For surfers, the beach at Ipanema, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is famous for its light-blue water and treacherous beach break which regularly forms sweet barrels. This makes for a great time for the bodysurfers at Ipanema beach, who can experience waves of 10-15ft. during the winter months.
It would be wild bodysurfing in 10-15ft waves! Especially ones that break so freakin’ close to the beach. Just watch the above video taken from the point of view of the bodysurfer.
As a stubborn Italian Gemini, I would attempt to show off my skills for the Girls of Ipanema. Tan bodies… exotic bikinis… Brazilian accents…. Perfect environment when tearing up the waves and soaking in the sun. For more about Ipanema and to get a little taste of paradise, check out the Ipanema Insider’s Guide. I found it quite helpful and had some great photos from the beach and surrounding city of Rio.
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When Santa Claus is not delivering presents what does he do? Apparently, he hits the beach and goes windsurfing. A wind surfing santa is as random as a flying elephant! Wait, forgot about Dumbo. Anyways, it’s pretty entertaining to watch the below Santa Claus windsurfing video.
Now, instead of only using the Santa Claus tracker on Christmas Eve, you can see where santa is surfing at any time. I hear he’s headed to Bondi Beach next, but don’t quote me on that!
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I was fortunate to come across a surfing video from my old surf spot- the beaches of Belmar, New Jersey. It was also the first place that I attempted to surf! Thank God, I don’t have a video of me surfing from that day! You can see from this video that the break line, where the waves begin to break, is close to shore; typical for New Jersey waves.
Belmar’s beaches are amongst the most popular and finest in New Jersey. Typical for New Jersey beaches, Belmar has a great boardwalk that is great for walking, people watching, etc. Almost always, you’ll find surfers and body boarders in the water, which places Belmar at the top of my beach lists for New Jersey beaches.
From the above video, you’ll notice the wave steepness to be smaller compared to the big waves of Cali and Hawaii (duhh!!). But us Jersey surfers work with what we got and are proud of it. So when and if you are heading down the Jersey Shore, check out Belmar and you’ll understand what I grew up with. If you are a surfer, I’d recommend checking the Belmar surf report for real time surf forecasts and wave maps.
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I am in one of those moods today where nothing can motivate me, nor please me. It’s strange, as it’s a beautiful day out in San Francisco and I had a great night sleep, but for some reason, I am very grouchy. If only my boss knew I haven’t done 15 min. of work since getting here at 8am (hehe!). Even seeing surfers making waves is not doing it for me… EXCEPT… WIPEOUTS!! It’s not all funny, as surfers can and do get really hurt, but for some reason I’m able to get a rise out of it. Cringing here while online is restoring my energy and keeping the blood flowing through my veins.
I’m like a little kid who gets a rise out of his elder hitting himself on the head or falling over. The above video is some really intense wipeouts from this past surf season in Hawaii . The swells of Hawaii, some of the biggest in the world, can be destructive to surfers and their surfboards. With waves reaching heights of 25ft. plus, anyone less than an expert would be committing suicide trying to ride these waves.
Here’s another great compiliation of the best giant surfing wipeouts. It’s ridiculous how tall these waves. The surfers are specks on these giant waves!
As an average surfer, it’s comforting to know that even the pros get pitched. Obviously they’re ripping it up on the waves, making tube rides look like a stroll through the park. But to know that no matter how great of a surfer you are, a legend of surf, whoever, the waves are the controlling force. Watch this gnarly surfing wipeout video at the Sandspit with surfing pros Kelly Slater, Bobby Martinez, Dane Reynolds, Tom Curren, Brandon Smith, and Trevor Gordon.
The Sandspit located in the Santa Barbara Harbor is known for their “swells that are insanely hollow, ass-flyin’ rights that can either peel on and on or dump squarely onto your back, depositing you straight into the oh-so-shallow bottom.”
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Here is a great video of a surfer who discusses how surfing is his chosen method of meditation - active meditation.
I love how grounded and wise old surfers are. He has a great perspective on life and uses surfing as a metaphor to life. If he doesn’t get you out amongst the waves on a surfboard, I don’t know what will. I’m pretty excited for the weekend to hit the water!
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Legendary surfer Jeff Clark, one of the most respected big wave riders. The legend of surf discusses his favorite waves, the dangers of sharks, and his absolute top tip for surfing.
Jeff Clark is famous for becoming the first person to surf Maverick’s surf spot back in 1975. For the next 15 years, Clark continued surfing Maverick’s alone. Other than a few close friends who had paddled out and seen Maverick’s themselves, no one believed in its existence. The popular opinion of the time was that there simply were no large waves in California.
I’ll do a follow-up entry in the near future surrounding Mavericks and the Maverick’s Surf Concert.
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It’s easy to forget that not everyone in Florida lives on or walking distance to the beach; a number of Florida residents are landlocked and must entertain themselves other ways… or prepare for those few trips a year to the beach… This is where one of Florida’s numerous lakes, spread across the state, come in handy.
The youngster in the video above, is body surfing in a small lake in Pace, Florida. The fact that he’s being pulled by a truck explains why I found this video on Youtube titled “Redneck Surfing”.
But when the lakes are not large enough, nor extreme enough, some brave souls risk it all on the streets of their small-town neighborhoods.
Finally, we come to the extremists who love the notion of surfing and have surfing in their blood… but do not actually own a surfboard. This is where creativity (or stupidity) comes into play. The fine rednecks, (I mean gentlemen) below demonstrate that a couch can serve many purposes.
For east coast kiteboarders and kite surfers looking to get some action during the brutal winters, South Florida is the place to where most of us flock (usually because we have grandparents who live there half the year if not longer). I almost feel like I am at home when I go down and visit, because there’s a very good chance one of my friends is vacationing in one of the neighboring towns: West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.
The Atlantic hurricane season produces strong waves that allow windsurfers the opportunity for some sick tacks and jibes. On good days, waves can range from knee high to overhead. South east Florida’s season for wind is October through April. In-season winds are ususally 15-20 knots but can reach levels of 20-25 knots. The ocean rarely drops below 72 degrees. For us native north easterners, that’s just below bath water! But for southerners, it’s very common to see kite surfers in full wetties.
For east coast and west coast surfers, kite surfing in Long Beach differs, as both have their own Long Beach on their respected coasts. ABOVE: kite surfing video is of a female surfer in Long Beach, California. Notice the palm trees and clean looking water. BELOW: (a familiar scene to us east coasters) is a video of a surfer in the Atlantic in Long Beach, New York. Here you’ll notice the ocean is darker and the waves choppier. It ain’t paradise, but it’s the cards we’re dealt with. Though the cities share a common name, they are both unique and appreciated by their surfers.
Here’s a great video of female surfer Malia Manuel, who is tearing it up off the shore of Kauai. This surfer girl sure knows how to rip it up as you’ll see, the camera person also on a surfboard, had a great point of view for her frontside bottom turn.
Kite surfing on Kauai has become a very popular activity for both locals and tourists. Surprisingly, many tourists have never heard of kite surfing until arriving in Kauai.
If you want to learn to kite surf while on Kauai I recommend taking lessons at Aloha Surf and Kiteboarding. The owner Brando Wattson gave me a great 2 hour lesson. If you’d rather stay dry and check out the scene from land, I recommend visiting Polihale Beach and Anini Beach to see pro kite boarders.
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