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THE WORLD BY STORM

Cynics would say the world's run out of unseen places, that relentless exploration and consequent exploitation have sapped all the adventure of of adventuring. Not unfair considering the amount of information available at our fingertips these days. A 24-hour news cycle. Five-day exteneded surf forecasts. Real-time satellite imagery. Google Earth. A web of buoys crisscrossing the Seven Seas like so many fishnets.
But it's been long coming. As early explorers moved into deeper waters and blank spots on the map began to take shape, the day's reigning monarchies staked their claim, ranking nautical charts and navigational observations among the most prized information. It was the key to newfound fortune and power. Though much has changed, man's desire to push into the unknown has yet to be quenched. As surfers, thanks to the space-age sciences that have developed around storm tracking, we may now just be coming into our own as explorers... We hope the following 42 pages inspire you to chase the next storm that comes your way, no matter what ocean you may find yourself in.

HOMEGROWN
THE ORGANIC CULTIVATION OF ASHER PACEY
by
Alex Wilson

"Lemongrass is really nice as a tea," says Asher Pacey. He's standing on the balcony outside his home, surrounded by vegetation. He's just picked a handful of fresh blades, and while contemplating his morning cup he expands on the plant's benefits. "You take a bit of honey and fresh grass and it makes a nice, refreshing drink," he says. "It's also high in vitamin E and other minerals."
Around Asher, in contrast to the green oasis he's standing in, the buildings of the Gold Coast fling themselves at the sky. Atop, several cranes stand like giant mantises at work in the upper canopy of a steel rainforest. Nearby, the city hums with humanity as its various trades grind to life. This place, with its population swelling past the half-million mark, is a hive by Australian standards. But it's a blessed hive, perched, like all of Oz's large cities on the coast - a coast rife with points, beaches and corners.
Many of the waves here are world-class; as such, so are many of the surfers. And so, the pulse of the Australian surf industry beats here along with the thrum of the rest of the city's trades. For young surfers intent of making a living riding waves, it's a better place than most to call home.
Asher came here seven years ago from a lonley pocket of New South Wales for exactly that reason.

RASTA TAKES AIM AT POACHERS:
HEADS TO ALASKA TO CONFRONT INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISION.
by
Steve Barilotti

Earlier this year SURFER reported on Dave Rastovich's quest to activate the surfing community to join the fight to save dolphins and whales from illegal commercial slaughter (see "Pirates of Compassion" March 2007). Since then, Rasta has co-founded the grassroots advocacy group Surfers for Cetaceans, and after getting a host of high-profile surfers pledging their support, he passed on a combination of Southern Hemisphere swells to head up on a fact-finding mission to Anchorage, Alaska, the site of the 59th annual International Whaling Commision (IWC) hearings.
As we reported back in March, much of Rasta's inspiration for rallying the surf community stems from a meeting he had with Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and one of Rasta's personal heroes. "His book, Ocean Warrior, changed my life," said Rasta. Watson, a renowned defender of whales and dolphins, is best known for confronting and even disabling lawbreakers on the high seas. He's even gone as far as sinking illegal whaling fleets in harbor.

IN EMERALD CAVERNS
THE BROTHERS MALLOY JOIN A RAG-TAG IRISH CREW FOR A LUCKY SCORE
As told by
Chris Malloy


We'd been in Ireland for less than 72 hours and we'd already found exactly what we came for. We were lucky enough to nab two memorable six-hour days in the water before the weather turned and we were forced to seek sanctuary in the local pub. Somewhere in those first few days I'd picked up an Irish flute and started playing these little melodies with it. By the time we ventured into the pub that day, I was pretty darn happy, both with the success of our mission and the progress I'd made with my music. My local buddies were having a good laugh at my expense as I was playing, mostly because my melodies were attracting the attention of some of the town's tourists, who'd mistaken me for the real thing. After a while, I started playing into this role. I'd walk up to somebody, play a little tune and be like, "Oh hullo t'ere. Welcome to Ireland, we're so happy ta be havin' ya."

THE RACE FOR '08
BREAKING DOWN THE WQS FRONTRUNNERS AND THEIR BIDS FOR THE BIG SHOW
by
Jake Howard

In the early 1990s the New School movement made it abundantly clear who was going to carry the torch once Curren, Carroll, and the rest of their generation moved on to greener pastures. And now, as Kelly Slater teeters on the brink of retirement, and Aussies like Mick Fanning, Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, and Bede Durbidge occupy the top spots of the World Tour, the next generation of performers are just now emerging from the shadows of the World Qualifying Series. Considering this may prove to be one of the more compelling years on the WQS, as competitors round the halfway point and head for Hawaii, this month we figured it was important to take a close look at some of the key players not only looking to make a name for themselves next year, but the influence they'll have in the years to come.

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