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#19: THE END

I’ve never been a blogger before. I never even really thought I could. Who would want to read what I had to say? I was very skeptical when we began this blog project and became very frustrated when I first started using Tumblr. Even though we were allowed to pick a topic that we were passionate about, I was not very excited to hear that we had to write two, not one, two blogs per week. I easily picked a topic, but had absolutely no idea what to write about each week and thought the assignments would be difficult.

But after the first few blogs where I was required to share information about a sport that I fell in love with a few summers back, I began to enjoy it! It was fun for me to write about something I know so much about, as well as events happening around the world in gorgeous places. It has been exciting to see other Tumblr users outside of our English class like my posts. It made me feel like I was writing an important topic that other people wanted to read about.

Throughout the semester, we were required to find articles, analyze photographs and media, and write about our own personal experiences. The assignments for each blog made me really think about the sport of surfing. I never understood how some things in the sport can be so controversial and detailed. I learned a lot more about surfing than I ever would have on my own, and I am satisfied with my blog entries. I now appreciate the power of blogging and am happy that we had this project throughout the past few months. But after spending a whole semester writing about my favorite sport, I'm thrilled to be able to finally hit the water this summer and catch some nice waves at my favorite beach break.

Photo credit: www.surfermag.com

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#18: SURFING INSTAGRAM

This morning, professional surfer Sebastian Zietz liked two of my photos! Since he’s one of my favorite pros, I almost had a heart attack. A few weeks ago, pro surfer Dusty Payne began following me and liked another one of my pictures. I freaked out even more from that. My friend couldn’t understand how a famous athlete was able to see my pictures. I simply said “Instagram.”

I used to absolutely hate Instagram and didn’t understand the point of it. I could barely stand Facebook and I thought having another social media app on my phone would drive me insane. However, my friend stole my phone one night, downloaded the app, and created an account for me so she could tag me in a picture. When I was reading Surfer Magazine later that week, there was an article about Dusty Payne and it mentioned his Instagram name. I started messing around on the app and figured out how to find and follow pro surfers. I started following pro surfers like Mick Fanning, John John Florence, Stephanie Gilmore, and Kelly Slater. You can even find junior pros like Wade Carmichael under my Following section. Magazines and organizations are fun to follow too like Surfer Mag, Surfline, and the ASP. They always post amazing photographs of athletes ripping up some massive wave off the coast of a gorgeous beach.

Following famous surfers and organizations has been a great way for me to stay connected to one of my favorite sports. It can get pretty hard not to become jealous of all the guys in crystal blue tropical waters while we’re sloshing through snow and rain on campus. But it’s amazing and relieving to remember how the professionals and celebrities are just normal people like us, who like to post pictures of their family and friends, food, and their pets. It makes you feel like you’re part of their life. And it’s exhilarating when one of them follows you back.

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#17: INSIDE THE BARREL

Taken by Surfing Magazine’s photographer Tom Carey, this photo shows a stunning view of pro surfer Jesse Merle Jones riding in an ultimate barrel. It’s every surfer’s dream to stand inside the wave and make it out with a massive amount of water closing in right behind you. But not everybody has seen the view from inside a barrel. A lot of photographs that are shown in magazines and advertisements show a straight-on perspective, where you feel as if you’re standing on the beach or a pier looking out on the water. But Carey got a perfect shot from inside the wave to make it seem as if you’re surfing along side of Jones. The water framing the photograph makes the audience feel like they’re about to get sucked down to the bottom of the ocean, but the portion of the island in the distance allows the viewer to keep an eye on the destination. Jones shows no fear with his calm and relaxed style, and there is no doubt that he will make it out of the tube. The way he’s leaning towards the wave even makes it look like he’s about to go up for a hard turn, or is simply slowing down in order to become submerged in a pipe of water. Carey’s photograph helps the audience feel the excitement a surfer would experience in the middle of a wave like this, which makes you almost believe that you’re there.

Photo credit: Tom Carey from www.surfingmagazine.com

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#16: ONE TRACK MIND

One Track Mind is definitely a must see for any surfer who is fascinated with what the pros are thinking on the World Tour. Woodshed Films created this 36 minute long film to get inside the minds of guys like Andy Irons, Mark Occhilupo, and Kelly Slater. This film explores both the technical aspects of the sport and the mindset of competitive surfers when on Tour. Interviews, surf footage, and an awesome soundtrack help this film become informative and intriguing to its audience.  This is an effective film because it informs those interested in the influences of Slater on the other guys on tour, experiences from all the pros who were interviewed, and what it’s like to constantly be in competition with each other. They talk about things like fin systems, the different boards they use, and crazy memories they have about one another. Shot on 16mm, the video flips between black-and-white images of the interviewed pros giving details about their lives and insane surf maneuvers being performed on beautiful waves. This visual technique stimulates and holds the interest of its viewing audience by rapidly changing the topic, as well as showing clips of surfers out on the water performing tricks and using equipment that relate to what the pros are talking about. This helps the audience visualize tricks, styles, and methods that are being discussed throughout the film. One Track Mind is a great film that can be watched over and over!

Featured Surfers: Wayne Rabbit Bartholomew, Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Tom Curren, Mark Occhilupo, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Taj Burrow, Julian Wilson, Dane Reynolds, Jamie O’Brien, Fred Patacchia, Sunny Garcia, CJ Hobgood, Jordy Smith, Evan Geiselman, Luke Davis, Kolohe Andino, Keanu Asing and Dane Kealoha

Video Credit: Woodshed Films on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WcwD-GA2Rs

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#15: NOTHING BUT FLAT WATER

I recently took a road trip up and down the East Coast over spring break. We started by seeing the wild ponies on Assateague Island in Maryland and continued to hit a total of 11 beach towns (and countless surf shops), ending in Sea Isle, NJ for Easter Sunday. The pancake-flat water with almost nonexistent waves crumbling directly on the shore in Maryland made me concerned for this upcoming summer. Living in NJ, it was my first time on Maryland beaches in a long time, so I just figured that’s how it was down there. But as we traveled more north, the waves didn’t differ. Stopping in places like Bethany Beach, Rehoboth, and Cape May, the waves looked almost identical from town to town. I took a walk up and down the familiar 83rd street in Townsends Inlet, Sea Isle and was disappointed to see the changes after Hurricane Sandy this past fall.

The Townsends Inlet Bridge was still inaccessible and the beaches had been dredged in order to reverse the damage done by the hurricane. This meant that high tide was extremely high where the dry beach was only a few meters long, and low tide was so far away you could barely see the waves breaking. The construction done on the beach had created a drop-off where high-tide hit and you had to slide down the steep sandy hill during low-tide to get to the water. The rest of the beach during low-tide was very sloped, which therefore made the waves break directly on the shore and struggle to build speed and power like they would do on a flatter beach. The dramatic changes to the New Jersey beaches and other states along the East Coast made me realize that I won’t be surfing the same breaks I did last summer. Either that, or hopefully we simply hit the beaches during a 5-day-long flat period.

Photos: Top- nothing but flat water in Assateague, Maryland. Bottom Left: sunrise on the beach in Ocean City, Maryland. Bottom Right: small, mushy waves break directly on the beach on 83rd street in Sea Isle, NJ.

Photo credit: Sarah Ottino

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#14: SURFING INTO MAUI'S JAWS

Some would say surfing a wave that “swells into 40 to 70 foot walls of water” is insane. With the waves’ speed at about 30 mph, it is easy for a surfer to wipe out and never come up to the surface again. But California’s own surfer Dave Kalama challenged those waves in 1992 with a few friends. Nicole Davis from the National Geographic Adventure Magazine conducted an interview with Dave Kalama about his journey into Jaws. Kalama explains how his career began when he moved to Maui in 1984 when he was only 20 years old, where he spent most of his time windsurfing the waves off the famous beach of Hookipa. After windsurfing Jaws in 1988, he developed tow surfing when he returned to the swell in 1992. He describes how they used inflatable boats with outboard motors to pull each other into the massive waves, using surfboards with foot straps so they wouldn’t fly off the surface of the water. Kalama explains how surfing the waves at Jaws feels like jumping off a cliff. “The longer you sit up there and contemplate whether or not to do it, the harder it becomes…  It feels like riding in an elevator when the cables break—all of a sudden you’re falling and screaming, and then the cable re-engages and you slow down and step off and try to recover from a heavy dose of adrenaline.” He clarifies that the fear you have while surfing Jaws “helps keep you sharp, help[s you make good decisions.” Kalama trains for these big waves by working out, running, doing push-ups and sit-ups, and of course, surfing.

It was very interesting for me to read this interview with Dave Kalama about surfing the colossal waves at Jaws in Maui. It is impossible for me to even dream about the feeling you would get from riding down a wave that’s bigger than my house, but Kalama does a great job describing the sensation. It’s still amazing for me to read about guys like Kalama surfing big waves back before I was born and how the fear of a gigantic swell didn’t overcome them. I enjoyed reading how Kalama took some aspects of windsurfing, like foot straps on his board, and added them to the traditional sport of surfing. I would definitely recommend reading this interview with Dave Kalama about his transformation from a windsurfer to a big-wave surfer.

  Interview: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0207/q_n_a.html

Photo credit: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0207/surfing_popup.html

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#13: SWEETNESS AND BLOOD

This book will make you want to surf around the world. Written by Michael Scott Moore, “Sweetness and Blood” tells the story of how surfing spread from Hawaii and California to the entire world. The sport has become a “worldwide passion” and has jumped the ocean from the west coast to places like Australia and Indonesia. This novel explores the tradition of finding surf in unexpected places like Italy, Germany, and Cuba. Moore also describes how the sport of surfing was almost eliminated by the conservative Christian missionaries and superstitions about the sea, as well as his adventures through places like Israel, Japan, and West Africa. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in how surfing began to take hold of the world or is looking forward to traveling to different locations to find great waves. Moore effectively depicts how the sport dramatically swept across the world and weaves together politics, culture, and history. I even added this book to my own "must read" list for this summer!

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#12: SURF RELATED SPINE INJURIES

In the article “Injuries of the Spine Sustained Whilst Surfboard Riding” found in Emergence Radiology written by Simon Dimmick and reviewed by David Brazier, Peter Wilson, and Suzanne E. Anderson, many injuries of the spine and head are explained as a result of surfing. Through the use of statistical data, anatomy and scientific facts, and pictures, Dimmick depicts the danger of this “safe pastime” sport if a surfer comes into contact with the seafloor. The intention of Dimmick’s article is to explain how injuries do not occur to just the knee and lower-leg joints of surfers, but that there is also much risk to your back and head as well. Brand-new surfers, parents of new surfers, and even those who have been injured by the sport would definitely find Dimmick’s article helpful in understanding the different types of back and head injuries and devastating they may be.

P1: Surfing is considered a “safe pastime���, both an art and recreational activity.

P2: Serious injuries can occur during any sport.

P3: Spinal and head injuries most likely occur when coming in contact with the ocean floor.

C: Surfing is more dangerous than it seems and wiping out can result in devastating injuries.

This article was full of surprises for me. When I think about surf injuries, I usually don’t consider the back and head to be that common. However, this article peaked my interest because of an article I had just read in Surfer Magazine about five minutes before writing this blog. The article was about the start of Ezekiel Lau’s career as a pro surfer and how a wave had blown out a vertebrae in his spine during a contest in 2008. And he still managed to win his heat during the quarterfinals at Nationals a few months later, even with his back still being broken. The story of Zeke fascinated me, since I couldn’t imagine the pain of trying to surf with a broken back. I wanted to read the article by Dimmick to receive some more information and knowledge of surf injuries to the spine and head so I could fully understand Zeke’s struggle. Dimmick’s article was very thorough and intriguing, and definitely made me want to find out more about other types of injuries resulting from the sport.

  Click here for Dimmick's Article

Photo Credit: http://www.kenbradshaw.com/

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#11: CONGRATS KELLY SLATER

Yesterday on March 12, the famous Kelly Slater added yet another win to his pocket! This has been his 52nd career win, taking place at the Quiksilver Pro competition that happened throughout this past week. The competition had been moved up and down the Gold Coast of Australia, from Rainbow Bay to Snapper and finally to Kirra in order to find the best waves. At Kirra, Slater beat the current world champion Joel Parkinson in the Finals. But before he could do that, Slater had to battle Bebe Durbidge in the Quarters, and then Mick Fanning in the Semi Finals, but came out strong during each heat. During the intense Finals, Slater scored an 8.73 and then a 9.83 for a total of 18.56 while Parkinson scored a close 17.47 on his best waves. Kelly Slater now begins the hunt for a 12thWorld Title. Are you surprised?

Photo credit: http://www.surfingmagazine.com/

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#10: NICE PURSE

According to the current ASP WCT (Association of Surfing Processionals World Championship Tour), there is a large gap in the current prize money awarded to the men and women first place winners. The ASP pools the prize money of only about $120,000 for the women surfers, while it is a whopping $425,000 for the men. Although there are only half the amount of women surfers competing in the WCT, there is a substantially less amount of money awarded to the women. With 36 male surfers, it is roughly about $11,800 per competitor. So shouldn’t there be $11,800 x 18 for the women? That would equal out to about $210,000, which is slightly less than double the amount there is now. Stated in an article titled Nice Purse from The Official X-Games website, Casey Butler explains that “It should also be noted that the men's first-round losers receive $7,000, which is enough to cover their travel and make a little money from the event. The women's first-round losers earn around $4,500 and don't always cover the costs." I strongly believe that the gap between the two gender’s prize money is extremely unfair and the women competitors deserve to have this fixed. Women have proven over the years that we can surf just as well as the guys can and the women competing in the WCT deserve more than what they are currently earning.

Photo Credit: http://www.aspworldtour.com/pdf/asprulebook.pdf

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#9: PHOTO ANALYSIS

This image shows Matt Wilkinson, one of the great pro surfers out there, ripping it up on the first day of the Quiksilver Pro Competition of 2013. The Quiksilver Pro is the first event of the ASP WCT (Association of Surfing Professionals World Competition Tour). This picture was taken by Surfer Mag’s photographer Ellis at Rainbow Bay off the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia. With Wilkinson’s right foot forward, he scored the highest single wave score of the day: a whopping 9.93! To put things into perspective, the highest score you can receive on a wave is a perfect 10. Although Wilkinson recently got knocked out of the Quarters by Australia’s own Mick Fanning, this photograph still shows the power and control in which Wilkinson charges his waves. Wilkinson proves that goofy-footers don’t always have the disadvantage in competitions, and that sometimes it’s beneficial to have your right foot in front. His focus and control of the wave can be seen as he rides the lip of the wave during a hard turn. While looking at a photograph like this, it can be hard to imagine that he didn’t wipeout, since he’s basically perpendicular to the wave. But since his score of a 9.93 was the highest of the day, he obviously nailed it. It’s surfers like Wilkinson who level out the playing field and create a stimulating and aggressive competition to watch.

Check out the rest of the Quiksilver Pro live here!

Photo credit: http://www.surfermag.com/photos/quik-pro-day-1-2/#f32fff59b7

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#8: SURFRIDER FOUNDATION

The Surfrider Foundation has been an important organization that has been “Protecting Oceans, Waves and Beaches since 1984”. This is a non-profit grassroots environmental organization that has a main focus of protecting the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches. It was founded in Malibu, California and has over 50,000 supporting members involved in over 90 chapters, or locations. This organization is trying to reach out to those who care about the environment and protection of nature, as well as those who regularly enjoy the beaches and oceans around the world. I must admit the website is a little confusing to use, and I had to search to the bottom of the main page to find the About Us link. But the site is aesthetically pleasing, very well designed, and there is a lot of information about their mission, campaigns, programs, charters, currents, and how to take action. This organization has been extremely helpful to the protection of the environment over the years and is more than worthy to keep raising money and help our oceans in the future.

Organization Website: http://www.surfrider.org/

Photo Credit: http://liquidrhythmkayaking.com/?attachment_id=4011

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#7: A MUST-SEE SURF FILM

 “Modern Collective” is by far one of my favorite surf films out there. Director Kai Neville created the film in 2010 and did an awesome job of portraying the freshest ways of surfing. The film features Dusty Payne, Dion Agius, Dane Reynolds, Yadin Nicol, Mitch Coleborn, and Jordy Smith. They all set out on an expedition to modify the perception of modern day surfing, hitting places in Cabo, Indonesia, Morocco, and many others along the way. I love this film above all others since they don’t focus on big surf or perfect barrels, but instead search for waves that are built for pure innovation and originality. This is definitely a film worth watching and it is set to a sick soundtrack that will not disappoint!

CHECK OUT THE FULL MOVIE HERE! You won't regret it!

Video credit: Modern Collective Trailer (courtesy of WAX Media) - Available at SWELL! on www.youtube.com

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#6: FIVE CONTROVERSIES

1. Fighting over the Maldives

The Maldives is an island nation which can be found in the Indian Ocean off the southwestern coast of India, consisting of 32 atolls (or small clusters of islands). 200 of the islands are inhabited, and some hold some of the best beach breaks known to surfers. The islands have always been a tourist attraction, from their white-sand beaches to the crystal clear waters, and have become more and more inhabited. If development increases on the islands, it can be detrimental to the lifestyles of the local surfers. “If a planned development on the Maldives’ North Male Atoll takes form, public access to many of the fabled lineups in the archipelago may soon become a thing of the past.” Thanks to international countries claiming land in the Maldives for development, the beach breaks will soon be available for paying customers and rarely ever for the locals. “In 2011, Singapore-based Telos Investment Corporation contacted the Maldivian government to lease the island of Thanburudhoo—home to two of the country’s best breaks, Sultans and Honkies, for 50 years. The proposal, put forth by the company’s president, Dr. Gunnar Lee-Miller, would see the construction of a boutique surf resort on the island with plans to be open by 2014. The original proposal would inhibit access to both Sultans and Honkies, only allowing local surfers access to the lineups twice a month.”

When I read this last sentence I was shocked! Twice a month?! That’s hardly anything to a surfer who’s out on the water every day. Although the development of hotels and resorts on the Maldives can be beneficial to the tourists, it is very damaging and unfair to the locals. A group going by the name of “Save Our Surfing” is circulating an online petition in opposition of the development. They’re hoping to get 10,000 digital signatures “in order to stop the privatization of the breaks."

Quotes from http://www.surfermag.com/features/maldives-controversy/

  2. The older you get…

Everybody knows that the older we get, the more fragile our bodies become. For aging surfers, it’s tough to continue the sport that has taken years to master. More and more surfers are dealing with the awful consequences that come with the sport. Thanks to the growing popularity of aerial tricks, knee and ankle injuries have become the most common. When landing an aerial, the pressure from the board hitting back down to the water can cause some real damage, especially if you’re bones are weakening with age. “Based on exit data taken from a number of professional and amateur surfing competitions, acute traumatic injuries comprise an estimated 75% of all surfing-related injuries.” Traumatic injuries can consist of contact with the sea floor, coral, rocks, another surfer’s board, and even the wave itself. “On the other hand, most overuse injuries are caused by the repetitive body motions involved in turning maneuvers and paddling.” However, even though the risk of injury increases with age, older surfers must be respected. Injuries are not the only thing that comes with age; experience and wisdom are at the top of the list as well. Although some believe the old fogies should get off their boards and out of the water to make room for the younger generation, we must always remember that they’re out there for the same reason as us: to surf.

Quotes from www.sinewtherapeutics.com/surfing-injuries/

  3. What the heck is SUPing? 

There are many different types of ocean sports out there, like kayaking, wake-boarding, traditional surfing, and wind-surfing. But SUP surfing has become very popular over the last few years. This is when one stands on a surf board, ranging from 6’ fish to 12’ longboards, and maneuver through the water with a long paddle. Sure, this type of surfing can be a blast for people of all ages. But not everyone likes the idea of SUPing (stand up paddling). Stand Up Paddler Magazine’s managing editor Joe Carberry understands the controversy with this sport. “People are so passionate about surfing, and the resource is finite, so it’s going to create problems inevitably. Especially if the sport grows. I see the problem. I see what people are worried about: inexperienced paddleboarders endangering others.” (Surfer Mag). Some of the following quotes from www.edhat.com can explain the different views on this sport.

“Friends don't let friends Stand Up Paddle. That's my motto. Not only does it look lame, but also it’s hazardous to others and in a line up, and just plain rude.” –Tom

“I think SUPing is okay only when they are paddling in flat water away from the waves. That said I have tried stand up paddling in flat water before, and it is fun, but using it to catch waves is cheating.” –Waiman

“I bought a SUP at the beginning of the summer and love it. With a job, wife & three kids, my surf time is both limited and scheduled. I strive not to suck up every wave in sight because when I surf I'm on the other end of the spectrum and I hate it when kids on short boards back paddle me as I sit there waiting patiently on my long board. One last thought for the SUPs, it's a big coast and the paddle gives you the option of exploring more of it.” -Arlan

Quotes from http://www.surfermag.com/features/the_great_debate_standup_surfing/

 http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?id=2777

  4. Melting Ice Caps

Everyone knows about global warming and the melting ice caps around the world which has been a controversial issue for years. I did a little bit of research about the consequence of ice melting around the world and was shocked to read about the results. I always knew how dangerous it would be but my mouth dropped open when I read the possible outcomes. According to http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs2-00/, “a sea-level rise of 10 meters would flood about 25 percent of the U.S. population, with the major impact being mostly on the people and infrastructures in the Gulf and East Coast States.” WOAH! That would not be good. The rising of the sea level would certainly change the shore lines around the US and of course change the beach breaks as well. Also on their website is a chart that shows a potential 80 meter sea-level rise if all the present-day glaciers melted. I don't even want to imagine how different the world would be if that happened. The changing of the ocean will always affect the sport of surfing, as described in my previous blog post titled “#5: Controversial Issue.” The concern of global warming can definitely be helped with the effort of everyone around the world, but many people are either too wrapped up in their current way of life or don’t know enough about the issue to help change anything.

 Quote from http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs2-00/

  5. "Is Corporate America Stealing Surfing’s Soul?"

Big-name corporate companies have worked their way into the sport of surfing and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Nike is definitely one of the biggest companies, but there are others out there like Hurley, Bilabong, and Quiksilver.. “The brand [Nike], which is valued at $10.7 billion (in comparison to Quiksilver at $413.7million), has since proceeded pour their dollars into sponsoring a stream of events from Junior competitions to the US Open.” Some feel that Nike’s involvement in surfing is a little excessive, while others feel that it may be a good thing for the sport. With today’s economy, professional athletes seem to be making an absurd amount of money from their paychecks and sponsors, so it may be a good thing that Nike has increased the amount of money pro surfers win for certain competitions, such as increasing the 2010 US Open winner’s check to $100,000.

“Some people believe that the brand will help to push high-performance surfing into a more professionally recognized, mainstream sport… On the other hand, many people believe that Nike is going to steal surfing’s soul. That their sponsored surfers have ‘sold out’. Although big brands have been involved in surfing for a long time, the main concern is that Nike is going to monopolize the surfing industry and push out the little guys. This could mean replacing local surf shops and small brands with Nike Surfing Mega-stores. Also, by paying their star surfing athletes huge salaries, other surf companies have already had to cut their teams back so they can pay less people more money.”

Quotes from http://www.surfcamppeaksnswells.com/tag/surf-controversy/

  Photo credit: www.surfermag.com

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#5: CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE

Is human activity a substantial cause of global climate change?

The National Academy of Sciences stated the following in the introduction to their May 19, 2010 report "Advancing the Science of Climate Change,":

“Projections of future climate change indicate that Earth will continue to warm unless significant and sustained actions are taken to limit emissions of GHGs [greenhouse gases]. These increases in temperature and GHG concentrations are driving a multitude of related and interacting changes in the Earth system, including decreases in the amounts of ice stored in mountain glaciers and Polar Regions, increases in sea level, changes in ocean chemistry, and changes in the frequency and intensity of heat waves, precipitation events, and droughts. These changes in turn pose significant risks to both human and ecological systems."

P1: Future climate changes indicate that Earth will continue to warm unless we take action.

P2: Rises in temperature and GHG are melting the ice in glaciers and Polar Regions, and are increasing sea levels, heat waves, precipitation, and droughts, as well as changing the ocean’s chemistry.

P3: These changes pose significant risk to both human and ecological systems.

Con: The increasing temperatures and GHG must be managed in order to prevent future changes to Earth and to help reduce the risks to our ecosystem.

  The National Academy of Sciences’ argument precisely follows the standards of ARG. The premises in their passage are acceptable because they are based on facts and information about our environment. The passage revolves around the significance of limiting emissions of greenhouse gases; something that we all know is dangerous to the earth and our well-being. The premises are also relevant, since they consist of issues that affect us both now and in the future. In order to control the issue in the future, we must change our way of living now, which makes their argument extremely relevant and significant. The grounds for conclusion are set up by the premises, providing proof that we must take action in order to control the GHG and rises in temperature so that we can help stop the harmful risks to the earth and our ecosystem.

This issue may not seem to be that related to the topic of surfing, but in all actuality, it is. In this passage, it states that “decreases in the amounts of ice stored in mountain glaciers and Polar Regions,” have impacted and increased the sea level. This can change many things about the ocean, including the layout of shore lines, wave height and frequency, as well as “changes in ocean chemistry”. Any alterations in the ocean definitely have an impact on surfing, since the sport depends on the ocean itself. By making small changes in our lives like carpooling, using energy-efficient light bulbs, and recycling, we can all help reduce the amount of GHG that are released into the atmosphere every day.

Find more ways to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/

Photo credit: http://globalwarmingsiren.com/pictures/polar-ice-caps/

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WRECKTANGLES

This does not count as one of my blog entries, but I stumbled across an article this morning on www.surfermag.com that I found very interesting and felt the need to share! Surf legend and artist Herbie Fletcher has taken surfboards that did not survive the ride at Pipeline in Hawaii and turned them into art pieces titled "Wrecktangles". You can check out the full article here and more articles on his pieces on Fletcher's official website.

Photo credit: by Dibi Fletcher on www.surfermag.com

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#4: UP IN THE AIR

In Matt Higgins’s editorial article “Surfing’s Next Generation Takes to the Air” found on the New York Times website, he explains how the rules, scoring, styles, and tricks in competition surfing have changed drastically. Higgins presents many quotes from professional surfers, statistics and results from previous competitions, and facts about surfing in the past in order to prove that changing the rules in competitions is a good thing. The intention of Higgins’s new article was to explain how the styles of surfing have changed and how hard it was for pro surfers to integrate aerials into contests. The supporters of modernizing surfing contests, as well as people interested in the fresh changes in sports, will definitely appreciate Higgins’s article in the New York Times.

P1: Surfers will continue to do aerials in competitions

P2: Judges must learn how to score them

Con: The judges must change the rules in competitions in order to accommodate new tricks.

  Personally, I really enjoyed Higgins’s article and completely agree with all of his statements. I never really understood the controversy of surfing into the air, how hard it was to invent those tricks, and how long it took for them to be incorporated into contests. One quote that really stuck out to me was said by Bruce Irons, addressing the effort that Christian Fletcher and Kelly Slater put into getting aerials socially and competitively accepted. “Conventional surfing is good, but when you go to the air and start mixing it up, that’s what the crowd wants to see,” [Bruce] Irons said. “The future is to keep going to the air. If you go to the air and mix that with smooth carves, that’s surfing.” Since “the deepest barrels that are ever going to be ridden have already happened”(Kelly Slater), it makes competitions a lot more interesting to watch when one of the surfers takes a massive jump into the air, spins around, and then nails it back into the water.

  News Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/sports/14surf.html?ref=surfing&_r=0

Photo Credit: www.surfingmagazine.com