The Legendary Photo Archives of LeRoy Grannis

There is an old surfer taunt: You should have been here yesterday. LeRoy Grannis was there in the 1930s and ’40s when a few hundred young men in California and Hawaii with heavy redwood boards represented surfing’s Camelot. Portrait photography had Felix Nadar and Mathew Brady. Fashion photography had Baron de Meyer and Edward Steichen. Surfing photography had Grannis and his friend John “Doc” Ball; they set the standard for all the pictures that followed.Photo: LeRoy Grannis / Makaha, Oahu, Hawaii, 1962Born in 1917 a block from the ocean in Hermosa Beach, California, he began surfing in 1931 and became one of the state’s top surfers. Grannis is featured in more than a half-dozen photographs in Ball’s classic 1946 book, California Surfriders. That volume might be considered the Old Testament of surfing photography. Doc Ball started surfing in 1929, when there were, by his estimate, about 20 surfers on the entire California coast. He started taking surf pictures seriously in 1931, capturing the kinetic excitement of the sport.LeRoy Grannis worksWorks by LeRoy Grannis: Dewey Weber, 22nd Street, Hermosa Beach, 1966 , Duke Classic Finalists, Sunset Beach, 1968 , Miki Dora, Malibu, 1963 , Malibu, 1965 , Miki Dora, Malibu, 1961 , Palos Verdes Cove, 1964 , Henry Ford, 22nd Street, Hermosa Beach, 1963 , In the Pier, US Surfing...M+B PhotoJohn Grannis, son of LeRoy Grannis, recently went through the legendary photo archives of his father to look through some of LeRoy’s earliest work from Malibu in the early 1960s including unseen images of Miki Dora, LeRoy’s camera collection, as well as photos from the early 1970s on the North Shore of Oahu. This video is an incredible gift to fire me up for a new series of interviews with people that paint with light …Below is a fragment from an old interview with Juice Magazine. Simply historic milestones in surfing photography and the perfect way to travel back to the future. And learn from the past …JM: Was Doc taking pictures before you?Doc saw an article that had some pictures Tom Blake did about Waikiki. Being a very inventive type, Doc decided he’d try it for himself. He started shooting with these large-format cameras — 3 1/4 and 4 1/4. He built a water box because he found out Blake had made a water box using that same type of equipment.JM: How did he build it?He stripped the outside of the Graflex, left the guts of it and built a wooden frame around it. On the front end, he had this trap door type thing that he’d open up when he was shooting. He could close it up to make it waterproof. Sometimes, when he was shooting and the wave would break outside of him, he’d just throw the whole box over the wave and then pick it up after the wave went by. He got some great stuff with that setup.JM: Did you ever build a water housing yourself?I didn’t build a water housing, per se. I built a wooden box that was about 15 inches long and 8 inches square with suction cups in each corner. I’d take a big gun out at Sunset and put this box on the front of it with the suction cups and paddle out. I could shoot with the camera bare, in the water. If a wave did come, I could close the box up and it was waterproof. That way I could change film out in the water and I didn’t have to come in with the water box like the other guys did.JM: What was the Depression like?Fortunately, almost everyone was in the same boat. We just didn’t have anything. I’d go for months without a penny in my pocket. Then I got a job sawing wood for my dad at 30 cents an hour in the spring of ’35 and I was rich. It was a good learning experience. We had nothing and we learned to get along with nothing.“The American dream had relocated to the beach in Southern California,” says Matt Warshaw, author of The Encyclopedia of Surfing. “In the old days, surfing was a small world, but in the ’60s it became the world where everybody else wanted to be.” This enviable situation was not, perhaps, something that most surfers thought much about. “We had that life for years,” Grannis says, “and didn’t know how lucky we were.”Warshaw notes that Grannis came to photography late and was never a full-time professional, but adds that “he had a good eye, he knew how to compose, and he was totally plugged into the surf scene.” This intimacy gives his pictures of the boys, the girls and the boards the joyful feeling of family photos taken by a particularly talented brother. “He loved what he was doing,” says Warshaw. That love can be seen in Grannis’ pictures of both the big-wave thrills and the familial comforts — a realm beautifully assayed in the book LeRoy Grannis: Surf Photography of the 1960s and 1970s, published last year in a collector’s edition and just republished in a popular edition.LeRoy Grannis. Surf Photography (Limited Edition) - TASCHEN BooksJoin us on a surfin’ safari through the sun-kissed golden years of surfing in this collection of photographs from the Hawaiian and Californian ...TASCHENTASCHENI just rushed to Amazon and bought some a piece of history to better understand my own future. And made a mental note to go for a subscription to EOS.


Great stories are meant to be told.

Below’s a story that captured my imagination. As we’re slowly getting ready to close down the editorial section of our site and moving all our content to this Medium Magazine, I stumbled upon this post by Bradley. It stands the test of time and I feel this must be updated with an interview to see where we both stand a couple of years later. I feel an instant connection with people who chase the dream and share the insights that come with facing the challenges of living a good life. It’s never as easy as it sounds. But always worth it.“Our journey of (more than) a thousand miles did start with just one single step. It was over 4 months ago now when we sold our house. I left my job; we cleared our debts and set off on a family adventure. It was just one step, but it was a big one. A liberating one.We travelled in a caravan down the east coast of Australia for seven weeks, experiencing everything the incredible coastline had to offer. We found paradise repeatedly and stripped it all back to pretty simple living.Next was the North Shore of Oahu. 5 weeks immersing ourselves in the Hawaiian culture, living with and doing community with the locals while experiencing our first North Shore winter. Our minds were blown and our hearts captured by the small island and its people.Now we are back in Australia, and people say to us, “I guess it’s back to reality?” To which I’ve often replied; “Maybe, but we are creating a new reality — we’re not going back to the old way of doing things”We’ve set out to do life a little differently. We landed in this fine country 12 years ago with nothing but a kitchen table, our wedding presents (mainly kitchen appliances), 3 surfboards and $1000 in our pockets. We spent years chasing the dream of owning a home, having kids, taking holidays and climbing the corporate ladder in order to make it happen. And there is nothing wrong with that if it’s what makes you tick. But I realized I’d lost my passion for what I was doing. I was living to work and not working to live. Going through the motions because it was what I did, what I was known for, even good at. But it all means nothing when the flame has dimmed and you’re stuck on the hamster wheel of your career. So we decided to break out, to live a little and grow as a family, and yes now it is back to the reality of earning an income and having a place to rest our heads — but what if it can be done differently?I write this sitting at the kitchen table in a beach shack in one of our favourite places on the Northern NSW coast. I can hear the sound of waves crashing over basalt boulders a short distance away. It’s a place we’ve frequented on holiday for years, a place that lights our collective souls and a place that we’ve fantasized about living in. Now it’s the place we will call home for the next year.We’ve wondered how we could set up a working lifestyle where we could be flexible and work from anywhere, travel a little more and earn a crust by doing the things we are passionate about. Now we have a boutique marketing agency, specializing in brand journalism and freelance writing, and my wife is shooting photos and we dream of creating something special together. We may have just started over again, but we are not going to die wondering if this kind of life exists.Our story is far from over; in fact, it feels like its only just beginning. I’ve often said that nothing changes if nothing changes. And now we can say it’s completely true. It all starts by taking just one single step. All you really need is a little bit of courage and a pocket full of faith. An air of expectancy follows us around now, and my soul comes alive with every breath of salty air I breathe each morning as I realize; this is the life I’ve dreamed about.We’ve all got a story — People, brands, and businesses. Sometimes they’re right there for all to see and other times they’re hidden a little below the surface. But great stories are meant to be told. It’s what makes life, brands and people interesting and inspiring. We crave authenticity and we gravitate to what is real. We shouldn’t be known for what we do, but rather for who we are. Maybe it’s time we talked story as you prepare to take your next step?”A Story by Bradley BricknellFormer professional surfer in South Africa, sponsored by Billabong from the age of 18. Prior to joining the brand as an employee in 1999, Brad surfed in events domestically & internationally, studied marketing and experienced various roles as a sales rep, recruitment consultant and in-house brand specialist for a supermarket chain before ultimately settling into a long-time role in the surf industry.


Time To Ship a Web3 Magazine

The LiveTheLifeTV Magazine sits at the intersection of storytelling, community development, and web3 technology. Images: LiveTheLifeTVPlatforms hold our audiences and content hostage. They have a monopoly on our IP, creativity, and the value we create. Content will no longer be built on platforms. Platforms will be built on content. The LiveTheLifeTV magazine will further explore the Zora Protocol to create, share and exchange valuable media. Zora’s protocol creates assets that contain a market and media component, allowing NFTs to become independent of the platforms they are issued on, a concept they have called “cryptomedia” (video)


Bruce Gold, the lord of the shells.

Exploding orange aloes. Caffeinated surfing addicts. A wooden boardwalk on the dunes overlooking the point, freshly repainted, carved with stories worth telling. And, not unlike, Bruce Gold, a bunch of escape artists on the prowl for fun.A solid 6 feet off Boneyards, unloading 50-yard sections before moving into the magic alley known as Supertubes, right where two surfers sat, freaking out of their minds. Airbrushed lineups of perfectly symmetrical Supers, with offshore tubes stacked to the horizon, fire red sunrises and humpback whales breaching in the distance. Add a couple of pro surfers to the canvas, and those 2005 Billabong Pro memories come back to life.A smokey bar is filled with surfing icons. The King is rumoured to sing with Donovan Frankenreiter. Kelly Slater never shows up, maybe he was mind surfing his upcoming finals against Andy Irons. When suddenly hypnotic blue eyes steal the show. Spotlights turn his blonde-greying beard into Gold. Shells bejewelling his lofty frame. Charisma spreading all over the place. Slightly starstruck. Donovan amplifies the magic. Dance moves are re-invented.Sprouting philosophies like “surfing competitions and marriage are the two most unnatural things in the world” and “I can’t afford to work — it will ruin my reputation”, Gold is said to be vexed by the nature of professional surfing. But that night it seemed like a match made in heaven. Marriage might be the enemy of surfing freedom a bit of dancing and flirting can’t hurt. Some call him the town’s last true hippie. As much part of J-Bay as the pelicans and dolphins …Bruce Gold is one of J-Bay most recognisable throwbacks to that golden era when wild-eyed youngsters descended on the Eastern Cape seeking the perfect wave. Bruce’s wave knowledge, honed over four decades is obvious. He trims effortlessly through the racy Supers sections, his arms often raised in a soul-arch salute. Sustaining his bohemian lifestyle by selling shells that he picks up on the beach.Bruce first came here in 1953 with his family and each time ended up staying longer. It started with a 6-week surf trip while still loving his taxi driver job in Natal and later giving five Rand massages in PE (Port Elizabeth).A reference to the 1966 cult surfing film, The Endless Summer, is expected. Bruce remembers when the first Americans arrived in a Land Rover in the early 1960s with cameras. During the mid-1970s a SABC television personality filmed a docu about Bruce Gold. The legend was born.Photo: LiveTheLifeTVHis ever-present “Scooter Girl” at the heel. The Pekingese was "sort of" friends with “Scooter Boy”, named for the famous 1940s Waikiki surfing dog. Wild stories, like the fact that Miki Dora got certified as blind, so he could get free upgrades and take his dog "Scooter Boy" from Biarritz to J-Bay.Surfing icon Miklos ‘Miki Da Cat’ Dora, stopped over at Jeffrey’s Bay for five years. Miki lived in the studio beneath the Gary Yosh home, overlooking Supertubes. Dora only interacted with a select few people, Bruce Gold being one of them. The surf scene was never a big part of his social life. ‘Living at the beach isn’t the answer,’ he once said. ‘Guys who live at the beach get waterlogged. I’m there for the waves, nothing else.’Unfortunately, these icons have dwindled during the last decade. Miki passed away in California after a seven-year fight against pancreatic cancer.Photo: LiveTheLifeTVBruce is now one of the few sexagenarians to brave the line up of J-Bay. Like a millionaire in memories with few possessions. (Besides a museum-worthy collection of shells and surfboards ranging from a rare Midget Farrelly Single fin to a Joel Tudor fish.) Bruce Gold smiles a toothless grin and a gloved hand taps the box containing some possessions of Miki Dora. Should we auction it? “Never sell out”, I was told.“You can spend your hole life trying to figure out how to make a million or you can spend your time doing what you love and what you’re good at!” — Doc quoted in South African Surfer magazine, 1970’s. Take note Bruce would say. Life’s a bargain, cheap at any price.


A Sport Of Kings @ P-Bay

Forty years ago, the Kingdom of Pavones was a well-kept secret paradise where only living legends of the surfing subculture were invited to exercise their art under the benevolent eye of Danny "Mack" Fowlie. He created jobs, infrastructure, and helped teach locals construction, heavy machinery operation, and gardening. Fowlie was not short on cash, inherited some money, and made the rest as a real estate speculator and from a leather goods business that supplied high-end department stores. He owned a multimillion dollar farm in Riverside, California, a ranch in Baja, Mexico, and eventually his own private piece of paradise in Pavones.In the early 60s, Kenny Easton became the first surfing foreigner to find Pavones and its now legendary waves. When Fowlie followed Easton’s secret map and inquired in the Golfito cantinas about the beach property, he quickly bought Rancho Del Mar, his first property for $30,000. From 1974 to 1982, he purchased every beachfront ranch and beach concession from Rio Manzanillo to Punta Banco, giving him over 15 miles of beach-concession land and over 80 percent of Pavones.Fowlie's kingdom was certainly out of a storybook. The locals got jobs, and he helped teach them construction, heavy machinery operation, and even gardening. But the purchase of the San José mansion of U.S. fugitive Robert Vesco may have been why he came to the attention of U.S. anti-drug agents.Despite this, Fowlie's dream life in Pavones continued, and his story was documented in "The King of Pavones," a film that contains a lot of Fowlie’s own footage from the time he lived the dream life. Allan Weisbecker's book, "In Search of Captain Zero," is the perfect intro to the story and explains why paradise is a place you visit, not a place you live. Weisbecker sold his home and possessions, loaded his dog and surfboards into his truck, and set off in search of his long-time surfing companion, Patrick, who had vanished into the depths of Central America. At the finale of his critically acclaimed first memoir, he found his paradise at the end of the road, Pavones.However, living in paradise can be a balancing act of greed and fear. Owning a piece of paradise is a dream for many, but the fear of losing or sharing the slice of heaven can be overwhelming. Weisbecker's follow-up book, "Can't You Get Along," explores the painful editorial process of "In Search of Captain Zero," his fall from grace with the powers that be in Hollywood and the publishing business, and the near loss of his life due to the writing of the book.In the end, Pavones remains a prized gem for surfers and travelers alike. Fowlie's legacy lives on in the infrastructure he built, and the locals who still benefit from it. The story of the Kingdom of Pavones is a reminder that paradise can be found, but it's up to us to decide whether we want to visit or stay.The myth of Danny Fowlie started living its own life. Fueled by the books of Allan Weisbecker and films like Chasing the Lotus. However it was best documented in “The King of Pavones”, the film contains a lot of Fowlie’s own footage from the time he lived the dream life.Allan Weisbecker's book , In search of Captain Zero is the perfect intro to the story. And why paradise is a place you visit, not a place you life. Allan sold his home and his possessions, loaded his dog and surfboards into his truck, and set off in search of his long-time surfing companion, Patrick, who had vanished into the depths of Central America. At the finale of his critically acclaimed first memoir, he found his paradise at the end of the road, Pavones.Can’t You Get Along follows the previous book with how painful the editorial process of Zero was, and how annoying it was and still is to deal with Hollywood trying to bring these books to screen. The author gets to interact with potential actors playing him: Sean Penn, John Cusack, and Brad Pitt as well as a bucketful of producers, writers, and other people who are supposed to make things happen. It’s exciting, even though Zero, according to Allan, isn’t really a movie, not unless he writes the screenplay to make it into movie-material. It is the story of Weisbecker’s paradise, its underbelly, his fall from grace with the powers that be in Hollywood and the publishing business, plus the near loss of his life due to the writing of the book.Paradise FoundBack in 1974 Danny Fowlie had it all. Well, almost. Aside from his flotilla of yachts and fishing boats, his private aircraft, boy toys, personal extravagances and priceless artifacts from primitive cultures worldwide, he owned a multimillion dollar farm in Riverside, California, a ranch in Baja, Mexico, plus fugitive financier Robert Vesco’s heavily-fortified compound in San José, Costa Rica. But Danny was poised to possess the one thing he did not have, but wanted most — his own private piece of paradise.When the first Costa Rican families ventured to the remote, unoccupied area of Pavones in the sixties, the Boruca Indians had already departed the region for the Talamanca Mountains, leaving behind only their gold-strewn graves. Only twenty to thirty Costa Rican families occupied the vast region surrounding Pavones when Fowlie arrived in 1974.In the early sixties, Kenny Easton, who grew up diving and surfing La Jolla with Fowlie during the dawn of California surfing, became the first surfing foreigner to find Pavones and its now legendary waves.When Fowlie followed Kenny’s secret map it lived up to Easton’s stories, he immediately inquired in the Golfito cantinas about the beach property, and within a few days, Fowlie had bought Rancho Del Mar, his first property for $30,000.One by one, the other beach owners approached him to sell pieces of their land. From 1974 to 1982, he purchased every beachfront ranch and beach concession from Rio Manzanillo to Punta Banco. These purchases gave him over fifteen miles of beach-concession land and over eighty percent of Pavones. By the summer of 1974, Dan had moved his family into huts he constructed on the beach and had begun employing almost every local to build essentially every public amenity found in Pavones today.Pavones was yet to be known as one of Costa Rica’s most prized pointbreak gems. Said to offer up to three minute long leg-burners as the left-hander wraps its way down a series cobblestone beaches.Fowlie's  kingdom was certainly out of a story book. The locals got jobs, and he helped teach them construction, heavy machinery operation and even gardening. Fowlie was not short on cash. Some money was inherited. The rest he made as a real estate speculator and from a leather goods business that supplied high-end department stores. Fowlie, was 41, when he arrived in Pavones, setting up a dream life he didn't need to escape.But the purchase of the San José mansion of U.S. fugitive Robert Vesco may have been why he came to the attention of U.S. anti-drug agents.After several years of risky investments and dubious credit dealings, Vesco was alleged guilty of securities fraud. He immediately fled the ensuing U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation by living in a number of Central American and Caribbean countries. Vesco was notorious throughout his life, attempting to buy a Caribbean island from Antigua in order to create an autonomous country and having a national law in Costa Rica made to protect him from extradition. After settling in Cuba during 1982, Vesco was charged with drug smuggling during 1989. Vesco was sentenced to 13 years in jail by Cuba. In November 2007 the New York Times reported that he had died of lung cancer at a hospital in Havana, although it has been suggested that he faked his death.Clearly not the kind of dream Dan was chasing. Dan kept himself busy with planting 200.000 trees to develop nurseries, teach locals how to farm and develop balsa and cocoa trees. Tom O’Neill (of the O’Neill wetsuits family) helped him plant thousands of palm trees from Rancho Del Mar south to Rio Claro and north to Rio Manzanillo.Dan cut roads, at first only within his kingdom, but soon bridges spanned the plethora of rivers and streams descending from the inland rainforest; the deep seaside bush was cleared for a private airstrip; schools and churches were built; farms sprang up, overseen by experts in soil and crop management. Fowlie bought and rebuild the Cantina in 1976 which became a gathering place for all the local families.He hauled in heavy equipment, building materials and generators, along with foodstuffs to sustain his crew of Costa Rican farmers and imported agronomists, veterinarians, oceanographers and engineers, until the farms and fishing boats he envisioned could start producing and make the community he foresaw self-sustaining.When the surf was flat in Pavones, you’d find him working with the locals on one of their many planting or building projects. When the swell rose, he enjoyed the company of no more than ten surfers in the water, a group composed of his son and son’s friends, of locals they taught how to surf, or of living legends like Buttons, Pat Curren, and Rory Russell, all of whom he knew from his surfing and shaping days in California and Hawaii in the forties and fifties. He also invited early surf cinematographers Spyder Wills and Greg Weaver to document the waves at Pavones between 1976 and 1982. They created hundreds of recordings during their extended visits, some of which footage the surf documentary Chasing the Lotus features and more of which footage featured in "King Of Pavones", a Love Machine Films’ documentary.Mid 80’s. The Turning Point.Danny Fowlie becomes a fugitive from United States justice. When he was detained in México in 1985, California investigators found there the evidence, an ounce of marijuana, that eventually resulted in a federal conspiracy trial. Let me repeat, one ounce !His land holdings began to deteriorate under pressure from people who doubted that he would come back. Dannyland was up for grabs.In the mid 20th century, Golfito was a major banana growing region (also resulting in it being the major port of southern Costa Rica), but a combination of worker unrest, declining foreign markets, rising export taxes and banana disease led to the closing of the United Fruit Company in 1985.  Over the Easter holiday known as Semana Santa, several hundred squatters from Golfito are bused and trucked to Pavones in a large scale, unlawful invasion of the area. The Costa Rican government, fearing political fallout from the left, does nothing. The squatter wars had begun.The State Department travel advisory urged U.S. citizens to avoid the Pavones area. This kept the surf lineup uncluttered with uncommitted, here-on-a-two-week-surf-vacation lightweights. It only amplified the cult status to die-hard surf travel pioneers.In 1987, the tides of fortune then turned against Fowlie when he was convicted and incarcerated in Mexico at the request of the US, later extradited to federal prison on Terminal Island, California, in Rancho Del Rio 1990, and then released in 2004.Free at last. The dream shattered.After waiting eighteen years to return to Pavones, Fowlie’s dream of living there again was shattered. In June 2005, Costa Rica’s Director General of Immigration exiled Fowlie from Costa Rica for purposes of public safety on the basis of reports that Fowlie’s brief return to Pavones after his release from prison caused public fear and disorder in the region. Fowlie says his trip was peaceful and uneventful. La Nación quoted locals who said they feared him, and the immigration director banned him from the country based on the newspaper article.The entry prohibition appears to have been overkill because Fowlie notes that he was accompanied by an off-duty Costa Rica police officer, and he was shadowed by two on-duty officers. It is said that the encounters where locals claimed they were threatened were taped and refute the claims.The Legal Battle for ParadiseThe land manipulations have frequently broken into the news with a fatal shooting in 1997 and the 2011 arson fire of the legendary Bar and Restaurant La Esquina del Mar that Fowlie built. Fowlie appears to have purchased legally all the concessions that he holds and also has been paying the municipal taxes. Still his efforts to reclaim any land he says he holds will be a big payday for scores of lawyers. Hundreds of expats and Costa Ricans face similar ownership threats.Mid 2015. The Tico Times published “Pavones: Small Costa Rica surfing town faces big growing pains” . Karl Kahler wrote an unbiased report about the Pavones Point project that most people seem to think is a terrible idea. Two buildings are currently under construction, with the first models scheduled to be completed by Mid 2016. Each building will contain four two- or three-bedroom condominiums, with prices starting at $475,000. Eventually, plans call for 15 buildings, or 60 units.Virtually all the expats here are against it, and many of the Ticos too, but some of the locals are 100 percent for it, welcoming the jobs it will bring, hoping it will help to get the roads paved, to improve the water supply. But does a development like this misses the point ? Pavones is a small community. People like to come there for that reason.Paradise saved12 years ago a multinational company received approval to install the world’s first yellowfin tuna farm near the mouth of the Golfo Dulce. The tuna farm as planned would pollute the area, endanger sea turtles, affect the existing fish population, and threaten the world-class wave. A lawsuit was filed just in time, and the project was successfully stalled. Thus began an unlikely alliance of local surfers, fishermen, and global environmental groups to save a wave and one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Additionally, José Ureña, president of the Costa Rican surf federation, has officially nominated Pavones as the country’s World Surfing Reserves candidate wave.In The Battle for Paradise, Jeremy Evans travels to Pavones to uncover the story of how the locals stood up to a multinational company and how Danny became once again, a hero, saving paradise. Dan Fowlie’s and Parque Pavones’s financial support to the legal battle against the tuna-farming project helped stop the project—thereby saving Golfo Dulce, one of the most diverse biospheres in the world, from an environmental disaster.Fowlie united the region in economic, environmental, and social prosperity for over a decade. Parque Pavones clearly wants to build upon that community’s decade of accomplishment. In Fowlie’s absence, the past’s united effort to develop Pavones in a manner prosperous to the whole community and environment has dissipated. Collaboration between Parque Pavones and Daniel Fowlie has the ambition to provide immediate support and long-term advantages to the Pavones region. The clear vision of the king continues. The rest is history.


REAL WORLD ART

LIVETHELIFE.TV, the founder of IKIGAI LABS, embarks on a transformative journey by fully embracing TRACE (Tokenized Records for Artwork Certification and Evolution) technology. Developed by our esteemed partners at Transient Labs, this groundbreaking innovation is central to our mission of introducing real-world art into the world of NFTs and redefining the future of art ownership.IkigAI Labs XYZ is committed to onboarding artists to create digital Certificates of Authenticity (dCOAs), order secure chips, and expand our network to include galleries, auction houses, and museums. This initiative allows anyone with Ethereum or a credit card to purchase physical artworks by buying the NFT version.Each physical artwork is embedded with a secure, tamper-evident chip, paired with a digital certificate of authenticity on the blockchain as an NFT. This setup ensures that the provenance of the artwork is recorded and updated throughout its journey, including sales, exhibitions, and alterations. Artists can add their narratives and authenticate them on-chain, creating a living history of the artwork.The T.R.A.C.E. system meticulously records and updates each piece’s journey. A digital twin NFT is minted for each artwork, backing the physical piece with blockchain technology. Once the NFT is sold, the physical artwork is claimed by transferring the digital twin NFT to the T.R.A.C.E. chip, locking it there forever and preserving its provenance and authenticity.With T.R.A.C.E, ikigAI Labs XYZ offers a revolutionary way to authenticate, preserve, and appreciate art in both digital and physical forms. It provides a novel platform for artists to express and manage their creations, fostering a deeper connection between the artist, the artwork, and the collector. This system bridges the gap between physical and digital art, utilizing a secure chip attached to the artwork and a digital certificate on the blockchain as an NFT. This dual existence secures the provenance of physical artworks with unprecedented rigor and enriches the art with a living digital narrative.Designed to ensure provenance and authenticity for both digital and physical artworks.Key benefits:• Immutable Provenance: Ensures the authenticity and history of artworks are preserved and transparent.• Dynamic Art Histories: Records and updates the artwork’s journey, allowing artists to add their narratives and authenticate them on-chain.• Bridging Worlds: Integrates physical art with blockchain technology, creating a seamless experience for collectors.• Empowering Creators: Provides artists with a platform to express and manage their creations, fostering a deeper connection with collectors.A leap in the art world, where the journey of an artwork is as valuable as the artwork itself.“Over the last year, my appreciation for physicals has grown considerably. Maybe I just spend too much time in front of a computer and scrolling Twitter? I was super grateful when Avant Arte approached me with the opportunity to apply their world-class printing processes to my work.” - SnowFro ABOur journey begins with the initial set of FUTURE SCAPES artworks for TRACE integration, setting the stage for our TRACE-focused Curated Art Explorer.IKIGAILABS.XYZ


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Sustainable Surfing in PNG

While some exotic surf zones around the world are starting to struggle to manage crowds, tempers and expectations, Papua New Guinea has a ‘Surf Management Plan’ that appears to be working really well. White Horses magazine was intrigued by the idea that the rest of the surfing world could learn something important from this small island nation.Andrew Rigby. Photo: PNG Surfaris / Chris PeelCrew involved:DOP: Shane Peel from My House PicturesDrone filmer: Glen Glaydon, Surfers: Felicity Palmateer, Andy Mooney, and friendsDirection/Edit: Gra Murdoch & Shane PeelThis clip broadly sketches out the Surf Management Plan, and shows how it’s possible for Surf Tourism to be sustainable, and how everyone can benefit if we all do the right thing.The successful controlled development of Papua New Guinea tourism and benefits afforded to locals through the Surf Association Abel Reverse spiral management scheme created over the last 22 years has resulted in a unique and unprecedented approach to the creation of an equitable and sustainable surf tourism model that can be applied to other niche tourism sectors around the globe.Photo : PNG surfaris / Chris PeelThis model has caught the attention of the World Bank through the IFC who funded the SAPNG Strategic Master Plan. The SAPNG is now embarking on their draft stage of their Bill for an Act of Parliament known as the SAPNG Surf Management and Development Act.Photo: PNG Surfaris / Chris PeelPNG has unlimited surfing potential from October to April during monsoon seasons and thousands of miles of coastline just waiting to be explored- not to mention breathtaking scenery and pristine atolls. Located just south of the equator and 100 miles to the north of Australia. PNG enjoys warm waters and consistent waves, complemented by the rich and diverse traditional culture time of its people in its premier surf destinations of Vanimo, Wewak, Madang and New Ireland provinces.Great surfing isn’t all that PNG offers. The same winds that surfers enjoy also make for perfect kite surfing which is relatively undiscovered. The warm waters of PNG are uncrowded and ideal for kite enthusiasts. The reef breaks provide great action for wave rider, while the pristine blue lagoons lure flat-water fans. Visit PNG from late May through to November to take advantage of the Laurabada trade winds, providing consistent 10.25 knot winds.Kite surfers should focus their attention on the southern part of PNG. Areas around Port Moresby and Milne Bay have optimal conditions and stunning scenery. Fifteen minutes from Port Moresby, Sero beach’s large lagoon gives way to a surf break 500 yards out. Daugo Island is a 20 minute boat ride from the Port and one of the best local spots to kite surf. Two hours down the coast, Hula is a large peninsula that receives the full brunt of Laurabada winds, creating the optimal environment for kite surfers.MV Golden Dawn has been providing diving charters in Papua New Guinea and has recently begun offering Kitesurfing charters.It sounds like something from a post World War II cargo cult: Three decades ago, an Australian pilot leaves a surfboard in a remote village in Papua New Guinea called Vanimo. The village, which lacks rudimentary facilities like electricity or running water, becomes surf crazy. Twenty years on, surfing is not only a pillar of village life but also a means to prestige. With no access to economic or educational advancement, village life is hermetic. A spot on the Papua New Guinea national surfing team is the way to see the wider world; the only way.Feature Credits:Directed and Shot by Adam PesceProduced by Perrin ChilesEdited by Kim RobertsScore by Jesse Vocciaitunes.apple.com/us/movie/splinters/id496625637facebook.com/splintersmoviesplintersmovie.comsplintersmovie.tumblr.comThe Grass Roots documentary is an extended version from upcoming filmmaker Beau Eastman. The documentary showcases not only a surf trip to amazing waves but also the positive ripple effects that surf tourism can have on the host community. Join Beau, World Surfaris boss, Shaun Levings and son Jai on the trip of a lifetime.PNGPhoto: PNG Surfaris Chris Peel. Rider: Andrew RigbyThe PNG Explorer is a live-aboard ship designed for surfing, fishing, diving, and general tourism in PNG. Its home port is Kavieng in the northeastern archipelago of New Ireland Province.Steve Arklay PhotographyYour hosts, Andrew and Jude Rigby, are committed to establishing PNG Surfaris as the best tourism live-aboard in the country through providing exceptional service, preserving a high safety standard and by promoting sustainable tourism which benefits local communities and has a low impact on the environment.Joel Coleman PhotographyFly into Kavieng then straight onto the air-conditioned comfort of the “PNG EXPLORER”, a 23m steel vessel kitted out with all mod cons and safety gear. Cruising along at a comfortable nine knots, the “PNG EXPLORER” and her crew will ensure you have the charter experience of a lifetime. Leaving Kavieng, your destination will be much further afield to the many islands and reefs still being explored for surf. There are many known breaks that you will visit but many more that we are yet to discover.Other options:Nusa Island Retreat is set on an idyllic point surrounded by a beautiful swimming beach teeming with marine life. It is the perfect choice for those seeking that elusive slice of paradise. The environmentally low impact retreat is within easy reach of Kavieng township (just two minutes by boat). At 2.5 degrees south of the equator, the perfect tropical weather will ensure a superb Melanesian holiday.Vanimo Surf Lodge has a range of surf breaks on the north coast of Papua New Guinea neighbouring Indonesia’s territory of Jayapura. The concept of the Vanimo Surf Lodge was born from friendly conversations between Andy Abel and David Ryan after a few early expeditions in the early 1990’s.Turpira Surf Club has access to up to seven uncrowded breaks and Ulingan Bay is one of the most consistent swell magnets in Papua New Guinea. Tupira Surf Club, Ulingan Bay is located approximately 180 kilometres north of Madang Town and approx. a 2 hour scenic drive from Madang Airport by sealed road along the beautiful north coast of Madang.Rubio Plantation offers basic traditional accommodation and a home-stay vibe. For the surf adventurer looking for a new location with guaranteed no crowds. This surf-rich east coast of New Ireland is unchartered by mainstream surfers and the potential for world class waves is endless.Source: http://www.sapng.com/Steve Arklay PhotographyA CALL OUT FOR DONATIONSThe battle that local surfers in PNG face in just finding/securing an old/new fibreglass surfboard to simply enjoy what we take for granted, is an ongoing challenge in the village communities as the sport evolves. The growth of SAPNG affiliated surf clubs in PNG in all divisions is inspiring the growth of the surfing culture and way of life and donations will help SAPNG to further expand its reach to established and yet to be established new surfing destinations in remote village communities. The donations will be distributed through SAPNG established networks.Photo: PNG Surfaris / Chris PeelFor most, Papua New Guinea is not a well-known destination for surfing, however, people have been surfing here for hundreds of years. New Ireland has become known to surfers only over the last 15 years, with the opening of Nusa Island Retreat who was the first to promote surfing and cater for travelling surfers in and around the Kavieng area.Steve Arklay PhotographyWhile many international surf destinations rapidly pass through stages of initial discovery and early years of limited exposure and exploitation; all too often the once pristine surf destination quickly becomes overexposed, overexploited and overcrowded. The magic is lost as the resort operators & tour operators quickly take control, resulting in overcrowding and over development with the primary goal becoming profit generation for the operators.Steve Arklay PhotographyFortunately, PNG has had the foresight to observe and identify the many shortcomings of over-commercialisation of surf resources in various other mainstream locations. The Association, its Clubs, Resource Communities and ultimately the commercial tour and service operators have necessarily aligned and agreed to the establishment of Surf Management Plans in order to promote sustainable growth of surf tourism in line with agreed expectations and benefits at each level of the PNG Surf movement.Photo: PNG Surfaris / Chris Peel


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If Tripadvisor & Insta had a crypto lovechild

Destinations and accommodations worldwide are often chosen by individuals based solely on websites and online reviews. However, there's a pressing need for a platform where travelers can exchange personal experiences and advise peers contemplating similar journeys. The opportunity remains ripe to address unreliable reviews by spotlighting endorsements from friends rather than anonymous internet users.Many continue to rely on apps like TripAdvisor and Instagram to explore novel locations. Over two decades, we've curated a list of the top thousand hotels and restaurants we aspire to visit. Our website, which exhibits these venues, has attracted a community of seventy thousand followers. While the authenticity of their fandom is debatable, their engagement with our content is apparent.If you're unsettled by how the algorithm incentivizes us to dance in the street like a monkey, completely cut off from reality and not caring where we are, then you'll want to jump into this conversation:Two gigabrains, one from web2 social, one from web3 crypto, talk about the future of ties between social and crypto. (video)Yet, when arriving at a thoroughly-researched destination, we're often overwhelmed by choices. Our fallback? Free apps like Google Maps or TripAdvisor. Recognizing the ad-based business model of these free tools, we understand that our data becomes their commodity. And while Instagram intensifies our FOMO with glamorous depictions of life, it fails to provide location-specific recommendations based on our and our followers' previous endorsements. The existing tools neither spotlight nearby attractions nor simplify the reservation process. After downloading numerous travel apps in search of this functionality, we found a gap.Embracing the web3 vision, we're crafting a mobile application, underpinned by the principles of privacy and user-centricity. It allows users to publish, explore, and share remarkable destinations as they 'Live The Life.' (GitHub Repo 2018)Your first React Native dApp | Solana Mobile DocsIn this tutorial, you’ll learn how to build a React Native dApp that sends a message to the Solana network.Solana Mobile7 years later Apple is still blocking web3 apps, so we may explore the Solana Mobile #SAGAJust as Netflix recommends movies, Amazon suggests products, and Spotify curates playlists, imagine a platform tuned into your preferences enough to advise on activities, destinations, and companionship? Enter Shaka Places: the premier, privacy-centric, location-based decentralized app that promotes enchanting locations while rewarding contributions across content, code, and design.Embedded within each upvote, like, star, or follow lies an underlying token system, allowing creators to actively partake in the platform's governance. Our mission? Software that is not just for the users but by them too.Position-dependent applications can prove that a customer has arrived at your restaurant or hotel so that the smart contract can trigger a reward.A decentralised application for users to:Never forget a place again. Save your favorite places on a digital map.Always know where to go. Users can discover their friends’ maps.Find a multitude of maps carefully made by our ambassadors.ProblemWhen you stumble upon something extraordinary or experience a memorable trip, sharing it with friends on social media is second nature. Yet, months down the line, if they venture to that same location, would they recall that amazing restaurant you raved about on Instagram? And even if it does ring a bell, would they know where to locate it?Social media rely on content creators for the value their platform provides, though they rarely receive rewards for it. SolutionRevolutionizing user experience, we prioritize content on your feed according to your present location. This offers a platform for travel enthusiasts to share their stories, aiding potential vacationers and simultaneously valuing contributors. Content creators could earn tokens relative to their contributions, such as the weekly likes on their photos. Each upvote is backed by an intrinsic token, ensuring that early adopters contributing to the app's growth also share in its success. Possession of these tokens not only bestows membership but also entitles participationIncentivise anyone using the app to travel to a location, and get rewarded for spending quality time and inspire friends to share the Good $VibesHow will potential users discover our platform? Our best marketing tools are a top-notch product complemented by satisfied customers and word-of-mouth endorsements. By harnessing the reach of existing social platforms for visibility and distribution, we aim to present a compelling value that encourages avid users to transition to our exclusive, premium community.What's the scope of the opportunity? We begin by tailoring maps for specific communities. Take, for instance, the global surfing sector, which encompasses travel and holds an annual market value of approximately $10 billion, engaging 50 million surfers. Our vision is to soon branch out to cater to various passionate communities, from skiing and yoga to wine enthusiasts and beyond.How can a token encapsulate value? While finding the optimal model will require continuous testing and refining, the true innovation of cryptocurrency networks lies in their capability to amplify network effects by letting users partake in the value they generate. As every new user or database entry joins our app, the platform's value intensifies for each user, triggering a cascading network effect. This offers us a distinct chance to channel that value back to its creators. When structured properly, the strategic distribution of a revenue stream can bolster these network effects, providing users with a tangible financial motivation to engage.The integrated wallet offers users a seamless journey, from navigation with turn-by-turn directions and travel guides to securing hotel accommodations. Beyond its utility for travel, the in-app wallet serves as a vault for storing and accumulating value. It facilitates fund transfers, enabling users to send money, exchange currencies, and even receive cash-back rewards for transactions made within the app. Furthermore, the app introduces a novel way of acknowledging content creators – for every "like", a token is automatically allocated to the creator. These tokens serve as gestures of gratitude, tools for curation, and mechanisms within bonding curves. Essential functions like logging in, session key authorization, and wallet restoration are safeguarded by a six-digit PIN. To ensure secure management of these tokens, each user is equipped with a Gnosis multi-sig on layer 2.NFTs are evolving into a dependable ledger of life's moments. Each destination you visit lets you obtain a distinct badge (NFT), anchored in cryptographic assurance. These aren't mere tokens; they pave the way for diverse experiences. By scanning QR code stickers, users can amass these badges, unlocking access to tailored events, activities, and exclusive perks. Essentially, these NFTs become a cryptographic testimony of your travels, blending prestige with tangible perks.Imagine enhancing location-based interactions. Recognizing when users enter or leave specific spots, facilitating personalized alerts, and immersive in-app experiences. Prompting them to explore suggested activities or offering timely promotions and insights as they step into top-rated venues. Our vision is to reward users for their physical presence at locations through geo-mining, letting businesses draw clientele, capture their interest, or engage them in intriguing tasks. It's a win-win: businesses only incur costs for actual visits, simplifying ROI metrics.Through our POL protocol, we're exploring realms like location-centric airdrops that prioritize user privacy. A user could validate their presence within a broad region without pinpointing their exact coordinates. Moreover, there's potential revenue for users who share data with establishments like eateries and hotels, all while retaining data sovereignty.The term "virtual" assets might sound intangible, but we aim to root these in palpable reality by mapping them onto real-world coordinates. Envision digital assets occupying space beside you, only waiting for your smartphone to bring them to life. The tangible nature of these spatially-bound digital assets holds immense promise.Our platform is designed with a reputation mechanism, factoring in temporal activities. Any geographical inconsistencies, such as impossibly quick travels, will impact a user's credibility score. While still in its nascent stage, we're aligned with BeraChain. Given that blockchains inherently can't tap into external data, smart contracts sometimes require external cues, like locational proofs. Oracles bridge this data gap.Price Feed Oracles & Market Data for Smart Contracts | Pyth NetworkPyth delivers real-time market data from institutions to smart contracts on any blockchain. Get reliable, accurate price data for your blockchain applications.Pyth NetworkThe landscape is bustling with startups championing decentralized Proof of Location solutions, rewarding user participation via crypto. While each has its methodology, a common thread is user privacy enhancement vis-a-vis conventional apps. Location-Based Services (LBSs) leverage geographic data, offering location-tailored functionalities. Our proposal presents an avant-garde method for verifiable proofs-of-location: digital attestations to one's spatial presence at specific moments. With blockchain at its heart, our decentralized P2P framework ensures locational authenticity, all while safeguarding user confidentiality.Compelling things that look and behave like web2 but are web3 underneath.Hivemapper: Global Map Data Powered by Dashcams and AIAccess our dynamic global map data: fresh street-level imagery, object-detection insights, and mapping solutions tailored for diverse applications.HivemapperLocation data infrastructure | Geofencing SDK and API | RadarThe leading geofencing platformRadarEngine: Open-Source Server for Scalable Web3 Apps | thirdwebA production-grade HTTP server to generate backend wallets on any EVM blockchain—with smart contracts, auth, gasless transactions, & managed infra. Get started.thirdwebIf we stick to the L2 approach with Arbitrum or Polygon, we may lean into the TW engine


Munga Boutique Guesthouse

Munga guesthouse is the perfect place to explore Taghazout and its surroundings. It’s beautifully designed with art and local materials. Salvaged wood is a common theme throughout the hotel. You can enjoy the different terraces, tea rooms, open spaces, a library, and a rooftop with a lounge pool. (Video)The guesthouse offers 15 unique suites. Breakfast is included for all rooms. The 35 square meters Mini-Suites are decorated in an African Moroccan fusion style and have their own balcony. 2 of them are hostel-style rooms, perfect for groups or singles. The larger Suites have a luxurious decoration with a terrace and mini-fridge. Some of them can have an extra bed to sleep a child or 3rd person. The Magnum Rooms are the most spacious and 100 square meters with a private outside living area. They are decorated in a more cozy, arty style. They can sleep 3 or 4 people and feel like a private beachfront apartment.The Favela Restaurant offers rooftop dining with a menu of homemade tapas, Mediterranean and Moroccan food. All dishes are freshly prepared and they offer vegetarian and vegan options plus delicious desserts. Munga’s Kitchen has a more relaxed setting at the lobby level. Decorated in a luxury beachy style, this is the place for lunch and dinner if you prefer healthy comfort food.Munga has its own surf academy where they teach and guide small groups of surfers of every level. They have a range of surf packages. And you can combine it with yoga and food options. If you prefer you can just book private yoga sessions with a certified instructor on the rooftop terrace.Other activities to enjoy locally are SUP, camel or horse riding, fishing or golfing. If you want to explore the region some more, you can book one of the day excursions.Munga guesthouse was built with passion and patience and is a beautiful Morrocan-designed boutique-style B&B. An ideal place to stay on your Taghazout holiday offering a comfortable and authentic experience. Taghazout Boutique Hotel: Munga Guesthouse, Taghazout MoroccoMunga Guesthouse & Boutique Hotel was built as a result of passion, patience and the product of hard work. Located in the surf town of TaghazoutMunga Guesthouse


From London to Sorake Beach.

It was time to go. The penance was done, the bitterness was over, and I wanted to go surfing again. In our squat in London, Dollis Hill, N3, 1996, there was talk of Indonesia, but Nias was beckoning.For perspective, the first surfers to discover the wave called Nias at Lagundri Bay was young Australian surf explorers Kevin Lovett, Peter Troy and John Giesel in 1975. Back then, they were the only visitors, a local family quickly built them a losman, and that was the beginning of the surfing settlement of Lagundri Bay. The village grew around surfing.It was an overnighter flight from London to Singapore, then a quick connecting flight from Singapore to Medan. With a backpack and a three-boards, board bag, I put my head down and strode confidently out of the airport.The temperature hit me at the same moment as a frenzied cluster of Indonesian men started bellowing. The humidity was a cuff by a wet blanket. Lonely Planet Guides were invaluable back then, but nothing can prepare for a bunch of seemingly aggressive foreigners shouting all at once in an incomprehensible language.All I needed was a taxi, and all they wanted was to offer me a taxi, but the language barrier was insurmountable.Eventually, a young Indonesian kid came and sat. We shared a cigarette. He indicated a lift in his dad's taxi to a friend's guesthouse, and I took it.The guesthouse was small but clean, and there were bottles of water and kopi, as well as an icy shower. The next day I climbed on a bus for a fun jaunt over Sumatra to the western port of Sibolga.After that, it was a day and a night and a day there in Sibolga. I was waiting for a ferry over to Nias, waiting for a ship to come in. A lurker was hanging around, who invited me to his house. At first glance, he seemed sly, but I trusted him immediately for some reason. It was the right call. He was cool, and he opened up his house and put on a Bollywood karate channel.There was no eating, just a few bottles of boiled water. The food was unrecognizable, and the risk of a stomach problem was lurking. I slept on the floor. The next day he put me on the ferry, destination Sorake.It was the wrong ferry, and I ended up at Gunungsitoli, to the north of Nias. Sorake Beach was in the south. A taxi offered transport, and we headed down south. It was drizzling, the road was shoddy, with crude bridges made out of logs and planks, and it took us four hours.On arrival at Lagundri Bay, it was clear that accommodation at Nias was never going to be a challenge. Losmens were littering the bay.The waves were small. I found my losman, and fell into the deepest of sleep. The next morning the waves were six-foot on the point, and there were a few guys out. It was a relaxed paddle out with hair dry through the keyhole, before gradually drifting over to the sweetest of takeoff spots.At six-foot, Nias is perfect, and a multitude of surfers got pitted several times. Drudging, as a construction labourer in London, had done little towards surf fitness and bravado. A wide swinger and a wobbly ride to the inside was my low-key debut in paradise.The next morning was small, and flawless two-footers waves were reeling down Kiddies Corner. Just what I needed to restore the fitness and to reignite the fire.Looking back at the bay from the lineup, the shoreline looked ancient, like it was from a history book. Smoke rose in tendrils from all the rickety losmans, small brown people walked the inside path along the shoreline, and it was business as usual at one of the greatest surf spots in Indonesia. I stayed for a full 2 months.


Bruce

If you have been to Jeffreys Bay South Africa, you cannot fail to hear stories of Bruce Gold `The Last of the Surfing Hippies` A tall skinny fellow dressed in baggy colourful clothing and a wooden staff in hand like a surfing Gandalf. He is as much a part of the scene at J-bay as the Aloe plants on the point and the `Clown Town` (as he refers to the pro tour) that takes over the town briefly every winter. He dropped out from Three years as a Policeman ( you had to be either in the Army or a policeman after school years) and moved to J-bay in his twenties to life as a hobo, surviving on oysters, selling shells or the generosity of others and hanging out with the other early surfers camping out in the dunes trying to avoid the rather conservative `Afrikaans` townsfolk that frowned upon pot smoking surf hippies. Bruce frowns upon the inevitable change that has come to J-bay over the decades but is known as a kind of unofficial mayor, friend to everyone including the pro surfers of which Bruce sent me a video of himself to say Hi and a wave to the camera from Kelly Slater that had come to visit him between events. He is still surfing everyday and can be instantly spotted in his Gath helmet straight lining it down the perfect waves at the point and throwing his arms in the air hooting like a grom. He has had several battles with skin cancer over the years but prefers to `cover up` than use toxic sun cream. He doesn`t eat sugar or fast foods but is partial to a bit of `Durban poison` and loves to tell a story or two after a couple of Ales. It is rumoured that he possesses in a box, the last of Miki Doras possessions that Miki told him never to open. Bruce has a few rare surfboards and his beloved spaniel `Scooter girl` but otherwise has lived most of his life outdoors or in derelict houses. These days he is crashing in a servants quarters of a friends house that looks over the entire bay and everyday that we spoke he would send me videos of the point with his commentary of the waves sounding as though it was the first time he had laid his eyes upon one of the best right hand points in the world. They don`t make them like Bruce Gold anymore. This is what Bruce had to say to Real Surfing Magazine. WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST SURF AND YOUR INFLUENCES?My first surf..mmm I was swimming and body surfing at four years old on those thin wooden 3 ft belly sliders with the nose turned up and we hired rubber lilos. The lifesavers back then had big hollow finless Hawaiian boards we called them. Father then bought a `Crocker` paddle ski for older brother Gavin and I. He would paddle and I would park in front. It was a Ten-foot wooden frame all covered in canvas and rather leaky I remember. In the mid 1950`s I would of been eight and the lifesavers acquired what we called a `trick board` that had a fin and could broadie the waves, I should have joined up sharp. I only got my own board at about fourteen in Durban. It was a  long heavy wooden fellow, painted white with black rails and a skull and crossbones. I could have got a foam board but it had no skulls. I suppose those Kings Beach lifeys must have influenced us somewhat. Our Durban High School library used to get Surfer mag in the early sixties so there was enough influence. I was clueless as to who was surfing hot in Durban having just arrived back. Born in the area were we. S.A. Surfer magazine only came out later sixties. Have just obtained three of them. Cheers.TELL US OF THE EARLY DAYS AT JEFFERYS BAY?Came surfing end of 1968 on a 9'6" Safari board, no legropes, wetsuits or booties. Got cut up bad not amused really but we camped at the point at Jeffreys, toilets and cold showers provided were not even a Rand a night. Aussies and  Kiwis had been camping in the dunes since about 1964. There was a marvellous Kiwi girl doing some sewing. A tar road only started in Ferrerra town just over a Km from the Point and there was the Beach Hotel and separate bottlestore and the Andora trading store. Jeffreys bay was 2 Kms up the drag and there was the Savoy Hotel, Ungerers Supermarket and Coetzees fish` n` chips plus one big cafe on the beachfront that only opened over the season. Legendary shell lady Tant Emma "Engeltjie" Wait also did home cooking from Smitties a bit later. Meantime back at the point named Noorsboom Point, we had just ascertained you could rent a caravan or half an old bus or park a kombi or tent it. Often there were enough players for two soccer sides. The townsfolk were not amused at all with Anzacs scooping the brown fisherfolks daughters. Acid was floating around and some strange stories. Some whiter blonder kids were on the main beach where the boats launched.`The Brotherhood of Eternal Light` was pitched up with `California Sunshine` Acid but none shined my way. Maybe having just left the police and my short back and sides hair and big ears gave my game away. Anyway long hair yoga in the dunes, chanting and fasting sure made an impression.Surfer Mike Kunz had a beautiful 7'6"Diffendirfer and a 5'6" Plastic Fantastic and a more casual surfer one would be lucky to see. Diff even rocked up at one point. In fact, I have Super 8 footage of that whole scene. Gold got more gold. Lots of glare.Yes, stories get better but early seventies used to duck to Durban for summers and drive taxis night beat and so I could spend longer and longer in j- bay in the winters. I was eventually surviving on oysters and recycling our vet friend's syringe bottles and filling them with mini shells. Still do a few and bottles have become smaller and shell micro but I keep most and find bottles in second hand shops.I got a barman job in the Beach Hotel early days still with short back and sides and the big ears and could speak Afrikaans having been a policeman for three years. Did I mention that? So I was definitely a bit of a peacemaker and the dune dwellers had returned overseas and locals were into the Surf Point camping spot. Beach Hotel had the snooker table and that was the spot every night. Interesting types pulling in. Bunker Spreckles opened a free bar from 4-6pm on his birthday, with cake and snacks. Owl Chapman looks me up and down and says "Do you surf" sort of incredulously. So I tried it out on Simon Anderson one time.Too many stories to mention but was nicely surprised to see Barry K. pull in. Anthony Michael Van Den Heuwel was our old longboard surfing hero and he ruled the roost, small as he was. Charisma a plenty though and intensity to spare. Even Miki Dora treated him carefully. Not that he didn`t style on shortboards as well. ANY TROUBLES BETWEEN LOCALS AND SURFERS?We are all natives here but the local fisherfolk are an amalgam of white and Khoi-San blood with more Xhosa over the years. Now there is a large Xhosa population and still rather segregated unless you can afford a sea view. No troubles really between surfers and local fisherfolk though. Lots of surfers became fisherfolk. There was plenty of racism everywhere and here we were most probably more tolerant than many places. We kinda have to be. They call me Jesus and my lord, lots of drunk car guards and bush sleepers thinking I am going to sponsor their habits. Rather very annoying at times and this is really a dirty little town now, litter everywhere, reticulation suspect and green slimy rocks where water streams runs down from the hills. No one testing as far as I know. HOW ABOUT MIKI DORA TURNING UP?Dora?...Hey, Meatball was here for years. Dave Rensin got quite a bit in his book. I helped him out in a lot of ways with accommodation and trying to get the young locals to respect the old geezer that was getting all the bombs on his big board. I avoided him the first month being somewhat in awe and he approached me on the street and was pretty charming with Scooter Boy, his runty King Charles Cavalier dog. He accused me of being the last of the purists and I intimated maybe he was not the Dora. He was very rude to people pointing cameras at him, however, a farmer friend Edward Godfrey had an early video recorder and we ended up on the buchu farm near Paarl. We did a few wine tastings with the recorder and a helluva surf trip to Elands Bay and Port Nolloth via the Namaqua daisy season. Miki scooped Edwards Cressida and a  lady and took a drive up to Alexander Bay in search of the black diamonds. We were busy with the party-hearty. That`s in the Rensin book. I`m hoping the video footage I have is not too mouldy. Keep forgetting to check. It`s nearby at Seal Point. Was there yesterday. Sitting on quite a bit of the Dora detritus but Ed Godfrey has the Surfboard Mike Meyer shaped him still.YOU MUST HAVE SEEN SOME GREAT SURFING AT J BAY OVER THE YEARS?So many great surfers through here. Prefer guys on longer boards in proper waves like Joff Hoffman, a Saffa of old and Terry Simms on his Nine foot Cali gun. He left it with us. Lots liked Terry Fitzgerald and Simon Anderson and Johnathan Paarman the main Saffa bigwave hellman of olden days. Building majestic cats now with his brother Mark. Smoothest ever was Mike Kunz on his Diffendirfer. Never did see Tom Curren and Mason Ho link it all together. Saw his father as well that time. Enough now, Shaun Tomson looked O.K too on bigger waves, weaving all over, winding up for his bottom turn and his cousin Michael an even stronger surfer. They had fun while I was running for my like. Supers name is Noorskloof Point. Noorsboom is a tree that looks like a Vikings horns. WHAT ABOUT TECHNOLOGY?Technology. See the waves, they trying to finish the lunatic fringe waste of resources in. I feel guilty charging my I-pad and getting in a motor car. Really enjoying surfing the bicycle. Spose sending me a few back issues of your magazine for our museum here won't take too much energy, say what?IF YOU HAD A TIME MACHINE WHERE WOULD YOU GO?Time machine…The far future to this or that planet where philosurfers tread with slow measured steps, surf likewise and there is no electricity.Interview by Steven Halpin of real surfing magazine Cornwall


Dramatic jungle-covered hills

Imagine hearing the sound of the waves crashing on a pure white beach, from the privacy of your own piece of paradise? Imagine feeling the sea breeze and using the views on as a perfect indication of swell size, tide and wind direction. Imagine not needing binoculars to spot the whales. Imagine a 5-minute drive down the hill and check out the surf beaches up close. Santiago Hills Villa is the real deal.Santiago Hills Villa www.airbnb.comAt the end of the road, at Pavones, I remember vividly, reading a sign that said: "dream it, see it, live it". Talk about a trip to memory lane, it's been twenty years. Today, the images you are seeing are from a couple of good friend of us. They no doubt got inspired by one of our very first blog posts. It was followed by an article about Studio Sax, and their award winning architecture in Costa Rica, showcasing the "floating house" in Santa Teresa. Well, these friends are now living the dream, they bought a slice of paradise, hired Benjamin Garcia Saxe and with some blood, sweat and tears created a stunning villa in an area known as Santiago Hills. It’s such a short drive to Playa Hermosa that it’s inevitable that many people will buy or move here. And like the other small towns in the hills above the beach towns, the air is less humid and so it’s more “fresco” for living. The community in this area is young, close and very international. The area’s residents make a living running tourism ventures and real estate companies. The schedules are set by the surf. Santiago Hills Villa www.airbnb.comGenerally, the profiles of people interested in buying in this area break down into two categories: the investor looking for land to develop; and people looking for a second or third home. And for good reason, it is not only one of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica, but one of the most beautiful in the whole world. Imagine perfect beaches with coconut palms, almond trees, and ancient pochotes, backed by dramatic jungle-covered hills. The water is warm all year, and the jungles are filled with an amazing variety of animals: monkeys, parrots and other birds, iguanas, and even the occasional anteater.In the 1960’s a few foreigners discovered Montezuma, and moved there, before there were cars or electricity. Travel was done on horseback. Life was harder, but worth it. Over the decades, the area was “discovered” and hundreds of people moved there from all over the world, especially Italy, Argentina, Germany, Canada, and the United States. It became known as a secret hideaway for movie stars, musicians, artists and creative people of all types.Before travel to Costa Rica was common, it had already become a world famous hotspot for tourists “in the know” about the best places on earth. In the last twenty years, this area became the next great destination, and has since outgrown its sidekick status to places like Tamarindo up North, becoming a major destination of its own, now with far more hotels and restaurants. It’s no wonder that the Puntarenas Province has experienced rapidly escalating real estate prices.


A Decent Wave Count In Hawaii?

The North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii is a crowded place. Being one of the best surf destinations in the world, home to a handful of world champions, and venue for a list of Championship Tour and Qualifying Series events, it's going to be packed out.Hawaii is seasonal though, and it's the wintertime of November – January that sees the visitors pour through the Honolulu airport and head through the pineapple fields for the North Shore.It is always packed, every day, along the entire 7-mile stretch, but there are a few ways to get a couple of waves on a day-to-day basis and beat the crowds.Firstly, you can hit the Dawn Patrols in the hope of getting a few before the masses arrive. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but as long as you don't choose the highest-profile spots, then you do have a chance of getting a few bombs under the belt before it's packed.Pipeline and Sunset are always busy in the dawn, and if the tide is right, then V-Land will never have a window of uncrowded conditions. Still, sometimes you can get lucky at Rocky Point, and other times you can score at waves like Laniakea or Chuns without a soul in the water.If you're feeling really confident you can always paddle out at Sunset in the dark. Several other things could go wrong out there though, like getting mowed down by west peak in the dark, which will give you the biggest wake-up call you will ever experience.Morgan Maasen Prints / InstagramYou can also surf the Second Tier waves, and you will be guaranteed of getting a fair share and a decent wave count. Pinballs is the little wave that hugs the rocks at Waimea Bay on a small swell. It's not very good, but you can do a few turns and have some fun. Leftovers is a fun, double-up left that you will find on the way from Waimea towards Haleiwa. It's not a great wave by any means, but you can catch lots of them and have fun out there.Backyards is the section of reef around the corner from Sunset Point, and it is a great wave that reels and spins towards Sunset proper. It does shift and swing a bit, but if you get a good one here, it can be quite a thrill. Jocko's is one of the better uncrowded waves, but it's not the crowds that get you, it's the rip, sucking you deeper and deeper into the takeoff zone.If the North Shore is just too much, then you might need to think about Heading West. You could try a few of the outside reefs in the vicinity of Haleiwa, but they are quite well known and the only way you're going to get lucky is on the in-between size swells that don't interest the locals.Heading on past Haleiwa and carrying on towards Kaena Point, there is Army Beach, and several secret and semi-secret spots, including a pretty good left-hand reef – point set up that is really good, with an easy paddle-outs and no one around.Turtle Bay Resort If you're travelling with any surf of decent budget and happen to be staying at the Turtle Bay Resort, then you have some waves right in front of you that are never going to get crowded but are also never going to get very good.The primary wave is called Pool Bars, a wave that forever backs off. Still, if you know your conditions, there is a rockpile on the east side of the resort with lefts breaking around the corner, and there is a right-hand point-break that is almost accessible by foot but in a private zone, run by some people who don't really like visitors. Over to you.Turtle Bay Resort 57-091 Kamehameha HighwayKahuku, HI 96731Main: (866) 475-2569


Surfing In The Land Of The Vikings

Norway, the land of the midnight sun, home of aurora borealis, snus, fata morgana and the Nisse and the Tomte. Norway has so much to offer when it comes to surfing, and the Lofoten Islands are a place of unparalleled beauty and wonder.Lofoten Masters. Photo: Red BullIt's hard to get to Lofoten if you're coming for a visit, with many planes to catch and quite a bit of driving, but it is a fantastic place and well worth the effort to get there.Surfed for the first time by Norwegian surfers many years ago, the Lofoten region was revealed by a Surfer Magazine article in the '80s, where they pinpointed the wave known as Valhalla.Still, they didn't really score any waves to speak of. Long before their accurate swell forecasters knew anything about it, surf trips were planned months in advance, and the surfers were just reliant on the whims of nature.Nowadays surf travel has evolved to a fine art. There is very little doubt involved, and a strike mission usually turns out well. The swells can be seen weeks in advance, and the winds as well. If you see something coming, you can time it to get to your destination as the first edges of a new swell start arriving. There is very little need for guesswork or impulsiveness. Some people call this an improvement, but that is subjective.These days there is no one hanging around Lofoten on the off chance of a surprise swell, and when the forecasts look good, then the surfers arrive, move into local accommodation, and wait for the swell to come.There are two excellent waves at Unstadt, and many more in the close vicinity, but surfing in Norway is not as easy as you would think.The water is cold. There is no getting around it. The surf only comes with bad weather, and there is very little chance of surfing at any of the spots unless you're in cutting-edge wetsuits, boots, gloves and hood. You need a slightly thicker board to accommodate all the rubber and an excellent attitude to dealing with the cold. Maybe a little bottle of sherry, or rum.Chris Burkard PrintsThe waves in Lofoten are of good to excellent quality. The sight of Valhalla reeling down the point, with snow-covered mountains in the background, is a sight to behold. The wave is long, it is perfect, and there are barrel sections on the inside. It's not heavy, and you can pick up a few bombs even if you're not a pro surfer.The left on the other side of the bay is also a classic wave and has moments when it gets really good, reeling across the outside reef with high-performance walls and the odd barrel.Unstadveien 105 8360 Unstad, Nordland, Norway. e-Mail / Facebook / Booking / +47 970 61 201Even though it is a clinical process to get waves at Unstadt, it still feels like quite an adventure, and when you approach the area, check out the wild countryside with huge mountains, icy lakes, and cliffs running into the sea you realise how wild it must have been all those years ago.There is a rebuilt longboat in the vicinity, made from the remains of a genuine longboat wreck. It has been turned into a banquet hall or party venue. Walking around it makes you think back to another time, to a time when Vikings walked the earth, and when life was short and ephemeral.As visitors to Norway, we are incredibly privileged to able to cover such massive distances on a whim, in search for waves, and we are even more privileged as surfers to be able to paddle out and have fun riding some Norwegian waves. We should, as surfers, be grateful for what we have, every day.


Far From The Madding Crowd

It is a beautiful family destination with some great waves, but going surfing in Mauritius takes a whole different approach to get your fair share of waves.There is a crew of surfers in Mauritius that don't let you surf if you're not a local. They are heavy-handed and brutal, and the authorities look the other way. It's well-known, and no one does a thing about it, so the best way to have fun with your family and still get a few waves on the island is to avoid any conflict. There are many waves on the island, and although the hotspot is Tamarin, there are enough waves for everyone to get their fair share.Photo by Guillaume BaudusseauThe water is warm, and the winds blow predominantly from the south-east – the trades – so the whole west coast is a good zone for surfing, as well as kiteboarding.To find the best waves on most swells, you need to be On The Peninsula, down in Le Morne. There are several options down there, from the barreling fun of One Eyes to the extended paddling mission of L'Ambulant, to some fun little double-ups that need a little bit less wind. If you're into it, and you know what you're looking for, some big right-handers work before the wind comes up, and there is a great beginner wave that you can see directly from the One Eyes car park.Photo by Boris BaldingerIt can still get a little tense at One Eyes, so it is suggested to you don't surf there on the weekends if it is looking excellent, and rather go and surf a little further down that long, winding reef.When the wind puffs from the north, then you must head Down South as there is a veritable wonderland of options at the bottom of the island. There are, in fact, the best options on the whole island down south, but it is totally ripped apart by the trade winds for most of the season.Most of the south end waves are based around a geographic anomaly called Mushroom Rock, with a few reefs and point-type waves in the vicinity, but the best waves are elsewhere, somewhere between Le Morne and Maconde, and you do need a boat to get to the best of them.Photo by Guillaume BaudusseauThe best thing about the waves in the south is that they do not get frequented by the bullies who hang out at Tamarin. (drone footage)When you're looking for quality waves on giant swells, then you need to think about Skirting the Upper Regions, as there are a bunch of secret and semi-secret waves around the Balaclava Bay area. They are rare, and they do need very specific swells and tides, but if you find them and give it a go you will find that the surfers are friendly and embracing of visitors, and the waves are so uncrowded that you will be stoked to be surfing with anyone. The waves further up the west coast are not as perfect as the waves around Tamarin and Le Morne, but they make up for it in wave count and having so much fun as opposed to having to watch your back every step of the way.Photo by Dan FreemanThe zen of surfing in Mauritius is that you don't usually go there for a pure surf trip. There are better places to go to with guaranteed waves. If you do go to Mauritius for any reason, then just bring your board along, only in case. You never know what you might discover right in front of you.Photos by LiveTheLifeTVHere's a couple places near Le Morne that stand out to live the Mauritius lifeKozy Le Morne / LUX* Le Morne Resort / Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa / Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa / Villa Cambier by StayMauritius / The St Regis Mauritius Resort / Happy Days Guest House /


Coming Soon. Web3 Documentary

The evidence of dramatic change is all around us and it’s happening at exponential speed. Previous industrial revolutions liberated humankind from animal power, made mass production possible, and brought digital capabilities to billions of people. This Fourth Industrial Revolution is, however, fundamentally different. It is characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital, and biological worlds, impacting all disciplines, economies, and industries.Images: LiveTheLifeTVTravel IndustryThe travel industry relies upon different companies passing information between one another. For example, travel agents need to pass customer details on to flight companies and hotels, while the personal belongings of travelers are often passed between companies and tracked too. Blockchain can make accessing and storing important information easier and more reliable because responsibility for storing it is shared across the whole network. Of course, financial transactions are a vital part of the travel industry too, and blockchain technology has the capacity to not only simplify but also secure payments. This is especially true when dealing with overseas payments. As a consequence of this, blockchain has the potential to improve the level of trust among all parties. Several startups are bringing blockchain-based loyalty tokens to the market, with the idea that it will make it easier for customers to transfer and trade the value in their vouchers. Customers can choose to invest their earned value in what they need right now, rather than what they have previously spent money on. Overall this will lead to happier and more satisfied customers.Real EstateTo ensure trust, a lot of paperwork needs to be checked and managed by multiple entities, including government agencies, banks, and so on! When it comes to blockchain, you do not have to deal with so many intermediaries. It is a trustless platform. This means that you know what you are doing and what you are getting into. You can verify the owner of a property before making the deal. The agreements are transparent and are tamper-proof. With blockchain, real estate can see many changes, including bringing in a more efficient process with the help of automation. With proper tokenizations, real-world assets can be stored and traded on the blockchain. Tokenization also means that other kinds of information can be stored online, including real estate funds.Final ThoughtsI’m optimistic. It feels a lot like the early ’90s to me. You’ve got all the smartest venture capitalists, programmers, business executives, entrepreneurs all over this thing. That’s always a sign that something big is going on. Is it an irrational exuberance? Is this worth making a documentary?


Interview Q&A

Introduce the subject, her/his history, and the background of our piece. The introduction should reflect on the article in general, and it should also frame the interviewee in some way.Warming Up Where are you based now?How would your friends describe you?What drives you to do what you do?What do you really wantWhat have you always wanted? Did you ever get it?AgingWhat age do you feel right now and why?Getting old, how does that fit as a surfer?If you could be any age for a week, what age would that be?If you could retire tomorrow, what would you do?StuffWhat is your favourite thing to spend money on?If you could keep only 5 possessions what would they be?FearName the most terrifying moment of your life so far.DeathIf you could bring any person back to life, who would it be?What do you want your tombstone to say?If you had one week to live, how would you live it?TravelWhich of the four seasons do you most love?Worst vacation? Best vacation?What’s your all-time favorite city?MemoriesWhat is your best childhood memory?What do you feel most proud of?HighlightsWhat was one of your most defining moments in life?Time MachineIf you could witness any event of the past or future, what would it be?Food & DrinksGin, beer or wine?WebTVWhat’s the best thing you have ever watched on TV / Netflix?Is there docu that changed the way you thought about something?PerfectionWhat does a perfect day look like to you?HomeWhat did you love most about the place you grew up?PleasureName a guilty pleasure you enjoy too much to give up.MoneyHow would you spend a million dollars?When was the last time you really pushed yourself to your physical limits?Do you believe ignorance is bliss? Why or why not?What do you consider unforgivable?If you could change one law, what would it be?If you could speak another language, which would it be and why?If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future?What makes you the happiest?What is “home” to you?Explore a new planet or the deepest parts of the ocean?What makes you cry?If you could use technology to do one thing, what would it be?If you could have the answer to any question, what question would it be?What are you most grateful for?What words of wisdom would you pass onto your childhood self?If money was no object, what would you do all day?Where do you most want to travel, but have never been?CreativityIf you were to create a piece of art, what would the subject be?What are the things that make you really happy?What’s the best decision you have ever made?What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?What do you think would be one of the best steps to end poverty?What do you think we could do to best improve the education system?What are your top 5 favourite apps?What is something you tried but will never do again?What is the one place in the world you wish you lived in?How could you make this world a better place?What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?What music are you listening to right now?What is the best question anyone has ever asked you?At what age did you get interested in the surf culture?How did it suck you in?Where did you grow up and fine-tune your wave riding?Is there anything you miss when away from home?What have been your go-to crafts lately?What contributed to the decision to live life in…?Why do you think surfing sparks your creativity?Surfing has become a focal point in your lifestyle. How do you balance surfing with running your own business? What are some of the things you do to maintain the balance between work, family, and fun?What’s your favourite part of your work?Why did you want to start your own business?What have you found to be most difficult for your young business, developing the product or getting the word out about it?Who is your intended audience and consumer?Challenges to producing your products in a sustainable manner?Do you focus on healthy eating? Are you into yoga or meditation?Why do you think there is a growing trend of nostalgia in surfing? What was at the heart of surfing in youth that the newer generation of surfers should focus on? What was going on back then that we should steer clear of?What about some of the difficulties you’ve had to overcome?What do you find yourself enjoying most these days? How have your interests changed and evolved over time?Can you start off by telling us a little about the genesis of your career?Tell us a little bit about your creative background.For all of the aspiring creatives out there, could you offer some tips on how to make it as a freelancer in the outdoor world?Where do you look for inspiration?Any common themes that run through your art?What compels you to share and create?What are you hoping to accomplish?What prompted you to make a movie?What is your creative process like?What filmmakers inspire you most?What equipment and editing software do you use?Do find yourself shooting a mix of stills and video?What are the similarities between photography and video?What advice do you have for photographers?When composing a shot, what is it you are looking for?What’s playing in your iTunes?Do you have any particular project that you are most proud of up to this point in your life?Anything in the pipeline that is getting you excited that we should be getting excited about as well?What sorts of projects do you have in store for the future?If you could travel through time where would you go?If you could sail anywhere, where would it be and why?What is so far the best surf session in your travels?What is the most difficult thing about coming back home?What are your five most favorite travel destinations? Why?Can you tell us a memorable experience that you recall?Any place that is high on your to-explore-list? Why?Destinations where you would not revisit? Why?What is the next adventure for you?A spot where you instantly felt at home?A spot where you have your biggest culture shock?Emotions What makes you laugh?What can make you cry?What can make you really angry?Eye CatchersWhat’s the most interesting thing you’ve read or seen recently?How do you see the future…?What environmental message you would like to transmit?Do you think we can still save the planet?What do you see as the key to the future of a happy world?The best compliment you have ever received?Any parting wisdom? Anything you want to put on the record?Now wrap things up with your conclusion. It often alludes back to the introduction or some interesting part of the interview. You can also use it to give a look ahead to the interviewee's future plans.


EOS captures the voice of surfing

The Encyclopedia of Surfing (EOS) is the greatest collection of surf matter on the planet. A gigantic aqua-blue-tinged mass of history, culture, and commentary. Imagine your local library packed floor to ceiling with surf-related books, magazines, newspapers, photos, movies, TV shows and documentaries. There's a friendly reference librarian to help find anything you’re looking for. Want some history on your local break? Check out EOS. Winners from yesterday’s big contest? Got it right here. Wondering if Gerry Lopez was really all that cool and suave at Pipeline back in the day? Check the footage. And yes he was.BACKSTORY: Harcourt published the Encyclopedia of Surfing in 2003. Sixteen-hundred A-to-Z entries. Half-million words. It’s the biggest, best-reviewed, most-respected book ever written on the sport. EOS is now the industry standard reference work on surfing. It’s been cited not just in every surf magazine and website, but in Outside, Rolling Stone, Men’s Journal, and the New York Times.All great. Except reference books are dead in the water.GOING DIGITAL: The EOS site is like the book, except reborn for the digital age. A zillion photos, video clips, and links. Fully searchable. Updated constantly. All the archive material, plus a rundown on what’s happening in surfing right now. The site is already designed, and it’s off-the-chart awesome. Clean as a whistle. Fast and functional. No exclamation points. No ads. All of the text from the book is now updated and loaded into the site. New entries are being written. Photos and video clips are right now being scanned, edited, logged, and tagged. It is a subscription-only service. Three bucks. Less than a latte. No ads . . .  like zero fucking ads. Be gone, corporate logos and banners and popups! Fully viewer supported, and it is an active, happy, well-stoked community of viewers indeed.Matt Warshaw grew up in Southern California. In the ’70s he was on the Zephyr surf team. In the ’80s he was a second-rate pro surfer, then later became editor of SURFER magazine. In the ’90s he freelanced articles to the Wall Street Journal, Esquire, the New York Times, Outside, and Interview. Cover Image: Chris BurkardSurf Splendor - 295 - Matt WarshawFather, husband, surf historian, Matt Warshaw chats about how to nurse the bruising of online commenters, the virtues of quitting surfing, pays tributes to surf’s little known stories, and he outlines a grander EOS. Enjoy!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesGoogle PodcastsDavid Lee ScalesSurf Splendor - 197 – Matt Warshaw: The Encyclopedia of SurfingIn today’s episode we Wax On with Matt Warshaw. Matt tells us his origin story, what compelled him to chronicle surfing’s history, the value of distancing one’s self from the act of surfing, while he gave away all his surfboards, and what’s next for the Encyclopedia of Surfing. Enjoy! Support the En…Google PodcastsDavid Lee Scales


Ireland and the Litmus Test

When the inimitable Litmus movie came out in 1996, there was a small section of Joel Fitzgerald charging a deathly left-hand slab called Pmpa. That's what sent us scurrying on our way. We wanted to discover precisely what was going on in the little coastal village of Bundoran.A cold, bewitching place that will keep you coming back for more.It was a good 25 years ago, and no one had ever really done the surf exploration to Ireland and scored, but we were excited and had a small budget from an American magazine to go and explore, surf and take photos.We spotted a severe storm, on the way, and made our plans to head on out and get to Bundoran, to see what it was all about. It didn't take us too long, to get there, but while on route the temperature started dropping out.We were still ahead of the weather when we finally arrived in Bundoran, but there was a tremendous amount of things on the go, and there was a load of preparation. We found our accommodation and went out to do the local recce. The Peak at Bundoran was flat, the little right-hander was breaking on a dry reef, and the only spot that had any wave was ab enjoyable little wedge called Tullan.Unfortunately, some of our crew had a few puffs of a local spliff, and it was too powerful for them. They were in no condition to jump off the rocks. They sat, perched like monkeys, watching us surf as the sun made myriad little colour speckles and rainbows and such stuff, no doubt. We got a few waves, and it was pleasant, but we wasted quite a bit of our time observing the crew on the rocks and worrying that they were going to wobble off and fall in the drink.Talking of drink, we headed straight to the local Bundoran pub afterwards to wash it all down with a pint or two of Guinness. It started drizzling, and we were told of the wonderful saying, 'If it's not raining in Ireland, it's about to rain.'The weather hammered down that night, and the following morning The Peak had six-foot sets, and we were all over it. Although a perfect looking wave, The Peak is quite complicated to surf, with a few people and some shut-down sections. The tide was a tad low, and the rights weren't happening. All the action was unfolding on the lefts.We could recognise some fearsome-looking left grinding away in the background, with no takers. It looked too shallow to ride. A local told us that it was Pmpa, one of the reasons for us being there.The following morning, we found ourselves on the freezing ground in front of a serious-looking left-hander, and we were on it. We all had a few waves, some barrels and a treacherous paddle-in. It was exhilarating, and the barrels were deep and shallow. It was an excellent start to the day.That afternoon the wind appeared. It started to whistle through the village and rattle every house and every glass inside the pub. The swell started building along with it. By late afternoon it was maxing, with all the regular surf spots just washing through the channels.A local lad took us to have a look at the local castle. Mullaghmore Castle sits on a prominent headland, and it was where Lord Mountbatten died when the IRA bombed his lobster boat.At the time we stood on the grass, watching these giant waves ricocheting off a ledge. It was enormous, legitimate big waves, and little did we all know back then that we were all staring at Mullaghmore, the most prominent Irish big wave spot.It would take a few years for the locals to get jetskis in the water and tow a few waves, and the rest is history.Affordable room, overlooking Donegal Bay? TurfnSurf Lodge in Bundoran!Want to live in a bubble? Check Finn Lough. It is a low-key, luxury hideaway. A place to escape life’s incessant beat and spend time on your own terms. Relax and rejuvenate in the spa; explore and discover the forest and lake; eat and drink authentic quality. Facebook / Online Booking / eMail/ call +44 28 6838 0360