Happy New Year - 2018, The Year in Review

New Years Eve is a time to reflect on what was best about the year, ways you want to grow and improve for the coming year, share gratitude for the people you love that have shared the year or just recently stepped into your life to share future years.

SurfWatch spent the year as usual sharing the world of Second Life surfing with our readers with to date 525 posts for 2018.  We covered beach fashion, Rez Days, beach yoga, surf events, competitions and training, coffee on the beach and other events involving surf community members.  We covered surfing sims, beach photo contests, music to surf by, Second Life Surfing Association elections, and concerts.  We entered the world of Flickr, Instagram and Twitter, interviewed a Linden, and covered some vintage SurfWatch from the archives.

We covered surfer interviews from experienced to new including little surfers, and tested the waters with a piece on relationships.  We continuously updated the wave report to keep the most comprehensive current list of public surfing beaches in SL. We covered the new SurfWatch offices and the growing number of Outposts in several locations.  Bandit made a brief appearance with a short post.  We covered live music venues, benefit events, interviewed surf sim owners, surfboard creators and designers and tried to involve as many people as were interested in the world of SL surf and everything that goes with it.

We covered photo classes, SL's 15th annual birthday bash, Burning Man, and Orca awareness.  We biked at surfing sims, featured SurfWatch staff interviews, shared rentals and employment opportunities at surf sims, covered parties and weddings, shined a spotlight on Surfers Bay surfers, SurfWatch's History of SL Surfing, a sim addition at Surfers Bay, sim additions at Shagwong Cove Resort, and the newest Vibrations Surf Alliance (VSA) home sim, Kia Kaha.  We posted opinion pieces, published our own editorials, shared our real life (RL) surf experiences and even posted our own Halloween sim video.  We covered underwater SCUBA adventures, sailing, simboarding, and holiday greetings as well as the passing of two much loved surfers.

SurfWatch had some major changes including design and adding more video.  We shared our updated mission statement.  One of our most controversial topics was our exploration of #metoo in Virtual Reality, and you can look for more updated information on this topic in the coming year.  SurfWatch was proud to roll out our Partnership program to share information with partnering sims and groups in mutual support.  We are also so proud to see our partners supporting each other surfing at partner sims, sharing surf board rezzers, attending concerts and events to support partner sims and groups, participating in photo contests, and sharing the vibe.

Our staff has changed throughout the year as it usually does, but I am especially proud of the work done by Kantbe Thursday, Managing Editor, and Austin Novaland, Designer (among many other things) in keeping SurfWatch going during the several weeks I unexpectedly had to be away.  Many people, while not on staff, have contributed much appreciated posts, and we look forward to continued support from the surf community by participating with SurfWatch in the coming year.


2019 promises to be another exciting year of SurfWatch improvements, new ideas, new contributors, new surfers, new surf sims, and new surfing innovations. Grab your board - it's going to be a wild ride!  Thank you for your continued support of SurfWatch!  Here's to 2019!

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SurfWatch Flickr Featured Favorite


"Sinful Bay" - posted courtesy of Athena Coy - See the full-sized version in Flickr


Tauri Tigerpaw comments:  This photo for me has the feel of a party about to get started.  Waiting on the sand, sunglasses blocking out the glare, next to some well-loved and slightly used boards, hailing your friends to the party point.  I feel like the guy with the cooler full of beers will walk into the picture at any moment!




SurfWatch editors will periodically be featuring Flickr Favorites to share in SurfWatch.  We'd love to see your talent displayed in the pages of SurfWatch.  Share your photo to SurfWatch's Flickr group and maybe we'll pick your photo to feature next. 
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HURLEY: #ClarkLittle Shooting Flash in the Shorey

Too incredible not to share!


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Music to Surf by...

Photo by Cierra Theriac
Cierra Theriac, former Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) Director, Hall of Famer, competitive surfer and SurfWatch's own Cie Views fashion reporter, says she surfs to alternative radio mixes with Kings of Leon being one of her favorites.



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SurfWatch Flickr Favorites - Austin Novaland


"Surfers" - posted courtesy of NinnaDazysee the full-sized version on Flickr


Austin Novaland comments:  It isn’t easy selecting a favorite from over 1800 photos. I purposely excluded anything that was taken by me or close friends, or that featured my sim. I also ruled out anything that had excessive manipulation outside of SL. Most importantly, I wanted something that captures everything we love about virtual surfing. Here it is…a group of friends enjoying some tasty waves. Few things in either life can top that.



SurfWatch editors will periodically be featuring Flickr Favorites to share in SurfWatch.  We'd love to see your talent displayed in the pages of SurfWatch.  Share your photo to SurfWatch's Flickr group and maybe we'll pick your photo to feature next. 


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Happy Holidays from Friends of SurfWatch

Frankie and Abbeh


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Happy Holidays from Friends of SurfWatch

Seasons Greetings from Zelda and Z

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Season's Greetings from SurfWatch


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Happy Holidays from Friends of SurfWatch

From VW and Bahama Mamma

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VSA / Hana Aloha Splash-n-Dash! - in Pictures


Submitted by Austin Novaland
Photos by Gia Fenutzini and Austin Novaland


The first ever Vibrations Surf Alliance (VSA) Hana Aloha Splash-n-Dash surfing competition took place on December 16 at Hana Aloha and Teahupo'o.

Eager amateurs and talented professionals participated in this one of a kind event that featured timed heats, fast-paced action, any board, party waves, a weirdo from the North Pole, and a ridiculous amount of fun.

The ladies dominated the day, as evidenced by the podium.

1st Place - Petra Xaris
2nd Place (tie) - Zelda Zimberman
2nd Place (tie) - Gia Fenutzini
3rd Place - Navy Sativa





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Happy Holidays from Friends of SurfWatch

submitted by Gia Villano



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Under the Sea Scuba Adventures

submitted by Corrigan Campbell

More under sea adventures with Corrigan Campbell, this time at Borinquen Zyn






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Celebrate the Holidays Italian Style

In an Italian holiday tradition, everyone is invited to join Gia Villano for the Feast of the Seven Fishes.

Gia will start serving at her home on Chi at 6AM SLT on December 23rd and will continue the celebration until people can't party any more. SurfWatch has heard Gia may have some special surprise for the day as well.

Please come join in the spirit of friendship, sharing, and love.
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Happy Holidays from Friends of SurfWatch

Teddy Bear asking Santa for more teddy bears

Blessed Yuletide from Teddy Bear

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Season's Greetings from SurfWatch


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Happy Holidays from SurfWatch partner One Love Beach

Merry Christmas from One Love Beach
Photos by JT Castanea

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Shopping Holiday: Cieth, [wrd]

Holiday gifts for the surfers in your life
Cieth clothing and Wave Rider Design [wrd] surfboards
designs by Cierra Theriac and Flynn Sheridan
at Bundy Reef

Cieth clothing and [wrd] surfboards
designs by Cierra Theriac and Flynn Sheridan
at Bundy Reef

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Happy Holidays from Friends of SurfWatch

Happy Holidays from T'ai - Home of Team Tsunami


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SurfWatch Wave Report - December 2018 Update

Surfsim Teleport Board
The Surfwatch Wave Report has been updated for December 2018.

Inworld notecard updates are available at the information hut on Bundy Reef and the SurfSim Teleporter as well as the HUD version of the SurfSim Teleporter board.
Surfing Sim Information Board
Those of you who have the free copy of the SurfSim Teleporter should be automatically receiving updates over the next few days or whenever the teleport board is rezzed.

If you have any questions or additions, please IM Kantbe Thursday.
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Shopping Holiday: Surfer's Bay

Surfer's Bay VIP is a well known and popular surfing and hang out spot in Secondlife, but if you only walk from the landing point to the beach, you're missing a number of shops in their shop area. Most of them have some special holiday gifts for Surfer's Bay VIP members as well. Here's who you'll find there:








GH Surfboards

ML Fashion

Naughty Bits

Nevior Poses

Session

Steelhead

Vista Animations

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