I like history, but am too lazy to dig through 20-volume sets on the fall of the Roman Empire to get to the juicy bits. Nero did what? Instead, I jump to “Short History of,” where John Hopkins or Paul McGann direct me to the scene of the crime.
Surfers have their own tour guides, many of whom tell us how to surf our best. As brilliant surfers and annalists, Shane Dorian and Brad Gerlach both excel here. Other podcasts or channels deal with surf history. In this genre, I have no need to dig any deeper than Matt Warshaw’s “Encyclopedia of Surfing,” or EOS, as it is known.
Warshaw combines his unique talents as a professional surfer, fine writer/editor, and Berkeley-trained historian to put flesh on the bones of some of surfing’s most obscure characters. Deep dives into the daily habits of every surfer, from Hawaiian King Kamehameha to Brazilian phenom Gabriel Medina, make the $3 yearly subscription price well worth it.
Various podcasters, Derek Riley being chief among them, can hold my interest for a while. Currently, YouTube and Instagram shorts are making the rounds. That’s okay by me until the authors begin discussing trivia.
Within the last two weeks, I endured 60 seconds of local podcasters discussing the relative merits or demerits of hanging a wetsuit from the mirror of a car to dry said garment, and if real men should wear T-shirts to bed. I have been entertained and informed by these surfers, but have no interest in how they view (not literally) my bedroom garments.
Under the tag, “Pinch My Salt,” Sterling Spencer and his cousin Ryan Spencer somehow manage to keep my brain engaged for up to an hour on topics such as interracial dating and other things that have no relevance to a primarily white senior surfer.
Filmed on location in Pensacola, Florida, a region as opposite Hawaiian power as possible, comfortably seated in what looks like the backdrop of “Wayne’s World,” the pair ramble on before arriving at click-baited items like the training habits of their favorite target, surfing’s sacred cow, Laird Hamilton.
Just when my interest begins fading, they bring on a guest like Joel Tudor, who calls out surfers who are helping destroy the homemade surfboard market. Or, there’s the story of the heart-pounding raid on the North Shore Billabong house, told in detail by one of the main raiders. Butt-puckering stuff for sure.
“Pinch My Salt” must be an inside joke between Ryan and Sterling. If not, it makes no sense whatsoever. Still, some smart movie exec might consider taking a look at the show, as it could be fodder for a wave-drenched “Napoleon Dynamite.” I owe these guys, especially Sterling, a debt for numerous things, including teaching me the correct way of saying, “Whaaaat?” Check “Pinch My Salt” if you want to understand what I mean.
