Zigzag October 2019

If there’s no instruction manual for life, then you can be absolutely certain there ain’t one for surfing. There’s not a hope in hell you’ll be able to make sense of all this by means of a quick YouTube tutorial or a TedTalk. There’s only one way you’re going to unlock the ‘how’ of surfing, and that’s trial and error, my friend. But just like slotting in with a crew who are better than you and finding a mentor to help you push your envelope and tackle bigger waves, we can all lean on the experience of others. You just need the desire to get better. That’s the spirit of Zag’s ‘How To’ Issue. There’s no right or wrong way to surf and I’m grateful for that. Some people last one session,…

SEA OF LOVE The editorial note from Zigzag 43.5 prompted my letter. Your West Coast bad taste experience is in contrast to our family’s celebration of the surfing community. On Mother‘s Day, my husband, daughter and friends were surfing Long Beach when my husband suffered a heart attack. Unconscious and at the risk of drowning, other surfers helped my daughter get him to shore. A committed community of people saved Craig’s life. We are eternally grateful. Ten weeks on, an emergency triple bypass surgery and oceans of kindness and blessings from all those who took part in this life changing event. Craig is now preparing himself to once again paddle out. We are reminded that the surfing community is the people we share life with, experiencing all the stoke and the beauty of our…

How to kickstart your day in the best possible way? You could get off to worse starts than knifing a clean morning barrel at an uncrowded Eastern Cape slab. Spare a thought for the cubicle drones stuck in gridlock rush hour traffic inching their way closer to menial tasks as Deen Hill clocks in for an important meeting. Meanwhile far away from warm water and playful right handers, Fabian Campagnolo shows us how to dance into the sunset with a driving, low slung bottom turn at one of Cape Town’s most demanding lefts.…

Feeling overwhelmed by the escalating existential crises we’re facing? You know, that helpless, sinking feeling that events are spiralling out of control, we’re all going down with the ship and there’s nothing we can do about it. Well you’re not alone. Eco-anxiety is a thing. The Science Journal lays it out as conclusive, “without major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, ecosystems worldwide are at risk of major transformation and even total collapse.” No sugar-coating that turd, humankind is deep in the dwang! But that doesn’t mean you should lose hope, curl up in a ball and wait for the apocalypse. The fight for the planet is gonna take longer than our lifespans, the stakes are enormous and the time to act is right now. But it’s not a fait accompli, done…

-SHRED You know when you’re set. It’s a sensory consummation as much as it is a physical affirmation. Feet in the right place, weight distribution balanced and timing on point. The first bottom turn sets the arc and everything else follows. There are waves, sessions and moments in every surfer’s life where flow of information connects with the movements. But there’s always room for improvement. It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring pro, weekend warrior or anything in between. You want to rip. Here are a few ways to help you get your shred on. SURF WITH PEOPLE BETTER THEN YOU Need shallow compliments to keep your performance afloat? Keep surfing with an average crew. There’s no room for back slapping sycophants here. If you genuinely want to improve, surf with those better than you.…

THE FILM MAKERS “The actual lack of fucking application,” says South African-born filmmaker Michael Oblowitz, “is exactly why these South African filmmakers have no hope in fucking hell. Because you’re so insular. You need to get off your own asses and out of your own world and look at the world outside, you know? Seriously.” Strong words from an angry man with a “huge fucking beef with Zigzag” all the way from New York – and probably aimed more at this journalist than the people you will read about below. But still proof that success and acclaim does not always lead to magnanimity or wisdom. Because South African surf films and filmmakers have been making increasingly larger waves on the local and international scenes. The aforementioned Michael Oblowitz is most famous for his…