Surf Nation

Fuzzy Logic

The man behind the book featured here (one Tom Waine) is apparently a surfer. I am hoping to speak to him soon and wonder if he has the answer to British Airways and Its Fear of Complexity. Meanwhile, on the subject of the BA surfboard ban, the current world number 1 surfer, Mick Fanning, has this to say: "As a British Airways 'Platinum No 1 Frequent Flyer' and an athlete on the ASP World Tour it's really hard to understand why people who have been so loyal, and spent so much money with BA, have been dealt this blow. I only travel with BA through Europe because of the friendly staff and quality of the service. If BA goes ahead with its policy of not carrying surfboards, I won't be able to compete in my World Tour events." 

Which is quite diplomatic, really. Newly crowned European Longboard Champ (and Brit) Ben Skinner (pictured) was more down to earth: "As a part of the British team I've always travelled with BA. I think it's a disgrace that they've thrown this ban at us. BA seems to have totally underestimated the amount of business it stands to lose. I feel that as our national airline they should support British surfing."

The British Surfing Association has no intention of letting up on its campaign to persuade BA to change its mind. Don't forget to check out the BSA link and sign the petition online; details of the Facebook campaign are there, too.
 

25 Surfer Sayings

25. It was killer.

24. It was sick.

23. It was pumping.

22. It was totally gnarly dude.

21. It was unreal.

20. You should have been here yesterday.

19. First it was closing out and unrideable, now it's just too full. It sucks.

18. This place used to be empty.

17. I went over the falls, got drilled and then got caught inside. But then I got out the back, caught a freight train right and pulled the most awesome roundhouse cutback in my life to set up another blast down the line to floater re-entry. The whole thing was filth, man, pure filth.

16. Surfing has sold its soul.

15. He rips.

14. I'm stoked, totally stoked.

13. The O'Neill Highland Open is totally core.

12. We're all longboarders now.

11. Lawyers don't surf.

10. Lawyers do surf  - check out Dimitri.

9. Dude, don't drop in on me again.

8. It's a zoo out there.

7. Peace, bro - have you heard that those dudes from Finisterre are sharing the stage with Nobel Peace Prize Winner Al Gore?

6. Locals only round here, mate. Sorry.

5. "It's up the hill, then right, then take the second left, then go along the lane for about a mile, then turn onto the farm, then take the third left. Don't worry about the blokes with the machine guns standing next to the slaughterhouse, they're just harmless locals. Drive past them - make sure you wave and say 'Aloha dudes!' and then, bingo, the break's right in front of you."

"Thanks, mate."

"No worries, we like to be helpful round here." [Ed's Note: This is a lie.]

4. A bad day in the water is better than a good day at school/work/on the farm/in the city/anywhere.

3. "Dad, why can't I have the day off school to go surfing? Christian and Seb do and if I'm going to make it as a pro surfer, I need to be in the water practising, not wasting my time in school. Christian says it's going off! Come on, please let me have a day off."

2. I still swear by Sex Wax - it's the original, and the best.

1.Once upon a time, there was an airline called British Airways. For many years, this airline - the world's favourite - would carry surfers and their boards around the world. Then one day a decree came from on high. A full review of contemporary stowage techniques had revealed that transporting surfboards presented extreme handling complexities. And so the world's most beloved of airlines said "No more! You surfers will have to fly around the world without us. We will still carry guns and skis but surfboards will have to stay at home. They are just too complex for us." The surfers protested and set up a petition thanks to the British Surfing Association, as well as a Facebook campaign, but aside from strange rumours emanating from Los Angeles Airport that the ban might be rescinded it seems that the world's most bizarre excuse for not carrying a surfboard is set in stone as British Airways' policy.

And so the surfers coined a new phrase, one heard up and down the beaches not merely of the UK but around the world: BA is the world's biggest sucking airline. This they soon shortened to: BA sucks - though other variants have also been heard.   

British Airways to lift ban?

My mate Stef Harkon popped round today. Stef is a lifeguard, surfer and hardcore skater, and tends to know what's what. He told me that over at LAX in the US, representatives of the world's possibly not intimidated by surfers after all and best airline are telling customers that BA has decided not to implement its ban on the transportation of surfboards.

I can't find any confirmation of this but if it's true, it would be welcome news, not least to Bernhard Ritzer of O'Neill. Bernhard is the event director for O'Neill Europe and the man behind the highly successful O'Neill Highland Open held each spring on Scotland's North Shore. As he says: "Pretty much every international surfer comes to Thurso via British Airways flights from around the world. If BA isn't going to let them carry their surfboards, this will have a major impact on the O'Neill Highland Open and on travelling to Scotland generally."

I also picked up a message today from Cheggs, a surfer on the Isle of Lewis. I met Cheggs during the Hebridean research for Surf Nation. He points out that BA is the only flight carrier to Lewis, which is one of the best surf spots in Britain. The BA ban will make a sizeable dent in the Lewis economy and its ever-growing surf scene.

I know I keep describing BA as not the world's most ridiculous airline but one that worries too much about handling complexities but it's very hard not conclude that BA is, in fact, ridiculous.

Photo of last year's O'Neill Highland Open courtesy of O'Neill/Al Mackinnon.

The Surf, The Groms, Their Boards and The Ban

Joel Gray of France-based Surf Solutions drops me a line from Hawaii's North Shore, where he's currently heading up The Hawaii Project. This entails putting nine of the UK's top groms through their paces in the challenging surf of the North Shore. This year's trip is a month-long affair with the nine athletes split into two separate two week trips. The first group headed out on Saturday 20th October, with Gray acting as Head Coach Joel Gray and being assisted by Martin Connolly. The crew are also getting specific strength and fitness direction from leading Strength Coach Michael Pellegrino.

Those lucky enough to be making the trip are Toby Donachie (St Merryn), Stuart Campbell (Woolacome), Lyndon Wake (Croyde), Dane Hall (St Ives), Josh Piper (Watergate), Alex Baker (Croyde), Luis Eyre (Portugal), Tassy Swallow (St Ives), and Kathleen Spears (Porthtowan). The Hawaii Project is part of Surf Solutions’ overall programme of exposing Britain’s promising young surfers to tough challenges and top level surf coaching. As Gray says: “It is crucial that young British surfers acquire and develop surf experience outside the UK as much as possible if they are to fulfill their high aspirations. Hawaii acts not only as a great eye opener but also a critical test against conditions conducted amidst world class peers. Our programme is one of intensive technical coaching interspersed with controlled big wave surf exposure.”

Joel tells me that all is going well in Hawaii, with all the groms doing themselves proud and relishing the regime of getting up to surf breaks such as Velzyland, Rocky Rights and Sunset at 5.30 every morning. However, there is a problem. Yes, the return flights are booked with British 'If it's complex, we don't handle it' Airways. How, then, will they get their boards home, and any new boards they might be lucky enough to lay their hands on? As Joel says: "It'll be interesting..."

Here are some mug shots of a few of the lucky groms - you know who you are... (Ed's Note: And with the wind howling and rain pouring here in Penwith, trust me - even with some impending handling complexities thanks to BA you are lucky).

The World's Favourite Airline Says "Yes!" to Guns

Trouble is, they're not of the surfboard variety. The word is that the airline most troubled by handling complexities insists that it won't be changing its corporate mind over the decision to ban surfboards. Fortunately, we can all ferry real, death-and-damage inflicting guns around the world, because shooting equipment does not present the same level of handling complexity as, for example, my son's 5"8' thruster.

Good to see that the the British Surfing Association's petition to campaign against the ban now has some 2,500 signatures. If you haven't already, click on the link above and sign the petition.

Meanwhile, British 'No to Handling Complexity' Airways'  list of restricted items does not include skateboards (although I understand that some airlines consider them to be potential instruments of terrorism).The fact that skateboards haven't been listed is doubtless a consequence of anarcho-skate fiends operating deep within BA.

Talking of skateboards, I have tried in vain to persuade both my agent and editor that there is a book to be written about UK skate culture. They are both good people but respond by saying that "Skateboarding is for 11-14-year-olds. As such, who would buy this book?" If anybody cares to disagree with them, please feel free to express diplomatic disagreement here. And don't forget to sign that petition.

Excellent poster available from www.allposters.com. First image courtesy of Nollie TV.
 

That Homegrown nailing...

A Homegrown Maniac (Nearly) Comes To Grief...

My last two surfs haven't been much to write home about (Ed's note: They never are!). I've lapsed back into thinking far too much and getting worked up by the crowds, when I should just be doing. Still, yesterday, at Sennen Cove, I did manage to suspend the thought processes enough to have one fast and powerful right-hander. It was a foot or two over head high and clobbered me fairly severely when my third turn left me with nowhere to go but into the pitching lip. Before that, it was lovely the way the wall of water sat up ahead of me, making me think "Wouldn't it be good to be on a serious 10-12ft wave, pulling in and racing down the line. In fact, wouldn't it be amazing to ride an even bigger wave than that, something truly outsize. Imagine the speed and adrenaline!" And then I got home and read this account of insane Australian big-wave riding by Cassandra Murnieks. I'll be grateful for the Cove later, when Harry finishes school, at 2-3ft on the push...

Alex ‘Alfy’ Cater knows that big wave surfing is a risky sport, but has that ever stopped him? Even after the big waves of Western Australia nearly claimed his life last month, he is already looking forward to his next epic session. The West Australian has been surfing for 18 years, and six of those have been conquering the big waves. Cater was a finalist at the 2007 Oakley/ASL Big Wave Awards for the biggest wave surfed. He put his life on the line at secret break ‘Cow Bombie’ and caught a monster 40 foot wave. The $30,000AUD prize money ended up going to fellow West Australian Damon Eastaugh. Cater tried his luck recently at a break called ‘Xbox’, but it all went horribly wrong for the dare devil.

The big wave surfer and a small crew who go by the name ‘Homegrown Maniacs’ (www.homegrownmaniacs.com) had been tracking the swell for a week. After discovering a massive storm had formed off the coast of South Africa and was making its way towards Western Australia, they knew that they were going to get some big waves.

Skiers good, surfers bad: More on the BA Ban

I'm indebted to Alf Alderson for spotting an advert extolling The World's Favourite Airline's willingness to transport skis and snowboards. Perhaps appropriately, Alf saw this in a toilet at the London Ski Show. It says that good old BA will carry skis and snowboards free of charge.

Clearly, skiers are the type of people BA want on its planes. Even snowboarders seem to be OK, too. But surfers? No. BA say its policy of refusing to carry surfboards is down to "handling complexities" (so I guess that its operatives have had special training to render the art of manipulating bags containing skis and snowboards as non-complex as possible) but maybe it's motivated by antipathy to surfers. Let's face it, most of us are broke and can't afford to enrich BA by spending loads on duty free in the aisles. Could this be a factor in the ban?

Regardless of the real reason - I'm sorry, but "handling complexities" doesn't do it for me - the fact is that the ban will have a seriously detrimental effect on British professional surfing (as well as the likes of you and me). A lot of pro events are based on outlying UK islands where BA is the only flight carrier. The ban will mean that our surfers can't take their boards to competitions - which are their livelihood.

If you think BA's policy is as ludicrous and, indeed, discriminatory as me, there is something you can do about it. You can go to the British Surfing Association website and sign a petition; if you have a Facebook account, you can also join the 'Facebook British Airways Surfboard Ban' group.

Please do this. Like the heroine of the Vicki Barr series, the answer can be found and perhaps BA will revise its absurd new policy. Meanwhile, what I want to know is: what about skateboards?

The Magic of Thurso East

Greg Martin sends news of Irish charger Fergal Smith's win at the Scottish leg of the Relentless Triple Crown in Association with Wavelength. According to Greg, Fergal clinched first place with some stylish surfing, with the competition held at the focal point for surfing on Scotland's North Shore, Thurso East. As Greg says: "It was just a little too small to be breaking consistently, but when it did do its thing on the sets, it was pretty perfect. Dan Capel managed to bag one early in the morning, disappearing into the barrel for several seconds before coming out to win the Relentless wave of the day - and £250." Here's Dan's wave, as shot by Greg and exquisitely illustrating the magic of Thurso East.

Also pictured is the winner of the first event in the Triple Crown, Llewellyn Whittaker. Llew took the spoils at the G Shock North East Open and is shown here thanks to Lucia Griggi.

The Triple Crown is a fine innovation for the UK Pro Surfing calendar. Hats off to the British Professional Surfing Association, Wavelength and Relentless for putting it together.

Next stop, after a day of free surfing, is the Portrush Open in Northern Ireland.

 

"You just ride waves, don't you?"

I find myself pondering a variety of surfing-related themes this morning, not least because an acquaintance I bumped into yesterday opined that "nothing really happens in surfing - you just ride waves and that's it, isn't it?".

Well, no. Mick Fanning might just win the ASP World Title at the forthcoming Hang Loose Santa Caterina Pro in Brazil, while in the far north of Scotland the pick of British pros are doing battle for the British Triple Crown. Greg Martin, the new editor of Pit Pilot, sends this update:

The swell has arrived! Yesterday was due to be the first day of competition, but it was a little too small at Thurso. But, as the charts predicted, just before the sun went down the waves appeared from nowhere and kept building. Today is meant to be bigger again, so we should be in for some good waves and good surfing. The standard is extremely high among all the competitors and it was pretty amazing to watch the pack free surfing the bigger waves at Brims last night. Stokesy, as always, got wave of the session - and it'll no doubt appear here, there and everywhere in the coming months - but in the meantime, here's someone picking off one of the sets at sunset.

Meanwhile, good old British Airways have banned the transportation of surfboards. I was thinking about BA's deeply unpopular decision this morning as I read Dr Tony Butt's excellent "How cool is global warming?" article in The Surfer's Path. Was BA's apparent hostility to surfers actually motivated by a concern for the environment, I wondered? Was there someone on high within BA who had concluded that surfers needed a short, sharp shock? That this was the only way to kick them out of their zeal for global surf travel with its huge, attendant and undeniable carbon footprint? For as Butt, the co-author of Surf Science: An Introduction to Waves for Surfing, says: "If we're not so lucky [in managing/surviving the consequences of global warming], and don't quite manage to reduce our carbon emissions and deforestation, any kind of surf travel could be out of the question."

Somehow I doubt that BA's ban on surfboards was a product of some kind of corporate benevolent dictatorship, but that we, as surfers, have questions to ask of our delight in exploring surf breaks around the world is inescapable. Alex Dick-Read, the editor of The Surfer's Path, confronts the issue in characteristically head-on style in the editorial in the current issue of the magazine. ADR posits a scenario of eco-conscious surfing - complete with boards made of 50% plant-based foam, surfboard resin that's 97% vegetable oil, glass-in bamboo fins and non-toxic surfboard wax - that is, in fact, possible. As he says, arguing for surfers to commit fully to the clean, green surfing experience: "Best of all, you don't have to be a throwback hippy hair-shirted lentil-eating acid-headed eco-pyscho to do any of this. You can be whoever the hell you want to be. You can go about your life exactly as you are now without noticing the slightest decline in freedoms or choices, or even too much of a dent on your bank account. You'll just be one of the slightly lower-impact, and therefore a little bit less damaging, human beings on the planet."

Two more surf-related topics. ADR makes the point that we can all be who we choose to be, and one man who certainly seems to have done just that is Rowan Chernin - the man behind the superb Chairman of the Board CD. I posted a while ago on this and have now discovered a little more about Rowan. He first surfed on The Gower in 1988. Thereafter, in his own words:

"I immersed myself in surf culture and discovered the VHS bootleg world of the vintage surf movie – and have been hooked ever since! I spent years looking for the original sountracks to these films. Some were never released while others were more expensive, because of their limited edition release, than a weekend break in Spain. I approached Harmless Records in 2004, they listened to my CD of ropey recordings taken directly from the films and said they loved it. Heard nothing for two years. Then someone called me back, said they found it in the bottom of a cupboard that was being cleared-out and wanted it released for summer 2007."

Then came a meeting with Death in Vegas...

"In a nut-shell this was a live music and film event that I directed and co-produced in conjunction with The Barbican. I wanted to combine three classic surf films - Innermost Limits of Pure Fun, Liquid Time and Morning Of The Earth into one 90 minute epic. The aim was to capture the essence of surfing rather than the industry of surfing. It was a self-indulgent art project on the scale of ‘everybody has a book inside them’, I just happened to have three films, a modern-day soundtrack and an idealistic vision of the surf film as a cognitive, transcendental window to drop-out through my spare time. (Maybe I watched too many Mr Ben’s...) It was edited and mixed live by the magic hands of visual artists Flat-e with an original score performed live by Death In Vegas.

I'm still amazed that I convinced The Barbican to pay for all this. Also got the chance to programme a day of surf films which included Land Of Saints (a Cornish surf movie), Riding Giants – the definitive history of big wave surfing - and Dogtown and Z-Boys, which documented the infamous skaters who took their attitude from the beach and revolutionised skating."

Somehow, at the same time as he was obsessing over Chairman of the Board, Rowan was also one of the founding editors of Loaded. As he says: "I was Music and Clubs editor during the heady days of Brit-pop and superclub culture. I had the time of my life - and I'm still recovering. Assignments used as a foil to get to the beach – what a job..."

Which brings me to the last of the things I've been mulling over. I learn from The Surfer's Path that Kelly Slater's endeavours in Israel actually resulted in his incarceration. The eight-time World Champion arrived to promote peace but ended up in jail after a scuffle with paparrazi who were trying to take shots of him and supermodel Bar Rafaeli (pictured, but not on the cover of Loaded). No doubt a storm in a teacup, and Slater was released after questioning.

Who says nothing really happens in surfing?