There is no other wave in the world that has dominated the hearts and minds of surfers like Pipeline. Through two-hundred pages of captivating and timeless images from over fifty of the world’s best photographers, combined with words from surfing’s most renowned writers, Pipeline: The World’s Most Respected Wave tells the stories from almost five decades of heart-stopping action: the first rides, the first contests, triumphs, deaths, localism, foreign invasion and performance revolution.This Saturday, Gerry Lopez and other Pipe legends will be on hand to autograph The Pipeline at the book’s launch party, held at Billabong-USA’s highly-acclaimed “board room”. Only 350 tickets will be on offer for this historic event. 

Get a copy here! Or pay homage to the “Wold’s most respected wave” with the Limited Edition Book.

Whenever I’m at the beach, I try to pick up a few pieces of trash on my way out of the water. It harms wildlife, pollutes the water, and looks nasty.   

But what about the trash we don’t see? I recently had a chance to hear Ximena Waissbluth from Surfrider Foundation’s Rise Above Plastics campaign and learn a bit about the North Pacific Gyre. A gyre is sort of a vortex produced by circulating ocean currents. The problem is that more plastic trash than ever is being dumped in our oceans and these currents have created a giant garbage patch (twice the size of Texas!) in the middle of the Pacific. This story has been around for a while, but considering the speed that the patch is growing, I wanted to bring it up again.

What can we do? The main thing is: reduce your consumption of single use plastics. That means using stainless steel water bottles, reusable grocery bags, etc. The more disposable plastic you reduce from your life, the less there is to end up polluting our beaches and seas. But be forewarned: you’ll be surprised how much single-use plastics are in your daily routine once you consciously make a decision to get rid of them.

Learn More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch

http://riseaboveplastics.blogspot.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnUjTHB1lvM

From legends to liars, Billy Laity’s fan base runs the full spectrum. This week we hear from a desperate girlfriend who is torn between her jealous man and her love for sneaker sets. Of course, Billy knows exactly how she should clean up her act. And if you have a burning question that needs answering, please write to askadude@swell.com

(See exclusive photos of the event at Swell’s Flickr page.

Remember when being elected Homecoming Queen or dance team captain was the coolest accolade a girl could hope for? Nowadays they’re expected to have a video resume polished before Freshman year—just in case CNN or Tyra Banks comes calling. Seriously, today’s teen has aspirations even Hillary would call ambitious. Case in point was last week’s Generation Next design competition hosted by O’Neill and Teen Vogue. (more…)

Here we go again. Our recent victory for the protection of San Onofre could possibly be overturned! Surfrider Foundation is sending out an urgent plea for protestors to attend the next Coastal Commision Hearing on September 22 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Click here for more information.

While our thoughts and concerns are with all who have to endure the devistation brought on by the recent string of hurricanes, we’d like to show you the other sort of power these monsters can muster. Surfline’s latest photo essay takes you from sea to shining sea to document the phenomenal storm surf. We’d also like to point out that our GEAR department has been stocked with all the heavy ammunition you’ll need to ride out the winter months. (Special thanks to TWSurf for the photo above.)

For this month’s In The Lineup / Washed Up, we’re doing it Texas style (whatever that means). Jake S., an undergrad at Concordia gives us the lowdown on what’s up and out at his campus. And for all you girls who might be taking a shining to Jake, he plans on becoming a surgeon–being that women and the human anatomy are among his prime interests and all. And when he’s not studying naked bodies, you might find him playing football, going to the beach, going out on the boat, wakeboarding, surfing, or going to concerts.

June 20 has been officially declared the International Go Surfing Day by your friends at Surfrider Foundation and Surfing Magazine. As the world’s premier online surf apparel shop, naturally will be taking the day off. Freaking figures 6/20 happens to fall on a Saturday. Click here to see how folks at your home break will be celebrating:

 The contest may be over, but this t-shirt is good for another 364 days. Pick up your official 2008 Billabong Pro Tahiti tee here.

In this our first installment of our PROFILES category, we talk with North Shore lensman Jim Russi. We were lucky enough to have Jim shoot all of the action shots for our Summer ‘08 catalog, including the much talked about cover. Here, Jim opens up about the pros and cons of going digital, and the future of “quality” surf photography.

As a graduate of a prestigious American photography school, how important is formal education is to a successful career in photography?
The most important thing I learned at Brooks was to finish strong with what I had started…. even when the assignment wasn’t fun anymore.
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Several weeks ago we had mentioned that Surfrider had just moved their global headquarters to our hood in San Clemente. (Excuse us, Rancho San Clemente.) They were nice enough to invite us to their open house where we dined on chocolate chip cookies and Stone Brewery’s IPA. As impressive as the spread was, we noticed that throughout their digs small signs were posted that explained the enviro-conscious construction of the building’s design and materials. As you might guess, every square inch was given painstaking attention to ensure that it held up to their high, high, high standards. We asked Olaf Lohr, Surfrider’s membership manager, if he could send us the full details on the build-out. Needless to say, our crappy recycling bins and energy saving light bulbs are pathetic to what they have done. Thanks for ruining our day Olaf! We’ll be thinking of you before we jump out the window. (And no, they’re not the fancy energy efficient, temperature controlled ones like you have.) Go to the jump to view more pictures and read the complete build-out specs.

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We’ve been hearing a lot lately about surfers/skaters/videographers Alex Klein and Bryon Derballa’s monumental documentary and blog, God Went Surfing With The Devil: A Documentary About Life In The Middle East. Currently only 22 days into their journey, the American pair and their growing crew post real-time dispatches from Israel and Gaza. Having gained the attention of major media outlets world wide their story has become a real-life Truman Show of sorts, with independent fan websites and message boards rumored to have launched this past week. Here’s a brief post from April 29:

“The warning came abruptly.
‘TZEVA ADOM… TZEVA ADOM…’ Everyone had roughly twenty seconds to find shelter before the Qassams struck. Tearful children and frantic mothers ran for their lives. The bomb shelter was crowded. Everyone huddled together. Some wept, others prayed, many fearful, and one or two nervous giggles. The bombs exploded and the crowds emerged gingerly. A few drove home, shaken. Others returned to play as though nothing had happened”

News is breaking fast on this. A man swimming early this morning at Solana Beach was attacked by a large shark. Witnesses say the man’s legs were severed below the knees, resulting in tremendous blood loss and death prior to the emergency teams arrival. Lifeguards have closed the beaches from the north end of Del Mar to Cardiff.

UPDATE: The swimmer has been identified as David Martin, 66, a  retired Solana Beach veterinarian and triathlete. “He died doing what he liked,” said his son Jeff Martin, “surrounded by friends, in a place he loved.” Sign On San Diego.com has complete details.

Timmy Turner will bring his latest documentary to the Forum Theater in Laguna Beach on March 28. Titled Tsunami Diaries: Voyage To The Epicenter, the film focuses on Turner and friend Dustin Humpherys’ relief mission to Indonesia following the catastrophic tsunami of 2004. Enlisting the help of friends and family, the two set out to bring whatever medical supplies, food and provisions to the regions most devestated areas. For more information on this showing, please call 949-494-8971, ext. 201.

Okay, so Paul Watson, captain of the anti-whaling boat, Steve Irwin, (yes, the Crocodile Hunter) wasn’t exactly shot in the heart, but he could have been if he hadn’t been wearing a Kevlar vest. According to a report recently published on SeaShepherd.com, Captain Watson and his crew came under fire while confronting the Japanese whaling vessel, Nisshin Maru, within the waters of the Australian Territorial Zone near Antarctica. The shot was fired by a presently unknown gunman as Japanese Coast Guard members hurled flash bang grenades onto the deck of Steve Irwin.

And just when you though it was safe to go back in the water. Earlier this week while being tested at a popular surfing beach in South Africa, the much anticipated Shark Shield and the device it was floating on was eaten by a Great White. Speculative causes: The electrical fields designed to repel sharks might actually attract them. In defense of the manufacturer however, the device does work. But it’s only “really” useful when a surfer is just floating in the water. The Australian has more.

If you’ve noticed the air around Carlsbad has been easier to breathe lately, you can thank Taylor Knox. Homeboy recently had the crew at Grease Not Gas convert the diesel engine on his 2008 F250 to one that runs completely on vegetable oil. At a price of around $3,700, Taylor’s new 37-gallon tank can make a run up to Maverick’s and back with a little juice left over. As well, filling up has also gone from a hassle to pure pleasure, as local breakie hot spot Hill Street Cafe in Oceanside lets him chow down on home fries while the day’s grease is transfered to his ride, for free.

20K and a new jet ski was awarded to West Australian surfer Alex “Alfy” Cater for earning top honors at the Oakley Surfing Life Biggest Wave Awards in Sydney. His terrifying session on a 14-meter wave near Margaret River helped him edge out three other massive rides recorded on the same day by Queenslander Mark Visser and Hawaiians Jamie Sterling and Ian Walsh, who travelled halfway round the globe to meet the swell last September. “Now I can pay the taxman all the money I’ve owed him for the past few years.”

Our on-the-spot reporter Elsa Gomes-Wingett braved life and limb to bring us compelling images from the front lines of the California Coastal Commission’s hearing on Toll Road Extension 241. Here, we can clearly see that even the beautiful people took time out to show their support for saving Trestles and San Onofre State Beach. Ultimately, the extension would be vetoed by a vote of 8 to 2.

An estimated 3,500 people attended the hearing, including bus loads of students, industry supporters, and concerned citizens. All attendees who registered at the Surfrider Foundation tent were provide tickets for a free lunch. Incredibly, after the last of the thousands of lunch boxes were passed out, remaining individuals were given $10 to purchase food from nearby vendors.

As anticipated, all walks of like came to show their support.

The decision was a major setback for the Transportation Corridor Agencies, which has spent years and tens of millions of dollars preparing to construct the 16-mile tollway as an alternative to Interstate 5.

“I am very dissappointed because there was a number of things that did not match up with the testimony given,” said Tom Margro, the chief executive officer for the toll road agency in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. He expects the authority will take some time to examine the vote and to determine what it means to the future of the project. He also added that it is likely the commission’s decision will be appealed to the federal government.

A huge thanks to everyone who turned out for the monumental occasion. We have tons of video footage and photos to post throughout the next few days. For now, check out this clip of the California Coastal Commission shooting down the toll road extension by a vote of 8 to 2.

We’re putting out this invite to everyone: Join us tomorrow at the Save Trestles rally in Del Mar. This is a huge, all-day event. We’ll be there at 9am until the vote is rendered that evening. You can’t miss us –we’ll be hosting a tailgate BBQ where two renowned artists will be painting murals on our company van. Passerbyers are more than welcome to add their own art or message on the van as well. For a full rundown of the day’s events, click here.

Two massive areas of floating rubbish located 500 nautical miles off the coast of California is growing at such a tremendous rate that scientists believe it is only a matter of short time before the “garbage islands” have a direct, negative impact on human health.

Oceanographer Charles Moore, who originally discovered the waste dump in 1997, believes there is more than a million tons of plastic resting here, or about 2.5% of all plastic items made since 1950. Almost unbelievable to imagine, the garbage piles are thought to cover more area than the United States. News Australia has more.

The race to Save Trestles is approaching a dark end. On Wednesday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a letter in support of the proposed 241 toll road extension, just two weeks before a critical vote by the California Coastal Commission to determine if extension violates the California Coastal Act. A staff report prepared by the CCC concludes that it does.

We urging everyone to take just a few SECONDS to add their name to Surfrider Foundation’s petition.

The annual Ocean Film Festival gets underway in San Francisco, February 1 -3. Now in its fifth year, the festival’s current focus concerns political and environmental issues threatening the sea’s life and lively hood. The image above is from “Sliding Liberia”, a documentary about the war torn and poverty stricken African region, and its children’s attempts to rebuild its future.

After two long days of dramatic negotiations, the environmental activist “hostages” aboard the Japanese whaling vessel have been handed over to Australian officials. Something fishy was definitely going on. CNN has more.

After days of speculation, proof has finally emerged that Cortes Bank is indeed going off, producing the “tallest wave faces ever challenged in the history of the sport” (you go fancy PR people!), and is expected to earn either Mike Parson, Brad Gerlach, Greg Long, or Grant Baker the Billabong XXL title. Breaking news, photos and videos are coming in fast and furious. See it for yourself here.

How bad has the crime in Rosarito and neighboring areas become? Try VERY. It seems like everyone and their brother has a new tale of terror to tell. From traffic violation scams to roadside robberies to kidnappings and assault; the advice from locals is to stay far, far away. The New York Times has more.

What is it with surfers and the back nine? Inquiring minds want to know. Stab Mag takes a deeper look and the phenomena, and exposes why so many of the US elite have taken going (to the) green to a whole other level.

We’re not keeping our fingers crossed, holding our breath, rubbing Buddah’s belly, or doing anything else that might help prove true the outrageous swell predictions slated for Southern California. 28-feet? For really reals? But just in case, we just bought ourselves a new E Bomb and doubled checked that we have two sick days left before the new year. Surfline and The OC Register have more.

We’re always love a good tale of heroism and survival, but this story is hands down the best we’ve ever heard. Although the events took place in October 2005, it’s a legend more than worthy of repeating throughout the ages. The New Yorker has full details.