Idiocracy.
Today is the hottest Southern California’s Ocean Pacific has been in ten years. Science declares it is 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees celsius, 2876 degrees Surfline) but it sure felt warmer. The air is 89. I just got out of the water, hair still dripping, after surfing a fun little wedge. There was no bite, upon entry. Not one tiny little clench of the jaw. It felt like getting into a lukewarm bathtub.
And here’s where things get bizarre. I paddled out into the lineup on my Album twin (5’10) sat in the lineup and studied the men around me. There were four sitting on the peak, three more down the beach, three more up the beach.
Each of them was wearing a wetsuit.
One a jacket, the rest full on long-legged, long-armed 3/2s.
Why?
What in the world is happening?
Surfing wetsuit-less is one of life’s great joys and only happens for two, maybe three months a year here. Why would any of those minutes be covered with constricting, extra-hot neoprene?
The only conclusions I could draw, while bobbing near nude with only a pair of Ola Canvas trunks covering unseemly bits, were either that Southern Californians had lost their ever-loving minds, spending too much time driving solo in cars with masks covering nose/mouth/too much time walking solo outside with masks covering nose/mouth or the kook apocalypse has fully and completely arrived with “surfing” and “wetsuit” synonymous.
Or is there some other reason that SURFERS ARE WEARING FULL WETSUITS IN A MASSIVE AND HISTORIC HEATWAVE?
Help.
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The LA man pussified by lib Lezbos amd man haters in his mask and manbun wondering if he needs a mangina.
The uniform of the water jock. The herds. The “group think” masses. Independent thinkers that once lived here all expats in a foreign land. At present time it is about mindlessly put the uniform on because ” well it looks like everyone else is wearing their uniforms too”
Never wear one until the water gets below 62° than I wear a spring suit . I see it all the time Sissy LaLa’s
Early signs of heat stroke 😉
Your argument is great, until you bring up masks… How does that have anything to do with wearing g a wetsuit? Jesus christ the surfing community is worst now than it has ever been before.
I have a genuine question: why does wearing/not wearing a wetsuit mean kook? Why don’t you mind your own business while surfing then you might have a better time 🙂
I always wore mine because I didn’t want to get baked out there. You surf for 5 to 6 hours at a time you get fried out there. And covering yourself with slimy sunscreen is not what you want when surfing.
It’s simple as making apple pie…the edible version….listening way to much of what they’re governor says…. take newstroke nuesome out of the equation and life returns to normal…having fun and enjoying life …no fear gear
North of Pt. Conception its still hooded 5/4/3. While Socal has no other appeal to me anymore, I do miss the warmth of September and October.
Had one of my best session in the buff. Surf Naked, live longer.
“The reality was, he was the number one surfer in the world and he’s playing the long game, he’s playing the game of, ‘I’m not throwing myself over the ledge and potentially getting hurt.’”
For anyone who was not aware of this…duh.
The only ones to blame is ourselves for a system which allows you to not surf but still place top 5 for championship surf off. Hats off to Toledo.
The water was 56, caused by wind and upwelling. It took about 10 days to get to 73. If you show up thinking the water is still cold and only have a wetsuit then you’re going in wearing a wetsuit. You can’t trust surfline, they never report water temp drops from upwelling. Unless you have a local surf report then you only have your last session to go by for water temp. I’d rather be warm then freezing but surfing in a full 3/2 in 73 water sucks too.
Yes the full suits last all summer for some
Kooks are cool. The WSL is not cool.
Wetsuits in summer hold in shoulders that dislocate.
Rolling out of bed on golden mornings that rest on the shoulders of summer when the water is warm but the air has a slight crisp, like counting sheep to sleep, I count 9 to 5 kooks wearing fullsuits on the cam so I can wake up and then head out when they baa baa beat it.
Ben Marcus NEVER wears a wetsuit.
Quoting the advertising copy for Mrs Frankenfurter’s Emporium of Shite.
Let’s see if if I copy and paste it into another comment,,, if it comes through.
Fucking hell that is horrific. Including a ‘silk eye mask’ which looks like it’s been used to mop up piss and left to rot.
“The Barn 808 is a funky, eclectic boutique nestled in the heart of Hanalei. Petra and Donavon Frankenreiter’s laid back dreamy bohemian beach vibe is now available online. All products are carefully curated from their travels around the world. If you’re ever visiting Kauai, come by and say hello. Mucho aloha!“
Nope.
Prudes. Get your schlong’s out!
Toss me a pair of those ola shorts and I’ll too advocate publicly the wonders of ditching the rubber.
I won’t surf in water below 80 F – yesterday, sweet spot in Nayarit, storm-driven souths made the wave winter-like. Ocean temp was 88. I had to get out of the water to cool off. Perfect.