So long dirty ol' Wedge.

We are all but living in Kelly Slater’s world. The second-greatest ever surfer, 11x world champion and father to a nameless son exploded the very idea of possibility, nine years ago, when he released footage of his Surf Ranch wave pool up Lemoore way. Sure, there had been tanks before, Wavegardens even that looked playful and fun but Slater’s tub oooooeee. That was something else and the rush was on. Though his plow technology was slow to find a home, the second Surf Ranch having just been built in Abu Dhabi, others built Waco Surfs and Palm Springs Surf Clubs, URBNSURFs and Rusty Plungers.

And now, for the first time in recorded history, Newport Beach, California’s city council has approved a study to explore dropping a water world right next-ish to The Wedge.

Introducing Surf Farm.

The group Back Bay Barrels LLC is paying the the $277,000 to study the impact a wave pool would bring to an area currently being used as a golf course in the upper Newport Bay preserve.

According to the Orange County Register:

Councilmember Erik Weigand said at the recent council meeting there has been misinformation in the community and the action the city was taking was not to approve the project, but rather a step in the process that will include not just environmental review, but also public input at community meetings and discussions both at the Planning Commission and City Council meetings.

Still, impossible to tamp down excitement. The proposal includes a large lagoon with seating around, cabanas etc. and three “warming pools” plus a building that would have a “surf-related” retail store. A smaller building is also in the plan which would have “overnight rooms” for athletes.

More questions than answers, of course, and it all still has to get approved, but how do you think the facility will impact Newport Beach’s surf culture?

Here’s a reminder of what it, currently is.

Danger, ahoy!

Where would we as a culture be without Ben Gravy? The beloved New Jersey vlogger who got hisself sober then became a YouTube sensation has delighted for years. Quite possibly the biggest name in surf, Gravy recently brought his talents to Georgia where he graced the local news with his presence while dropping an absolute bombshell.

Brian Michigan, as fine a name for a local newsman as any, first detailed Gravy’s inspirational story before discussing how the movie star handsome 36-year-old made it his mission to surf each of the 50 United States. “The weirdest thing I can find is the thing that gets me excited to surf,” he gamely declared.

Michigan, asking what’s next, received an answer so ambitious, so shocking, as to upset surfing’s applecart for years to come.

Gravy now plans on surfing every country in the world.

All 195 of them.

It is unclear if he counts Palestine as its own nation so maybe 194 but still.

I would imagine pundits pointing to North Korea as one of the more difficult on the list, but I think that will be a fish in a barrel for Gravy’s brand of ultra-positivity. It might even be thought that the rugged blonde will thaw tense relations between the “hermit kingdom” and the west.

South Sudan will pose some trouble as well as Somalia proper. Afghanistan, certainly. Syria, probably. Iran, while safe, might be a tough visa. I’d encourage him to leave Yemen alone.

Which would you most look forward to conquering? Which would give you cold sweats?

Back when I was a younger man, I used to absolutely love Robert Young Pelton’s guidebook The World’s Most Dangerous Places. Snappy, informative and fun. I think it might be useful for our intrepid Benjamin Gravy as he heads out into the world.

Bon voyage.