Dave Kalama adds, "We must protect the surfers from themselves!"
The second I pressed publish, extolling you to cancel your dentist appointment and tune in to the technological miracle of Jaws and Honolua running simultaneously, the powers in Santa Monica’s high castle smote me for insolence. The waves at Jaws became to0 big to surf safely, lips too thick and drops too severe according to the Big Wave World Tour commissioner Mike “Snips” Parsons.
What did you miss?
Only the benchmark for the next generation Billy Kemper packing a massive barrel. Only men and women putting on a marvelous show, dancing on God’s fury.
And other assorted “hero moves” according to Pete Mel. Now, the swell should be more “approachable” tomorrow but what if the swell disappears entirely? I trust the buoys as far as I can throw them so what if everyone wakes up tomorrow and there is no Jaws?
Will people be sad and call for Snips’ head on a pike or will people understand that safety should always be first?
Big questions for tomorrow.
Keala Kennelly won the woman’s side of the draw as they went first. Bravo to her but I couldn’t help but feeling that the World Surf League missed a grand opportunity. As you are aware, WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt recently found herself in spot of bother for allegedly telling female surfers trying to get in to Mavericks/get equal pay that it was “an abuse of the #metoo movement.” So what if today, they truly flipped the tables, called off the men because too risky for them, but sent out the women?
Front page news around the world!
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Jaws/Honolua live now: “It started as a haunted house, now it’s a haunted mansion!”
The World Surf League unveils technological miracle!
I think you must drop what you are doing right now, even if it is very important, even if it a much needed dentist appointment, and tune in to the World Surf League’s groundbreaking split screen hosting of Jaws and Honolua, both on Maui, both featuring feats of physical and emotional strength.
Back to the split screen, it is a technological miracle. You can silence Joe Turpel (Honolua) and listen to Kaipo (Jaws). You can silence Pottz (Honolua) and listen to Pete Mel (Jaws). You can silence everyone or play both streams at full volume.
All very genius and I think twice as genius in light of the colossal technological fuck up that was Tiger vs. Phil.
Bravo World Surf League!
But wait, who is going to win? Besides us the viewers if we silence everyone?
Have you fallen under the spell of the podcast Ain’t that Swell yet? God knows how many years it’s been going now, six, seven, eight?
Like all things, it’s evolved from a modest back and forth between the writers Jed ‘Smivvy’ Smith and Adam ‘Vaughan’ Blakey to something so deeply Australian, so idiosyncratic and sure of its way, there isn’t a podcast on earth like it.
This episode, which was released two days ago, is a new high point. It is four hours long but you’ll keep listening until your bladder stabs into you.
It is world title themed and features interviews with Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Gerry Lopez, Tom Carroll and Ryan Callinan who “talks about the paddle battle with Medina and calls out Aussies for getting dark on Medina afterwards,” says Vaughan.
Late last night, I recorded a short interview with Vaughan, he in a hacienda that looks like a sinner’s palace in Crescent Head, your writer, in the dirty city.
I am excited even though my thing has long been cured of its ability to have erections.
BeachGrit: God I love this so much it hurts. I feel jealousy, joy etc.
VD: Same! All love should hurt. Otherwise it’s lukewarm likey at best.
Gabby shouldn’t be torn down by misguided nationalistic nonsense for having the heart of a roaring smooth-nippled lion. R-Cal goes right into the whole Subertubos paddle battle which is great to hear with a bit of retrospect, especially cause he loved it until he got to shore and saw that everyone was blowing up.
Talk to me about the Ryan-on-Medina interview.
It’s a snippet from one of the best interviews I’ve heard in a long time (Smivvy did it) but the crux of our cut is that Gabby shouldn’t be torn down by misguided nationalistic nonsense for having the heart of a roaring smooth-nippled lion. R-Cal goes right into the whole Subertubos paddle battle which is great to hear with a bit of retrospect, especially cause he loved it until he got to shore and saw that everyone was blowing up. I guess the thing is that it’s not wrong to let your passion go mad in the heat of the moment, hate as much as you like between hooters, but let it go after that. Joel and Mick have similar sentiments in the same episode, but probably the best observation of Gabby comes from Ronnie who reminds us how much a world title race without a true villain sucks. Gabby is happy to be that guy, and one day I reckon we’ll all end up loving him for it.
Gerry Lopez goes ice cold on SUPS and says that catching waves might be a bit of fun and all, but padding around on your belly on a surfboard is truly the best thing ever. He also says Arnold Schwarzeneggar can’t build model planes because his fingers are too big.
I ain’t eaten the whole four hours yet. What’s the highlight?Ah, the lament of the modern human is always a lack of time. Let’s cook flesh while the irons are fresh from fire! But talking to Parko a few hours after he won Haleiwa, Bainy and Tom Carroll jiving on how scary Pipeline is, and Gerry Lopez going ice cold on SUPS and saying that catching waves might be a bit of fun and all, but padding around on your belly on a surfboard is truly the best thing ever. He also says Arnold Schwarzeneggar can’t build model planes because his fingers are too big. Man, there are so many gems.
Four hours long! How?
Man, we just love the woozle so much and a world title climax at Pipe is the best because there’s just so much to talk about. And when you have Mick, Joel, TC, Gerry and Bainy on hand you let it roll because every one of those guys have won and lost out there and they all have insane shit to say about it. And most importantly, they’re psyched as fuck surf fans who are stoked out of their minds on the whole show. It’s wild how frothy and into it they are. We could have gone for 24 hours.
Do Mick and Joel phone in?
Ronnie and I interviewed Mick in the White House on the Goldy. If you listen close enough you can hear his dog panting into the mic most of the convo. Parko buzzed in from Hawaii after visiting the Moniz house to celebrate Seth’s qualification. He was with Occy, Dog Marsh and Louie. It was like dialling back in time. Biggest buzz.
Tell me how everyone’s character has evolved in the show, yours, Jed’s, Danny Johnson, Pauly-B etc.
Mate, the only thing that’s really changed is that once upon a time we were talking to 2,000 people an episode and now we’re talking to 20,000. And it’s the sickest thing because we’re just fucking around but maybe that’s how people want to consume surf shit when they’re not in the water themselves? All I know is every single person who listens to our podcast loves surfing as much as we do and judging from the questions they send in they know their shit and love taking the piss as well. Actually, I probably scream and swear way way more than I used to. I might have to tone that down a bit. And Pauly works way harder on all our songs and sound effects than he used to too. Smivvy’s exactly the same; wild fighter for the underdog and a total surf mad lunatic. It’s all just stupid fun.
Is the Swellian Army now…a force?
Oath! Swellians are fucking the gnarliest legends ever. Nobody has a better handle on how fun surfing is. UTFS for life!
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Groundbreaking: Surf Snowdonia rebrands as “Adventure Parc” changing the game again!
You have had trouble sleeping soundly, no doubt, after it was reported right here that the world’s first wave tank 2.0, Surf Snowdonia in bucolic Wales, was at odds with Snowdonia National Park over a planned hotel/expansion.
Snowdonia National Park felt the proposed building design was out of character and that the size and capacity of the scheme was excessive, complaints that mirrored the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales own position.
Well, rest easy tonight friend because…….. the plan has been approved and seems more fabulous than ever and let’s go without even slowing down for a breath to Wales’ Daily Post:
Surf Snowdonia is in advanced talks with Hilton to open a hotel at its Conwy Valley surfing lagoon.
Under the plan a 106-bedroom Hilton Garden Inn would open next to the lagoon along with a ‘wellness spa’ and conference facilities.
The company also revealed a new brand and more details of its game-changing new adventure offer which will open to visitors in summer 2019.
This will include indoor and outdoor activities as well as an “Adventure Concierge” to link visitors with off-site adventures.
Surf Snowdonia, which opened in 2015, will rebrand to Adventure Parc Snowdonia to reflect its broader offer, although the 300-metre inland surf lagoon will remain a key part of the attraction.
Investment in the development will be in the region of £16m and Surf Snowdonia say around 100 new roles will be created.
Ok a couple things here. I am thrilled, beyond, that at least in Wales, surfing will board the same short bus as ziplining, trail-running and whitewater rafting in inner tubes as opposed to where the World Surf League wants it next to professional football, professional soccer and professional. Don’t you think it’s the better fit alongside a ropes’ course, the whole family buckled into helmets and harnesses, convincing little Billy that he can let go of the big tree and shuffle out across the gorge?
I do and also think that Surf Snowdownia will push surfing toward this inevitable end just like they pushed the entire world into a surf tank arms race.
Another thought, why Adventure Parc and not Adventure Park? I know here in California that if you have a “bank” it has to be federally insured with many other rules but if you call it a “banc” you can pretty much rip people off in any way you see fit. Do you think Wales has the same restriction with parks? Like, if you have a “park” it must be regulated but if you have a “parc” then the whole family doesn’t have to be buckled into helmets and brain-eating bacteria can come too?
Last thing, I’m slightly upset that it’s a Hilton Garden Inn. Those are the cheap airport ones yeah? Not that any Hilton is good anymore but… you know?
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Flick, adventurous.
From the-toast-your-libidinous-powers department: Pro surfer releases all-nude film!
It’s a particularly unwelcoming day at the Australian bureau of BeachGrit. An onshore wind of a ferocity surprising this late in spring licks the face.
Cold, too.
I’m slumped over my little corner desk with drool hanging down like an icicle.
The film/exhibition is called Skin Deep and is a project three years in the making, with cinematography by the noted RED-slingers Rick Rifici and Dwayne Fetch.
Flick’s boyfriend, the journalist Jonathan Jenkins, is a dear old comrade and is the producer of the film and exhibition. Flick, said JJ, is the daughter of the world-class ceramicist Warrick Palmateer and has been painting longer she’s surfed.
“There’s creativity in the family,” he says.
Since Flick was attending to various physical ailments, back, knees etc, I asked, in a stage whisper for this is the elephant in the room is it not, if the pair was terrified of provoking the ire of Facebook feminists etc.
“The goal of art is to provoke conversation and to capture people’s imaginations,” says JJ. “It’s there to stimulate conversation and contemplation. Everyone has a platform now on digital media and some will agree, some will disagree. Some will be inspired, some will be repulsed. That’s the nature of life.”
Still, says JJ, “When you see the finished product, how high-end it is, you’ll see how far we went to create and then convey that beauty.’
The four-minute short, which is cut to a Rufus track and who reportedly sent Flick an email expressing their joy over the film, will be released in two weeks, maybe less, and the art will be exhibited throughout 2019 in Sydney, Western Australia and California.
Watch the lil teaser here.
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Jon Pyzel and Matt Biolos by @theneedforshutterspeed/Step Bros
