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.
Next year we’re all going to care about these contests, might as well get used to it this weekend (March 13-15, 2009) as the 2009 Grand Prix Season wraps up at Killington, Vermont. Watch it live on Go211.com.
You know RVCA. They just like to chill, play music, do some art, and then go rip somebody’s ears off in a rage of testosterone powered aggression. Then on the way home maybe they’ll stop by the mall for some new undies.
Fetish fans rejoice. Nixon is releasing a series of limited edition Rubber Players as a ploy to get shoppers into Nixon retailers.
The Rubber Player is a unique, new interpretation on the iconic Player model from Nixon. Beginning in March, participating retailers will receive four Rubber Players in one color. Each month through June, participating retailers will receive an unannounced, new color of The Rubber Player. This product will not be available for reorder and when they are gone, they are gone.. . . The Rubber Player features a 3-hand Japanese quartz movement, custom molded silicone case and band and diamond. This limited watch will also come with a collector’s kit stand and packaging and will retail for $170.
The Nixon watches we like keep getting discontinued. . .
There was a day when we would have let nothing stand between us and a Christian Hosoi, Steve Caballero & Tony Alva autograph signing in Littleton, Colorado. Sadly, that day was about 20 years ago or we’d be there this Sunday March 15, 2009.
Pennsylvania skaters Adam Podlaski and his brother Jason noticed that a lot of perfectly good wood was going to waste when they and their friends would throw away broken skateboards. And that gave them an idea, according to a story on CBS3.com.
Adam said, “I approached Jay, and I was like, can you make me some furniture out of these things?” So Jason created the Deck Stool. “The design was really based on the way skateboards break,” said Jason. “A large percentage breaks at the truck, because they’re weakened by the holes that are drilled there for the truck. And then the rest break in the center. As you can see by the design, the longer ones become the legs, and the shorter pieces become the seats.”
Deckstools cost about $250 each, so at this point they’re a little more art than eco-furniture. [Link: Deckstools via CBS3.com]
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.
