June Gloom

Ah, what a week it’s been. We all (pro surfers, surf fans and you) were publicly scolded by Erik Logan, the CEO of the WSL for not respecting his authority, judging controversy erupted in California’s Central Valley and John John Florence surfed a heat in El Salvador against Liu Mang Jang and Dohoon Yun (don’t worry, he made it). I’d like to take a quick second to remind you all that this (lame) activity is the result of the two the dumbest things to ever happen to surfing: wave pools and the Olympics.

My saying that will surely make some of you twist and shout — but they are the most unnatural forces to enter our beloved culture and well, they suck, and I hope you can see that now.

It was all supposed to revitalize us. Bring mainstream attention. Dollars and eyeballs would turn from millions to billions then trillions! The core would take the beginner by the hand and push them into their first wave in a pool and we’d all share a legal dooby together. Quik-Bong-Rip would fly off the shelf again and we’d all surf happily ever after in Kansas. Just give us wave pools and gold medals! Access to surfing for all! Well, that kinda backfired, eh. Now we got Oprah’s old pal scolding us between stand-up paddle photos with motivational captions and John John wasting his time in El Salvador instead of filming a new movie or something far more productive.

Before this turns as gloomy as the So-Cal sky this month, I will give you some good news…us! I really do prefer we go on our merry way proving that good living doesn’t have to have anything to do with pools or medals or Erik Logan.

Over here we got surfing, movies, music and the best monthly recap you’ll see in our new column The Bummer Rolls: a photo dump from the dregs of our phones and hard drives. Sure looks like we were having a hell time in May. Pour us up another month, we’ll do it again in June. Gloom be damned!—Travis Ferré

[Artwork above: Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), 1972 by David Hockney]