Rusty Preisendorfer’s son Clint was drafted by the New York Yankee’s organization to play in the minor leagues according to a post on the Rusty.com blog. Apparently, Clint is a rocket-hot pitcher who is already off a spring training. What does this new contract mean for Clint’s other activities? It means he has to quit almost all of them.
My contract does not let me do anything! No skateboarding, no snowboarding, no wakeboarding, but I did have them make an exception for surfing. However, my contract stipulates that there is a limit- I am not allowed to surf anything over ten feet! I pretty much told them that surfing is a part of my life and if I can’t have it I don’t know if I can play baseball.
Well, at least he’s keeping his priorities straight.
The LA Times may joke that the beaches of southern California might be a great place for AIG executives to take part in a “long-distance swimming race with no lifelines” but to those who surf everyday the recent shark sightings are not all that funny.
A surfer over the weekend reportedly was rushed by a large shark off Carlsbad, which is about seven miles north of Solana Beach. This has not been confirmed.
A beachcomber off Bolsa Chica State Beach on Monday discovered a headless sea lion with other wounds. Perhaps this serves as evidence that adult great whites, which generally prey on much larger elephant seals off Northern California, are utilizing an increasingly dense sea lion population off Southern California.
A swimmer and stand-up paddleboard surfer in the Pacific Palisedes area on Saturday reported sighting estimated seven- and eight-foot sharks, 15 minutes apart around 8 a.m. The swimmer said there were two sharks, and that one of them leaped, or breached.
Three people atop Balboa Pier in Newport Beach on Saturday reported sighting an estimated eight-foot shark, which also breached.
We’re not looking forward to seeing any, thank you.
Mini and sleek aluminum trailer maker Airstream have teamed up with with furniture brand Republic of Fritz Hansen to create the ultimate surf travel collab.
The concept will make its debut at the Interni Design Energies exhibition in the courtyards of Università degli Studi di Milano during the upcoming Salone del Mobile show held in Milan. I know it’s a mouthful, but stay with me. . . . Republic of Fritz Hansen is a Copenhagen-based firm specializing in functional, minimalist design. . . . Using the outdoor lifestyle aspects of surf culture, the firm has created a fresh new look for the Clubman and Airstream caravan.
Looks cool, but we wouldn’t want to drive it to Costa Rica.
Even though the surf is good we’ve never really found much reason to surf San Diego County’s Imperial Beach, but those who plow those polluted waters may be a little safer thanks to Wild Coast’s free hepatitis A vaccines, according to a story on KPBS.org.
He says anyone who surfs or goes in the ocean in IB regularly should get the shots twice a year. That’s because the polluted Tijuana River empties out just south of the beach. McCue says at first his group tried to discourage people from going in the water when pollution levels were high. But he says that wasn’t very effective. . . “We found it’s a much better strategy to tell people what health services are offered to them. If they do report ocean illness where can they go to get services. So, the Imperial Beach Health Center offers either free or heavily discounted treatment and vaccinations for people who report getting sick from the water here,” he says.
The search for missing Kauai surfer Aaron Lamson, 34, of Moloa’a has been called off after crews spent two unsuccessful days looking for the man, according to a story in the The Garden Island.
The missing man. . . who lost his surfboard at around 1:41 Friday afternoon at a spot called “Crack 14” and has not been seen since then. “Anyone with new information about the missing surfer is urged to call us,” said Kaua‘i Fire Chief Robert Westerman. . . . “We are prepared to immediately switch from passive to active mode and resume the search.”
For $199 for a half hour or $299 for the 45-minute final, surfing fans can get a new perspective on the contest, which draws 24 of the world’s best big-wave surfers to the reef on 24-hour notice to compete on waves with faces from 20 to 40 feet. “We’re constantly looking for novel ways to offer Mavericks fans unique experiences,” said Mavericks Surf Ventures CEO Keir J. Beadling. “Our official boat tours have always been very popular, and now Airship Ventures is allowing us to bring that experience to the next level.”
Or, you could just watch it free online in HD on Fuel and forgo the airsickness. The waiting period ends in two weeks on March 31, 2009.
The US Coast Guards is currently searching for a missing surfer who was last seen 100 yards off Kealia Beach, according to KGMB9.com.
The man, wearing red shorts, fell off his surfboard and went missing after being hit by a large wave at about 1:30 p.m. . . . Coast Guard rescue crews from Air Station Barbers Point here and Station Kauai are assisting the Kauai Fire Department and Kauai County Ocean Safety with the search. The Coast Guard plans to search through the night with its HH-65 rescue helicopter crew.
Hopefully, he swam a different way and is already home.
The new 09 Gear Guide issue of Transworld Surf sent Postsurf.com’s Lewis Samuels into a bit of a tailspin regarding the surf industry, advertising, publishing, and ultimately what will happen to surf publications when and if the economy recovers:
I’m tempted to believe that what surfers really want and need are waves – pictures of waves, insights about waves and surfers, thoughtful CONTENT that makes you excited to be a surfer. Even Transworld’s 14-year-old audience doesn’t want a catalog. They’re children, not morons. . . . Yes, the economy is fucked. The surf industry is crumbling. People will lose their jobs. I may lose my job, because of the garbage I write if not because of the economy. But I wonder… if people quit buying shit they don’t need because they’re broke, what will they do if they have money later on? Will they start buying useless crap again, or will they learn that consumer consumption isn’t the equivalent of happiness?
As funny as it is to see a buyer’s guide when no one is buying, we’re going to go with option one. People will always buy useless crap. It’s the American way.
The Gold Coast water police think they need some rules to curb “thrill seeking surfers” who use jet-skis to tow in to waves. Cyclone Hamish, the one that brought surf for the Quiksilver Pro has whipped up some nice tow-in waves and they are being exploited according to a story on Goldcoast.come.au.
Most were breaking the law, as tow-in surfing is classified the same as waterskiing which requires a spotter, or observer, on board. All three — driver, spotter and surfer — must also be wearing lifejackets. . . . Many of the tow-in surfers seen this week were not wearing life jackets and did not have spotters. . . . Gold Coast water police said several tow-in surfers had been booked for not having a spotter.
Other feel using waterski rules are kind of silly.
Queensland Surfing CEO Andrew Stark said the legislation that required spotters was dangerous. . . “If you are in 10-15 foot waves buzzing around and you’re towing a guy, it just doesn’t make sense to have a spotter on the back. . . “It’s not in the best practice rules of it. That’s why the whole thing needs an overhaul.”
Seems like the penalties of screwing up in big surf are high enough without the government getting involved.
Rusty Preisendorfer’s son Clint was drafted by the New York Yankee’s organization to play in the minor leagues according to a post on the Rusty.com blog. Apparently, Clint is a rocket-hot pitcher who is already off a spring training. What does this new contract mean for Clint’s other activities? It means he has to quit almost all of them.
