The Wipeout Weekly

Ever turned to the internet for a little surf etiquette advice… and left feeling like you got drop-kneed in the soul? Yeah. Same. In this episode, we dive into what really happens when you post a photo of a near-collision on Reddit—thinking you did everything right—and the crowd decides otherwise. Suddenly, it's not just your angle or turn up for debate. It's your skills. Your board. Your very presence in the lineup.  We break down expectation bias, internet armchair critics, and how to actually learn from feedback—without letting it crush your stoke. Because guess what? Only you know what happened on that wave. And sometimes, the best move is to take the good, ignore the noise, and go surf it out. 

Surfing is hard. But what’s even harder? Figuring out where to stash your keys, phone, and valuables when you paddle out.  In this episode, we dive into the age-old surf conundrum: how to keep your stuff safe while you’re getting salty. From lockbox hacks and Faraday pouches to diaper disguises and hiding your bike key in the sand (don’t recommend), we’ve tried it all—sometimes successfully.

Not much surf news this week—or at least not the kind we usually cover. But a few stories still had us yelling “wait, what?!” 🏄‍♂️ Dane Henry leads Australia to ISA gold with a near-perfect performance and a ridiculous heat total. 🪁 Jake Scrace gets towed 1,587 feet into the sky by a paramotor and sets a new kite surfing world record. 💸 Santa Cruz surfing brings in $194.7 million annually—but rising seas might wipe out the stoke (and the spots).

In this episode of Surfer Girl Stories, we meet Natasha from the Netherlands—a lifelong waterwoman whose path through surfing, yoga, and healing led her to create Tasha’s Surfcamp. Natasha shares how the ocean was both her joy and her sanctuary—through childhood adventures in sailing and surfing, through the loss of her mother, and through the loneliness of feeling invisible. Surfing and yoga became her lifelines, helping her reconnect to herself, the present, and the world around her.  

What happens when a former Obama speechwriter takes up surfing… and nearly drowns? In this episode, I review It’s Only Drowning by David Litt, a brutally honest and unexpectedly funny memoir about learning to surf, battling depression, and getting help from the last person you'd expect—his daredevil brother-in-law. I have never written a book review before, so this may be a tad unsual.

Can you really be in a “relationship” with your surf spot? We think so. In this episode, we dive into what makes a wave feel like “the one”—and when it might be time to break up. We talk outgrowing breaks, bad vibes and localism, hazards that kill the fun, and the tricky question of whether the problem is really the spot… or you. Because at the end of the day, surfing is supposed to be fun.

In this episode of Hey Zuz—I’m Confused, we tackle one of the most heart-tugging questions we’ve received. A reader, 57 going on 65 health-wise, wonders if she’s missed the surfing boat—especially after seeing all those inspirational reels of women learning to surf later in life. And we tell her the truth and only truth.

What makes Jaws—Peʻahi, on the north shore of Maui—surfing’s most feared and celebrated big wave? In this episode, we trace its history from Gerry Lopez’s “atomic bomb” moment to the tow-in revolution with Laird Hamilton, Darrick Doerner, and Buzzy Kerbox. We look at the sailboarders who first charged it, the tow-in surfers who proved just how massive it could get, and the paddle-in era that redefined what was possible.

Meet Katherine: a 37-year-old mum from rural Somerset who didn’t grow up near the ocean, doesn’t consider herself sporty, and yet—has somehow fallen completely in love with surfing. It all started with a camping trip to the Gower, a borrowed foamie, and a bold “why not me?” moment. In this episode, Katherine takes us through her first awkward pop-ups, standing (literally) in the sea, her quest for a bigger board, and that magical moment when you ride whitewater all the way to the beach and think, “Wait… I’m doing it?” If you’ve ever felt like the most unlikely surfer in the lineup—or had a foam board rash in weird places—this one’s for you.

It’s a packed week in surf. The Super Girl Surf Festival returns to Oceanside Pier for its 19th year, bringing 170+ of the world’s best female surfers, 10 sports, and 17 free concerts (yep, Lupe Fiasco, Plain White T’s, and more). Across the Atlantic, the English Interclub Surfing Championships were canceled mid-event after a sewage overflow red-flagged Porthtowan beach—an unprecedented first. We also say goodbye to Ron DiMenna, founder of Ron Jon Surf Shop, who passed away at 88 after building one of surfing’s most iconic retail empires. And in Sydney, tragedy: a 57-year-old surfer was killed in a suspected great white shark attack at Long Reef, reigniting the debate over shark nets and surf safety.

Today, we’re tackling the eternal question: Where do you actually sit to catch a wave? Not in the DMV-style lineup you’re imagining—but in the ever-shifting, often awkward dance of surf positioning. We talk peaks, shoulders, A-frames, etiquette (yes, again), and how to tell if you’re sitting in a good spot… or just floating out to sea. Whether you’re constantly getting snaked, yelled at, or just catching absolutely nothing, this one’s for you. Spoiler: there are no reserved seats, but there is such a thing as respecting the bubble.

David Litt—former speechwriter for President Obama and author of Thanks, Obama—never thought he’d surf. Then one day, he did. And another. And another. In this episode, we chat about David’s funny, brutally honest new book It’s Only Drowning, which chronicles his totally uncalled-for decision to learn to surf, culminating in a trip to the North Shore. It’s not Barbarian Days. It’s funnier. And more relatable. Read it.

It’s time. Time to paddle past the foam and into the deep end. In this episode, we’re talking about the biggest shift in beginner surfing: catching your first unbroken wave. What changes when you leave the whitewash behind? Pretty much everything.

Welcome to our brand-new segment: Hey Zuz – I Am Confused, where we tackle your most urgent, chaotic, and occasionally contradictory surf dilemmas. This week’s question: “I’m buying my first-ever surfboard. Some say foamie. Some say hardtop. WHAT DO I DO?”

This week, we’re headed to the legendary right-hand point breaks of South Africa to explore one of the most iconic (and sharky) waves on Earth: Jeffreys Bay. From the dolphin-filled lineup to the muscle-clenching Supertubes section, we unpack what makes J-Bay the second-best wave in the world—right after Pipeline.