Yeah, we know – leaving the beach behind and going back to school kinda sucks. But you can take that hot beach look with you with big discounts on all Salt Life beachwear – even items already on clearance. For a limited time, you’ll get 20% off your total order of great looking Salt Life Beachwear when you shop online. Now, THAT’s math you can dig.

The SaltLife.com “SCHOOLDAZE” discount applies to men’s, women’ s and kids’ beachwear including surfing, fishing and diving t-shirts, tank tops, long sleeve tees and more. You know that fall cool snap is coming, so you may as well stock up on fleece-lined, zip-up hoodies and a beanie hat or two. Your arms and ears will thank you.

Headed to school in a new ride? Get a Salt Life license plate or decal to let all those chumps waiting in line behind you for a parking spot know you’re a Salt Lifer. They’re on sale too. In fact, just about everything except our exclusive Guy Beard-designed Salt Life jewelry gets the 20% SCHOOLDAZE discount. (But lots of our jewelry is on sale anyway, so be sure to browse our selection of sterling silver and stainless steel pendants, earrings and bracelets.) To take advantage, simply shop ’til you drop, then enter the word “SCHOOLDAZE” (not case sensitive) in the coupon code box and click “Apply.” You’ll see the 20% – that’s a full fifth of your total, for all you non-math majors – immediately lopped off your total.

The SCHOOLDAZE sale ends soon and some items are while-they-last, so shop fast and spend well, Salt Lifers.

The 2011 Association of Surfing Professionals PRIME US Open of Surfing presented by Hurley and Nike 6.0 came to an end Monday with Brett Simpson of Huntington Beach, CA and Carissa Moore of Honolulu, HI landing the top titles. Simpson, 25, defeated current ASP World No. 1 Jordy Smith for his second consecutive title and took home a check for $100,000.

“Last year barely sank in and now I won this year,” said Simpson, who is currently competing in his rookie year on the ASP Dream Tour. “It’s so hard to mentally imagine it all over again because you have to stay consistent and surf so many heats. Luckily I zoned everything out and tried not to worry about the points or the money and that’s when I have competed the best. To be at home with so many friends and family, I’ve enjoyed it so much. To win out here two years in a row is unimaginable. ”

Seventeen-year-old Moore won the ASP 6-Star Women’s US Open of Surfing, taking home a record-breaking $50,000 purse. It’s the richest first place prize in women’s surfing history that more than doubles the previous record. Also in her rookie year with the ASP Women’s Dream Tour, she beat standout Sally Fitzgibbons, who has been the runner-up in the last three ASP Women’s World Tour events.

“I was pretty nervous because I only had two 4 point scores,” Moore said. “Sally is gnarly and is a great competitor and I knew when that last set came, if I didn’t get on it Sally would have gotten the score easily. I’m just so on top of the world right now, I’m so psyched.”

Evan Geiselman of New Smyrna Beach, FL and Sage Erickson of Ventura, CA also put in standout performances, clinching the ASP Grade-2 Pro US Open of Surfing Pro Junior men’s and women’s competitions.

So did you make the westward trek to see the US Open of Surfing in person? Post your pics. And be sure to check out all the newest Salt Life surfing clothes.

ASP US Open of Surfing Men's Final winner Brett Simpson

US Open of Surfing Men’s Final Results:
1 – Brett Simpson (USA)
2 – Jordy Smith (ZAF)

US Open Pro Junior Men’s Final:
1 – Evan Geiselman (USA)
2 – Alejo Muniz (BRA)
3 – Kolohe Andino (USA)
4 – Miguel Pupo (BRA)

US Open of Surfing Women's Final winner Carissa Moore

US Open of Surfing Women’s Final:
1 – Carissa Moore (HAW)
2 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

US Open of Surfing Pro Junior Women’s Final:
1 – Sage Erickson (USA)
2 – Malia Manuel (HAW)
3 – Coco Ho (HAW)
4 – Laura Enever (AUS)

Did you don your favorite fishing clothes and head out to the AT&T Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament in Jacksonville, FL this past weekend? If so, you were among the thousands who helped further local marine conservation efforts.

Jacksonville Marine Charities, Inc., the organization that hosts the annual tournament, is a 501(c)3 charity based near Salt Life’s hometown Jacksonville Beach. For nearly two decades, the tournament has attracted hundreds of anglers and thousands of spectators annually to the Jim King Park and Boat Ramp at Sisters Creek. The tournament’s annual economic impact is upwards of $12 million and all proceeds benefit marine conservation, preservation of fishing habitats and marine science education initiatives. Projects supported by Kingfish Tournament proceeds include college scholarships for students studying marine science and oceanography; marine science research projects at Jacksonville University; implementation of “Boater 101″ courses in public and private high schools, encouraging environmental awareness, boating safety and marine industry career choices; numerous artificial reef projects; and the Safe Harbor Maritime Academy (fka Safe Harbor Boys Home), which provides shelter and education for troubled teen boys and those who have lost a parent.

The tournament is something salt lifers all along the coast look forward to every year, both for the good that the charity does and, of course, for the tough angling action. Each competition’s rock star winner is the angler who reels in the single biggest kingfish. This year, that winner was Capt. Russell Stuart who landed a 45.75-pounder on his boat dubbed “Seafood Kitchen.” The other crowd favorite each year is the winner of the Junior Angler Tournament. Twelve-year-old Cody Powers took this year’s title with a 36.95-pound catch.

During the tournament, we saw lots of locals and visitors alike wearing Salt Life fishing clothes while supporting a mission that is important not just in our hometown, but to fishermen and marine conservation-minded people all along America’s coastline. If you haven’t already, check out our line of comfortable and stylish fishing clothes and start practicing now for next year’s Kingfish Tournament.

The annual AT&T Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament benefits marine science research, marine conservation and marine education initiatives.

While all of America is clearly upset about the devastation of the Gulf waters and wildlife, those most affected are the ones who live the salt life every day – commercial fishermen and boaters who make their living on the tides; professional surfers and those who are simply passionate about life on the waves; and of course, the marine animals and birds disabled and/or dying by the thousands. In the most affected areas, enjoying the beach life may well be a distant memory for months, even years. And while many beaches remain open, tourism and health officials are cautioning locals and tourists to be on the wary of potential dangers.

In many Gulf region areas, surfers continue to suit up and paddle out, despite the sight of uniformed BP oil spill cleanup crew members picking tar balls out of the sands, wildlife workers capturing oil-soaked birds and sea turtles, and U.S. Coast Guard boats and helicopters trolling the waters. Many surfers have reported chemical burns, skin rashes and heavy irritation. Other common risks salt lifers face are respiratory problems induced by odors and fumes given off by oil and toxic oil dispersants. Nasal irritation and nausea are affecting beach-goers too, especially those with seasonal allergies, sensitivity to pollen or asthma. Long-term, petroleum contamination (whether by touching, ingesting or inhaling) can cause cancer and neurological conditions.

To minimize risks while you continue to live the salt life in the Gulf Region, the Florida Department of Health offer a few tips:

- Avoid wading, swimming, surfing skiing or using personal water craft in oil-affected areas;
- If your skin comes in contact with an oil product, quickly wash it with grease-cutting liquid dishwashing detergent and water;
- Avoid contact with oil and oily materials spotted in the water or on the beach. Note that items such as tar balls may be buried beneath the sand, so be careful digging your feet into the sand and closely watch children digging holes and building sand castles (in fact, young children age five and younger should be kept from affected areas altogether);
- Do not collect tar balls or other items for souvenirs;
- Do not pick up oil product to throw in the trash. Instead, notify local officials. Only trained community workers are authorized to remove and dispose of oil product from beaches;
- Avoid contact with dead or dying fish or other aquatic life that may be impacted by the oil. If you see an animal in distress, call (866) 557-1401;
- Do not boat or paddle through oil slicks or sheens and exercise caution when hoisting boat anchors from waters that may be affected;
- Young children (five and younger), pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems and pets should not visit oil-affected areas.

Video: The Surf on Pensacola Beach Boils like Acid

Here’s a fun story we here at Salt Life just couldn’t pass up – surfing crocodiles. For real, you ask? Apparently so, according to a team of scientists (that once included the late Steve Irwin aka “The Crocodile Hunter”) in Australia. Using sonar devices, scientists learned that the saltwater or estuarine crocodile (that’s “Crocodylus porosus” for you brainiac types out there) gets around from island to island by riding the South Pacific waves.

This 15.8-foot-long male estuarine crocodile outfitted with a sonar device showed scientists that crocs are surfing pros. Photo copyright: Australia Zoo.

Working from northeastern Australia’s Kennedy River with support from the Australia Zoo and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, the scientists originally set out to study the crocodiles’ territorial habits and see how they divvied up land among themselves. To that end, they tagged 27 adult seawater crocodiles with sonar transmitters and set up 20 underwater receivers along a 39-mile-long stretch of the river. These transmitters tracked the crocodiles’ every move for more than a year and the story they told scientists came as quite a surprise. Like a Lindsay Lohan ankle bracelet, the sonar transmitters showed that the crocodiles were a long, long way from where they were expected to be.

Turns out, these crocodiles were regularly traveling more than 30 miles from their home to the mouth of the Kennedy River and out to sea by literally surfing the waves. Dubbed “salties,” the crocs showed an inherent surfing know-how. They always set out on their surfing trips within an hour of the tide changing and turning out to sea. If the tide turned against them, they would head to the nearest river bank or dive to the river bottom to wait it out.

The crazy thing about it all is that these ginormous reptiles that can grow to more than 23 feet long and weigh more than 2,200 pounds, are notoriously bad swimmers. So learning that crocodiles are surfing pros helps put to rest the long-pondered mystery as to how they were able to populate so many South Pacific islands despite the huge stretches of water between them. Now you know – crocs really do live the Salt Life. Pretty cool, huh?

Salt Life stickers are everywhere! They’re among our best sellers and they grace bumpers, windows and surf boards nationwide. For that, we’re thankful to our loyal customer base. And we’re proud. But we’re also protective. If you’ve read today’s Florida Times Union article on Salt Life, you know why.

Since the popularity of our Salt Life stickers hit boom stage, we’ve seen lots of pretty blatant knockoffs by companies and individuals who are not authorized to sell them. And we’ve seen other companies attempt to brand the Salt Life name or a similar name for different purposes. Churches have popped up using the Salt Life name. A brewery is selling Malt Life stickers. An online hunting fraternity calls itself Hunt Life. And University of Florida alumni and other diehard Gator Fans are buying up Swamp Life stickers that look awfully familiar.

Then there’s Pepper Death, the anti-Salt Life. That’s just funny.

But believe us when we say there’s nothing funny about violating trademark and copyright laws. After all, we take our business seriously and we’re not amused when a would-be Salt Life supporter gets tricked by some flea market shyster peddling fake goods. If you’re one of those, know that we have several staff members and law enforcement officials working on our behalf who spend hours seeking out the likes of you, whether you’re selling infringing wares online, in the mall, at the flea market or elsewhere. The Salt Life logo and font is trademarked. We carry first-use-in-commerce trademarks for the Salt Life name and logo on all of our product lines including stickers, clothing, tote bags, jewelry and others, plus the Salt Life Food Shack restaurant and bar.

If you’re a new or returning customer looking for an authentic Salt Life sticker, you can find the real thing on our website and in more than 2,000 authorized Salt Life retailers. If you’re not sure whether a product you spot is for real, or if you spot someone you think is making coin at our expense, please let us know. You can reach our office at 904-241-7258.

If you’re itching to get back out on the water, grab your best Salt Life fishing clothes and go! NOAA ( the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) this week announced that four fisheries, including Atlantic swordfish, Atlantic scup, Gulf of Maine thorny skate and Gulf of Mexico pink shrimp were removed from the overfishing list. For the first time since the annual Status of U.S. Fisheries report, given to Congress each May, was initially issued in 1997, no stocks were added to the overfishing list.

Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, NOAA scientists and the eight regional fishery management councils work to end overfishing and prevent future overfishing of multiple stocks to ensure sustainability and survival. Fish stocks considered to be overfished may struggle due not only to overfishing but to habitat loss and predator-prey interactions as well.

Other highlights from the report:

• Stocks reported fully rebuilt include Atlantic scup, Atlantic black sea bass, Atlantic swordfish and St. Matthews Island (Alaska) blue king crab;
• Stocks that began to rebuild in 2009 after being deemed overfished in 2008 include Atlantic winter skate, Atlantic sailfish, Pacific bocaccio and Pacific darkblotched rockfish;
  Stocks considered free from overfishing include the Atlantic scup, Gulf of Maine thorny skate and Gulf of Mexico pink shrimp;
• Stocks that declined in 2009 and are now considered overfished include Pacific canary rockfish, coho salmon and petrale sole.

Note: NOAA’s definition of “overfishing” means that a stock is declining to a point that it is approaching a minimum acceptable biomass threshold. “Overfished” means that the stock already is below that acceptable threshold and that its survival is threatened.

So, do you have your fave fishing clothes on yet? Just remember that annual catch limits remain in place for stocks with unsustainable fishing for 2010 and will be implemented for all stocks in 2011. Have fun landing that big game fish (and looking good in your Salt Life fishing clothes while doing it), but be respectful of our oceans and the efforts to sustain its fish populations.

Eastern Surf Magazine featured results of the recent Salt Life Food Shack Surfing The Blues competition in its latest issue’s Fight Club section. Widely considered the most trusted source for East Coast happenings, Eastern Surf Magazine reaches upwards of 190,000 surfers along the East Coast and in Puerto Rico, Texas and the Great Lakes each month. The Fight Club section keeps readers up on all the latest surf competition schedules and results.

The annual contest Surfing the Blues surf competition at the Jacksonville Beach Pier is part of the George’s Music Springing the Blues music festival, which brings upwards of 70,000music lovers to Jacksonville Beach each year. ESM gave plenty of props to the local surfers (including home turf favorite Asher Nolan) who dominated the competition in multiple categories, as well as a full listing of all winners and runners up in each event.

This year was the first for the Salt Life Model Search, which featured a bevy of bikini-clad beauties vying for coveted spots in two age categories. Winners and 10 runners up will appear in Salt Life merchandise catalogs and advertisements, at promotional events and in the 2011 Salt Life calendar.

See Eastern Surf Magazine’s full online story and be sure to send us your own Surfing the Blues stories.

Slather on the sunscreen, don your favorite Salt Life beachwear and hit the sands for a full roster of fun events that celebrate living the salt life and do a little good for the community too. At Salt Life, we’re about much more than designing and selling beachwear and accessories. We’re about promoting a love for the ocean and beach environments, healthy and active lifestyles and camaraderie among beach dwellers. After all, our founders and staff are avid salt lifers themselves, spending hours on and in the Atlantic waters as surfers, divers, boaters and fishermen. The beaches area hosts dozens of great events each year, but the ones below are among our favorites.

26th Annual Wavematers Surf Contest, May 1-2, 8 am-5 pm
This annual fundraising surf contest benefits local youth and environmental charities. Meet on the beachfront just south of the Jacksonville Beach Pier.

Life Rolls On: They Will Surf Again Surf Classic, May 22, 9 am-1 pm
This event raises funds and awareness for LRO, a division of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation that utilizes action sports to inspire and engage young people affected by spinal cord injuries. Meet on the beach just north of the Lifeguard Station.

Never Quit Beach Fest, June 5, 7:45 am-5 pm
The festival features a 5-mile run/walk and surf contest and other features designed to help educate the community on avoiding brain bleeds, stroke and heart disease through healthy life choices, and to encourage survivors to live life to the fullest.  The Never Quit Tour was founded in honor of Gerard Petroni, father of Karina Petroni, a local girl and one of the world’s top female professional surfers. Meet on the beach at 6th Avenue North.

Liberty Celebration & Fireworks, July 4, 4 pm-9 pm
Meet at the Sea Walk Pavilion for an afternoon and evening of music, food, fun and fireworks to celebrate Independence Day.

Annual Sisters of the Sea Surf Classic, September 11, 8 am
This women-only surf contest benefits Bosom Buddies, a program of the Women’s Center of Jacksonville that supports women affected by breast cancer. Meet on the south side of the Jacksonville Beach Pier.

EPIC Fall Classic Surf Contest, October 9-10, 8 am-4 pm
This annual surf contest is produced by EPIC Surf Ministries, a faith-based organization that performs local and international missions work including helping to build homes for the poor. Meet on the south side of the Jacksonville Beach Pier.

Right Whale Festival, November 20, 10 am-4 pm
This festival features children’s activities, live music a beach clean-up and other activities designed to inform and inspire families about right whales, their habitat and conservation needs. It celebrates the beginning of the right whale calving season and the Georgia/Florida coast as only known calving grounds of the North Atlantic right whale.

For information on these and other Beaches events visit the official Jacksonville Beach website. And be sure to visit Saltlife.com to see all the newest and hottest beachwear around.

Didn’t get enough of the beautiful new models who will don Salt Life surfing clothes in catalogs, calendars and at promotional events nationwide? Well then, this blog’s for you. The 2010 Salt Life Girls were chosen at the 7th Annual Surfing the Blues event in partnership with the Florida Surfing Association. April 11’s inaugural Salt Life Model Search featured 28 lovely ladies picked from dozens of entrants. Finalists were chosen for their photogenic qualities and their definitions of the “salt life” as it relates to their own lives.

Two winners were chosen; Chrissy Hubbard from the 18- to 28-year-old category and Jhannell Kurnellas from the 19- to 40-year-old category. Rounding out the top dozen new Salt Life Girls are Brandi Leaf, Dominique Storelli, Haley Watson, Heather Perez, Jessica Thomas, Julie Black, Kayla Whidden, Kristen Edwards, Lexi Rae Glista and Rachel Stanley. Each finalist modeled swimwear and Salt Life surfing clothes, showing off not only their fit physiques but their fun personalities and on-stage confidence.

Look for Chrissy and Jhannell donning Salt Life surfing clothes and swimsuits on the front and back covers of the 2011 Salt Life Calendar, in the Salt Life merchandise catalog on our website and at promotional events (along with the other top 10 finalists) including trade shows and in-store promotions at Gander, West Marine, Dicks Sporting Goods and other licensed Salt Life surf clothing sellers.

The inaugural Salt Life Model Search proved such a success that we plan to continue annually as part of the Surfing the Blues Surf Contest and George’s Music Springing the Blues Festival. If you’re living the salt life and think you have what it takes to be a Salt Life Girl, be sure to watch our website for details as next year’s event approaches.

Photos courtesy of Ecliptic Visuals.
eclipticvisuals.com