Surfing in New England isn’t exactly inviting. Five millimeters of rubber with a hood, booties, and gloves are the uniform most of the year. But, whether it’s the distance from California, Hawaii and other hubs of the sport, or something else entirely, New England surfers refreshingly take themselves less seriously than their brethren elsewhere.
Many surfers, especially pros, have an uneasy relationship with comedy (read also: Jeremy Flores’ anger over the Sterling Spencer-produced clip that looks like he’s turning away a child who asks for an autograph). Namely, because comedy can be controversial – and in a world where many surf brands are struggling and cutting their rosters as a result, it literally pays to play it safe.
In the scheme of things, though, putting on a tight rubber wetsuit to play and wiggle in the ocean is pretty silly when you think about it. And all the strange behaviors that exist on the periphery – parking lot banter, checking surf forecasts, dropping everything to head to the beach when the waves are pumping – are ripe for satire.
Here, Jack Galvin and friends poke fun of the sport in hilarious ways. Some unique to New England and others universal. All of it laced with some decent (though obviously not pro-level) surfing that makes coastal Rhode Island look pretty dreamy under the right conditions.
If 28-minutes seems like a slog, flick ahead to the 14:42 mark to watch a hilarious back and forth on how to properly throw a shaka.
