Don’t sleep on the Gulf Coast skim scene; it is hot! This is the second month in a row the Gulf Coast has provided waves, and the Southern hospitality was on point! We left at 4 AM to drive to the 2024 Spring Fling Skim Jam hosted by Max Smetts and Zap Skimboards at Nokomis Beach. Arriving 30 minutes before my heat, I hadn’t checked the forecast, expecting it to be a flat-land contest. I carried the Shore LB tent out to the beach and found the waves were fire! Max met me to put the tent front row and told me the conditions were perfect for the contest!
After setup, I warmed my legs up and skimmed the best Gulf Coast waves of my life for my heat. The conditions stayed epic all day, although the wind picked up in the afternoon. The heat index was 111 degrees, and the south wind felt like a heater, but the waves were great, so the spirits were high.
We headed to a local watering hole for dinner, drinks, live music, and a Skim USA fundraiser in Venice Beach, Florida, followed by a Zap movie premiere. It’s always great to hang out with the skim family and catch up with friends we haven’t seen since the last contest or even since last year.
The swell stayed around for the finals on the second day as well! The vibes were high, the waves were up, and the Shore LB team riders all took the podium. This contest had 73 contestants last year and over 130 this year. Huge shout out to Max and the Zap team for showing us such a great time and providing some of the best Southern hospitality we’ve seen since we left Panama City. This contest is definitely one to put in your calendar for next year. You will not want to miss it.
Pictures shot by @jeffshotthat and @shorelb.
