It´s crazy how some of the most inspiring actions can come from the most unlikely of places. Yet such was the case when I accepted the invitation to join a group of some of the most perpetually stoked surfers I have ever come across to take part in celebrating Surfing Magazine´s International Surfing Day. The unlikely part? The celebration of the sport that this group is as passionate about any I´ve ever come across was to take place in none other than the city of Provo, UT. Obviously far far away from anything that resembled surf. Celebrating International Surfing Day in Provo?! Let´s put it this way, Provo would be on the exact and complete opposite side of the spectrum from your typical surf cities like Haleiwa, Santa Cruz, or Coolangatta. With that being said… somehow, someway, this group of wave-riders celebrated surfing in a way that would make any of it´s founding fathers proud.

The event took place in large part because of the organizing and motivating efforts of Matt Bradley and Johnny Millard. Both of whom are Southern California natives who through life’s twists and turns have settled with families in Utah. As I.S.D drew near, they took it upon themselves to rally every transplanted surfer in the area they could think of and contacted our friends at Surfing Magazine to find out how they could take part. In no time at all they received boxes full of banners, stickers, t-shirts, trash bags, and everything else needed for a good old fashioned beach clean up. The local authorities at a nearby lake were contacted and a section of ´beach´ was selected to do work on. All was in place, and now these fellas were ready to make it happen.

As our group of 15 or so pulled up to Utah Lake with surfboards spilling out of the backs of our trucks it was quickly clear the supervising park ranger wasn´t really sure what to make of the whole thing. After seeing the hard work to beautify a stretch of beach that none of them have ever really used, I believe that in some strange way it all started to make sense to him. They were there to celebrate something bigger than all of them. The fact that there wasn´t a barrel for miles was irrelevant. They are surfers, and this was their day.

Of course, what would International Surfing Day be with out a little surfing? Following the beach clean-up the boys took to the lake and wake-surfed a surpisingly impressive wave put out by a boat designed for just that purpose. The work was over and now we all took a shot at throwing some water around and making turns in the shadow of the snowcapped Wasatch Mountain Range. I had become a witness to stoke without borders.

Evan Slaters goal for International Surfing Day was a simple one - take the day, or at least a part of the day, to go out, catch a wave or three and — while you’re at it — help clean up your favorite beach. For this group of surfers in one of the most unlikely of places, I´d say mission accomplished. It was a clear demonstration of just what surfing meant to them

A special Mahalo goes out to Surfing Magazine, Surfrider Foundation, and all others who made this day a huge success.

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Tags: Wake Surfing

Posted by Shaun on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 in Surfing.

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