Hawaiian South Shore August 2021 Newsletter
SURFING NEWS AUGUST 2021
Surfline Spirit Sessions With Ezra Rodriguez and Hawaiian South Shore
Surfrider Spirit Sessions were created in 2006 through a collaboration between executive director Cynthia Y.H. Deroisier and Girl’s Court therapist Emma Pavich. Inspired by Deroisier’s book “The Surfer Spirit,” Pavich asked Deroisier to join her in creating a program that used surfing as a platform to reach at-risk children.
In 2009, Surfline Spirit Sessions became a registered, independent non-profit corporation, and it received its 501©(3) status in 2010. It provides six events each year for 100 Oahu youth (during spring, summer, and fall), exposing them to the challenging and empowering gift of surfing. The goal is to cultivate “Champions in Training” through one-on-one and group mentorship, healthy athletic and adrenaline-based outlets, cultural and environmental awareness, and improved self-esteem—needs that were expressed by the Hawaii State Family Court judges, probation officers, and counselors.
Legendary pro longboarder Ezra Rodriguez is a mentor and ambassador for the Surfrider Spirit Sessions and offers his time to help run events and mentor youth. He invited us to join them in supporting the July 24 graduation session, so we went out and spent the day with a bunch of stoked kids who were being exposed to the beauty of surfing. It was such a rad experience! 😊 There was so much positivity and so much potential in these kids. Even though many of them come from disadvantaged families or have experienced major challenges in their young lives, they embrace being with great adult role models and being mentored to become surfers and successful young citizens in our community .
In addition to hanging with the kids and sharing a bunch of waves, we also had the privilege of donating a bunch of backpacks to them, part of the various giveaways and stoke programs that are involved with the Spirit Sessions. It was so fulfilling to see how happy and thankful they were, even for something so small. It only inspired us to be more involved and to support them more in the future.
The next Surfrider Spirit Session starts September 4th, and I’d encourage you all to check out the event and see how you can be involved or support the mission (www.surferspirit.org). Surfing has given so much to so many of us—it has literally shaped our lives, our families, and our businesses—and it’s so easy for us to take a bit of time out of our lives and give back through surfing. Plus, what’s better than watching the next generation discover the stoke and healing power of surfing! I hope to see you all at the next event.
Let’s help create “Champions in Training” together!
The Ultimate Surfer—ABC’s Newest Surf-Themed Reality TV Show
Photo Credit to @ultimatesurferabc
The Olympics just awarded its first surfing gold medals, Bali and Puerto Escondido are on lockdown, COVID-19 is still raging, and the WSL has adopted some hair-brained new competitive format whereby the world title will be decided at a one-day champions event at Trestles. Just when you thought surfing couldn’t get any weirder—well, it turns out it can.
ABC announced a new surfing reality TV show this week, and, based on the trailers, it will be chock full of beautiful influencers, cheesy drama, and, of course, Kelly Slater. Set at Slater’s Surf Ranch, The Ultimate Surfer will feature seven men and seven women, many of whom are household names, while a few are newcomers to the spotlight. And before you write this off as just another ridiculous show, wait until you hear the stakes. The winning man and woman will each receive $100,000—and, much more importantly, wild cards into three events on the 2022 World Tour.
Of course, this format is likely to generate its fair share of controversy. Wild cards onto world tour events are hard to come by, and there’s no guarantee that the best surfer in the show will end up winning. The Ultimate Surfer isn’t a straightforward surf contest being hosted in Slater’s wave pool. Instead, it’s sort of a combination between The Real World, Dancing With the Stars, and The Bachelor. (Perhaps appropriately, it will be hosted by NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer, who is a former star of The Bachelor—along with Erin Coscarelli and the ubiquitous Joe Turpel. Meanwhile, Kelly Slater will serve as senior consultant/correspondent—whatever that means.) The competitors will all live and train together as they strive to become “the ultimate surfer,” and compete against each other in what are sure to be a bunch of marginally surf-related challenges tailor-made for TV that will result in weekly eliminations. At the same time, the show promises lots of drama, rivalries, alliances, and of course romance—because what would a reality show be without a little hanky panky?
Photo Credit to @ultimatesurferabc
Although this show is clearly marketed toward the non-surfing audience, there’s enough credibility amongst the cast to capture the interest of actual surfers. Former CT surfers Zeke Lau and Bruna Zaun (nee Schmitz) are joined by WSL campaigners Kai Barger, Alejandro Moreda, and Brianna Cope. The cast is rounded out by big name freesurfers/influencers such as Koa Smith, Tia Blanco, Anastasia Ashley, Mason Barnes, Luke Davis, and Malia Ward, as well as lesser known talent such as Kayla Durden, Juli Hernandez, and Austin Clouse.
Love it or hate it, this is what surfing will look like this summer, so wax up your board and program your TVs. Season one of The Ultimate Surfer premiers August 23 and 24 in a two-part premier on ABC. Cowabunga!
July Member of the Month: Q&A with James Tseng
When and why did you initially get into surfing?
I started surfing back in 1990 when my uncle took me to Ala Moana Bowls.
And I caught my first wave with a bodyboard.
Did you have a time period you laid off from surfing? If so, when and why did you start back up?
What is your favorite thing about surfing?
That very addicting feeling is so hard to explain. I just love being in the water. I love everything about surfing.
Where is your favorite place to eat after surfing? What is your favorite item on the menu?
Roasted chicken cranberry sandwich and peanut butter blast at Waialua Bakery Haleiwa. Green curry at Opal Thai in Chinatown.What other hobbies do you have besides surfing?
Golfing and Gaming.
What type of work do you do?
I design and make custom Hawaiian Jewelry.
Tell us about the board you recently purchased from us. What model and size is it, and how do you like its performance?
I recently picked up a 5'6 Sunday model by Rob Machado.
What's great about this model is, I can ride it as a twin fin, 2 plus 1 or single fin setup. The board paddles very well, very easy to surf.
Surfer’s Eye—Treating and Preventing Pterygium
Photo Credit to commons.wikimedia.org
Recently I’ve noticed that my eyes are irritated and red after surf sessions, and I eventually I decided to go see my ophthalmologist about it. After checking out my eyes, they told me that I have something that is very common in surfers—so common, in fact, that it’s been nicknamed “surfer’s eye.” My eye doctor diagnosed me with a pterygium, which is a growth of pink, fleshy tissue on the conjunctiva, which is the clear tissue that coats your eyeball.
Sounds pretty gnarly, huh?!
As crazy as it sounds, it’s likely that many of you reading this also have pterygiums growing. Men between the ages of 20 and 40 who live in the tropics (and especially near the equator) are the most likely demographic to develop pterygiums, and the incidence goes way up if you are a surfer. The reason for this is because pterygiums are caused by excessive exposure to sunlight, as well as wind and dry eyes. Sound familiar? Between the tropical sun, trade winds, and salt water here in Hawaii, we are all prime candidates for pterygium growth.
Fortunately, even though they look pretty rough, pterygiums aren’t super concerning. They don’t cause any long-term issues, aside from irritating your eyes, making them red, and eventually, if left untreated for a really long time, encroaching on your pupil and interfering with your vision. Most people simply live with them and treat them conservatively.
If symptoms get to the point where you can’t handle them anymore—or if you simply don’t like the look of that milky growth on your eye—you can get pterygiums fixed through a surgery that removes the lesion, then replaces it by gluing or stitching another piece of conjunctiva into place! That didn’t sound very good to me, so I asked my ophthalmologist if I had any other options, and she said that I did. Her suggestion was to try to avoid overexposure to sunlight (no chance of that!), and to use eyedrops after I surf. She suggested Refresh Tears, and as soon as I started using the drops I immediately found relief! I noticed that my eyes were way less red and itchy after surf session. Now I use the drops after every surf, and sometimes even use them if I’ve been out in the sun all day doing things on land as well.
For people who have really bad pterygium symptoms, but who don’t want to get surgery, there are also over-the-counter eye drops and ointments. And if you want to get really aggressive, you can get prescription steroid eyedrops that are quite effective in reducing symptoms such as itchiness, redness, pain, and swelling in your eyes.
Of course, there are also ways to prevent pterygiums from forming (or, if you already have one, to keep it from growing any larger), the most obvious of which is to avoid spending too much time in the sun. But since we surfers are out in the sun every day (in the ocean, which actually reflects the sunlight and exposes us to even more UV rays), we have to find creative ways to limit the sun exposure that our eyes get. There are a number of surfing sunglasses that have straps to keep them in place so you can wear them during sessions, and also surf hats with big wide brims that help keep the sun out of your face. And while on land, it is a no-brainer to always be wearing sunglasses and a hat, especially if you are in direct sunlight. You want sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB light, and wraparound sunglasses tend to offer the most protection, both from sunlight and wind and dust (which can both contribute to pterygium growth and eye irritation. And again, the eye drops that keep your eyes from drying out are a great way to prevent irritation, even if you haven’t spent the morning surfing!
While pterygiums can be a bit annoying and look pretty gnarly, it was a huge relief for me to find out that I didn’t have anything really serious wrong with my eyes. Thanks to the advice of my ophthalmologist and the great eye drops made by Refresh Tears, I am still out in the water every day—and when I head home after my daily session, my eyes aren’t red and itchy anymore! If you have a pterygium growing or if your eyes are irritated after you surf, I suggest you try out some eye drops and start wearing sunglasses. There’s no reason a bit of sun should keep us out of the water!
Keiko's Cooking Corner - Kabocha Saute
Cut the pumpkin into 1/2 inch.
Wet your fingers with water and shake it over the pumpkin.
Saran Wrap it.
Place in the microwave for about 6 minutes until it becomes soft.
In a frying pan butter and just a little bit of honey and pan fry the pumpkin with a little salt and pepper.
After placing it onto a place and grated some Parmesan cheese or your favorite cheese and serve.
YUMMY!! If you try it, send me some pics and let me know how it turned out.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Clyde about LOST RNF '96 POLY 5'6 V29.5 FCS II
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stoked to ride this more pulled in high performance fish. Rode it as a 2 plus 1. The tail is not as wide, still fast and loose, holds good like a high-performance board. With my standard volume, the board is 3-4” shorter than my regular go-to board.
Awesome board. Used it on knee to head high waves. Works best on waist to
head high waves. Very responsive for a longboard using a Quad fin setup. Thanks Hawaiian South Shore for suggesting this board!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I’ve had several new and custom longboards and the 9’1” HI4 is by far the best longboard I have ever ridden. Kind of the longboard I’ve always been looking for. For background, I’m primarily a short boarder and bought this board for cruising the smaller days. Took this board out during one of the last swells and was surprised how well it rode. The strength and durability of the Thunderbolt Black construction is unmatched and will keep the board looking new for a long time. These boards are not cheap, but when you consider what you’re getting, resale value and how long these boards can last, they are a great investment in my opinion. Thanks to Dave and Brett for the outstanding customer support! Aloha, Dane
What's New!
Ben “Skindog” Skinner’s Signature Fins
The best surfers often make the best board and fin designers, and Ben “Skindog” Skinner is no exception. A world-class longboarder from the UK, Skinner has won the European titles 11 times and finished as high as second on the longboard world tour. He also has his own line of boards, designed and built in collaboration with shaper Jason Gray. Now Skindog has added signature Flying Diamond fins to his quiver, with both a specially designed center fin and his own set of twin fins.
Skindog has been refining the Subcenter Surfboard fin for years. It features a broad base to create drive, then tapers to a thin rake in the tip, providing snappy flex as it comes off the bottom. The clean curve of the fin also supports extended noserides, making this a great all-around fin for traditional longboarding.
When Ben Skinner isn’t on logs, he enjoys riding twin fins, so it’s only natural that he’d design his own set of twins. This drivey, performance twin fin provides the traditional feel of a keel fin, but with modern design elements and cutaways that allow for more aggressive, high-performance surfing. The hand-foiled fins have a stiff base with a flexible tip, making them the perfect, fine-tuned fin for any board with a twin setup.
Congratulations Carissa Moore!!
First Olympic Gold Medalist in Women's Surfing
