The U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington will have two shark boats in the water. Unbelievable!
I told you just days ago that ex-WSL CEO Herr Paul von Speaker is sitting on his parlor’s settee and grinning smugly. Two roses rest in a floral Ashley Madison vase just below a Thomas Kinkaid limited-edition lithograph titled, The End of a Perfect day.
He was right.
When all was said and done, surfing is the most watched sport on the planet. And when our old flame went on Fox Business News and pronounced that it would be the most watched sport on the planet we all laughed. Laughed him right out of a job. But he was right and do you think he was thinking “sharks” all along?
Do you think he was considering warming oceans plus over-fishing times over-population equals an increase in shark on surfer action? Do you think he was calculating that it would only take one exceptional kick-off to get the numbers rolling that increased incidents would continue to pad?
He must have been, right?
And now, sharks at contests are the new norm.
Who would have ever even though, one decade ago, that the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California would have two dedicated shark spotting boats controlling the lineup? The Orange County Register reports:
This week in Huntington Beach, where shark sightings have become the norm the past three years, organizers of the U.S. Open of Surfing aren’t taking chances with the 200 surfers from around the world who’ve come to their contest.
Guards contracted with the U.S. Open of Surfing will monitor the contestants from two personal water crafts, specifically watching for sharks, according to Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Claude Panis, who met with event organizers this week to talk about shark safety measures.
“The organization is in constant communication with its athletes and event organizers regarding venues, safety protocols and response abilities,” the World Surf League said in a statement. “There will be multiple safety and response skis in the water during the US Open and we’ll be working with lifeguards to ensure everyone stays safe and has a great event.”
The possibility of a shark encounter is a statistically legitimate reality. Panis said there were 56 shark sightings at Huntington City Beach in 2015 and 36 sightings last year. So far this year there have been 17 sightings in the city beach area where the contest will be held. And while that number is down in Huntington, other spots along the neighboring coastline — in Dana Point and Long Beach — have seen a dramatic upturn this year, with sharks being sighted in some spots almost daily.
Lifeguards and the two private water craft operators will be in constant communication, Panis said.
Some 750,000 people are set to attend this year’s extravaganza and just imagine if they are treated to a great white snatching Brett Simpson’s board as he Huntington Hops down the line? Just imagine if young Kanoa Igarashi gets swallowed whole then gets spat on dry land like Jonah of old (unharmed except for a slight bleaching)?
Surfing will grow into the stratosphere and probably double all sports combined.
Yes, ex-WSL CEO Paul Speaker is grinning smugly next to his End of a Perfect Day.
If you go in the ocean, you may be bitten. Many surfers, including myself, have faced this reality their whole lives. I don’t like people/beaches being “terrorized” by anything, but for god sake people need to sack up or sit out!
How long do you think before the WSL figure the equation Shark + Surfer = Assload of Money? When they do how long after that until we see Steven Spielberg, sipping a Corona, sitting on the ORCA controlling Bruce at every event?
Now they’re doing this? Real big fuck you to the groms last month I guess.
Thomas Kinkade is to painting what Carlo Rossi is to fine wine.
The only thing missing is a “whites only” sign on the front door.
In a bit of a pickle and could use some excellent BG advice. I am surfing Chicama, and surfing it badly. The current is insatiable, I am catching 1-2 mediocre waves every half hour because I am always out of position. The thing is, other kooks have given up on paddling completely and are paying boats to bring them to the top of the lineup after every wave. I’ve lost count of the dirty looks I’ve given these boats, and the mediocre surfers they carry, as they power past me. Now I feel the need to join them if I want to catch any decent waves.
Does this just prove that I am weak? If I pay for surf, can I still maintain the moral high ground in some way? Or can I still pretend I have the moral high ground? Or does none of this matter as just having contemplated paying for the boat am I already tarnished?
Please Help!
Get in the fucking boat!
Yea what the fuck, swallow your pride.
Go ask Laird. He’s in the expensive hotel with all the rich guys from LA.
He has his own private boat though. So not much good.
grow a beard , shave the side of your head . ride a single fin , get some tatts , and then stroll back up the point doing yoga poses evey 100 yards , and show them who you really are , a cool unflustered man , who revels in being non-conformist , but is in no hurry or has no need to be on every set wave , its all about the quality of your experinece , BUT , if you are like the rest of us , spend some money you titearse , and get a boat , drop in on Laird and fuck everybody else!
Catch long wave. Exit water. Walk to top of the point. Paddle out. Repeat.
Wouldn’t surprise me to see a number of members from the U.S. Olympic Committee as special invitees by H.B. rubbing shoulders with Speaker and/or Ziff in the VIP viewing tower. This US Open is about winning the hearts and minds of the US Olympic Committee. No other US venued contest is better positioned to do a dry Olympic trial run. The two boats are a way to broadcast to every nation’s surfing Olympic hopefuls that Mom and Dad didn’t just make every sacrifice they did to watch their kid get that horrid sixth Olympic ring….the unenviable GW bite circumference ring.
How bout the QS 20K Reunion Island Pro. Let’s see how bad they want it!