“If you don’t care about your own life, that’s one thing..."
Today is April Fool’s Day, in America, and I have been delivered some light jokes so far. Small tricks but no twist can compare with our current Coronavirus reality.
Oooooeee!
A cosmic gag!
In any case, you have certainly followed along with the debate raging in and amongst surfers. Should we or should we not surf? Camps have been formed, battle lines drawn and leaders drafted, General Joel Tudor leading up the shoulds, General Ken Skindog rallying the shouldn’ts.
At the same time, you have no doubt followed along with the very fun Instagram-based “spray challenge” wherein surfers post photos of themselves making big spray on a wave. Above, for instance is BeachGrit’s own Derek Rielly as photographed by the singular Dustin Humphrey.
Well, as it turns out all of this spray surfers make also makes us more susceptible to the Coronavirus, or at least theoretically. Shall we learn more?
On Tuesday, The Daily Beast reported that a virus scientist at the University of California, San Diego is warning that surfers are at elevated risk for contracting the novel coronavirus.
According to Blake Montgomery: “Kim Prather, who researches how the ocean sprays bacteria and viruses into the air, told the paper that ocean breezes may carry the drops of saliva and other fluids far: ‘Surfers are saying that they’re safe if they stay six feet away from other people, but that’s only true if the air isn’t moving … Most of the time, there’s wind or a breeze at the coast. Tiny drops of virus can float in the air and get blown around.’”
Prather is also warning beachgoers in general they are at risk of exposure: “If you don’t care about your own life, that’s one thing. But this can be a matter of life or death to other people.”
And there we have it. A victory for Team Ken Skindog?
The final death blow to power surfing?
More as the story develops.
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Less spray, less vapor, more chance of getting sick. Kooks will get the short end of the stick again, Life is unfair… For us.
“Humidity and the amount of water vapor present in the air also factor into the survival and spread of the flu virus.
“It’s believed that more water vapor in the air has a negative impact on the virus’s ability to successfully transmit to others by impairing parts of its molecular makeup, and in a way, inactivating it, as well,” Craine said.
Droplets, which are how the flu is spread, can be large or small, so the more water vapor is present, the less likely those particles are to be transmitted very far, according to Craine.
Alternatively, when there is less water vapor in the air, it means that there less of the water getting in the way of those droplets traveling farther, she added.
“Being in a drier climate this time of year, where it’s less humid and you have less water vapor, someone sneezing does have the ability to transmit the virus farther than in the summertime, when there’s more humidity,” Craine said”.
Well sure, but now they all have time on their hands, it’s near impossible to get them doing any real work.
Surfers are super spreaders
Goatse style
“Singular”. Nice word choice Chas. Don’t want you to feel second rate to Derek’s “verdigris “
Posted these before, but just wanted to let y’all know, with the heaviest of hearts, that one is fake (hint: not the first one)…
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Are you a robot?
nice style though
I know. It’s just that every photo I found is more the moment leading up to, rater than, the spray flying. I’ll have to employ photographers who can wind film on faster, or understand my unique approach to timing.
So I just did a surface dive on corona and ocean spread on pubmed and google scholar. Caveat: I’m not an environmental scientist, but I do work in health.
TL;DR: Reminder: none of this is fact, it’s all just my opinion after a brief but broad reading of the literature. This isn’t a direction, do what you see fit to do. I’m personally only going to solo surf beach peaks in clear warm water, stay further away from people in the ocean than you would on land (I’m going with 10-20m, completely arbitrarily) and avoiding surfing after rain for a week.
So – onto the details.
Firstly, there is not much at all. Corona virus is usually pretty mild, so not usually tested for in routine samples. Also, MERS/SARS strains seemed to cause a flurry of activity but not much follow up. The flurry was mostly based around Resp spread, and how it got into the lungs. What water based transmission research there is was mostly based on waste water and fecal spread. Nil on respiratory spread in the ocean studies I could find – note any grad students who want a project.
So anyone that says they reckon x or y, “well that’s just like, your opinion dude”. It might be an educated opinion but no published studies to back it up.
So what of persistence in the environment? It seems Corona analogues (again they don’t use highly contagious pathogens for environmental studies, they use analogues, which brings its own issues, but the reason for this limitation is fairly obvious) survive on average 3 days in room temp fresh water, but up to 100 days in 4c (whatever that is in Fahrenheit for the seppos). No mention of salt water survival, but sea water is crammed with billions of viral particles per litre (fish viruses that very rarely cross to humans so we don’t notice) so it’s unlikely the salt water will kill it. Incidentally, that Korean mega church where they had the outbreak was spraying peoples mouths with concentrated salt water to “kill the virus” as they can into the congregation, but the bottle was contaminated. So I think it’s safe to say corona survives ok in salt water, but how long is unknown (that’s just my opinion man). Also, it is isolated (mild forms) when they do specifically look for it, mostly from sediment. Fecal contamination is less common than spread by Resp secretions, so it’s already less likely to occur.
Secondly, due to its capsule (dissolved by soap but not chlorhexidine, and needing lots of alcohol), it doesn’t survive as long free floating. It tends to attach to form a fomite, or particles, and thus sink to the bottom. Higher rates in turbid water and sediment. Can persist a longer time in sediment. And possibly get into oysters and other filter feeders, although this is more common for your other gastro bugs. So if it’s a big rainy spell, lots of fresh effluent in turbid waters, that seems high risk. Think GC a few weeks ago with the “chocolate tubes”. Mmm…. Sliding across muddy rocks to get to river mouth breaks, less good perhaps. Again, my conjecture here.
UV kills it pretty good, but penetration though water column is limited, so can’t really rely on that in surf conditions where water is already foamy and full of air.
Waste water treatment will kill it, chlorinated water will kill it. So water coming out of a waste water plant is safe. It’s all those backpackers from bondi heading up the coast shitting in the bushes you gotta watch for washing into rivers and out to sea – lucky we have plenty of well utilised public toilets on the east coast, maybe different south and west coasts….
Dispersal from the respiratory secretions, based on these basic parameters, does seem possible and even quite likely if you are close proximity, esp in foamy water. (My opinion, fact free zone). I’m not aware of any cases of surfers getting it severely as yet, but the super bank would have to be a perfect testing site. It was rammed last week, so watch for an uptick among regular surfers of the bank this week and the week after. Also, big numbers in Bondi where a lot of people were in the water.
I have been for one surf in the age of covid. Took me ages to get out the back. Solo peak with one mate (to avoid the lockdown laws) then people paddled out to us. Ugh. Move down the line.
So summary – I think it’s possible To get covid surfing. More likely than going to the supermarket? More likely than using the beachside public toilet? Dunno. I will personally only surf on peaks by myself, if I go again, but I’m in a super high risk group and won’t be ventilated if I get the Rona so going outside is Russian roulette for me. Still doesn’t stop me getting in the water for a surf tho, just very very cautious. Don’t touch anything outside, and wash your hands with soap for 30s.
Fair winds and fine swells to you all. And a perfect a frame to yourself.
Anyone with expertise please correct me – id love to learn more
E = mc2
🤯 hahaha
Sensible approach.
All the best, OffRocker!
I spray my whole body with Glen 20
I smell like a gum tree
Kills 99.8 %of viruses and germs
how will you avoid sharks?
Haha! I’ll just get chomped. Would be an honour to re-enter the food chain, given where I’m at in my journey!! 🤣
Power assist? Doesn’t seem real with the wall so close in the background.
Maybe.
With trepidatious anticipation, I give you this. Bingin. mid-90s… https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
That’s some stiff gel in the mohawk!!
stylin’ braddah Lemon. What are you 6’8 tall? We need a BG hoops team.
6’7″ without my heels. My dad was a respected amateur B-baller. I went for Aussie Rules.
Laird Hamilton going switchfoot?
Ouch. That’s why I was reluctant to post.
Yo Derek
Nice Bukake turn.
I didn’t know what that word means, so I googled it. My wife leaned over my shoulder as the image search loaded. Oh dear. Now she is trying to arrange a BBQ with a bunch of tradies.
Crikey!!
The cuck life!
Ask Derek for advise on what kind of beer the tradies enjoy during the bbq before the main event.
Way more likely to contract a virus where the air isn’t moving e.g. an elevator
Throwing spray on another surfer who is paddling past, the most stylish way to spread virus. Only a surfers knows… etc.
Damn Chas, did you just throw down a beach Grit spray and push up challenge?
What’s the push-up number? I just did five!
I’ll do six!
Don’t get me started. Planks next. Twenty seconds.
I can’t decide if this is a 2/10 April fool’s joke or something to actually take seriously. No matter, though. This afternoon, I surf. Beaches are closed, but the ocean is accessible through private property. Just to be safe, I’ll ride my longboard and be careful not to throw any spray!
I was wondering about this. Did surfers who have a propensity to lame shit turn into Hipsters? OR…does the sport of surfing attract new hipsters? Ive seen a lot of kind of ”surfers” turn into Hipsters.
Both, in short At the VAL learner end once they realise they will never do a turn will turn hipster and at the more advanced end anyone who can’t Or stops getting through heats turns hipster.
It’s sad when surfers actually think they are hip/hipsters. Lame cunts around my way with their stupid hats and linen clothing, going to festivals and being “soo chil”.. Til they get back in the water on a good day (or even average day) and become selfish, aggro pricks again. Where’s your peace love and harmony incense vibes now? Jocks in disguise, you’re all dicks, just own it.
Good a place as any to throw this in the mix, but RIP Grosso… Damn.
Yeah, wtf? Bummer
Vale…. any word on how he went?
Not sure.
Dude was the real deal.
Sounds like heart failure. He had hepatitis and other health issues. He was pretty open about it. Apparently he was found by his friend dead on the couch. Another one of the great outspoken skate personalities gone.
Poor bugger. Hope he’s in a better place now
Best YouTube channel ever. Watched several yesterday. Is it you I have to thank for turning me onto the letters?
Haven’t skated in YEARS but those vids just drew me in and kept me hooked. So good.
Heartbreaking
Rest In Peace Grosso, you are a legend
surfing and skating are tied at the hip
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Chas with a nice, Taylor Knoxian entry in the Spray Challenge…
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Hahaha!
One thing is for sure- the 6-foot social distancing rule was created for totally different conditions than surfing. Surfing brings its own set of different factors and variables and an equivalent safe distance for surfers could be significantly smaller or larger.