Sunday, December 10, 2017

Beach Books Warm Your Winter



A Wave of Good Reads

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

On cold, winter days reading a good book by a warm fire can be a stronger pull than the ocean.


SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel have been doing our research and have just the books for you. From new releases to classic favorites, there's sure to be a surfing or beach-themed book that suits your mood.


Dawn Patrol, by Don Winslow, combines surfing and sleuthing with San Diego private investigator Boone Daniels working against the clock to unravel an insurance scam while still managing to catch some of the biggest waves of the season during a monster swell. 


The Deep, by Peter Benchley, the Jaws author who made everyone afraid to go into the water, is a thriller set in Bermuda. When a young couple on their honeymoon go diving off the nearby reefs, they get more than they bargained for as their quest for sunken treasure puts them in danger. This is a page-turner you won't want to put down. 


Eddie Would Go, by Stuart Coleman, recounts the story of legendary Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard Eddie Aikau, who saved over 500 lives when he patrolled the shores of Oahu's famed (often treacherous) Waimea Bay. Battling 30-ft waves to make his daring rescues, Aikau never hesitated when someone was in danger. 


Kook: What Surfing Taught Me About Love, Life and Catching the Perfect Wave, by National Geographic adventure writer Peter Heller, tells about his six-month journey of discovery traveling the Cali coast in a vintage VW van learning to surf and meeting an interesting collection of people along the way. 


My Grandma Surfs Better Than You, by surfing champion Kim Hamrock (AKA Danger Woman), tells how she cracked surfing's all-boys club in the 70s to stake her claim in the lineup and grab waves with the best of them. Sharing Hamrock's tricks of the trade, tips on surf etiquette, and personal stories, the book contains artwork, cartoons and photos. 


Proximity, by famed surf photographer Todd Glaser, puts you in the middle of one epic wave after another, alongside world surfing champions Kelly Slater, John John Florence, Stephanie Gilmore, Rob Machado, and more as they travel the globe. Filled with photos and commentary from the Proximity film, it captures the surfing action and turns it into art. 


Sun, Sand, Murder, by John Keyse-Walker, will keep you guessing - not just about who the murderer is, but who the victim is When the body of a marine biologist is found on a beach in the British Virgin Islands – a bullet shot through his head – it turns out there is no record that he ever existed. With little to go on, it's up to detective Teddy Creque to track the killer.


Surfing: Mastering Waves from Basic to Intermediate, by Elliott Almond, is perfect for honing your board skills or giving to someone getting started in the sport. Almond, a sports journalist and life-long surfer, worked the sports beat with SurfWriter Girl Sunny on California State U., Fullerton's Daily Titan. Winner of numerous journalism awards, he covers everything from surf basics to performing bottom turns and cutbacks.

 
So, pick out a book and warm up your winter – no wetsuit needed! 




Please post your comment below. Comments will appear the next day.
Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given. 




Monday, November 13, 2017

Quiksilver - Back On Board!




A New Name and New Look


Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

When you wipe out on a wave you go back out again.


And that's what giant surfwear retailer Quiksilver is doing this year after coming out of bankruptcy proceedings with a new outlook and a new corporate name – Boardriders.

New owner Los Angeles-based private equity firm Oaktree Capital Management is focused on a three-to-five-year plan that streamlines processes and brings Quiksilver and its corporate siblings Roxy and DC Shoes – closer to its markets. 


Quiksilver – the once high-flying company that led the surf industry with a $2 billion valuation – tried to be all things to all people and lost sight of its objectives. Instead of focusing on its strengths and loyal customer base it added other things like skiing and even golf to the lineup. 


Now the goal is to be more responsive to customer needs and trends and reduce excess inventory buildups. Planning is critical...and working as one global team with shared goals.


With the appointment this summer of former Navy Seal and ex-Oakley executive Nate Smith as President of the Americas Region, Oaktree is putting in place someone with strong leadership skills and business experience to re-energize the Quiksilver brand. 


SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel have been following Quiksilver since 2011 and are interested to see how it implements the latest changes. 


Along with the new name, Quiksilver stores are getting a new look with stores poised to become social hubs that provide food and live music along with fashion. The company says it wants to give customers an "experience rather than just selling products"





This approach is also geared toward getting the next generation of surfers - millennials - in the door.


With the redesigned Boardriders stores already in Europe and Australia, North America is on the radar now. Malibu – scheduled to open soon – will be the first.


As we all know, retailing is constantly changing – with everything from online sales and aerial drone deliveries to pop-up stores and mobile apps on the scene. There's always something new on the horizon.


Boardriders is looking ahead and eager to catch the next wave!


Please post your comment below. Comments will appear the next day.
Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.