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| MEDIAWATCH: THE SURFER'S PATH FEB./MARCH 2002 (AND A FEW OTHER THINGS) |
| This is going to have to be keyboard composition; I've seen too much for one afternoon. Let us start out with a quick review of the February/March 2002 issue of THE SURFER'S PATH. I'm mostly interested these days in how the different magazines are covering the death of Miki Dora, for this is a window to the soul - should such a thing exist in the surf genre. This issue has a reprinted essay by Drew Kampion, which was nice, but it also had a first class obituary of Dora written by Derek Hynd as well as an introduction page by the editor which put into perspective a contemo surf magazine running three obituaries (the others being Doc Ball and John Witmore). Hynd's piece, as expected, was written with one eye on historical perspective and the other on personal memory, as both Hynd and Dora spent much of at least the 1990's in Jefferies Bay, South Africa. Add to this personal history the focus and drive which have made Hynd the finest writer in surfing since perhaps Kampion in the late 60's and early 70's, and what you have is the piece I've been waiting for since news of the passing of Miki Dora broke. That this should come from a magazine based somewhre in the British Isles, rather than Southern California, speaks volumes about where the heart of surfing may indeed lie. The rest of the magazine remains the contemporary soul surfer outpost of the publishing world. Great photography, big articles with lots of words, and it's never overpowered by the advertising. First class all the way. Transworld Surf ran a nice few paragraphs about Dora as well. It seemed to focus on the movies he was in a bit much, but then a lot of contemporary surfing seems to focus on money things more than less tangible elements. Still, it was more than SURFING gave it. I spent the last hour at "the Library" (Border's this time. I spend some money there, so it isn't like I'm ripping them off. And if they are willing to let yuppie pukes in black leather jackets drink their crappicino while fingering motocycle and golf magazines, they shouldn't complain if I do some serious research, right?) looking at PACIFIC LONGBOARDER and LONGBOARDER. I may not have the names right. Too many surf magazines and only key points stick out. These are both Australian magazines, well-produced, with great photography and the odd nipple shot of Ocker hotties. Aside of the great waves, full of sunshine and warm water it seems, what was most memorable today to me was the impression that the psuedo "retro" board movement and also the fish revival seem to be full swing, especially among the longboarding community! What's up with that? I'll tell you this much: splatter it all together and the impression I came away with is that SURFER/SURFING seems obsessed with the financial aspects of the surfing experience, and the rest of the surf publishing world seems to be offering the heart and soul. If you can only buy one magazine this week, make it THE SURFER'S PATH. |
| April 4, 2002 |
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