The return of a wonderful market!

Do you remember those halcyon days when surf denim was, like, a thing? Quiksilver, Billabong, Rip Curl, RVCA, Voclcom? Everyone was in the game, producing multiple yards of acid washed, bleach washed, stone washed cottons billowing and pillowing around thighs.

Very cool though, sadly, the drive to make jeans seemed to have dried up right when all the surf-consuming customers did.

Well, recent events in Lompoc, California signal that a rebound may be imminent as a man there broke into Surf Connection, the local surf shop, and made off with $1232 of grade-a surf denim.

According to the authorities, the theft occurred sometime around 2:00 am and the culprit, Michael Limon, was only arrested after authorities spotted him running into his nearby hotel room.

They identified his name etc. because he used it to book the very same room.

The denim was returned to the shop and now Limon must go to court etc. but off all the things to steal from a surf shop, boards, wetsuits, boards or wetsuits, the fact he stole jeans must indicate great things for that market.

Nice.

Which was your favorite surf jean?

Hot Buttered?

Ocean Earth?

An almost impossible choice.

Kelly Slater wins again.

TripAdvisor released its hotly anticipated “best beaches in the world” rankings, overnight, causing eruptions of joy in Australia, Florida and deep, profound soul-searching in California.

According to the top-secret algorithm that measures “best” as it relates to “beach,” Whitehaven Beach there in Queensland is number one with Cuba’s Cayo Santa Maria nipping at its sandy heels. Brazil, Turks/Caicos follow with the fifth best beach in the world falling to St. Pete there in Florida.

California has zero beaches in the top twenty-five, being beat out by Tanzania and England amongst others.

Not one.

California thinkers have fallen into a deep state of snark in order to deal with the shame.

Per San Diego’s local NBC affiliate:

Who among us, daydreaming of an idyllic day on the strand, hasn’t thought of their favorite sandy spot by the shore in … England? Is it possible the folks at TripAdvisor spent too much time quarantining this year? Or maybe they’ve been out in the sun too long? Somehow, the Massachusetts-based travel “experts” decided that Bournemouth Beach — in Dorset, England! — deserves a spot on the 2121 list of Top Beaches in the world. For God’s sake, there’s even one from Florida — Saint Pete Beach — in the World Top 25!

Zero beaches.

No Capitola, no La Jolla, no Surf City, USA.

World Surf League CEO Erik Logan is certainly wringing his hands, thinking he made a poor decision in leaving Oklahoma for Manhattan Beach, also not ranked, instead of St. Pete.

Extremely troubled and sad.

Crazy! But true?

The rich get richer, they say, and now, according to a hot new rumor, “founders of information technology company Google now own several of Fiji’s premier tourism sites including the globally famous Cloudbreak surf island. Several sources have confirmed the transactions but none have been able to reveal the sums involved. ‘The architects are already on Tavarua,’ said one close to the transaction. Tavarua has an American owned resort on it, but it has been sold to Google. Also picked up by Google parties is Wadigi Island and a bay near Vanibaka resort on Malolo. It has been purchased to moor the Google super yachts, including Dragonfly.”

Very cool and you’ll certainly recall when it was rumored that Google execs purchased Namotu 3-odd years ago. You’ll also recall when the rumor was quickly debunked.

But what about this time?

Those “architects already on Tavarua” seems extremely serious.

The rumor continues, “Late last year Sayed-Khaiyum said a group of unspecified billionaires were to visit Fiji with plans to settle and invest. He did not name them but at least one private aircraft at Nadi was spotted as being used by Google’s co-founder Larry Page. This could create an awkward situation if Google wants Tavarua closed to outsiders.”

Now let’s get even more than serious here… if you could purchase part or all of one iconic surf destination and close it to outsiders, which would you choose?

Cardiff Reef?

An odd choice but infuriating those who regularly surf it as justification entirely understandable.

More as the story develops.