Matt Meola surfs like a character in a surfing video game. Sky rocketing airs, barrel rolls, 360 airs, shuvits, & weird flip spins that are more at home in a concrete skatepark or snowboard trick park than a Hawaiian wave.
posted by mathowie on Nov 3, 2009 - 55 comments

Clark Foam closed its doors almost four years ago due to Grubby Clark's worry that regulations covering polyurethane foam molding would only get worse, but US surfboard making has survived. In fact, it provided some an opportunity to reconsider board making in a historical context. [more inside]
posted by morganw on Aug 6, 2009 - 7 comments

Five fit, hairless Australian lads learn to surf. And they’re gay! [more inside]
posted by joeclark on Dec 12, 2008 - 47 comments

When most people think of the Great Lakes, surfing is the last thing that comes to mind. Unsalted seeks to expose the unique world of Great Lake surfers. [more inside]
posted by The Power Nap on Sep 25, 2008 - 38 comments

Year of Da Cat: Known as surfing's "Black Knight" or "The Angry Young Man of Surfing" (even "the consummate surf nazi") for his attitude, but more famously as "Da Cat" for his feline grace on a wave, Miki Dora defined the soul of surfing when it exploded into 60's popularity via Gidget (a historical moment in which he had no small part). Cashing in as the go-to stunt surfer for beach party movies even as he decried surfing's commercialization, Dora parlayed his notoriety in the surf media (including a highlight in The Endless Summer) to icon status, venerated even more since his death in 2002. [more inside]
posted by bonefish on Aug 18, 2008 - 7 comments

Clips & trailers from vintage & modern surf films: "Big Wednesday" from Blue Surf-ari (1965); opening sequence from Blue Surf-ari; clip from The Endless Summer (1966); Endless Summer trailer; Pipeline (1st Ride) from Surfing Hollow Days (1961); Fantastic Plastic Machine (1969) trailer; Follow Me (1969) trailer; The Sunshine Sea (1972) trailer; Pipeline sequence, Five Summer Stories (1972); Morning of the Earth (1973) clip; Storm Riders (1981) long trailer; wipe-out scene from Momentum (1992); Thicker Than Water (1997) trailer, Step Into Liquid (2003) trailer; famous clip from Riding Giants (2004).
posted by ornate insect on May 26, 2008 - 20 comments

Glacier surfing. Filming in Alaska in 1995, photographer and surfer Ryan Casey looked at the huge waves kicked up by calving glaciers – up to 30 feet high, breaking on an ice shelf 18 inches deep, surrounded by tumbling chunks of ice as big as buildings – and thought, I bet you could surf that. A month ago, Hawaiian big-wave surfers Garrett McNamara and Keali’i Mamala did it. (YT)
posted by gottabefunky on Sep 13, 2007 - 32 comments

Radical Rodents: Chopsticks, Bunsen, Harry & Curly, surfing mice. An Australian man trained several mice on tiny surfboards. More surfing critters, a surfing dog and another one. Surfing parrot (video repeats in a couple of spots).
posted by nickyskye on Sep 3, 2007 - 17 comments

Interesting photos and video of Montreal's standing wave, which has become something of a surfing hot spot (.mov) even though it is 400 km from the nearest ocean. Standing wave surfing is also big in Munich. Perhaps fallen Baywatch star David Hasselhoff had something to do with it?
posted by furtive on May 5, 2007 - 51 comments

Born with a rare syndrome that left him profoundly autistic, seven-year-old Luke was trapped in his own body. But then his dad took him surfing. More on Izzy Paskowitz and Elliot Zuckerman
posted by Shanachie on Jan 8, 2007 - 48 comments

The Pororoca is an Amazonian tidal bore that generates waves up to 12 feet high which can last for over half an hour. Surfers from all around the world have visited Brazil in order to ride this mega-wave. Here are some videos:

The Pororoca Phenomenon (4:28)
Pororoca 1 of 2 (3:11)
Pororoca 2 of 2 (3:21)
Pororoca (26 minutes long)

posted by jason's_planet on Dec 4, 2006 - 16 comments

Firefox “causes” breakup... One man uses his fiance's computer to surf dating and swinger websites. He's careful to wipe his passwords etc. as he surfs - and then for good measure, de-installs Firefox.

The fiance then decides to install Firefox for the usual reasons, not knowing the above and happens to decides to edit the list of sites to never save passwords for. And comes across a list of said websites, and realises that he's still an active member of those websites.

Surely when you de-install a program, the uninstallation process should get rid of program-related data too, like in games? Although the geniuses at Firefox manifestly disagree with this. Other commenters also think the man was in the right.
posted by badlydubbedboy on Mar 23, 2006 - 61 comments

Mavericks Big Wave Surfing Competition has ended. Grant Baker from South Africa took the 30K first place prize. Nice photo gallery.
posted by derangedlarid on Feb 8, 2006 - 14 comments

The 24-hour notice was given: the big wave surf contest at Mavericks is on: 8a PST Tuesday!
posted by fandango_matt on Feb 6, 2006 - 13 comments

Hawaiian lava boarding (he'e holua) revival. History here and holua sleds/boards here.
posted by loquacious on Jul 26, 2005 - 16 comments

Surfrider is a nonprofit environmental organization that produces a annual "State of the Beach" (explanation here) report with information about US beach access (public access and private ownership issues), water quality, beach erosion, surfing, links and more. Reports are available for Hawaii, West Coast, Gulf States, Southeast, Mid Atlantic, Puerto Rico, Northeast and Great Lakes. In-depth Water Quality reports for beaches in CA, HI, TX, AL, and parts of FL, as well as results of beach water testing conducted by (or sanctioned by) Surfrider Chapters are also available. There are also Surfrider chapters in: Australia, Brazil, Canada (no website), Europe and Japan. EPA: Beaches is also an excellent resource for information about the condition of US beaches. [via LII New This Week]
posted by MLIS on Jun 5, 2005 - 7 comments

Huntington Beach, California (Surf City, USA) is home to surfing's walk of fame and the International Surfing Museum. See the Duke with the Duke, other legends, pioneering photographers, and kings of the surf both local and international alongside other icons in the collection and exhibits.
posted by breezeway on Apr 29, 2005 - 12 comments

Mavericks: The Wave Beyond
The conditions were right and, about 30 hours ago, they announced this year's Mavericks Surf Contest was ON, the waves get as big as 50 feet and are considered "one of the most challenging waves in the world"! This isn't Hawaii, this is just off the coast of Half Moon Bay, California!
posted by fenriq on Mar 2, 2005 - 37 comments

Surf's Up! While many of us in North America are battling freezing rain, sleet, snow, and other sub-zero madness, the folks on the north shore of Oahu are enjoying their own December weather phenomenon.
posted by Crackerbelly on Dec 20, 2004 - 15 comments

Riding Giants. Stacy Peralta's new release, is a chronicle of big-wave surfing , from the pioneering men who ride mountains of the ‘60’s, to the humongous tow-in riders of today. To understand the enormity of their courage, read John Krakauer's epic account of Mark Foo's last ride. Check out the greatest photographed wipeout in surfing history. And read more about surfing's most evil wave and check out the waves at your favourite surfing break.
posted by F4B2 on Jul 23, 2004 - 12 comments

Heheheheheheee wipe oooout! The biggest moving mountain ever surfed.
posted by thedailygrowl on Apr 22, 2004 - 16 comments

One in four employees has a serious Web habit, spending more than one entire workday each week surfing non-work-related Web sites while at their desks.
Is this you? This is me right now. Some days I'm not sure how I still have a job. Does your employer try to control frivolous internet time? Does your boss still peek over your shoulder and find you looking at "pr0n"?
C'mon, 'fess, up, tell us your stories...
posted by Shane on Aug 29, 2002 - 103 comments

Boeing is upping the chance you'll be able to surf while you fly.. Question is: will more of these devices also mean a lower price?
posted by jackstark on Jun 12, 2001 - 9 comments

Some are just lucky (via Donkeymon), others, not so.
posted by tamim on Aug 30, 2000 - 0 comments

The weezils at AllAdvantgae.com are up to no good. - First of all, who thought paying people to surf was a brilliant way to make money? AllAdvantage is now seeing the error or their ways and is switching all members over from the Pay to Surf plan to a new Sweepstakes plan regardless of whether their members want to switch or not. Apparently those who have bothered to read the email they sent out about the switch are getting pissed.
posted by Nyarlathotep on Aug 25, 2000 - 4 comments