I used to hate bodysurfing. Let me rephrase that: I have absolutely no opposition to the pastime and hold the craft in high esteem, but I used to be quite certain that it just wasn’t for me. See, when I was about 14 years old, I very nearly drowned trying to bodysurf in blackout conditions back home on Kauai. Upon recollection, it was a foolish move (to put it lightly) on my behalf, but the bitter taste still resonates. With the biggest swell of the year fast approaching, around dusk, the police began going house-to-house to beach-front property, warning residents that they may have to evacuate out of fear that the swell would wash past the reefs, beaches, and into their living rooms. So what do a bunch of 14-year-old kids do when they’re told that they may have to flee their homes because of a deadly swell?

At first glance, they seem to look like the rest of us, but only different. It’s hard to pinpoint what it is that separates them from the masses, but there is indeed something awry. Maybe it’s because they seem a bit older than most, or maybe it’s because they seem to constantly exude toothy smiles. It’s hard to express it, but something is clearly amiss. They wear beards, moustaches, visors, fins, and Speedos. They’re called The Torpedo People. And they look like us, but only different.

Random Bits

A Quick Word About Bobby Martinez’s Rant

By the time this issue goes to print, the buzz surrounding Bobby Martinez’s post-heat interview at the Quik Pro New York will have virtually flatlined. By then, I think we’ll all have had the time to sift through the F-bombs and give some honest thought to what Mr. Martinez was getting at. Had Bobby toned down the speech, the man made some very thought-provoking points. Here’s a quick overview of what Bobby said, and what we think he meant.