Mexico is one of the most popular surfing destinations in the world. And there s much more than the famed surf breaks of Puerto Escondido and Todos Santos.
May 7, 2021 |
Surfing
The revival of surfing, which took place at the beginning of the 20th century, coincided with the revival of swimming.
Although swimming can be traced back to antiquity and numbers Caesar and Charlemagne among its more famous exponents, the sport had fallen into disrepute during the Middle Ages, as it was thought to be the cause of smallpox epidemics.
When taken up again in the last century, swimming out of doors had transgressed Victorian ideas of morality, and there were many complaints about mixed bathing and the flagrant exposure of naked flesh on the beaches (such as fingers, toes, and necks!)
Editor’s Note:
Welcome to our new series, Surf History 101, where we look at innovations in the world of surfing and beyond that changed the pursuit forever. In this edition, Sam George examines the POV camera and how it changed our view of surfing.
What Is It?
A miniaturized, relatively inexpensive waterproof digital camera (most famously made by GoPro) equipped with a wide-angle lens, capable of shooting both still photos and video. When mounted to the deck of a surfboard or attached to the surfer, it provides unprecedented point-of-view footage (POV).
Who Developed It?
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Surfers have long sought to share their watery point of view with those on shore. As far back as 1929 the ever-innovative Tom Blake built a two-foot by two-foot pine box, glass-port housing to enclose a camera (bought from Duke Kahanamoku, no less) with which he began shooting surf action at Waikiki from the deck of his board a perspective that would set the standard for surfing water ph