The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area Pro just over the horizon?

Where surfers are able to practice our favorite pastime has exploded over the past decade. Once confined to coastal areas with waves, we can now surf in Waco, Texas, Rusty Plunge, Australia, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, basically, as Jeep foretold, “the world.”

Still, the announcement of the sprawling Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area in North Korea’s bottom third sent shivers up spines.

Described as “North Korea’s Waikiki” by South Korean media, Wonsan features sand-front luxury towers, waterslides and possibly soon a Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch. The 11x World Champion has much experience building wave pools using happy laborers who live in company housing while riding company busses to and from the job site.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shared, “The guests’ hearts were filled with overwhelming emotion as they felt the astonishing new heights of our-style tourism culture blossoming under the era of the Workers’ Party astonished by the grandeur and splendor of the tourist city, which can accommodate nearly 20,000 people.”

Kim Jong-Un toured paradise with his wife and daughter and seemed to be very pleased with what he saw, saying it would go down as “one of the greatest successes this year.”

Russian tourists are expected to begin arriving next week, many likely bringing surfboards and also making it feel like “North Korea’s Bali.”

The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area Pro just over the horizon?

How much, you think, for North Korea to woo the World Surf League?

Exciting days.

"We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."

The controversial rapper formerly known as Kanye West has officially had his Australian visa revoked by the Commonwealth after releasing songs praising Adolf Hitler many months ago and declaring on X that he was a Nazi and loved Hitler. Ye has since recanted, once again taking to X to share, “I am done with antisemitism. I love all people. God forgive me for the pain I’ve caused. I forgive those who have caused me pain. Thank you God.” But the Australian government clearly did not find the walk-back suitable and canceled his ability to enjoy the country even though it is home to his wife, Bianca Censori.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke explained, “It was a lower level (visa) and the officials still looked at the law and said you’re going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don’t need that in Australia,” before unloading a double-barreled blast at Australian surfers.

“We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry.”

Australian surfers immediately knowing the “problem” is them.

The government spends many millions of dollars a year subsidizing surf training camps, funding surf competitions via tourism board dollars etc. with millions more being spent by the private sector on various boardriders feeding systems et. al. and yet only one male Australian surfer is currently in the World Surf League’s “Final Five,” Ethan Ewing, and just barely. Jack Robinson, at seven, the only other Australian with any hope at all.

A damning truth.

Also implied in Burke’s statement that Australian surfers are bigoted enough all by themselves.

No telling if the kick in the daks will spur revitalization.

No Ye West concerts, in any case, either way.

Are you excited for J-Bay?

More as the story develops.

"We want to thank all our wonderful community for the outpouring of love and support over the last days."

Bitter tears turned to shouts of joy in Bristol, England, this morning, after it was announced that the shuttered-without-warning surf tub The Wave was set to re-open. The town of near 500,000 souls perched on the pendulum’s bottom west was once most famous as a slave trading hub and, more recently, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta wherein hundreds of hot air balloons take a mid-August flight until The Wave opened its gates in 2019.

The facility, which utilizes Wavegarden’s patented technology, was instantly popular with Bristolians who were forced to drive nearly four hours to Penzance to surf.

The Wave delivered on its promise of creating 1000 waves per hour and a whole local community began to establish itself. Then, all of a sudden and overnight, the whole business closed.

According to the BBC:

Majority owners (of The Wave) Sullivan Street Partners claimed the closure followed problems surrounding the bankruptcy of a director of another funding partner, JAR Wave. The BBC has approached the firm for comment.

A statement from the majority owners said: “The Wave Group team apologises unreservedly for any upset caused and is doing its best to ensure the situation can be remedied.”

Hope was mostly lost. The local surf community crying onto large plates filled with aged cheddar cheese, Cornish yarg and stargazy pie.

But then, just as swift as it was sealed, The Wave sprung back to life. The BBC now reporting:

The Wave, on the northern edge of Bristol, shut with immediate effect on Thursday and was placed into technical insolvency. It was announced on Friday evening that the site had been sold to another company, with the hope of reopening on Saturday – though this failed to happen. On Monday evening it was confirmed on social media that surfers would be allowed to return on Tuesday.

A The Wave spokesperson added, “We are so excited to let you all know that we will be reopening our doors. We want to thank all our wonderful community for the outpouring of love and support over the last days.”

In a real cherry on top of the clotted cream, the pre-scheduled English Para Surfing Open competition will be held without disruption.

Huzzah.