Stab’s Quarantine Playlist

Depending on where you are in the world, you’re country is probably implementing increasingly draconian measures to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. For some countries, like Australia, the spread (and therefore risk) is still relatively low so you can eat to a cafe, watch a movie, go for a surf all without too much worry. Other countries however, like Italy, Spain, and France have infections in the thousands and are shutting down non-essential stories, cities, and essentially closing their borders. 

While surfing hasn’t been cancelled yet—well, other than all the competitions—if you happen to become infected or exposed, it’s very likely you’ll be spending up to 14-days laying around your home. You’ll of course have Netflix, Stan, and YouTube to crawl into as the epidemic progresses, but for those who prefer their online entertainment in the form of surfing we’ve compiled a ‘playlist’ of some online flicks, clips, and the occasional full-length. 

Below is a handful of clips to bide your time with over the next few days/weeks/months. If you’d like a clip added to the list, just lettuce know below!

Any Marine Layer clip

Take your pick. I chose ’emma wood is killing me/sitting off the horn’ as my personal favourite, but any one of the numerous entries on Dane’s retired video blog, Marine Layer, is worthy of some quarantine viewing. 

From staples like Sampler, to full-ish length films featuring Noa Deane, Andrew Doheny, and Craig Anderson, like Loaded, Marine Layer’s back catalogue is well worthy of wasting a few hours. 

In a way you could call these clips an early precursor to the vlogs which swamp today’s online surf offerings, except, I don’t know, they’re just better.

Done starring John Florence

John Florence’s first film with Blake Vincent Kueny, and in our opinion, the best one. 

This 20-minute opus was our first full length introduction into the surfer that John had become. Long hailed as a protege—for example, competing in the Pipe Masters at 13—this film proved that John Florence was a world quality surfer, and in many minds, showed that he was arguably the world’s best.

It was before John had signed surfing’s biggest ever contract with Hurley, prior to winning two world titles, preceded blowing his knee out (twice), and while his surfing has since improved, its one of our go to’s when we’re locked inside or in need of an amp.

Stab in the Dark (with Mick, Dane, Jordy, or Julian)

Hate our writing, hate our clothes, even hate on our lovely Ed-in-chief for always wearing a beanie, but I’ll be damned if someone’s going to lambast the fine film’s Stab have made over the years. 

Since I’m a mere writer (who’s had sweet fuck all to do with the films) I feel as if I can pump them up. And atop this self-pumped pedestal, I’d put Stab in the Dark.  

Starting in 2014 with Julian Wilson and an attempt to ‘scientifically’ determine the world’s best shaper, last year saw Stab bring Mick Fanning, Dane Reynolds, and Jordy Smith all to the table to sample the best boards from the four years prior. 

A surfer is locked in for SITD 2020 with filming scheduled for later this year, but in the meantime you’ll need to sate your scientific x surfing passions by watching the ones that are online for free. 

Lost Atlas by Kai Neville

A few years after Modern Collective, Kai Neville rounded up the original six and added some of surfing’s ‘up and comers’.

Released in the early 2010’s Lost Atlas shows the likes of Craig Anderson, Dane Reynolds, Dion Agius, Owen Wright, John Florence, Wade Goodall and more in the ripe youth. Kai captures these gent in their fervent youth travelling the world, surfing and pillaging, and collates it all into a 45-minute period cut to a very indie-surf flick soundtrack. 

It may not be Kai’s opus—in our eyes anyway—but it is one of the decade’s best surf flicks. Watch it while you’re in isolation and the world as you know it crumbles around you. 

Some softboarding

Okay, the first one, The Viking is a full blown bodyboarding film. It however is, to this day, my favourite surf oriented film. Shot on a shoestring budget in Ireland, Scotland, and Iceland, its a HP booging film with just the loosest, yet self-aware narrative running throughout. Its Craig Anderson’s favourite boog flick too, and in my opinion worthy of your time if you get sick of the usual, upright surfing shredding.

The same men responsible for The Viking eventually realised the fruitlessness of their prone penchant and dove headfirst into the world of vertical dragging (i.e., riding softboards). Drag is the anti-thesis to high-performance surfing yet release some of the most enjoyable ‘surf’ clips there are. Take for example Reptilian Vapeshifters, an absurdist look into what our post-COVID future might look like. 

The Ductumentary by Vans

Are you a fan of Vans Duct Tape Invitational and Festival? We are!

While there’s a competitive aspect to it, the festival is more a celebration of surf craft and the idiosyncratic individuals which create them. Ranging from names like Dane Reynolds to Joel Tudor, the Duct Tape Fest brings together a range of people and the board’s they’ve shaped. 

This clip browses the Duct Tapes history from the eyes of its visionary Joel Tudor. A worthy 40-minutes if the usual hi-fidelity surfing is getting a little old on your eyes. 

Weird Waves w/ Dylan Graves

By now you may have realised there’s no consistent trend to this playlist. Really, it’s just a compilation of clips I’ve watched myself over the last few days.

Weird Waves with Dylan Graves, presented by Vans, is a two season series which we’re sure you’ve seen already. It’s all available on YouTube for free, and the last episode of season two is dropping on this very site tomorrow. So, before the final episode drops you may as well spend your day re-living the 10-something episodes which already exist on the interwebs.

As the name suggests, it’s Dylan Graves (and some friends) surfing weird waves. 

XO Coco Ho – A mini doco

This mini documentary on Coco Ho came out almost two years ago, but I somehow slept on it until the weekend.

Daughter of the iconic Michael Ho and brother to the ever-affable Mason Ho, Coco has managed to carve out her own path in the world of surfing. This 13-minute piece runs through Coco’s history, the people who have helped her reach where she is today, as well as interviews with some of her peers. 

Jungle by Morgan Massen

Morgan is one of surfing’s finest surf photography exports. Starting off shooting mostly surf, Morgan is now one of the most sought after names in both film and photography. This however doesn’t stop him from fixing his lens to the ocean’s horizon when conditions align. 

While the above clip, Jungle, it now two years old, it’s a wonderful example of the beauty which results when Morgan collides with names like Noa Deane, Dane Reynolds, and Steph Gilmore when good waves are abound. 

Chippa Wilson in No. 4

Chippa Wilson being Chippa Wilson.

This pure absurdity is as good a clip as any to end this possibly-endless listicle on. 

Honestly, I could probably just watch this on repeat until the plague was over and remain content.