Failure of morality: Waco, Stab and the
brave post-truth era!
By Chas Smith
Lies of omission are still lies!
Son of a bitch and I’m just gonna come in hot
here because I’m boozed and because Stab‘s repackaging of
BSR Cablepark’s press release was not only a crime against
literature it was a crime against truth. A crime against fun. A
crime against anything good or decent.
A crime against surfing and son of a motherfucking bitch.
Did you read? Are you caught up?
Let me fill you in. A young man from New Jersey tragically died
from brain-eating amoeba after surfing the BSR Cablepark’s fabulous
new wave that seemed both more enjoyable and more democratic than
Kelly Slater’s. The Centers for Disease control and Health
Department tested the facility and while not finding
any Naegleria fowleri, the hideously responsible
villain, concluded that, “epidemiologic and environmental
assessment indicate that exposure likely occurred at this (Waco)
facility.”
Today, after CDC tests and scares that hit too close to home
for anyone who has visited BSR Cablepark in Waco, the wavepool,
Royal Flush Water Slide and Lazy River have been cleared of the
brain eating amoeba that took the life of New Jersey’s Fab Stabile
at the end of September.
The news of Fab’s death fell on the back of Stab High and
raised anxiety into the highest tier. After plenty of research, it
became apparent that the amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, is incredibly
rare…and incredibly deadly. According to the CDC, out of 143 known
cases in the United States, only four infected individuals have
survived.
Every year, come winter, BSR shuts down then reopens in
spring, on March 1st. On September 30th, following the tragic death
and pending investigation, the park closed its doors a month
earlier than it did in 2017, October 31st.
Etc.
It was an embarrassing lie, plain and simple. A lie of omission
and exactly in line with our brave post-truth era. Oh some will
read that as a repudiation of Donald J. Trump but he is just
dancing in the ballroom frequented by Nazi Germany’s leadership
before him. The left is dancing in the same ballroom popularized by
Stalin’s Soviet Union before them.
Post-truth ain’t nothing new. It is the language of the fearful.
The language of bastards too scared of honesty to be able to read,
react and play.
And fuck it all. Fuck them all.
I get why BSR Cablepark denied denied denied. They’ve certainly
got some serious lawsuits on the horizon but for Stab to
jump in and release straight propaganda as legitimate is… is… well,
it is fucking infuriating.
All of this stupid surf lie bullshit reminds me most of the Andy
Irons’ autopsy release.
Do you remember? It was delayed for many months before being
loosed with a note from the family reading, in part:
The autopsy concludes that Andy died a natural death from a
sudden cardiac arrest due to a severe blockage of a main artery of
the heart. Dr. Vincent Di Maio, a prominent forensic pathologist in
San Antonio, TX, who has consulted on many high-profile cases, was
asked to review and explain the autopsy results to the
family.
He states: “This is a very straightforward case. Mr. Irons
died of a heart attack due to focal severe coronary
atherosclerosis, i.e., ‘hardening of the arteries.’ He had an
atherosclerotic plaque producing 70%-80% narrowing of his anterior
descending coronary artery. This is very severe narrowing. A plaque
of this severity, located in the anterior descending coronary
artery, is commonly associated with sudden death.”
The surf media pounced on the “Oh! He died of a heart attack!”
angle. Another lie of omission but not quite as infuriating. That
could have been viewed from the “covering heartbroken loved ones”
point of view. Not the clear and utter bullshit of corporate
protectionism or even worse Stab’s crowing about
the airing of its Stab High on
television tomorrow, though I do suppose it makes sense coming from
a chubby, bejeweled boy
hungry to call the police for something he couldn’t
handle himself.
And here is something I struggle with as a “surf journalist.” Is
it even vaguely important to get to the bottom of a story or are
our rose colored lenses part of our charm? Is that what people
always want?
Fuck it all if it is what people want. Our truth is far rosier
and don’t need obfuscating lies as cover. Yes our heroes are
cocaine addled. Yes our pools are deadly.
Wanna paddle?
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Waco, Texas (October 12, 2018) – Results of
environmental sampling conducted by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) in collaboration with the Waco-McLennan County
Public Health District (WMCPHD) and the Texas Department of State
Health Services (DSHS) found evidence of Naegleria fowleri, a
free-living ameba (single celled organism) that causes Primary
Amebic Meningoencephalitis, a rare and devastating brain infection
with an over 97% fatality rate at the BSR Cable Park and Surf
Resort (BSR). A New Jersey resident who had visited BSR this summer
died after contracting the disease. Epidemiologic and environmental
assessment indicate that exposure likely occurred at this
facility.
CNN: Dead New Jersey surfer “likely”
exposed to brain-eating amoeba at Waco Pool!
By Derek Rielly
State and federal officials find evidence of
brain-eating amoeba at BSR cable park. Meanwhile, Waco pool press
release declares "water tests come back clean." Bullish!
A day before Stab High last month, a New Jersey surfer,
Fabrizio Stabile, was dead in hospital after visiting
the Waco wave pool.
Whether he got it in the unfiltered water of the pool or not
wasn’t clear. Maybe he’d stuck his head under water in the hotel
jacuzzi. Maybe he’d dived into a rancid backyard pond.
Who knew etc. Until today.
Stabile “was exposed while
visiting the BSR Cable Park and Surf Resort in Waco, Texas, during
the summer,” a Waco-McLennan County Public Health Districtsaid.
Water samples taken by local, state and federal health
officials at the beginning of the month ‘found evidence of
Naegleria fowleri,’ the amoeba that causes the infection, according
to the health district.
The health department concluded, “epidemiologic and
environmental assessment indicate that exposure likely occurred at
this facility.”
Although the amoeba itself was not found in water samples
from the park, “the presence of fecal indicator organisms, high
turbidity, low free chlorine levels, and other ameba that occur
along with N. fowleri indicate conditions favorable for N. fowleri
growth.
The tests were taken from the park’s Surf Resort, Royal
Flush and Lazy River features. Those areas are to remain closed
until “all health and safety issues have been addressed and
mitigated appropriately,” the health department said, adding that
the owner of the park is cooperating and working to develop a
“comprehensive water quality management plan to include current
regulatory requirements.”
The BSR Cable Park said on its website that it is installing
a state-of-the-art filtration system on the three features to
ensure that they are “as clear and clean as humanly
possible.”
Contrast those results with the park’s press release.
It really is a bullish spin. Appropriately Trumpian.
“BSR SURF RESORT, Lazy River & Royal Flush slide WATER TESTS
COME BACK CLEAN” and “BSR Determined to Go the Extra Mile, Set
Highest Standards for Safety.”
First and foremost, on behalf of the entire staff at BSR
Surf Resort, our hearts and prayers are with Fab Stabile’s family,
friends, and the New Jersey surf community. A precious life has
been lost, and we are deeply saddened for his loved ones.For the
past two weeks, increased awareness of this incredibly rare
disease, Naegleria fowleri, has swept the globe. What will come of
all this news coverage and commentary? At BSR Surf Park, we are
determined it will help save lives. Although comprehensive test results have now confirmed that the
water at BSR Surf Resort meets every standard for safety, today I
am announcing that we are going the extra mile and hiring a North
Carolina firm to install a state-of-the-art filtration system to
make our water in the surf, on lazy river, and at the Royal Flush
slide is as clear and clean as humanly possible. It will take us to
February to complete the installation of this new filtration system
working very closely with local, state and CDC officials.
There are only a few of these man-made surf parks in the
country today, but many more will be built. Our goal is to set the
highest standard for these facilities. Going forward, BSR Surf
Resort will have the cleanest water anywhere in the United
States.
I built this water destination resort so people of all ages
could learn to surf and wakeboard — and then go home safely to
their families. We take pride in our park and the safety of every
guest. And to be clear, it’s not just the guests that use the park.
It’s also my family, our friends, and our employees that
essentially live in our water. My two year-old twins play on that
beach, and — as kids do — they drink the water every time. So you better believe my cousin, who tests and treats the water
every day, is damn sure no one gets sick. BSR wants to thank everyone that has supported us from the
start, and believed in what we are trying to do. We want to make
people happy — and safe — and that’s what we are going to continue
to do.
We will update you on our progress through social media and
our webpage, and look forward to seeing everyone soon with clear,
blue, clean water.
World Surf League on Quik Pro: “Massive
attendance at the beach with 1000s of people worshipping their
idols!”
By Chas Smith
It's time to believe!
The World Surf League seems to really be
hitting stride, really finding its voice. I sometimes joke at the
perceived tone-deafness but whatever is happening now is pure art.
It feels just too good and did you watch any of today’s finals? Of
course Longtom has the
best wrap around but you really should go back and watch some
highlights.
It is like the day bent toward the WSL’s will. Remember, the
forecast for the event was less than stellar. It was bad, even, but
there, on finals day, the most perfect French waves streamed to
shore with the best surfers in the world plying their trade
magnificently.
A show in the best sense of the word and do you believe in
manifestation?
I think we manifest the very thing we put out. If you’re
putting out negativity, then you’re going to retrieve that same
sentiment. If you emanate joy, it comes back to you.
Or maybe that was Robin Wright but no matter. The message is the
same as it was when Kevin Costner declared, “If you build it, they
will come.”
We mocked the WSL’s manifestation, or at least I did, but
today there were near perfect waves for a French final and tomorrow
there will be massive attendance at the beach with thousands of
people worshipping their idols. Not literally tomorrow, obviously,
the event is over, but figuratively tomorrow.
Don’t believe me? Examine this bit of Universe tinkering.
See it there in the bottom right corner? Massive attendance at
the beach with thousands of people worshipping their idols?
Do you believe?
I do. Not literally believe, obviously, because I’m a Gen-X
cynic, but figuratively believe.
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No great insight to pick another epic showdown
between Gabe and Julian Wilson as the heat of the contest. And that
was what it was. Totally nutty. Julian threw an air, Gabe launched.
Wilson greased a huge corked, inverted backside rotor. Judges took
an age to award a unanimous ten. Gabby rode a million more waves
but couldn't find the one to equal the boost. Again, it made the
air show redundant.
Quik Pro Finals: Julian Wilson wins; Wilko
weeps; Gabriel Medina new world number one!”
By Longtom
Hossegor wraps in fine, six-foot velvet…
Justified criticism from Tired of Winning and Nick
Carroll that yesterday’s wrap was unjustly harsh to Keanu Asing, or
that I wasn’t qualified to deliver the message. Maybe
it was but nothing personal.
The harder the WSL wraps its athletes in fairy floss and spins
magical thinking into them the more disposed I feel to tell the
brutal truth. They spent the majority of Keanu’s stint in the booth
quizzing him on how to win heats.
That was cruel. This is a man who clearly does not know how to
win heats. His rookie year was so bad that even with an event win
he was kicked to the QS curb. His return year, 2018, is even worse.
The better, if much harder and more awkward questions would be: why
do you keep losing and what do you need to do, to improve, to win
heats?
Convict logic? Jumped the shark?
Instead of pumping the guy up with false hope and a bland denial
of reality wouldn’t it more humane, as well as more sporting to
simply state the obvious: the guy ain’t cutting it on the CT. At
least give him a chance at some honest self-reflection and chance
to improve. Pete Mel could simply observe his skill set isn’t up to
scratch, his surfing is well below the criteria rather than the
incessant droning that “He belongs here, he’s got a huge heart etc
etc”
I say the numbers don’t lie and Asing’s are woeful. Nowhere near
CT standard. Instead of pumping the guy up with false hope and a
bland denial of reality wouldn’t it more humane, as well as more
sporting to simply state the obvious: the guy ain’t cutting it on
the CT. At least give him a chance at some honest self-reflection
and chance to improve. Pete Mel could simply observe his skill set
isn’t up to scratch, his surfing is well below the criteria rather
than the incessant droning that “He belongs here, he’s got a huge
heart etc etc”
In so many cases: Ethan Ewing, Matt Banting, Mike February, just
to name three off the top of my head, there are many others, pro
surfers seem helplessly caught in this spider web of deceit – an
innocent fraud, to be sure – being wrapped around them in the guise
of …. what? Kindness? Positivity? A memo written from middle
management?
Positivity and kindness are great for children and the elderly
but to sports people we owe the truth. It just works out better for
everyone that way. My personal qualifications to deliver that
message? In a BG surfwriter man-on-man or man on woman surf off at
Surf Ranch I would beat Chas, only because he has a busted wing.
Otherwise, just a guy who can read and understand numbers.
Snake is doing it right. Colapinto straight away fingered the
reason for his heat loss: caught between two mindsets, even with
Rosie coming in too hot. And he surfed an amazing heat. Zeke, even
if the chest thumping is not to your taste ( I dig), has quickly
figured how to win pretty and win ugly.
Dream day today in France. Six-foot glistening beachbreak. A day
when pro surfing stands and delivers. You can never really foretell
these moments, they just seem to pop up randomly like a magic
mushroom in a cow paddock after rain. Ready to blow your mind.
Three-man Round 4 heats seem to deliver the magic. The first one
with Connor Coffin, Jordy and Wilko was tight. Connor seemed a bit
highballed for point-and-shoot tube rides. Jordy had
mid-rangers. The crucial wave around which the heat turned was
ridden by Matt Wilkinson with 9.42 remaining in a 30 minute heat.
It was a wave which defined his whole year. He went upside down
tight in the pocket on a medium-sized right. Once, twice, four
times. A low six all day every day. He needed a 5.9. Judges gave it
a 5.57, just .3 better than a two turn wave he opened on. It was
perplexing.
Wilko was close to tears in the presser. Cooked on the inside
and out.
“It felt like a point better,” he said “but it wasn’t.”
What now? Back to the QS? Or a devastatingly truncated career
ending? There are no good options left for Wilko unless he wins
Portugal and Pipe. I may be jumping the shark again here but the
chances of that are nil.
The next heat will likely be the heat of the contest. Maybe the
year. De Souza, Callinan and Cardoso. It opened right up, became
Rimbaud’s famous banquet from Une saison En Enfer at which
all “hearts opened and all wines flowed”. Callinan blitzed the
place with an improved Occy approach. Actually more like another
Australian goofy-foot who came and went too quickly, Shaun
Cansdell.
The great Adriano De Souza answered back. If there is anyone
qualified to speak about winning heats, both through strategy,
mental warfare and adapting skill set it is ADS. The first to get
under Slater’s skin after AI and rattle his cage. One of the very
few to totally update and perfect a skill set when most ossify and
stagnate. For the first time all event a crowd on the beach felt
the vibe. Callinan finished with a pair of nines. Check the
analyser but it won’t have the sudden impact of the live
viewing.
The next two heats mellowed out. Medina looked insane but still
lost to Mikey Wright in round four. Rosie bought that to his
attention and he gave a little smirk.
“We’ve had some weird heats,” he said “but I can’t say
nothing.”
The Quarters were sick. Connor smacked a wave starved De Souza,
who got lost paddling in the rip. I haven’t got the stats in
front of me but I know R-Cal enjoys a solid winning record against
Jordy and despite a patchy middle section of his heat he beat him
comprehensively.
Julian and Mikey had the best Quarter of the four. Whatever
Julian has done since Surf Ranch his surfing has never looked so
free and so radical. He opened with a greased straight air to the
flats first wave. Intention noted. A tad past the half way mark he
pumped three times and launched a straight slob air, very high,that
made a mockery of the red bull Air show. Judges lowballed it and in
the end the heat looked closer than it was. Mikey was
outclassed.
Final quarter was Medina hunting a line-up in the throes of
deterioration from a niggling S wind and raging tidal flow. No man
alive flenses the carcass of a decaying beachbreak like Gabe
Medina. He proved that in last years Final and again, although the
scores looked close at the end and Seabass surfed insane Gabby was
dominant from start to final siren.
God it’s a relief when the back markers get out of the road and
a man can be truly and honestly positive. I think the Tour should
be stripped back after Surf Ranch and enter Europe lean and
mean.
What? You think that’s convict logic too? PS: How good does
Mikey Feb look on a Red Beauty?
Ah shit…. mutherfucker. I tapped again and hit the
couch, thinking they would finish tomorrow. A little bing woke me
up. They are finishing. They are finished.
Semi finals in classic French high tide left-hand shorebreak.
Good looking crowd of mostly healthy people. R-Cal riding the
wildcard dream wave over Coffin.
No great insight to pick another epic showdown between Gabe and
Julian Wilson as the heat of the contest. And that was what it was.
Totally nutty. Julian threw an air, Gabe launched. Wilson greased a
huge corked, inverted backside rotor. Judges took an age to award a
unanimous ten. Gabby rode a million more waves but couldn’t find
the one to equal the boost. Again, it made the air show
redundant.
What is it with all the studs getting their rigs out in the
pressers? Is that building the audience?
A fog delay. Unbelieveable. They start the final. R-Cal gets a
score, then another. The fog moves in again. I am hallucinating off
my head. Sun sets, five minutes to go. Julian lays out another
fully corked tail high backside rotation. That’s it.
Thats the victory.
Time to swill the Wilson kool-aid.
Quiksilver Pro France Final Results:
1 – Julian Wilson (AUS) 15.34
2 – Ryan Callinan (AUS) 14.23
Quiksilver Pro France Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Ryan Callinan (AUS) 15.30 def. Conner Coffin (USA) 11.43
SF 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.67 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.44
Quiksilver Pro France Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Conner Coffin (USA) 13.50 def. Adriano De Souza (BRA)
7.83
QF 2: Ryan Callinan (AUS) 15.77 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.03
QF 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) 15.10 def. Mikey Wright (AUS) 14.23
QF 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.44 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
10.73
Quiksilver Pro France Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Conner Coffin (USA) 12.50, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.20, Matt
Wilkinson (AUS) 10.80
Heat 2: Ryan Callinan (AUS) 18.53, Adriano De Souza (BRA) 16.50,
Willian Cardoso (BRA) 12.44
Heat 3: Mikey Wright (AUS) 13.96, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.90,
Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 6.70
Heat 4: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 15.90, Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.10,
Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 10.07
2018 WSL Men’s CT Jeep Leaderboard (After Quiksilver Pro
France):
1 – Gabriel Medina (BRA) 51,770 pts
2 – Filipe Toledo (BRA) 51,450 pts
3 – Julian Wilson (AUS) 47,125 pts
4 – Italo Ferreira (BRA) 33,490 pts
5 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 32,020 pts
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I did pick a bad week to stop sniffing
glue!
From the fly-the-friendly-skies department:
United Airlines is the best!
By Chas Smith
Free surfboard travel to and from California!
Five days ago I woke up grouchy, half-read that
United Airlines was waiving surfboard baggage fees for surfers
coming to California, in celebration of surfing becoming
California’s official state sport, and popped off half-cocked.
Something about it being an abomination, flying surfers to
California from elsewhere to steal all our waves.
Well, if you can believe that in my grumpy fog, I both mis-read
and misunderstood the announcement. In fact, all surfboard
baggage fees either going to or originating from California are
waved. A glorious gift!
Now, when the United Airlines representative read and reached
out do you think he was chuckling and gentle or gruff and
threatening?
Well?
I’ll tell you… chuckling and gentle!
Derek & Chas,
I admit I your story on United waiving the surfboard
excess-baggage fee in California made me laugh. Funny. However,
there is a slight correction to it. The surfboard excess-baggage
fee is being waived for itineraries that start AND end in
California. In other words, if you’re going from LA to Honolulu,
your board fees would be waived. So it’s not just bringing the
“hordes” of surfers to California that might happen, but “hordes”
of Californians could be surfing elsewhere.
Oh United, never before has an airline spokesman been so kind.
In honor, I am naming you The Official Airline of Chas Smith’s
Rotten Attitude.
