Fabulous.
I just so happen to be, currently, at the southernmost point of the charming Baja peninsula basking in perfect temperature air and water. The swell is, unfortunately, absent but the scent of plumeria floats on a warm breeze and it is impossible to be sad.
Much time to let the mind wander. To reflect and plumb the much ignored depths of motivations.
David Lee Scales called for our weekly chat in the midst of my plumbing and we had a fine discussion about many surf-adjacent topics until arriving at the end of the show where he brought up the issue of Speedos.
Barrel or nah?
Famed surf photographer Ryan Miller has made the look his own, in our surf world, so much so that I forgot my own attachment until David Lee Scales brought up and my earliest style inspiration flooded back in.
The year was 1984 and I was fresh back from Papua New Guinea where my father had taught for two years. The United States felt large, unfamiliar, but the Olympics were weeks away and I could not wait to watch. My grandmother and grandfather lived near Los Angeles and shared stories of the wonderful preparations etc. and then the world was there and then my eyes, up in cold Oregon, were glued.
There was one man that shined above all others.
Greg Louganis.
I loved everything about his grace, his physical poetry, his mastery and vowed to be just like him, practicing diving when we went to visit my grandmother and grandfather.
Buying a Speedo.
I wore it to the beach when I surfed with my cousins in Carlsbad, wore it at home, wore it going to Oregon’s lakes, wore it on Oregon’s cold shores.
I was Greg Louganis and was with him, even more, four years later when he bonked his head yet still stunned the world.
A master.
My Speedos eventually became lost, like my memory, but speaking about it yesterday made me want to revisit. Not as irony or funny but a legitimate, functional fashion move.
What do you think about that?
Opinion?
Scales and I also discussed cancelled Rio and the World Surf League’s asinine position on basically everything.
Enjoy.
I know this is two months old but I just re-read and it’s still bullocks.
Kelly’s wave rents for $50,000 – $70,000 a day and it’s booked 250 days a year.
Does that sound like failure?
Shut up already. Geez.
I get the inspiration but when do the accusations of appropriation kick in?
my self esteem has never been big enough to rock speedos,
neither has my package.
Grape smugglers. One of the older dudes here used to surf 1st Peak in them back in the gnarlier days, that’s one way to clear a crowd.
First Peak Pleasure Point?
I have accused R____ F____ of surfing the Hook wearing black sluggos, but he denies it.
Boardshorts for surfing
Speedos for swimming
Nude on the beach ….. ?
The Great Cronulla Surfer Fanga Tyte , possibly influenced by Gerry , wore a pair of green skunnos , to match his green board every summer for years in the 80s and 90s
I’m just going to be honest.
I’m not going to even listen to it later
U guys use the words asinine and egregious a lot. Just saying
I’m impressed you can spell those two but not “you”
IMPRESSEDATRON
so your gay. Big deal
there’s really no other way to surf, once you’ve done it and literally waxed off some of your most tender hairs whilst straddling your board, waiting for the next set. my first trip to Brasil set me up as a “sunga” man for life. there were certain beach towns in the northeast, not unfamiliar to Italo’s beloved hometown of Bahia Formosa, where I was looked at and straight up called some homophobic shit for NOT surfing in the sunga. and not cuz I went nude, either. cuz I wore boardies.
They are massive in Brasil.
Louganis lived in Malibu for a while and used to see him around.
I think he lost his house and had to move and that’s a shame.
In fact last time I saw him was where I am right now: Whole Foods.
Not as beautiful when he was younger, but still quite lovely.
Graying hair, in shape.
Louganis bonking his head and doing another dive was the predecessor of Danny Way bodyslamming at the X Games, somehow brushing off something that should have killed him, and doing another run.
This is nucking futs. Truly. Holy shit:
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Lucia took a portrait of D Way for the Skateboard book.
We were gonna do an injury inventory on his whole body, like we did with Brock.
I wonder how he’s walking now. He ate shit.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
fuck
ing
hell
What you mean the Danny Way wipeout?
Fucking hell is right.
How did he brush that off and skate again?
Almost seems super human.
That could have killed him or broke his back.
yeah man, jesus christ.
I’d seen the Jake Brown slam ( https://youtu.be/LjNLSYJAFNw ) but not seen that DW one.
Jake Brown’s was worse, really. That was like falling out of a two or three story window, onto very hard wood. That should have killed him. I wonder if there is any permanent damage?
And here’s the Louganis wipeout. This was macho too. I remember watching this at the time. The guy practically breaks his neck and comes back and rips it.
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
I remember watching that one on tv at the time. That shit was on hold for like 20 minutes. Afterwards, he said he told the doctors he’d fight ’em if they tried to stop him from skating his 2nd run. Beast Mode! I don’t believe he won either.
Watch the next dive. Look at him rip the water. No splash, almost looks like it was reversed
That’s pretty damn macho for one a them homosexual boys.
that’s why DC has a logo on the sole of the shoe.
For when the shoes get blown off their athletes who are eating shit?
great exposure in that Danny way footage.
All this time I thought Phat-wan Kerr was a Star Wars deal, like Obi Wan Kenobi. Now I get it. Sorry.
no need to be sorry. may the farce be with you.
Could be off here, but as I remember, Greg knew he had HIV when he hit his head and blood was in the pool.
Chose not to tell anybody at the time.
He probly knew it was another hoax virus
Looking very John Mcafee-ish on the show.
From: <[email protected]>
To: Huli Opu
Mr Opu
Once again, we’re profoundly apologetic for the personal umbrage you took upon the rejection of your most recent submission. We do understand the disappointment but that hardly justifies the crudely rendered caricatures you attached in duplicate.
These cartoon drawings of Chas and myself can only be characterized as hurtful and vulgar. The sexual overtones are obvious and although it’s true that Chas has been known to sport alternative fashion choices, he has not, at least to my knowledge, ever been seen in the pink vinyl short-shorts that you so cruelly depicted.
Also, your portrayal of us as some kind of macrocephalic beings with huge heads on tiny bodies is inaccurate as I have been informed numerous times that my head is indeed proportionate to my body size.
Although you may chortle and whinny with satisfaction at these unkind drawings, perhaps your energies may be better spent in crafting and perfecting a story that we might deem worthy of publication.
Beachgrit is nothing more than one big thinly veiled catty comment, you delightful brain surgeon you.
The only thing I’m left wondering is why your cousin’s didn’t slap you around for shaming them at their local spot by wearing budgie smugglers in the first place.
I’d like think your Speedos didn’t get lost at all, but in fact were burnt in an attempt to rid the whole family of your shameful kookyness…
Speedos…. Another Iconic Australian Brand sold off to overseas interest years before Quik , Bong and Curl …. Strange how you can only sell something once and then it is gone …. along with the knowledge of the people who designed , cut and sewed them together ….. luckily China still buys Iron Ore from us ….. for now ?
I’m setting the over-under for heat-wave related deaths at the Surf Ranch Pro at 1.5. But if Speedos catch on before then .5.
I think the Beach Boys got it right: “you’ll see them wearing their ‘Baggies’, huarache sandals too”.
Nothing like a good, lose fitting, comfortable pair of board shorts.
PS
That video was a little disturbing.
The Boiling Water Pro
“The year was 1984″…..I feel like I’m living in the book, 1984.
No real Surfer waste a trip to Cabo if it’s flat,…..unless it’s to please their wife/g’friend. If you went with dudes, I can see why you adored Louganis.
Which surfer could we Crowdfund to wear a Speedo at Surf Ranch Pro?
I could see Griffin pull a stunt like that
Coco Ho or Steph?
Toledo , with the little tummy , just slightly hanging over the top ?
doesn’t beach grit own Caio?