“The Joker’s on the front and on the back it’s Marvin the Martian...”
What is the most expensive thing you have ever lost surfing? A watch? GoPro? Carbon fiber paddle (everyone is looking at you, Erik “ELo” Logan)? Well your loss is nothing compared Ryan Johnson from Virginia Beach who lost his leg while trying to protect his board in the wild, wild surf and do you believe it? It’s true but don’t take my word for it. Let’s go straight to Virginia Beach’s most trusted source for local news and read about it there.
A local man is continuing to search for his missing prosthetic leg.
Ryan Johnson says this past weekend he was surfing in Sandbridge when he felt it come loose.
“I’m sitting on the sand and trying to grab my prosthetic and keep it on while trying to hold on to my longboard,” he said.
But a big wave hit him, and took his leg with it.
“I see the wave, I see the foot, the whole prosthetic, under the wave near the sand and then it crashed and it was gone.”
Although his prosthetic leg is gone, Johnson isn’t giving up hope he’ll find it.
He says flyers have been put up and he even went back into the water the next day to look for it. He says if you find it, you’ll know it’s his by the design, identical to his backup prosthetic.
“The Joker’s on the front and on the back it’s Marvin the Martian,” Johnson said.
He thinks the current may have taken it away from Sandbridge, so he’s asking people to be on the lookout for it at any beach.
Are you in/around Virginia Beach? Have you seen a artful prosthetic leg the sand? Do the right thing and email me.
Speaking of, I saw a strange picture this morning featuring the aforementioned World Surf League President of Content, Media, Studios and Deep Dish Pizookie Erik “ELo” Logan leaving the water, sans paddle, with a giant pink leash that appears unattached from his board and it made me wonder.
Do you ever take your leash off your board before leaving the water? Also what gauge is that thing?
Not saying it’s a bad idea, per se, just… I don’t know, would like your sartorial opinion on the matter.
And find Ryan Johnson’s leg!
Chris Dixon and Frank: please email [email protected] from the address you'd like your BeachGrit login on.
Commented on Disqus? Log out, tap the Disqus button, and your old name and comments come back. The box is ours.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
Has anyone mentioned that replacing that prosthetic probably costs an arm…and a leg. ( I’ll be here all week)
Should have had 2 legropes.
Yes ! One leash for each foot. Someone needs to clue ELO in on that And then get a photo
LEGendary story.
Imagine yer at the beach, enjoying a little flounce in the shorebreak, and then outta NOWHERE, this fake leg emerges from the whitewater to kick you in the face.
Faaaaark….
100% chance that ELo uses the Surfline sessions and shows unsuspecting bystanders
Paddled out to big Lanikea in ’91 with a guy who use to talk shit.
Guy literally pulled down his boardies at one point, and lost at least 5lbs of poop.
ELo walking into shore singing to himself…
“I’m all out of hope
One more bad wave could bring a fall
When I’m far from shore
Don’t call me on the phone
To tell me paddle prone
It’s not easy to retrieve
It’s hard in a breeze
And hard to get release
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
Got no human grace
My SUP without a laysh
I used to drink Bud Light with Lime
Believing I might die
To keep the dream alive
Now it makes me rad
It makes me mad and uncouth
For loving what was you
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
Got no human grace
My SUP without a laysh
When using paddles makes you drip
Into someone else’s pants you do not slip
Steal a car and go to Lemoore oh, the gigolo pool
Hangin’ out at County Line
My crappy style turns ’em blind
My smile turns to a frown, oh
I’m on a boat on a family funnest trip
Reading self-help books learnin’ how to rip
I’m thinkin’ Namotu, and you’re out there so
Say your prayers
Say your prayers
Say your prayers
Now I close my eyes
And I wonder why
I don’t despise
Now all I can do
Love what was once
So alive and new
But it’s gone from your eyes
I’d better realize
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
(Les SUP sans une corde)
SUP without a laysh
Got no human grace
My SUP without a laysh
Such a human waste
My SUP without a laysh
And now it’s getting worse”
There’s an absolute legend here, Red No Legs, who surfs without his (below the knee) prosthetics. You’ll always know he’s out as there will be two legs sitting neatly in the sand near the shoreline awaiting their owner. He rips too.
Supposedly the prosthetics are not yet able to handle the rigour of the ocean and are super expensive to replace.
Meanwhile I’m more concerned about Elo’s half n half wax job.
He musta spent AGES carefully drawing all that gridwork in wax.
Doesn’t he have a life?
Do you think he stares at the paintwork on the board and imagines getting fully barreled?
Yeah it’s also just a telltale kook sign. If it’s over 7 foot and not a gun you wax up to the nose, core law #432
Core law #432 is if it’s over 7 foot and not a gun you don’t ride it, but I’m guilty as charged there…
Criss cross wax jobs – so lame.
it might be one of those adhesive wax replacements. that or he taped off the rails before waxing…
Again, both clear breaches of core laws
No shit. I surfed with that guy at Treachery years ago. Perfect Treach day with little shorey pipes and he was getting twice and as many and twice as deep as the next guy. I kinda felt like he had advantage to be honest, as he didn’t need to crouch. Can surf.
That wax job was the first thing that noticed too. No noserides, strictly vicious hacks for Elo.
Hope dude finds his leg. Pretty cool to keep surfing. If he was in fresh water you could see it on the bottom
First published photo without his disingenuous photo op smile
Thank you. I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“What is the most expensive thing you have ever lost surfing?”
My dignity, which I used to value as being priceless but is now more realistically valued at $39.99.
Is Chas actually ELO’s hired photographer?
I could never be that prolific.
prolife-ic?
Prole-ific.
He’s got Ronnie Blakey’s dignity on the other end of that leash.
Or Strider’s mic.