Wednesday, September 21, 2005

International Surfing Day Origins

Neal "Sponge" Miyake has kept the origins of "International Surfing Day" alive, writing in 2005:

It's pretty neat to see that the idea of a worldwide surfing day has finally taken hold...

[Let's] acknowledge the originators of the idea -- the alt.surfing newsgroup. Back in 1993, during the pioneer days of what would become the Internet, some computer-geek/surfer types communicating on Usenet (a distributed Internet discussion system) decided to have a "World Surf Day."

Since then it's been a not-quite yearly event, with varying levels of participation and stoke. I compiled the first decade at: http://www.hisurfadvisory.com/ashub/wsd.htm.

We've even had heated discussions over which day would be the appropriate day: equinoxes or solstices, Earth Day, other holidays (see http://groups.google.com/group/alt.surfing/msg/668228ca5e28ce89). Such arcane discussions are the hallmark of "alt.surfers."

One guy (non-alt.surfer) actually tried to legitimize it back in 2002
via his website,
www.worldsurfday.com...
That didn't last long.

But the true alt.surfers have endured, continuing the longstanding tradition.

So, the next time International Surfing Day rolls around, just remember to give a tip of your hat to the originators of the event.

Aloha!

Neal "sponge" Miyake
www.hisurfadvisory.com


Google Groups : alt.surfing

7 comments:

  1. how about Duke's b'day for Intnl. Surfing day??

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anyone know the whereabouts of Gary Propper, Mike Tabling and Fletcher Sharp these days?

    Tex-

    ReplyDelete
  3. For a great teen reader with surfing as a backdrop, read "Surfer Girl" by Penelope Dyan, the first in a series of books about 'Summer' a girl who is triving to be one with the water.

    Summer wants to figure out what the legacy of her life will be. Summer’s mother is a writer
    and is leaving behind her writing for Summer, because this is her legacy for her, and
    Summer wants a legacy of her own because she is growing up now. Summer’s mom thinks
    Summer should take more time to just be a kid and fears Summer is a bit too serious
    about everything. Meet Summer’s friends and find out what spectacular things Summer
    accomplishes and does with her summertime, and find out how Summer discovers what
    her legacy for the future will be.



    ISBN Complete: 0-9768417-7-0

    ReplyDelete
  4. Read "Surfer Girl" by Penelope Dyan!

    Summer wants to figure out what the legacy of her life will be. Summer’s mother is a writer
    and is leaving behind her writing for Summer, because this is her legacy for her, and
    Summer wants a legacy of her own because she is growing up now. Summer’s mom thinks
    Summer should take more time to just be a kid and fears Summer is a bit too serious
    about everything. Meet Summer’s friends and find out what spectacular things Summer
    accomplishes and does with her summertime, and find out how Summer discovers what
    her legacy for the future will be.



    ISBN Complete: 0-9768417-7-0

    Avaiable at Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobel amd can be ordered at your favorite local bookstore!

    ReplyDelete
  5. "The Summer Surf" by Penelope Dyan is now out and available for purchase. If you go to the www.bellissimapublishing.com website you can also link to a site where you can buy both "Surfer Girl" and The Summer Surf posters, as well as T-shirts! Click on the button for "Surfer Girl" or "The Summer Surf". Bellissima will also be bringing paypal to its sight so that you may purchase by credit card and even get a first edition personalized and signed book from the bellissima writers! The Surfer Girl Series is sure to be come a classic! Buy them now!

    ReplyDelete
  6. "The Summer Surf" by Penelope Dyan, the second book in the Surfer Girl Series has been released. You can also go to www.bellissimapublishing.com and clik on either the surfer Girl or the Summer Surf button and froim there click on a link to a site to purchase Surfer Girl and The Summer Surf t-shirts and posters! Read all the books in the Surfer Girl Series and discover what it really means to be one with the water!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The third book in the Surfer Girl Series is out. Read Surfing on Summer's Wave by Penelope Dyan, and check out the great froint and back mermaid cover, photos by famous underwater ohotograopher, Zena, of Littkle Urchins, Great Britain.

    ReplyDelete

Mahalo for your comment!