd on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) behind Jordy Smith. His ranking on the WCT in 2008 was 19th with 4066 points, then he moved up to the coveted "Top Ten" (10th) in 2009 with 5219 points. In 2010 Reynolds had a breakout year, ending up tied for fourth in the 2010 ASP World Tour with Taj Burrow. His 2011 tour started disappointly missing the first three events due to a knee injury.

Taylor Knox (born May 15, 1971) is an American professional surfer. He is currently competing on the ASP World Tour.

Knox was born in Thousand Oaks, California and began surfing at 8 years old. He moved with his family to Carlsbad at 13 and continued to pursue his dream of becoming a pro surfer. At age 15, he had to undergo back surgery after a damaged lumbar vertebra from a skateboarding accident threatened to paralyze him. He spent the next six months in a cocoon-like body cast.

In 1990, Knox participated in the World Amateur Championships in Japan. He finished fourth place, ahead of fellow USA team mate Kelly Slater, who placed fifth. He began his ASP World Tour campaign in 1993.

In February 1998, Knox won the inaugural K2 Big-Wave Challenge, an event that offered $50,000 to the surfer who caught the biggest wave of the winter and had photographic evidence. The winning wave was a 52-foot ride at Todos Santos during the Reef Big-Wave World Championships. In 1999 Knox took a one year hiatus from the World Tour. He returned in 2001 and achieved his highest ASP World Tour rating of 4th place.

Paul Brandon Gilbert (born November 6, 1966 in Illinois, USA) is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr. Big, as well as many solo albums and numerous collaborations and guest appearances with other musicians.

He has been voted number 4 on a list in GuitarOne magazine of the "Top 10 Greatest Guitar Shredders of All Time", as well as a spot in Guitar World's 50 Fastest Guitarists of All Time list.

Gilbert was raised in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Around 1981-82, he first contacted Mike Varney, founder of Shrapnel Records, asking for a gig with Ozzy Osbourne. At the time, Varney couldn't think why Osbourne would want a 15 year old guitarist, but after listening to his demo he changed his mind. Gilbert was featured in Guitar Player magazine at the age of fifteen. They talked for the next 3 years, until Paul went to L.A. for the GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology), and then was ready to record Racer X's debut album Street Lethal.