Where to start?

The core of this blog was shaken during this trip. It's all happening MOM! Famous people all over the place! So here is a picture of me with famous bodysurfer and French model Fred David. This would of course be good enough for an entire blog post, but wait, there's more!

Next to Fred is 5 time Olympic gold medalist Aaron Peirsol. I know what you're saying, "Oh please Thomas, you've known him since you were a kid, he doesn't count." Fine then bubble burster.

Next to Aaron is "surfer world" famous Keith Malloy of Woodshed films and Patagonia. He has made and starred in some of the most influential surf films of my generation. BLAM! Stick that in your spanks Birchfield. Booya grandma! Air hi-five and air hump combined. TEAM BLACKSHEEP WOO!

Now, as if those 3 guys weren't enough, I am working on my own celebrity. In the Pipe bodysurfing competition I finished 2nd in the prelims and 7th overall and had the best looking fins out there. Ladies and gentlemen meet my fins, Sagat (tiger up cut!). I chose Sagat because to be honest, it sounds like he is saying Viper! Viper! Viper upper cut! Those fins catapulted me to a perfect 10 wave (which is a dream come true) and the 2nd highest score ever in the tournament -- 2nd to Mike Stewart, arguably one of the greatest spongers to walk the earth.

There were many different reasons that, for 10 days on the North Shore, I felt like the coolest mother fucker around.


Thomas VanMelum

PS More to come from this trip. Believe you, me.