Using a Sick Day

I write to you from the vapor fumes of echinacea, ginger, honey and hot tea. Despite my greatest attempts at never acknowledging a sickness and battling through no matter what, even surfing and working through it, I must give up. I am sick. And so is everyone else in my home.

I sat here attempting to cobble a medicinal-fueled bit of poetry for you, wondering if my week of fever dreams, sweats and chills had led me to any sort of mystical revelation about my surf life that I could pass along, but the truth is, it did not. I missed a lot of fun waves — despite forcing it one day and potentially destroying my sinus and ear drum. After that I sat down on the sideline and watched as things happened.

Creed McTaggart’s part in Vacuum got clipped out and made its way onto The Greatest Sections of All-Time instantly. Alex Lavayen of Plastic Ferrari made a gutsy playlist for us that totally worked. Griffin Colapinto won Portugal against Ethan Ewing and Joanne Defay won on the women's side (why aren’t we on the Gold Coast again?). 52 year old Kelly Slater is gonna be a dad again — 26 years after the first time. This time with long-time girlfriend Kalani Miller. Lisa Anderson tried to sell all her boards and then signed with Tenore. We hung out with North Carolina’s Ben Bourgeois (much more on that later). We sent a movie for you to watch tonight. And we started laying the foundation for the magazine we said we were starting last week.

The world kept turning and our return next week will undoubtedly be triumphant. And the good news is: The next time I surf my wetsuit will be dry.—Travis Ferré

[Above art: Leonora Carrington]