For those readers who have not made the trip to Australia yet, we send this video out to you.The country is amazing in every way. The people talk to you like you're an old friend, the cities are full of culture and characters, and you never have to drive more than a few kilometers in any direction to get some space to yourself. Here is a teaser to get that trip bummed to the top of your "to-do" list.

WAY OF THE OCEAN - Official Trailer from CIRCULATE on Vimeo.

Some stoke to get you through the Winter

Here in Southern California we are getting more weather and less surf. With all this wind I would expect at least some stormy wind swell. For those out there who are in the same boat, here is a trailer for One California Day to get your fix. Speaking of fix, now is probably a good time to patch those dings you've been putting off...

Sliding on SUP's

In the last few years we have watched the sport of surfing run in every imaginable direction. SUP has put the biggest boards possible into the line up, and the revival of fishes and alaia's have brought back the smallest. In these videos found on Youtube.com, we have the Ivan Van Vuuren and Ryan Helm pulling off some impressive slides and spins on SUP's, showing us all how fun it can be to have a small fin to play with to learn how to use our rails more efficiently.

FCS finds a way to Go Green

It's no secret that the materials used to make surfboards and surfboard fins are a few steps short of being organic, but that hasn't slowed FCS' pursuit of getting as green as possible without compromising quality. Their latest environmentally conscious action may not affect fin quality or performance, but it will keep some trash out of the lineup.

For those who haven't ordered a new set of FCS fin recently, you may not know that they are now selling fins in recyclable packaging, made from recycled materials. The new FCS fin packaging consists of two components; the pulp tray which is made from recycled newspaper, and the clear slide cover that effectively protects and allows the fins to be easily displayed, which is made from recycled PET.

PET is traditionally used as a raw material for making packaging materials such as bottles and containers for a wide range of food products and other consumer goods. Products made from PET can be recycled which reduces the amount of waste going to landfills.

Powers of Three

The grass seemed to crunch under my feet as I ran out to my truck for a pre-work surf this morning. The public shower in the parking lot felt like a much needed hot spring. When I drove home, my hands were so numb I could barely grip the wheel hard enough to make the tight turn into my spot. Southern California is not supposed to get this cold!

As I hovered over my morning cup of coffee like a gold miner holding his treasure, I started to wonder if the meager two foot surf was worth the two hour recovery, until I found this. Another Mickey Smith video called "Powers of Three." Leave it to the Irish to make you feel like a light weight for complaining about cold weather and water. This was a reminder to surf every chance you get, because there will be days you wish you could but you can't. Here's some inspiration to help us all get our hearts pumping and heads in the game for winter swells.

The lose of Any Irons was a complete shock, not only for how sudden and unforeseen it was, but also because Andy always seemed a bit invincible. His competitive drive and pure talent are what gave him the reputation as being Kelly Slater's rival in and out of the water. Without Andy, who can say that Kelly would have reach the level he has? Every great athlete needs a challenger to push them to excel and be the target of their energy. While there is no doubt Kelly and Andy had some bad blood between them at some point, no one ever wanted the rivalry to end like this. Here is a short clip from VAS about the relationship between two of surfing's greatest competitors.

Andy Irons Died At Age 32

3 time ASP World Champion Andy Irons died yesterday in his Dallas hotel room. He contracted dengue fever at the previous surfing contest held in Portugal, and became so ill that he pulled out of the Rip Curl Search Pro in Puerto Rico. Andy won the ASP World Surfing Tour Title 3 years in a row and he was the only ASP surfer to win at every ASP tour stop.

Andy leaves behind his wife Lyndie who is due to give birth to their first child in December.