All eyes on Kelly Slater as Jimmy Buffett themed cruise announces “Sip & Surf” experience

By Chas Smith

1 month ago

"(Jimmy Buffet's) music basically outlined the lives we desired…fishing, diving, dreaming about being in the tropics, playing music, and just living the dream."

2021 was truly a fine year. The oldest man in the world was elected President of the United States, Tokyo hosted a wonderful Olympics entirely free of pesky spectators and the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line officially rebranded as Margaritaville at Sea.

While the inspiration behind the Florida-to-Caribbean adventure, one Jimmy Buffett, passed to the other side in 2023, his cruise portfolio continues to expand. There are now two Maragritavilles at Sea, both featuring song-themed menu items, salt shaker art on walls, Jimmy Buffett cover bands, palm trees, parrots and clocks set to perpetual 5 o’clock.

The cruise director bravely told USA Today, “We worship the flip-flop here on board.”

And things are looking even rosier as Spring sprungs. A third sexual assault lawsuit was recently settled, the enterprise just won the coveted “best cruise line for families” award and a “Sip & Surf Flash Sale” has, minutes ago, been announced.

Per the press release:

For a limited time, guests can enjoy five free drinks, complimentary Wi-Fi for one device per booking, and 50 percent off cruise fares, along with the Kids Sail Free promotion.

Now, I see the “sip” but where is the “surf?”

Might it be an onboard residency featuring Kelly Slater?

The greatest surfer to ever live and Buffett had a very close relationship, Slater penning an emotional tribute sharing, “I grew up listening to Jimmy Buffett with my family. His music basically outlined the lives we desired…fishing, diving, dreaming about being in the tropics, playing music, and just living the dream. I met Jimmy in France in 2010 about 8 years or so after my dad died and the first day I told him how much he reminded me of my own father and from that moment on he kind of became a surrogate to me, occasionally calling me from some far off land telling me he missed me and I had to come visit him wherever he was.”

Slater is now mostly semi-retired and what better way to spend his sunset years than an onboard host with his very own girlfriend and unnamed son?

Just imagine a talk story evening, the 11-time champion opining on vaccine safety and philosophical conundrums. It would be sheer magic. The only question, how much would you pay? The “Sip & Surf” promotion only has hours left so get on it.

Loading comments...

Load Comments

Live chat, day four, Rip Curl Pro Portugal!

By Derek Rielly

1 month ago

Surfing's own Eurovision!

Loading comments...

Load Comments

Jack Robinson engaged in some adroit foreplay, turning Supertubos’ nipples gently between thumb and forefinger, rimming the lineup. WSL

Jack “The Ripper” Robinson dominates European surfing grand slam in wild seas!

By JP Currie

1 month ago

His friends call him Jackie. His enemies call him lots of other things!

The European leg, a slightly grandiose way to describe a solitary event, is doing itself no favours.

At broadcast start this afternoon the rain lashed the Supertubos line-up. It was evident on the camera lens and the mics. It tin-tacked the Atlantic. The broadcast team, wrapped up like puffy little winter robins, whinged about possibly getting wet.

The swell was filling in, as predicted (miraculously) by Surfline, who could say anything at this point and it would still sound like fiction.

But it was to last just twenty minutes before the wind switched and kicked in.

During that half-heat’s worth of simmering excitement, Jack Robinson engaged in some adroit foreplay, turning Supertubos’ nipples gently between thumb and forefinger, rimming the lineup.

It was heavy. Ian Gentil broke a board within the first couple of mins while the rain drummed on the mics.

Filipe Toledo, cued to surf in heat seven, looked pensive from the athlete’s area.

“He looks intent on making some decisions,” said Strider cryptically.

Filipe Toledo Portugal — Filipe Toledo looking like he’s beeing stalked by a battalion of slightly aggressive field mice.

Kaipo reminded us again that he calls Jack Robinson “The Shaman”. A nickname he clearly stole from Ain’t That Swell, yet continues to pass off as his own. “Let’s see if he can’t go out there and bend water,” he pitched to Strider.

“Dude, the sky’s falling out there,” said Mitch. “I hope you brought your Yeti. You could probably just leave it out there for ten seconds and that thing would be full” he added in an awkward nod to the sponsor.

Later, he would pronounce “Supertubos” with such a ludicrous Spanish accent I’m beginning to wonder if he’s trolling us.

Or perhaps tthhhhhhrrrrrrrooooaaaallllliinnngggg.

Jack Robinson dropped an 8.17 then a (wildly undercooked) 7.5 for back-to-back waves in his inimitable fashion. Two big no-hand pumps saw him through the doggy-door of a thick left. Then on the paddle back out he snagged a meaty right as opponent Ian Gentil took it on the head.

They were the last barrels of the day.

The plan was overlapping heats, but even before the first was done, rain started to obscure the camera and all hope along with it.

Liam O’Brien bested Crosby Colapinto in a scrappy, non-tubed affair where neither man could break into double figures for a heat total.

“It was a bit like a washing machine out there,” said Liam O’Brien. “I had to go back to grindy turns.”

Back in the studio, Jesse Mendes wore a beanie high on his head as if he were looking for a window to lick.

In an all-Brazilian affair to end the foreshortened day, Yago Dora and Sammy Pupo struggled to find rideable waves. Both men ended with pocket threes. Dora’s were a ball hair better.

“Survival mode,” Yago Dora claimed.

“You study oceanology, Strider,” pitched Kaipo, presumably referencing oceanography’s cousin in a Jesse Mendes beanie. “It’s true that when the swell gets bigger the lulls get longer, right?”

“You could say that,” replied Strider graciously, before saying the complete opposite.

It’s a funny old room when Strider’s the sharpest tool.

“When you’re building a house, sometimes you need to use a hammer, sometimes you need to use a screwdriver,” offered Kaipo.

No-one quite knew what he was referring to.

Or why one would build a house with hand tools.

Onto tomorrow. There’s swell in the water and uncertainty in the air.

Loading comments...

Load Comments

Catherine Zeta-Jones (left), Ewan McGregor (second to right) and the cast of Blue Juice.

North Shore’s status as “surfing’s cult classic” threatened by Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ewan McGregor fronted Blue Juice!

By Chas Smith

1 month ago

"I hope, I'm praying that we don't ridicule (surfers) in any way."

I thought I had seen it all, or at least tangentially aware of it all. Every bit of surf-based flotsam and jetsam that has washed through Hollywood/Hollywood-adjacent over the years. From Big Wednesday to Blue Crush, Point Break to Chasing Mavericks. Soul Surfer, Surf’s Up, In God’s Hands, Surfer Dude, Blue Crush 2, Breath, Beach Party, Johnny Tsunami.

The film most quoted by surfers, of course, and long considered our “cult classic,” is North Shore. Sam George’s ex-wife stars alongside Gerry Lopez, Laird Hamilton and others in telling the story of a artist from Arizona with big wave dreams.

Heartwarming and I imagined its place at the top would never be threatened.

And then, for the very first time, I learned about Blue Juice.

The British surf story, released 30 years ago, is apparently experiencing a renaissance, selling out theaters etc. Set in Cornwall, it tells the story of a surf instructor and his girlfriend’s tranquil life getting upset when his unruly friends from London come to visit. The girlfriend just so happens to be Catherine Zeta-Jones. One of the unruly friends Ewan McGregor.

Very aware of her audience, Zeta-Jones declared, “I hope, I’m praying that we don’t ridicule them in any way. It’s about relationships and surfing is a fantastic backdrop to have,” at the 1995 premier in Newquay.

Again, I had never even heard of this picture, much less seen it, but by the looks of the trailer could unseat North Shore.

Have you enjoyed?

Thoughts?

Loading comments...

Load Comments

Kelly Slater remembers Shane Herring, dead at 53.

Kelly Slater posts emotional tributes to old sparring partner Shane Herring

By Derek Rielly

1 month ago

“We lost touch but we never lost our connection.”

Kelly Slater, among dozens of other surfing notables, has posted two emotional tributes to his former foe Shane Herring, who died yesterday aged just fifty-three.

Herring fell down the stairs of his top floor joint in West Tweed, a few clicks back from the Supabank in Coolangatta, felt ok, had a little something to eat, went back to bed and never woke up.

His early demise wasn’t entirely a surprise, although money would’ve been on misadventure by drugs not a two am tumble down a set of stairs. Herring had quit the tour after the 1994 circuit but wasn’t overly concerned about the future. What twenty three year old is?

Herring had three hundred gees in the bank and, still, the world at his feet if he wanted it.

He burnt through the cash in two years.

Again, from his interview with Vaughan Blakey twelve years back.

“A lot of it went up my nose. Started out as coke, but eventually ended up as lower-class drugs. Amphetamines… You don’t even know it when it’s happening. You don’t know until you get depressed and they put you on psychiatric drugs and then it takes a long time to get off that fucking shit. When you get depressed you really fuck up. And that’s when they think you’re a harm to yourself and a harm to society. So basically don’t even go there. Don’t take drugs.”

When Slater heard the news he wrote,

“I’m so sad to get this news tonight. Shane Herring was a dear friend some decades ago. We lost touch for years but never lost our connection. Shane’s surfing and friendship early years on tour had a huge impact on me and my surfing. I deeply admired his raw talent and childlike spirit, his respect for the roots of surfing and desire to make our elders proud.”

And,

“Shane Herring. He best blended the old school power and pure lines with the new school mentality and speed in the nineties. In the years we spent travelling and surfing together, I always found Shane to be a kindhearted guy and an extremely talented surfer, but he had his demons that limited his time of greatness. He loved the purity in surfing and was uncomfortable with the limelight and notoriety and scrutiny it brought him. He made a bigger mark than he might be known for these days and it hurts to know we won’t get to catch up again. I was really looking forward to seeing and maybe even surfing again the coming months with Shane, whom I haven’t seen in probably twenty-plus years. This clips is the first final we each made on tour and he won in front of his hometown. Ride on, Shane. We’re thinking of ya.”

Classy.

Loading comments...

Load Comments

Eat beach grit spam!