Surfing, Skateboarding, Music, Photography, Travel, Culture and general antics of the youth on the run.

“It’s still not on!” The WSL learning surfing is still a shit show

While I’m quite certain Samsung Galaxy’s products are not for anyone, the WSL and Samsung may be learning the hard way that surfing is definitely not for everyone. A 9th 10th straight lay day has forced the WSL to extend the waiting period for the Quiksilver Pro until Friday the 13th, in turn costing them a lot of money, forcing us to watch more average commercials disguised as “content,” giving us even more “lay days” to track our favorite surfers on “social media,” more commercials and more sound bite quotes like this from Kieren Perrow: “We’ll continue to monitor conditions and make another call at 11:30 a.m.”

Makes you wonder if “It’s on!” was the best slogan for the tour, when that essentially is only uttered a maximum 36 times all year out of 132 attempts. Might be time to field test: “WSL: We are off for the day and we’ll come back tomorrow and reassess conditions!”

Maybe this is just the first sign of the WSL and it’s list of corporate sponsors and big executive teams back in Los Angeles realizing: wow, surfing is a damn shit show! Maybe we should have stuck to softball. Or golf. Or hockey. Because who in their right mind would think you could package this all up SportsCenter-tight, add some carefully-curated polo shirts and cliche and sell it to the masses? Apple sure as hell wouldn’t.

Surfing doesn’t package neatly for us or the masses, and I don’t think many of us really want it to anyway. —Travis

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^^This is what happens when you quit hanging with Dill. 

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Peter Mel and Strider Wasilewski hanging with Dill in NYC. PHOTO: Oblow

 

Noa Deane for cluster what youth

Dear Youth We back at it, again

After a pretty good sleep on the ferry (thanks NyQuil!), we drove through streets filled with cows and goats and made it to our destination. We were greeted with light winds and fun ramps on the end section. Noa Deane arrived a day late, but did not waste anytime catching up to the other guys….

Jack Freestone Mitch Coleborn Noa Deane Surfing Indonesia Dear Youth What Youth

Dear Youth Part 1: Thanks for the Cheeseburgers (Day 3 of a 10 day trip)

Back in Indo filming. It’s too productive not to come back and fry yourself. The team is Coleborn, Noa Deane, Jack Freestone with myself, Blake, Nate and Hamish on the tools. The basic Indo camp is empty which is unreal. Our own bar, pool table and dartboard. There is another camp with 10 dudes from…

Dayne Reynolds Marine Layer Surfing Dear Youth What Youth

Dear Youth Dane Reynolds gets nostalgic on Marine Layer

Dane Reynolds posted a little trip down memory lane on his website Marine Layer Productions today. He details our first trip to Japan for Dear Suburbia with Yadin Nicol, Kolohe Andino, Conner Coffin, Kai Neville and Courtney (AKA Napkin Apocalypse). And he even mentions “The Claim.” The trip didn’t make the final cut for the film, but has always…

Mitch Coleborn surfing cluster what youth

Dear Youth Nate Lawrence on photo breathing exercises at Macaronis

This is Mitch Coleborn photographed in the afternoon at Macaronis. This was as good as a trip gets (you can tell by the full feature and two days worth of galleries we’ve given it). Waves for 12 days straight. One of the best lefts in the world. And Mitch, Noa, Jack and Chippa would let…

Chippa Wilson what youth bali travel surfing

Dear Youth Nate Lawrence and the subtleties of a life on the move

Editor’s note: We spend a lot of time in transit. Kuala Lumpur. Taipei. Singapore. Jakarta. Padang. We go through some odd, waveless middle earth’s on your way to ride waves. And it’s not always beers in the Sky Miles lounge (although sometimes you luck out and it is). Mostly it’s a bed between a chicken…

Mega Semadhi what youth

Dear Youth Mega Semadhi, Bali

Nate Lawrence: “After a few months in California [Nate is originally from Santa Cruz and still spends about 5 months a year there], it’s so good to be back in Bali. The crowds aren’t too bad and there are waves all over the island. But it’s hot. Really hot. It’s the kind of heat you…

Reading dear youth what youth surfing

Dear Youth Buy books

I just got a new magazine in the mail yesterday. Forgot I even ordered it actually. That’s the best. Search the Internet for rad shit, put 16 numbers on a dotted line and forget all about it. Two weeks later, a book shows up at your doorstep. The joy that comes with tearing into a…

Mikala Jones nate lawrence what youth

Dear Youth Mikala Jones in sunglasses

No offense to Mikala Jones, but this is the worst photo I’ve ever taken in my life. Mikala is a great guy. And I probably should have listened to his the subtle complaints he made and shot this differently. First I had his sunglasses off, but the gold reflector was shining his eyes so bad…

Volcom Surfing what youth dear youth

Dear Youth Not a sponsored message

Since tending to the neoprene department at the local surf shop I worked at as a kid, a Volcom party has been the pinnacle of after hours culture and folklore around here. Rumors of Pennywise playing…or Bad Religion…or the fact that that hot girl in the other department was attending and this was your shot….

Illustration scuba woman scott chenoweth dear youth what youth

Dear Youth If a woman does not love the sea, then she is no woman for me

I have nothing to report. I sit behind a computer all day and get drinks with girls at night. Occasionally, I draw                         missing the water.

Nate Lawrence photography surf waves what youth

Dear Youth Nate Lawrence on photography

Editor’s Note: There just aren’t enough things in life like Nate Lawrence. Which is unfortunate, because he fucking rules..at everything. Especially photography. It’s a big reason he was our first choice when deciding who we were bringing into this mess of indie creation. He knew what was in store. And we needed his enthusiasm. There…

Kai Neville Dear Youth What Youth Surfing Traveling

Dear Youth A night in London with Kai Neville

Camden Town. Following our recent film trip to the Canary Islands, I stopped off in London for a night. For whatever reason I’ve always been drawn to London. I am a descendent from the U.K. I like the culture. I like drinking pints in foggy London Town. I like cities. I need to be in…

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