Surfing Santas. Surfing dogs. Surfboard waste. And one Guinness World Record.

Turning surf trash into treasure on Maui

A Hawaiian company is giving surfboard waste a second life—as building blocks. Literal ones.

Surf Block Maui has figured out how to repurpose EPS foam waste from surfboard shaping into insulated construction blocks for homes and buildings on the island. EPS (expanded polystyrene, aka Styrofoam) is super common in board manufacturing—but terrible for the environment. It doesn’t biodegrade, fills up landfills, and usually gets tossed after shaping.

Surf Block’s solution? Collect the leftover foam and transform it into ICCF (insulated composite concrete form) blocks, which reduce the need for traditional concrete by up to 30%. Not only does this lighten the load on Hawaii’s overstuffed landfills, but it also cuts down on pricey, high-emission imports of construction materials.

The blocks are already being used in local housing—including rebuilds from the 2023 wildfires—and the company estimates that recycling just 5–10% of Hawaii’s EPS surf waste could help build 100 homes.

And yes, of course it would be easier if there was less surfboard production waste to begin with. But I’m not an archaeologist, so I’m not gonna go there.

Surf’s pup in SoCal this September

Del Mar, SoCal is going to the dogs this September—and we mean that in the best possible way.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, Sept. 7, when the Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon returns to North Del Mar Dog Beach for its annual wave-riding, tail-wagging, fundraising funfest. Hosted by the Helen Woodward Animal Center, this beloved event features surfing dogs, beach games, treats, costumes—all for a good cause.

Want your pup to hang ten (or four)? You can still sign up for surf lessons on Aug. 3 or 10. It’s $50 for one human + one furry companion, and includes the board and an intro to canine surf stoke. Whether your dog is a natural or prefers to nap in the sand, the event is free to watch and donations go to support animals in need.

Surf dogs, costumes, and charity? Yes, please. 

More info at: animalcenter.org

66 surfers, 1 giant board, and 12 seconds of surfing history in Huntington Beach

The Guinness World Record for Most People Riding a Surfboard at Once has officially been shattered—and guess where? Huntington Beach, California, aka Surf City USA.

This past week, 66 surfers (pros included!) hopped onto a 42-foot-long (that’s like two Olos), 1,300-pound behemoth of a board and rode it for 12 seconds, securing their place in history. 

The giant surfboard—now gunning for another Guinness title as “The World’s Largest Surfboard”—will soon take up permanent residence at the International Surfing Museum in downtown HB.

Surfing Santas hit Jersey for Christmas in July

Who says Santa only shreds in December?

This past weekend, North Wildwood, New Jersey hosted its first-ever Surfing Santas event as part of the city’s annual Christmas in July festivities—and yes, it was as delightfully chaotic as it sounds. Local surfers donned Santa hats and hit the waves early Saturday morning, bringing the holiday spirit to the lineup in peak summer.

The event was spearheaded by Kortnie Davidson, who took inspiration from the legendary Cocoa Beach “Surfing Santas” gathering in Florida. While the Florida version draws thousands on Christmas Eve, Davidson gave it a Jersey Shore twist—partnering with the North Wildwood Beach Patrol to bring Santa to the sand, distribute candy canes, and spread stoke through live music and good vibes.

Even better? It wasn’t just for fun. Donations collected at the event went to the Cape May County Animal Shelter—proving even surfing Santas care about our four-legged friends.

Davidson hopes this is just the beginning: “Next year—bigger, better, and maybe even more beards.”

We absolutely need “Surfing Santas” at my local break this year.

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Oh there’s some news about some famous surfer signing up with some famous agency that represents other famous people like Robert Downey Jr and Ben Affleck (big fan of both). But seriously who cares.