I wasn't able to make it as I had prior engagements but was anybody on here fortunate enough to meet the legend? Pics from the other day (05/09/13) http://www.gulfster.com/Daily/2013PictureGallery/050913RobertAugust/
ran into him at this little restaurant down in Tamarindo 2 years ago, he was leaving as we we're pulling in...wish we had have got there a couple minutes earlier.
That's cool, if I had heard about it a few days in advance I probably would have made it over there, but didn't find out about it till the day of so I was already committed to something else that night. Not many chances to meet a guy like that, especially round here.
ive met him before i was surfing down aroundthe tamarindo area and talked with him for a few minutes. really cool guy.
Ever since he sold out and opted to have his boards manufactured in CHINA, he lost legend status. His claim to fame used to be the Endless Summer, a great surf film. Now his claim to fame is selling out in the name of money. American ingenuity, American materials, local shapers.
DawnPatrolSUP, you make a great point. It's clear you're an excellent judge of character. Don't forget to light a new stick of incense on your shrine to another great "legend" ...OJ Simpson. I know you're crossing your fingers that he gets the retrial he's requesting... and it's televised. My apologies if my comments offended your skewed sense of merit. You can now return to watching your Tivo'ed episodes of the Kardashians, and biting your finger nails.
Pretty odd retort there bud, not sure what your getting at here. I don't pay attention to anything on TV other than sports and weather. Does it bother you that he's accomplished more in his life than you'll ever dream of? Is that the issue here?
Robert August may be a legend, but having your boards made in China is pretty lame. The name might be on the board, t-shirts, etc. But the soul is gone. Support your local shaper (and surf shop, for that matter). If you can't do that, support an actual American one.
My dear DawnPatrolSUP, oh where should I begin... To the masses Robert August holds as much esteem and reverence as the famed Gary Dahl, inventor of the pet rock. Robert's lack of authenticity proves that fame and fortune are sometimes as coincidental as being stuck by lightning; you just have to be in the right place at the right time. If you'd spent just a moment of your time to complete a simple search of him on Wikipedia, you would see his only real accomplishment is a small role in a surprisingly successful 60's surf film. His accomplishments are directly connected to being in that film. Like I referenced in my previous post, much the same way that the Kardashans have what you refer to as "accomplish[ments]" their success is a very hollow one, and certainly undeserving of notoriety. One of the saddest parts of surfing is most certainly how shallow people pursue the sport. They spend far too much time trying to look and act the part. They buy the clothes, the surfboards, the videos and even adopt the attitude and lingo, but this is all just an act, a ruse. Because behind it lies a person that at their very core holds nothing more than the deep desire to be accepted by others. They want to be part of something cool, without having to really be cool. They are the followers, and sadly the world is full of them. And so long as there are followers, in mass, there will be people like Gary Dahl and Robert August that sell out, to cash in on their unfortunate susceptibility. It's quite apparent to anyone reading the complete thread, that your position has completed a 180 degree change. Your use of the phrases... "was anybody on here fortunate enough to meet the legend?" "Not many chances to meet a guy like that, especially round here." ...proves what type of a SUP rider you are. Like BeachCruiser01 noted, for the true surfer, selling out to obtain an "accomplish[ment]" is not something we would ever consider. Much the same way that other notable sports celebrities like Lance Armstrong and Mark McGwire have $100 bills to light their Cohibas with, their successes are quite undeserved and anything but their own. Your profile describes your location as being Central Florida. I find it odd that you live in one of the rare hotbeds of surfing activity and culture and believe that Robert August's visit is something truly special. I recommend that you begin to explore your local surf shops. Meet the owners, shapers and real surfers that make Central Florida one of the most notable areas in the surfing lifestyle. Until you've really experienced what the sport is really all about, you will continue to hold on to these false impressions. Understating my point is your last comment... "I don't buy his boards so what do I care. And I do support a local shaper, now what?" ...proving you really don't stand for anything real. Your opinions change direction like a leaf being blown by the wind. If there's anything to be gained by reading my post, take this with you... you're missing out on a lot. To reference the film The Matrix, I hope you one day take the red pill and awake to discover what surfing is really all about. It'll blow your mind.
