What might have been (pictured). Photo: Unchill
What might have been (pictured). Photo: Unchill

Joy for kooks violently torched with Body Glove tandem inflatable 2-person stand-up paddleboard being recalled as “drowning hazard” days after Christmas!

What might have been.

Zach could not have been more excited for Christmas morning. The thirty-four-year-old serial entrepreneur, and outdoor enthusiast, had already had a wonderful year but X-mas morning, oh X-mas morning was going to be the icing on 2022’s cake. He had been in a relationship, you see, with his partner for eight months, now, after meeting them (pronouns: she/them with “them” representing allyship) while walking his French bulldog, Bodhi, near the beach in Santa Monica. Or, rather, bumped right into them.

He had been studying the waves, really taking in the peelers and imagining himself dropping in, feeling the rush on his brand-new 7-foot fish. Having taken up surfing during Covid, Zach had really impressed his buddies by graduating from Wavestorm to 9-foot Pro-Tech to the fish.

They called him “Big Ripper.”

So there he was, brain ripping, when bump!

He apologized profusely, of course, mumbling that he had been in the curl, mentally.

“In the curl?” she responded. “Do you surf?”

He nodded vigorously, she smiled and the two instantly began sharing dream trips.

His, Pipeline.

Theirs, The Box.

From then on they were practically inseparable, enjoying third-wave coffee from small Costa Rican fincas in the morning, glasses of natural chardonnay in the evening and before either knew it, the holiday season was upon them.

While both were “spiritual,” they agreed that organized religion caused most of the troubles in the world and hated consumerism but he just couldn’t help himself when he found the perfect gift.

The Body Glove tandem inflatable 2-person stand-up paddleboard.

Oh he imagined all the fun they would have, paddling together through the lineup, taking a breaker every now and again.

And she was just as thrilled as he had hoped when she had removed the bow squealing “Waimea here we come!” with delight.

Then the news broke.

They were snuggled up watching John Oliver absolutely shred Donald Trump when he looked at his Apple News alerts and read “Surf 9 Recalls Body Glove Tandem and ULI Inflatable Paddle Boards Due to Drowning Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Costco.

He couldn’t go on as his eyes began to burn so she finished reading out loud.

Name of Product: Body Glove Tandem Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board, ULI Inventor Inflatable Paddle Board, ULI Zettian Inflatable Supyak and ULI Lila Inflatable Supyak

Hazard: The glue on the inflatable paddle boards can separate at the seams and the paddle boards can deflate unexpectedly, posing a drowning hazard.

Remedy: Refund

Recall Date: December 29, 2022

X-Mas officially ruined.

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"We're number four!" Photo: WSL
"We're number four!" Photo: WSL

In eye-popping turn, World Surf League Finals Day named fourth best surf competition on earth by august energy drink company!

Come swoon at which is number one!

We are all, together, almost there. The end of an entire year. The beginning of a fresh one. And with this  comes many reviews and listicles. The best of what was, the brightest of what is coming. BeachGrit, as an anti-depressive place, generally steers away from “Best of…” and the like but when the most consumed energy drink on our planet speaks it is important to listen.

Red Bull has just compiled the “7 best surf competitions in the world” and there are many surprises, not limited to the inclusion of 10 surf competitions.

First, and a surprise, is the Tudor Nazaré Tow Challenge. While tow surfing comes in and out of fashion, amongst surf fans, it is apparently back in and on top. Many bravos to Garrett McNamara.

Second is the Quiksilver (mysteriously spelled Quicksilver) Jaws Big Wave Challenge. When it runs, the action can, coincidentally, be caught on Red Bull TV.

Third is the entire Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, even though it has been turned digital and is not a surf competition, but fourth is where the real shock comes.

The World Surf League’s own Finals Day there on Lower Trestles cobbled stone.

Wow.

The US Open of Surfing, in Huntington Beach, claims fifth, Mavericks sixth even though it hasn’t run in forever, the second jewel of the Vans Triple Crown a stand alone seventh, Red Bull Magnitude, whatever that is, eighth, Red Bull Foam Wreckers ninth and Stab High closing the door in the ten slot.

So what do you feel about the list? How many of those events do you mark on your calendar and receive like presents on Christmas morning?

Not to be rude, but for my money it is one of the very worst complications of professional surfing events ever created. Here’s mine.

  1. Pipeline Pro (due the dumbing down of the Pipe Masters)
  2. J-Bay Open
  3. The Eddie (when it runs)
  4. Teahupoo Pro
  5. Mundaka (RIP)
  6. Backdoor Shootout

What are yours?

David Lee Scales and I, in any case, did not discuss any of this on our weekly chat which will leave it as a wonderful surprise for you. Something to curl up to on New Year’s Eve and while away the hours leading to midnight.

Happy day.

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Photo: Baywatch
Photo: Baywatch

New Zealand parents excoriated for laissez-faire attitude as children get swept away by wild surf en masse!

"Our tamariki are particularly susceptible to strong currents, and with all the water we have seen moving about they can quickly be swept away.”

Oh the ever-present joys of being a parent. Those, here, who count themselves amongst the lucky know well how situational awareness is spiked and especially during those early baby/toddler years though not abating into the pre-teens nor beyond. Of course, levels of protection can, and certainly should, be debated. Is a helmet necessary for every wheel’d activity, for example?

Or at what age is paddling out alone ok?

Well, New Zealand parents have found themselves on the sharp end of a frustrated surf lifesaving chief executive, this holiday week, as their young children are being swept out into the wild surf en masse.

Extremely laissez-faire.

Matt Williams released an “urgent” plea to the folk, declaring that “watching your kids from shore is not enough.” “Please don’t overestimate your ability or your children’s ability to cope in the conditions,” he continued. “They should be within an arm’s reach. Our tamariki are particularly susceptible to strong currents, and with all the water we have seen moving about they can quickly be swept away.”

Emphasizing his point, a story was shared about a seven-year-old boy who went for a little beach jog only to get caught up in some messy surf and carried three kilometers down the beach.

Yikes.

But a fun adventure for the little man?

Exciting and life affirming?

Also, will New Zealand’s next great surfer come from a longer leash from parents?

Something to ponder.

And in other beach activity related news, here is a three hour loop of the football scene in Top Gun: Maverick.

Enjoy.

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Los Angeles surfers put on amazing display of wildly below average skill as swell hits Southern California!

Come swoon.

I am near certain that you are well aware of the George Santos scandal currently roiling American politics. If not, the short of it goes something like this. Santos, a Republican congressman who just won his seat in New York, was revealed to have lied about basically everything on his resume save being gay (I think).

Not Jewish, not a graduate from Baruch College, never working for Goldman Sachs or Citibank.

Kelly Slater’s wonderful friend, and noted surfer, Tulsi Gabbard, sitting in for Tucker Carlson on Fox News obliterated the poor boy on live television, exposing the untruths and ouch.

Well, not wanting to be a George Santos, I will admit to you openly and honestly that I discovered the below clip on The Inertia. It was headlined, on my Google News feed, “Closeout Barrels in Los Angeles Can Still Be Fun to Watch.”

Catchy.

I stared at it far longer than I should have before finally clicking, immediately getting off The Inertia and arriving at the original YouTube source.

The clip, there, was headlined “Day 2: Surfing Huge Closeouts.”

What I was met with was the most amazing collection of below average skill I have ever witnessed. The waves weren’t huge, by any measure, nor were many closeouts. It is worth a watch, though, for you to measure yourself accurately against the best and brightest of World Surf League CEO Erik Logan’s home break El Porto.

Be honest.

Better? Worse? Equal?

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Dave Prodan (left insert) and Heidi Klum hovering over Mescal and Jody. Photo: Mescal Wasilewski Instagram
Dave Prodan (left insert) and Heidi Klum hovering over Mescal and Jody. Photo: Mescal Wasilewski Instagram

In wild game of surf love intrigue, Strider Wasilewski’s brother Mescal marries Full House star Jody Sweetin thereby stealing thunder from Sal Masekela and Lupita Nyong’o!

Love island!

2022 is careening to its official conclusion but not before piling another giddy shock on surf fans still reeling from the latest blast. Days ago, as you know, Lupita Nyong’o made her relationship with Selema Masekela “Instagram Official” by posting a series of cute outfit changes. The extremely talented Academy Award winning actress and the surf broadcaster had officially eclipsed the heat surrounding Gisele Bündchen and Kelly Slater thus making them surfing-adjacent’s most powerful couple.

Until, that is, days ago when it was revealed that Jody Sweetin had married Mescal Wasilewski.

Best known for playing lovable Stephanie Tanner on the hit television program Full House, Sweetin has long been considered an American darling. Wasilewski, of course, the brother of surf broadcaster Strider.

The two officially got married in the summer but surf fans are generally slow to this kind of news therefore the giddy shock.

Sweetin told People magazine, “We intertwine so well. He’s funny and smart, and he’s my biggest supporter. It’s really magical.”

Adorable.

With the marriage, Sweetin and Wasilewski’s status supersedes Nyong’o and Masekela’s simple dating and a new surfing-adjacent most powerful couple is crowned.

A dizzying game of intrigue.

With three, or such, days left in the year will there be any more surprises?

Griffin Colapinto’s uncle and Rebecca Romijn?

World Surf League chief strategy officer Dave Prodan and Heidi Klum?

I saw her at Disneyland, recently, and though she was with a boyfriend I feel Prodan could sweep her off feet.

More as the story develops.

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