hiya wa howa aswat

This clip is part of HuffPost Live's "Tell Me Why" series, featuring young enthusiasts discussing the subjects they're passionate about -- from horror movies to string theory -- with experts.
Seven-year-old Lena Apolskis loves to boogie board, so she's looking to take her fun to the next level and learn how to surf.

HuffPost Live's Josh Zepps introduced Lena to professional surfer Keala Kennelly so Lena could ask some of her burning questions about the sport, like whether surfing requires constant application of sunscreen and how many surfboards Kennelly owns.

But when she was asked about her own experience with surfing, Lena got a little shy in the cutest way possible.

Zepps discussed Lena's recent trip to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she went boogie boarding. When he asked if she went really fast, Lena got pretty uncertain, taking a minute to think and then assessing her speed as "probably medium."

Check out the full HuffPost Live segment with the 7-year-old boogie boarder extraordinaire in the video .

"Surf Champ" was one of the first arcade surfing games ever. The pinball machine was built by D. Gottlieb & Co., in 1976.

In professional surfing, 1976 was the year of Peter Townend. The Australian secured the only world title of his career, in the newly-created International Professional Surfers (IPS) circuit.

In the entertainment world, the introduction of microprocessors brought pinball into the realm of electronic gaming. Digital sound effects, speech, and complex rules were getting into these coin-operated machines.
"Surf Champ" is widely considered the best pinball surfing game of all time. The official record says the production reached a total of 1070 units, but serial numbers of "Surf Champ" compiled by fans indicate that over 4000 machines were manufactured.

The electro-mechanical structure featured flippers, pop bumpers, slingshots, star rollovers, five-bank drop targets, one kick-out hole, and one spinning target.


The pinball surfing game had a maximum display score of 99,990 points, and three chimes. The "Surf Champ" model was designed by Ed Krynski, and the artwork was a creation of Gordon Morison.

"Surf Queens" (1946), "Surf Club" (1954), "Surf Rider" (1956), "Surf Side" (1967), "Surfers" (1967), "Surf Champ" and "Surfer" (1976), "Surfing" (1972), and "Surf 'n Safari" (1991), are some of the most important pinball surfing machines ever produced.
Between 1929 and 1996, D. Gottlieb & Co. released 624 different pinball machines. Their most popular arcade game was "Baffle Ball" (1931).

Surfing is admirable as a sport and all -- but when we hit the waves, we're really just in it for the tan lines and congratulatory burrito (shh, don't tell).

Some surf towns are known for their big breaks, but these getaways also happen to have "gnarly" nightlife, shopping, sweets and culture. They're totally worth the trip, even if you never set foot on the surfboard. Paddle on in!

THE FOODIE SURF TOWN:
San Sebastian, Spain
Just a few simple beaches make this surf town manageable -- but you'll stay for the pinxtos. San Sebastian's signature dish is just a little snack, typically stuck onto a slice of bread with a toothpick. This means you can pop into dozens of bars before you get full. Visit in film festival season to see Javier Bardem on the cobblestone streets, and hike Monte Urgull for a sunset you'll never forget.

THE WOODSY SURF TOWN:
Tofino, Canada
Who wants to wake up at a bed and breakfast in the forest before hitting the spa, day-tripping to hot springs and watching whales and sea otters? You, that's who. Tofino may be Canada's surf capital, but going in the water is too chilly for anyone who's not a fanatic. Rugged, damp, and woodsy, Tofino is the perfect place to stand-up paddle on the smooth-as-glass sound, then bundle up, grab a coffee, and spot for black bears near the rocks.

THE RETRO SURF TOWN:
Santa Cruz, California
While some boardwalks get seedy over time, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has modern comforts (hello, concerts on the sand and chocolate-covered bacon!) and all the classics (a wooden coaster from the '20s, and the old-school sky ride). The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum will make you feel like you've checked the sport off your bucket list... then you're free to bike West Cliff Drive and meet the "groms" for a post-surf slice at Pizza My Heart.

THE ARTSY SURF TOWN:
Todos Santos, Mexico
They call this "unspoiled Mexico," aka one paradise the tourists haven't wrecked yet. Browse the colorful art galleries near Plaza Centenario to feel like a bohemian hipster. Bodegas full of wine, adobe alleyways and hidden beaches make this a romantic spot to wait while your buddies finish on the waves.

THE SWANKY SURF TOWN:
Pacific Palisades, California
Malibu's ritzy little sister isn't quite so full of Barbie lookalikes. This is beachside glamor at its most authentic: Jennifer Garner and Adam Sandler hang out here, as downtown is a manageable little mashup of bakeries, sidewalk pizza joints and frozen yogurt shops. The Getty Villa doesn't scream for attention, either: tucked on a cliff right off PCH, it turns out to be a sprawling coastal mansion full of ancient statues and gurgling fountains. Who said anything about surfing?

THE SPORTY SURF TOWN:
Paia, Hawaii
Paia is one of the least touristy towns you'll find on Maui (and with less tourists come more famous people). If you're not a surfer but still adventurous, try windsurfing, Paia's signature sport. You'll probably get a glimpse of Laird Hamilton's abs while you're at it. With no big resort in sight, everything here is more low-key: Willie Nelson has been known to drop into the local saloon, and nobody even asks for a photo.

THE PARTY SURF TOWN:
Florianópolis, Brazil
With no less than 42 beaches, "Floripa" is the ultimate South American surf town. Kelly Slater even took the stage with his guitar at a local bar after he won a world title here in 2005. But from English pubs to sidewalk bars to the revamped colonial villa where big-time DJs play, you will find plenty to keep you busy hours past a surfer's bedtime.

THE ZEN SURF TOWN:
Nosara, Costa Rica
Playa Guiones is the most surf-able of Nosara's beaches -- hit Playa Garza to explore a chill fishing village and Playa Pelada if you're into rugged hikes. Nosara is where your soul will float back down to Earth, whether with open-air yoga and a smoothie at The Harmony Hotel or frolicking among howler monkeys in the biological reserve.

THE CITY KID'S SURF TOWN:
Montauk, New York
Who knows if you can even call this a "surf town" anymore -- it's officially joined the Hamptons hype scene, and there's no going back. But Montauk, waaay at the end of Long Island and an afterthought to the more glamorous Hamptons, has plenty of laid-back pockets amidst all the gourmet lobster shacks. A trip to the lighthouse will start your day off with class, but come noon it's time for drinks and tunes on the Sloppy Tuna dance floor... ahem, patio.

THE BACKPACKER'S SURF TOWN:
Montañita, Ecuador
Montañita's style is best defined as straight-up Rasta. Its full moon party is legendary, but not as tacky as the ones in Thailand. Surf camps and hostel shacks are easy places to crash between nights of bar hopping (and everything's walkable).

THE "CAN I JUST STAY FOREVER?!" SURF TOWN:
Byron Bay, Australia
For somewhere so beautiful, Byron Bay is impressively small town-ish. If seven pretty beaches don't call to you, maybe the pretty boutiques will (they're Vogue-approved, after all). The local farmers' market is an authentic hangout, as are the bungalow-style cafes and old-school cinema house
with indie films. ...but really, just go to the beach.

Not all surf trips are sand, sunshine and small islands. Die-hard surfers will shred anywhere there's flowing water and a decent wave -- even if that means braving below-freezing temperatures or fighting the upstream current of a river.

In fact, some of the world's best surf spots force adventurers past icebergs or through war-stricken deserts just for the thrill of a perfect peeling wave. And we don't blame them. After all, not all surfers are on a strict sun and beach diet.

Case and point? Check out the below 5 off-the-grid destinations:

1. Yakutat, Alaska

Alaska has 33,000 miles of cold coastline and this small town with a population of roughly 700 people is known as Surf City, Alaska, or -- to locals and big wave surfers-- "The Far North Shore." When the swell is just right, the surf reaches more than 20 feet, but you have to trek across the snow and the unforgivably rocky shoreline before ever reaching the water.

Once you get there -- if you can handle the temperatures -- it is so worth it. Chilling breezes and even colder water keeps the lineups empty. When in you're in town, don't forget to visit Alaska's first (and the town's only) surf shop, Icy Waves.

2. Gaza Strip
Surprised? Yeah, we were too. But apparently, in the past decade, this politically tumultuous slice of the middle east has developed a small surf community, bringing a temporary escape for many who live there via the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. Al Deira beach is a popular spot for local surfers and, according to WannaSurf.com, is best when the swell is breaking over the reef at three feet.

Getting to the Gaza Strip is a journey of its own. Security around the border is extremely tight with no shortage of barbed wire fences, walls and roadblocks to monitor your every move. If you add this destination to your surfing bucket list, take note: visiting the Gaza Strip is difficult and can be very dangerous and most countries advise against it.


3. Qiantang River, China a.k.a. The Silver Dragon

Wow. We knew Chile had good waves and a certain amount of talent, but this vid is pretty nuts!
One of the most popular surfers from Chile: JC Lombardi. We are just going to call him ‘The Bomb’ cos he just blew the doors off this one!
Song: Flume – Left Alone

Surfing NSW, with the support of the New South Wales authorities, are giving all surfers in the region the opportunity to do a free Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Board Rescue Course.

Surfers are on the beach from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. A lot of them are responsible for hundreds of thousands of unsung rescues. In conjunction with pro surfers, who are currently working as lifeguards, Surfing NSW have identified board rescue techniques that may prove to be crucial in times of need.
Any competent surfer - from recreational grassroots boardrider to professional surfers of every disciple of surfing - all are welcome to participate in Surfers Rescue 24/7.

The Surfers Rescue 24/7 program consists of one and a half hours of nationally accredited CPR course, and one hour of board rescue techniques. Hopefully, you will never have to use it, but if found in a tough situation, it may just save a life.

"Recognising the enormous contribution that recreational surfers make to water safety on a daily basis in New South Wales is a great message to send to our group," underlines Kelly Slater, Surfers Rescue 24/7 ambassador.

"What better way to make the ocean safer than having people who know what's going on happening in the ocean, skilled up to save someone who may be in trouble," states Laird Hamilton.


"There's nothing like feeling helpless in the ocean, so if Surfers Rescue 24/7 helps so that people don't have that feeling, then it's definitely a good thing. I've saved a lot of people who've been in trouble in my time, and I think all surfers feel a bit of responsibility to look out for others in the ocean."

Professional big wave surfer Mark Healey teaches us how to take a GoPro head strap mount and turn it into a bite plate without cutting anything.

Simple, easy and very useful. A GoPro mouth mount captures stunning footage, in point-of-view mode. It's a great way of reliving the greatest surfing moments of your life. If you can also impress friends and family, then great.

"There's a few things that you're going to need. One is neoprene tape. You can find this at any hardware store. You can just cut an old wetsuit or just find something soft, so it's not so hard on your teeth. You're going to need scissors and electrical tape." explains Healey.

Start by taking the head strap apart. You don't have to cut anything, just slip the straps right off. You'll only need the plastic mount.

Now, roughly measure the neoprene tape and cut it. Wrap it around the plastic mount, and make sure it's stuck on there good. Then you're ready for electrical tape. A couple wraps of tape and you're ready to hit the waves.

As you can see, with neoprene, tape, and a few simple alterations, you can make a fully functioning bite mount with no harm done to your original head strap.


Get the GoPro Hero3+, a head strap mount, and a floaty backdoor. Enjoy life.

Great electronics gift ideas for Dad. Father's Day 2014 is Sunday, June 15.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Smartphone

With built-in Wi-Fi, this 55-inch smart TV lets Dad easily stream movies, shows, and games in Full HD with crisp 1080p resolution. LED backlighting delivers brilliant colors and exceptional clarity. Plus, LG's intuitive WebOS means less time navigating and more time enjoying premium entertainment.



Classic style. Incredible sound.
Inspire Dad's inner rock star. Modeled after the legendary ES-335, the Epiphone Dot delivers the same warm, rich tone on an amateur musician's budget. This semi-hollow electric guitar features Alnico Classic humbucker pickups, mahogany neck, and laminated maple body in vintage starburst.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Zoom Lens & EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens + 11pc Bundle 16GB Deluxe Accessory Kit



The History of Surfing



Matt Warshaw knows more about surfing than any other person on the planet. After five years of research and writing, Warshaw has crafted an unprecedented history of the sport and the culture it has spawned. At nearly 500 pages, with 250,000 words and more than 250 rare photographs, The History of Surfing reveals and defines this sport with a voice that is authoritative, funny, and wholly original. The obsessive nature of this endeavor is matched only by the obsessive nature of surfers, who will pore through these pages with passion and opinion. A true category killer, here is the definitive history of surfing.

Surf: 100 Greatest Waves



In this book, Transworld SURF’s expert editors and photographers visit the 100 best surf spots on Earth to bring you insider information on beaches everywhere from Australia and California to emerging destinations in West Africa, Japan, Norway and beyond. Packed with amazing photos, pro tips, and travel details, this is the book you need--whether you’re planning a lifetime of trips, or the trip of a lifetime.

Every surfer dreams of catching the perfect wave--of that magical day when the beach, the water, and the weather come together to make for an unforgettable ride. The editors of TransWorld SURF magazine have been there and surfed that, with some of the world’s top pros. This book collects amazing photos of the 100 top spots to surf around the world, along with hands-on tips on how to go there yourself. From the classics you know and love (Mexico, Fiji, Thailand) to those inside secret spots (Iceland, Lakshadweep, Wales) this is where you’ll find the best surf the planet has to offer. Whether you’re a globetrotting barrelhunter chasing the perfect wave, or a weekend wave-rider dreaming on the perfect vacation, let SURF: 100 Greatest Waves take you there.

Surf Surfer Surfing Wave Handmade iPhone 4 4S Full Hard Plastic Case



BRAND NEW, handmade case for your iPhone 4 or 4S. This 2-Piece clear plastic case provides full protection for the front & back of your iPhone. The photo is printed on specialty high-quality photo paper and laminated on the inside of the case, protecting the image from scratches and peeling. This is a craft handmade item, unique and unlike any other available. Cases are compatible the iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S from all service providers.

Mobiflare Apple iphone 5S / 5 Rip Curl Surfing Snap on Artistry Design Case



Protect and personalize your Apple iphone 5S / 5 with Mobiflare Snap on Artistry Design Case:
Mobiflare Apple iphone 5S / 5 Snap on Artistry Design Case will helps prevent accidental drop, scratches to your device.
High Quality Artwork printed with ECO Ink in USA, Mobiflare does not use sticker to stick on the case
Excellent Slim design fits comfortably in your palm.

These bright and funky surf-style camper van money boxes are a great gift for laid-back savers putting pennies aside for their next beach holiday...

In four vivid painted colours and decorated with appropriate peace sign 'surf' 'chill' graffiti. Totally awesome dude.

So you want to be a pro surfer? Join the club. Who wouldn’t want to travel to a different exotic destination every month and get paid to hang out on the beach until it’s your turn to paddle out? The girls are in bikinis and the dudes have no shirts. The wine flows in Europe. The beer is plentiful in Australia, and Hawaii is green with tropical goodness. Okay, so there’s a bit more to being a professional surfer than partying and traveling.
 
For one, the travel is relentless if you are on the World Qualifying Series (WQS) or are good enough to make the elite World Championship Tour (WCT), you will find yourself grappling with passports, baggage claims, and taxis all the while trying to get quickly ensconced into the local wave in a few days before the competition begins. The lineup is crowed and the greed for waves, photos, and the like can be draining and pull you away from the reason you started surfing in the first place. Add to that the fact that your sponsors are pressuring you to win under threat of termination, and your place on tour depends on your point total at the end of the season; therefore, the pressure can be oppressive.

But let’s be real. To a guy who wakes up at 6 in the morning every day and slouches in to his menial day job three hundred days a year, this sounds great. The only real problem is that there really isn’t any money in pro surfing. Sure, there are a precious smidgen of surfers at the top of the WCT who are making cash in the high six seven figures. But these guys (and I say guys in this case because there is a disproportionate pay difference between male and female surfers) are the exception. Kelly Slater might be the only surfer who is making a million on sponsorship alone, while a few others like Joel Parkinson or Taj Burrow who rely on a combination of endorsements, and prize money. Most of the top 34 surfers on the ASP are making upwards of $300,000 annually, but everything depends on how well you perform and careers can be short with very little room for long term employment in the industry for those lacking skills.

Still sounds like good cash right? However, think about how many millions and millions of surfers are out there, and only a couple dozen of them are making real money. The bottom line: the mid-level guys and girls making their way to and from WQS events are not putting much in the bank after they factor in travel and related expenses. In fact, many surfers report ending the season in the red, owing money.

Most pro surfers piece their incomes together from several sources. First, competing in contests can result in solid prize money. Total prize money for an average professional surf contest on the ASP Tour ranges from $425,000 to $500,000, a win at one of those events is usually around $40,000. The pay-outs decline precipitously the farther down the ladder you finish. Another source of revenue for pro surfers is through sponsorships. Usually, top-tier surfers sign multi-year contracts upwards of a million dollars but they often depend on a surfer’s professional ranking. In addition to sponsorships, pro surfers can also endorse surfboard models and signature lines of shoes or clothes. Most notably, Dane Reynolds’ Dumpster Diver surfboard model made up a significant share of 2010’s total surfboard sales, so he presumably made a lot of money outside of the competitive scene.

So, as a top-tier successful professional surfer on the WCT, you may make upwards of a $500,000, but that is all contingent upon competition results, travel expenses, product and endorsements. Factor in that one injury could throw you into financial free fall while the career of a professional surfer is notoriously short. So in summation, it seems that unless you are Kanoa Igarashi or Jack Robinson, the idea of making enough cash to live out your days comfortably on surf money is a crap shoot. There are guys and girls out there who are pulling off the experience of a lifetime: getting paid enough to fund trips to exotic locales getting their shots in the mag, but the chances are that money is very tight and that jet-setting life is rife with hustling sponsors for cash, sleeping on couches, and hoping your next injury isn’t too bad (because you don’t have health insurance). If that still sounds good, go for it, but maybe take a few college classes along the way.

They've been widely photographed for its natural beauties and crystal-clear waters, but they also share one thing in common. Surfers can ride waves there, too.

Pristine white sands, vibrant transparent waters, stunning weather, breathtaking surroundings and heavenly ocean views. Meet the 100 most amazing beaches in the world, where swells reach to deliver surfable waves.

These are not the best surf spots in the world. We've traveled the planet to discover the best of two worlds - surf and allure, waves and sights. Paradise is just around the corner.

If you're planning the ultimate family holiday experience, browse through our list and get ready to travel. They'll be suprised and you'll get your share of waves.

From the cold waters of Norway and Tasmania, to the warm waters of Brazil and Tahiti, there's an idyllic world of beaches to explore. Feel the soul-warming sun, contemplate the clear blue skies, taste the exotic smells of the Earth's most beautiful surfing beaches. Enjoy life.
The 100 most beautiful surfing beaches in the world:

EUROPE Arrifana, Aljezur, Portugal Biarritz, France Bundoran Beach, Ireland Carrapateira, Portugal Civitavecchia, Lazio, Italy Désert des Agriates, Corsica, France El Golfo, Lanzarote, Spain Guincho, Portugal L'Ancress Bay, Guernsey, Channel Islands Les Cavaliers, Anglet, France Levanto, Italy Morro Jable, Fuerteventura, Spain Mundaka, Spain Oostduinkerke, Koksijde, Belgium Pantin, Ferrol, Spain Plage d'Hossegor, Soorts-Hossegor, France Playa de la Barceloneta, Barcelona, Spain Playa del Inglés, Las Palmas, Spain Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal Praia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal Ribeira d'Ilhas, Ericeira, Portugal Rømø, Tønder, Denmark Santa Bárbara, Azores, Portugal Seilebost Beach, Outer Hebrides, Scotland Spiekeroog, East Frisian Islands, Germany St. Peter-Ording, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Tarifa, Cadiz, Spain Utakleiv, Lofoten, Norway Watergate Bay, Cornwall, England Zandvoort, Netherlands Zavial, Portugal OCEANIA Bells Beach, Torquay, Australia Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia Crescent Head, Tasmania, Australia Esperance, Goldfields-Esperance, Australia Kirra Beach, Coolangatta, Australia Margaret River, Australia Ninety Mile Beach, Northland, New Zealand Ocean Beach, Denmark, Australia Piha Beach, New Zealand Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia Tavarua, Fiji Teahupoo, Tahiti, French Polynesia Tuncurry Beach, New South Wales, Australia CARIBBEAN Bathsheba, Barbados Boston Beach, Jamaica Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera, Bahamas Maracas Bay, Trinidad & Tobago Mayreau, St. Vincent & The Grenadines Playa Grande, Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic Rincon, Puerto Rico Southampton, Bermudas

source : surfsouthafrica.co.za
Perfect waves at Impossibles, bali.

Slide Fins are the world's first flexible surfboard fin system.

Surfboards are in the center of a surfing revolution. After watching how Shapeshifter is introducing an innovative surfboard removable tail system, with its wide range of surfboard tail shapes, Surf Fins adds a new variable to the liquid equation.

What happens to your surfboard when fins adjust to maneuvers in the water. What if they could actually move with superior flexibility to perform advanced, skateboard-style tricks.

Slide Fins focus on a flexible fin technology that folds and releases under directional wave pressure. In other words, these fins will totally change the way we manage drag while surfing. Fixed fins make tail slides, rail slides, shove-its and 360s much harder. Slide Fins prepare to change the whole paradigm.

In a way, we might have to relearn how to surf. Pull off maneuvers that involve sliding sideways, with fins that fold up in one direction when under pressure, and then spring back down into their engaged position after the water pressure is released.


The sport's most creative freestylers will have a lot of wave faces to explore, with this groundbreaking innovation. Slide Fins may be changing the course of surfing in the upcoming years. They were invented by Scott Peberdy, of Outereef Surfboards Australia, and are fully compatible with FCS and Futures fin boxes.