Introducing aquagenic-induced urticaria.

They say you learn something new every day and today’s “new something” is quite a shocker. Monster wave pioneer, father of modern day Nazare, Garrett McNamara has been a constant presence in our surf world for decades with many surprising re-inventions along the way.

I remember, over a decade ago now, standing on the shores of the Banzai Pipeline there on Oahu’s North Shore during a Pipeline Master’s event with large, large swell. So large, in fact, that if my memory serves the contest was put on brief hold. Do they ever do that? Is my memory well and truly shot?

McNamara used the window to head out to 3rd Reef on an electric surfboard that he was the face of. Do you remember that one? The Wavejet?

Anyhow, Garrett went out to put on a show, got smashed and broke his Wavejet in half, both pieces washing to the beach.

“That’s the last we’ll see of him,” I thought but next thing I know he’s discovering Nazare and toast of the town and toast of the world taking CNN anchor Anderson Cooper out on the back of a ski so I thought, “That’s the last we’ll see of him.’

Wrong again, HBO’s 100-Foot Wave such a success that it has been greenlit for a second season and Garrett’s star burning brighter than ever.

Except on a recent podcast with Barstool Sports the big wave icon revealed a long-led, deeply personal family secret.

The host wondered, “What’s the biggest wave you’ve ever bodysurfed?” To which Garrett replied, “You know it’s a funny fact. I’m kinda allergic to saltwater. I get all (indecipherable) and I can’t stay in the water that long so I’m not much of a bodysurfer.”

“There’s no such thing and that’s the last we’ll see of him,” I thought before checking my privilege and do some research.

According to Professor Jonathan Peter, head of the Allergology and Clinical Immunology division at University of Cape Town’s Department of Medicine and the Allergy clinic, “Specialists define a reaction to seawater as aquagenic (water) induced urticaria or cold-inducible urticaria. Studies demonstrate the salt content of water can also influence seawater’s ability to produce hives in certain patients.” Though, “It is not actually considered an allergy.”

Close enough.

Garrett McNamara here to stay.

"She can't be photographed next to the 18 year old models."

The Gold Coast’s Jack Freestone has quietly become one of my favorite surfers over the years. Tall, fearless, talented with an enviable top turn and also one half of the world’s cutest couple.

Freestone and Alana Blanchard have been together for many years, have two adorable children and split time between Jack’s Australia and Blanchard’s Kauai. The idyllic life funded, in part, by Billabong (Freestone’s main sponsor) and, in times past, Rip Curl, Alana’s sponsor of a decade and a half until the Torquay-based brand pulled the plug last-ish year.

Why?

Blanchard released a to-camera video soon after the breakup wherein she said, “As some of you probably already noticed, I’m no longer sponsored by Rip Curl. It was kind of a big change for me from going from being sponsored my whole life, pretty much since I was like 14 to now not having a main sponsor. As a professional surfer that’s a huge thing. As excited as I am for change and what’s to come it’s definitely a little bit scary and I think that it’s affecting me a little bit more than what I thought. Things ended OK with them, they pretty much stopped using me after I had Banks, or found out that I was pregnant. They really didn’t like that I had a kid.”

Lightly problematic, in this day, with the underlying assumption being a mother’s body is not the right “look.”

Well, Rip Curl has apparently woke up and just released a thoroughly modern body-inclusive bikini fit guide featuring women of all shapes and sizes.

Heart-warming except a little too performative what with the Blanchard dismissal still not cool?

Jack Freestone certainly thought so, taking to Instagram to lambast Rip Curl, artfully penning, “Wow! The audacity of this stupid company. I say and spoke with Alana multiple times as she felt berated by Rip Curl as they said stuff like, “She can’t be photographed next to the 18 year old models,” “We only care about results not how many followers you have” or made her feel bad for breast feeing her child at a photo shoot, or even docking her pay because she was pregnant and couldn’t be used for a photo shoot basically making it so difficult for her to feel normal and low and behold they do a campaign like this. Which I’m sure a lot of these women are probably mothers. Where was this campaign when 2 of your biggest team riders decided to start the chapter of motherhood?? There was no acceptance, no help, no understanding of the situation. Just Hmmm no you’re a mother now and that basically means you’re not marketable. I support and love this movement but not this company. Bunch of hypocrites.”

Direct and to the point.

Powerful.

Should Rip Curl respond?

Oh, companies never do but how wonderful would it be to see the brand apologize with a hefty new contract for Blanchard?

Performative no more.

A boy can dream.

Celebrate with us!

I don’t usually like to stand on stage and bathe in applause, nor does my life partner Derek Rielly, but we will both make an exception today for today your BeachGrit was officially shortlisted as a “Top Most Promising Health Site for 2021.”

Per the just received notification:

Hey there!

This is Mercy from Li Creative Technologies, We’re very happy to inform you that ‘beachgrit’ has been shortlisted by our editorial board which will be included and honored as “Top Most Promising Health Sites For 2021”.

This article with one page profile of selected blog owners will be included to all our newsletter readers. This is a focus on Health Bloggers, which will rank in google for all top Health keywords shortly.

We believe that addition of ‘beachgrit’ in this honor list and a small line about your website in the post may help ‘beachgrit’ differentiate from its competitors.

I’d like to speak to the concerned person from your firm at the earliest to finalize ‘beachgrit’ inclusion in this list.

This is a very unique promotion proposal; we hope ‘beachgrit’ makes full use of it.

Waiting to know what you think on the same.

Regards,

Jen

Was it the think-pieces on Laird Superfood that pushed us over the top of one-time rivals The Inertia?

Poignant examinations of Kelly Slater’s “miracle of information?”

I would assume Li Creative Technologies keeps its voting blend secret but keep your fingers crossed for us while applauding.

What a beautiful world!