Moondiggity-dog!

Alarm had transitioned to sheer panic in Southern California’s old-timey surfing community in recent weeks. San Onofre, you see, the iconic longerboard wave just south of San Clemente was set to be shuttered from their cross-stepping ways. That land is owned by the United States Navy and the Marine Corp base of Camp Pendelton, who had leased it to California’s State Parks for many years. As happens with rents, leases, etc., though, they can expire and this one was set to do just that.

No more hanging ten.

Nor even five.

Well, just as the executioner’s blade was set to drop, a new 20-odd year lease was signed which will kick hysteria down the road until 2049.

Moondiggity-dog.

California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot gushed, “San Onofre State Beach is a gem within our state parks system, a beloved beach with world-class surf breaks. We’re very glad that this new lease with the Navy ensures that the state beach continues for everyone’s enjoyment in decades to come. We’re thankful to the Navy and Marine Corps for their close partnership making this possible and are proud to support Camp Pendleton and military installations across California as they advance our vital national defense mission.”

Winking at the shoutout, ,” Brig. Gen. Nick I. Brown, commanding general of Marine Corps Installations West at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, responded, “The renewal of the lease for the San Onofre State Beach represents our continued commitment to our community and to the preservation of natural beauty and cultural heritage of the region. Our partnership with California State Parks enhances recreational opportunities for our community and strengthens our shared dedication to environmental stewardship and responsible land management.”

Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, wanting to get some shine, added, “I’m elated that we’ve reached a new long-term lease agreement that ensures Orange and San Diego County residents can continue to access and enjoy this beach and surf spot for years to come. This new lease agreement is a win for the millions of annual visitors, for our military, for our environment, and for our community.”

And for old-timey surfers.

An absolute mess.

Surfers are many things, including but not limited to grouchy, possessive, generally incoherent but, above all, we are travelers. Few surfers are fortunate enough to live near world-class waves and so we pack board bags, drive to the airport and fly to surf-rich destinations. The worse the waves at home, the more surfers fly and so it should come as no surprise that Britain has an extremely large contingent of traveling surfers.

It might come as one, though, that they are the drunkest fliers in the world.

A damning new study has found that the top five airlines in the world disrupted by boozers are all Jolly England-based.

The worst is EasyJet followed by Ryanair, British Airways, TUI and Jet 2.

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary, speaking to the Independent’s travel podcast, declared, “We are seeing record numbers. We and most of the airlines around Europe are seeing a spike upwards, particularly this summer, of disgruntled passengers on board. I think the real challenge is: flight delays are up at a record high this summer, so people are spending time in airports drinking before they board the aircraft.”

Especially surfers.

British surfers.

Sitting at Heathrow’s airport bar, staring at photos of Canggu, drinking a double Hendricks and soda, watching the dreaded “delayed” marker flash next to flight, ordering another double Hendricks and soda.

An absolute mess when finally boarding.

But have you had experience with a drunken British surf flier recently?

Describe please.

"I had done ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and there was a lot of conversation around this scene in a bikini..."

The early 2000s were certainly a high water mark for surfing and surf culture. Andy Irons at his very peak, rattling off three straight Association of Surfing Professionals championships in a row thereby forcing Kelly Slater to return from his second of twenty-seven (and counting) retirements. Surf Magazines were relevant and staffed by real boys and girl. Surf brands were worth money, Hurley selling to shoe giant Nike for 95 million actual US dollars (160 mil in today’s numbers). And surf featured lovingly in films like Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu with guest appearance from the legendary Demi Moore.

Look at Diaz barrel.

Moore, reflecting on the times in a recent interview, declares that walking up the beach in a black bikini, apparently sponsored by Volcom, forced her to struggle with her identity.

“I had done ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and there was a lot of conversation around this scene in a bikini,” she told Interview Magazine, “and it was all very heightened, a lot of talk about how I looked. I didn’t feel like I didn’t belong,” the now 61-year-old clarified. “It’s more like I felt that feeling of, I’m not 20, I’m not 30, but I wasn’t yet what they perceived as a mother.”

Rude the containers women are put into, no? Pierce Brosnan never had to struggle with his identity while playing James Bond nor Clint Eastwood a variety of grumpy men.

Well, Moore seems to have landed on her feet, starring in a new sci-fi film that “follows Hollywood star Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore) as she takes an experimental drug advertised to create a younger version of herself — a clone Sue (Margaret Qualley).”

There for it.