• History - Resources

    An Anthology of Bodysurf Writing (Spanning Over 200 Years)

    It’s difficult to put into words how good bodysurfing feels. However, some bodysurfers have been successful in describing the experience, and their writing is featured in this post—An Anthology of Bodysurf Writing. Humans have been bodysurfing for thousands of years, but have only written about the experience for several hundred. One of the earliest descriptions of bodysurfing (see below) was…

  • Bio - Resources

    Jeff Johnson Shares His Unique Perspective On Bodysurfing

    Jeff Johnson is a freelance photographer, director, writer, brand ambassador and former North Shore lifeguard. He became Patagonia’s first staff photographer in the early aughts. Johnson is also passionate about bodysurfing. In 2001, he wrote an adventure piece for the Surfer’s Journal titled The Body Will Suffice: Self-Propelled Through Primordia. This article details a “feral” bodysurfing mission along a rugged…

  • Resources

    Great Swimming Quotes from Bonnie Tsui’s “Why We Swim”

    If you’re looking for inspiration to start swimming, look no further than Bonnie Tsui’s Why We Swim. This bestselling book will not only explain why swimming is good for you physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Swimming is a great way to improve your aerobic endurance and anaerobic threshold for bodysurfing. It’s a simple equation: the better you are at…

  • Resources

    Surf and Sea: Rare Book With Timeless Bodysurfing Content

    Surf and Sea is a rare book about surfing published in 1965 by legendary waterman John M. Kelly Jr. Surf historian Matt Warshaw calls Surf and Sea, “the most intelligent, well-crafted book ever written on surfing.” Now a collector’s item, the book includes a chapter of particular interest to me titled “Body, Mat and Belly Board Surfing.” Luckily, I was…

  • Resources

    2 Great Books for Bodysurfers to Read

    Although there are just a handful of books for bodysurfers, two great ones exist: The Plight of the Torpedo People (2012) and The Art of Wave Riding (1931). Whether you are a surfer, bodysurfer, or ocean enthusiast, I highly recommend you check these books out. The Plight of the Torpedo People (2012) The Plight of the Torpedo People is one…

  • Resources

    Bodysurfing Legends Answer 2 Simple Questions

    I recently reached out to some of my favorite bodysurfers on this blue planet—Jeff Johnson, Mike Stewart, Belinda Baggs, and Chris Kalima—and asked them to answer two simple questions about bodysurfing. Not only are these individuals great waterpeople, but they also strike me as great humans, and I was pleasantly surprised to receive answers (however brief) from each of them.…

  • Resources

    The Best Bodysurf Movie of All Time

    Keith Malloy’s debut film Come Hell or High Water is, in my opinion, the best bodysurf movie of all time. For me, the film encapsulated the simplicity and beauty of the ancient pastime that is bodysurfing. It also reinforced an idea that I had long held true: bodysurfing is the purest form of wave-riding. Prior to discovering this film, I…

  • Resources

    15 Great Quotes About Bodysurfing

    Some of my favorite quotes about bodysurfing: 1. “As the simplest of all ocean sports, bodysurfing requires little more than swim fins and some waves.” – The Plight of the Torpedo People 2. “There are no phonies in bodysurfing. There is no glory in carrying a pair of fins. It’s a basic, primitive thing. It’s just you and the ocean.”…

  • Resources

    Best Bodysurfing Links on the Internet

    I thoroughly enjoy reading articles and books about bodysurfing. I also love watching videos of people bodysurfing. The problem with this niche obsession of mine is that there are relatively few bodysurfing links that exist on the internet today. When it comes to board-surfing, however, there are hundreds of books, magazines, films, and websites to be found when browsing the…