Celebrate: The Southampton surfing ban was a hoax; surfers and surf schools allowed to flourish!

It's a "fake news" moment!

As you well know, we live in a fake news epoch where odd dribs and drabs get reported, picked up on social media, copy and pasted on BeachGrit then proven false or false-ish. Exactly like yesterday’s report that surfing was banned all summer long in the posh New York state summer enclave Southampton.

Now, I forgot to mention in yesterday’s report that I once attended a birthday party in Southampton for a fabulous television executive also attended, mostly, by male models. She was a big shot and it was her birthday and male models were her wish and wow. Though you may be confused, I am not a male model but that male model economy is something incredible. Something surreal and someday, you heard it hear first, male models are going to have their “me too” moment and be in front of the  downtrodden line. Imagine that. Gorgeous white males in the front of the downtrodden line. We always find a way but back to the point at hand.

Apparently, the story claiming that surfing was banned all summer long in the posh New York state summer enclave Southampton is false or false-ish and let’s go to an on-the-ground news source for the absolute latest.

More than 50 surfers swarmed the waters of Agawam Beach August 18 to protest an alleged ban on surfing at Southampton Village beaches from 9 AM to 6 PM June 15 to September 15. Village Mayor Jesse Warren said while the 40-year-old Southampton Village regulation is actually part of the town code, it is not enforced.

“There is no ban on surfing in the village,” he said.

In fact, one of the newly-elected mayor’s first efforts in his new administration was a push to bring back surf lessons after they were banned by the prior administration. More than one school will be allowed to obtain a permit from the village under Warren’s plan unveiled at the end of last month, and since his announcement early in July, two schools have begun the application process. There’s also a scholarship program set up where those who cannot afford lessons can apply for free ones.

Chloe Kimball, the organizer of the August 18 protest who began a Change.org petition that received 5000 signatures by press time, said Southampton police were telling surfers to get out of the water Saturday, “telling us they were going to fine us $1000.”

“This understandably caused disruptions and concern among those of us who love the sport,” Kimball said.

Jennifer Arnold said less surfing means more kids will end up in trouble.

Do you worry about Jennifer Arnold’s kids? Don’t anymore!

Surfing has been saved!