IN THE MARCH 2007 ISSUE OF
SURFER

 

SOUTH AFRICA'S NEXT SHOT
Why Jordy Smith is World Champ Material

 

NORTHBOUND
The Case for Nor Cal Secession
Above The Border Back East

 

PARADISE FOR SALE
One Man's Secret Camp

 

 

 

EXCERPT FROM "JORDY SMITH INTERVIEW"

With such an established tradition in Durban, particularly in the New Pier area, was it hard for you and your friends to break into the scene? Were there any particularly harsh grom hazing episodes or enforcer type characters that gave you guys a hard time?

Of course, but isn't that everywhere though? I mean, there were a couple guys, you know, those types of guys that you just make it a point not to get in their way. They'd pretend like they didn't see you in the water, and if you avoided them you pretty much stayed out of trouble. It's just a pecking order, that's how places like that work. That's surfing. But it's definitely gotten better in the last couple of years. I reckon there's not much they can do about it anyway. You can't really cause too much trouble when it's crowded, small kids and groms running wild everywhere and everybody's surfing like crazy. I think it's pretty cool. There's a little coffee shop on the beachfront where everybody puts their stuff and goes surfing. You can sit and watch and drink your morning coffee. There's a surf shop next door. It's cool, everybody just hangs out on the beach all day and that's kind of the central zone for a lot of what goes on in Durban.

EXCERPT FROM "NORTHBOUND"

Up here, on the road in the northern reaches of Central California, I know that I don't really belong, and as such, I try to act like I know what I'm doing. I reach across the bench seat of my truck and retrieve a folding map dotted with notes on surf spots that I'd hidden under a crumpled sweatshirt on the passenger's side. I lay the map out on the seat, refusing to lift it above waist level for fear that someone might see it. As a native and current Southern California resident, I know I'm an outsider here, but I refuse to broadcast that fact. Were I to hold the map up at window height, a single index finger tracking my present coordinates, all hope would be lost. -- Brad Melekian

EXCERPT FROM "PARADISE FOR SALE"

So yesterday you could have come here and surfed for free. But no longer. Today I received a business license to run a surf tour on this island. Starting today, you will pay to surf here. But I don't want to hear any complaining about this. After all, I am doing this for you. This is what you wanted.