Imaginarium Pre Party @ Republik of Kalifornia

Come by Republik of Kalifornia Wednesday September 19th from 3:30-5:30 for Body Glove's Imaginarium pre-party. There will be pizza, beer, and an autograph signing with team riders Jamie O'Brien, Cheyne Magnusson, Anthony Walsh, Alex Gray, and the Creature. Stick around til the end when we will be raffling off a new 3/2 PR1ME Wetsuit! Also don't forget to vote for Body Glove's video "The Disappearance" at http://surf.transworld.net/2012-imaginarium/

Cya at Republik of Kalifornia! GET RAD!!!

219 South El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA 92672
(949) 218-9012

Body Glove Wins TransWorld SURF's Imaginarium III

TransWorld SURF’s third annual Imaginarium—a contest to progress surf photography—raised the bar this year, with entries from teams from Sanuk, VonZipper, and Body Glove. In the most competitive and creative year yet, Body Glove’s video and photo submission, The Disappearance, was awarded top honors, voted on by the TransWorld SURF edit staff, along with judges from TransWorld's SKATEboarding and SNOWboarding titles. Set in the jungles of Indonesia, the submission was a mix of The Creature From The Black Lagoon meets The Blair Witch Project. In the midst of firing surf, team members Jamie O’Brien, Alex Gray, Cheyne Magnusson, and Anthony Walsh suddenly realize they’re not alone. As the tension escalates, team members begin disappearing, and their dream trip turns into a blood-splattered nightmare. “Judging for this year's Imaginarium was tough,” says TransWorld SURF Editor In Chief Chris Coté. “All three teams had completely different styles and vibes. In the end, Body Glove's submission took the win using a combination of unique angles, a solid team, and a creepy beast from the deep. Thanks to all three teams for their hard work and creative submissions, everyone produced some very cool stuff this year.” Along with the win, Body Glove team rider Jamie O’Brien also nabbed the cover of the November issue. “When we saw the cover we were all blown away,” says Body Glove’s Greg Browning. “It's one of the coolest moments ever.” “We were so stoked to be in Imaginarium this year,” says Browning, “the other two brands really stepped up the game with some cool, fun ideas, and it made it such a great thing to be a part of.”

CLICK HERE to see "The Disappearance"

CLICK HERE to see the photo gallery

CLICK HERE to see the behind the scenes footage

Body Glove’s The Disappearance

Imaginarium: Body Glove’s ‘The Disappearance’ | Videos | Transworld Surf 

Body Glove’s The Disappearance

For the past three years TransWorld Surf’s Imagiunarium contest has set the challenge to conceptualize and produce a unique and creative photo submission, which appears in their November issue. The photos represent the short video that is also submitted. TransWorld then chooses a winner from the three surf teams involved, which is featured on the cover of that November issue.

Last year, Body Glove took the honors of Best Video Award and Readers Choice Award at the 2011 Imaginarium against Reef, Billabong and Rusty with their 8-Bit entry. This year the teams, including Von Zipper and Sunuk, have all stepped it up and made the best videos yet. Body Glove is extremely proud of their 2012 submission, The Disappearance, which includes surfers Jamie O’Brien, Anthony Walsh, Alex Gray, and Cheyne Magnusson, and are hoping to take the win for the 2nd year in a row.

The Disappearance follows a group of four professional surfers and six filmmakers on what should have been the ultimate surf trip to the jungles of Indonesia but quickly became an excursion into heart-stopping terror. As the group discovers a perfect, secret wave, strange images begin to appear on film. Are they sharks, alligators, or something else? Fear sets in. Accusations fly. By night, unseen evil stirs beyond their campfire’s light. By day, large animal prints are discovered nearby. Members of the crew begin to disappear one by one. As the end of their journey approaches, they realize that what they are filming is not an epic trip but their own descent into unimaginable horror.

This is the footage found on the multiple hard drives and cameras recovered at the destroyed campsite. The disappearance of the eight adventurers is still under investigation. Two survivors have been questioned repeatedly and continue to tell investigators strange stories of a sea creature. Search and rescue has finally reached the remote jungle campsite, but contact has been lost as of this press release. All attempts to establish contact with the search party have gone unsuccessful.

CLICK HERE to see Body Glove’s The Disappearance

CLICK HERE for more information about the 2012 TransWorld Surf’s Imaginarium and to see the other submissions 

Frank Gromling Hangs with Body Glove Family

Nature Calls!

~by Frank Gromling

January 23, 2012: Off the Southern California Coast

With Bob Meistrell

This past week was a whirlwind of activity for me, and next week will be more of the same. But, I’ve always figured that moving forward is better than standing still, except when staring at a sunrise or sunset, when just watching is demanded.

Anyway, I had the benefit of a quick trip to Redondo Beach, California to visit with Body Glove International, a major company in the surfing and diving industries. As part of that visit, I had the great pleasure to join company co-founder Bob Meistrell and several family members and others on a dive trip. We took the 72’ Body Glove dive boat The Disappearance out of King Harbor and lazily cruised south to a favorite dive spot off Palos Verdes Point.

The Disappearance

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Bob Meistrell in command

On board were Bob and wife Pattie, Bob’s nephew Billy (vice president), Jim Miller (advisor), Billy’s daughter Jenna (communications director) and son Daley, plus six other friends. Planning to dive were Billy, Jenna, Daley and friends Stefan and Tony.

Divers ready to go under

We anchored in 60 feet of ocean and soon all divers were off the swim platform and under the surface. While the divers moved silently off in search of lobsters and other adventures, I took turns discussing business with Bob and Jim, reviewing a new project I had brought them.

Later, while out on the back deck watching the ocean and diving birds, always a possible sign for the presence of whales, I saw a spout that could only have come from a whale, not a dolphin. I focused on the area and was rewarded by another spout and the flash of black, shiny skin. I had a whale!

It was over a half mile away and heading farther north from us, so I began to “wish” it to turn around and head our way. Not five minutes later I saw a spout closer to us and soon realized that, indeed, the whale had come about and was slowly making its way south toward our location. I love it when whales know I’m around and have to come say hello!

Gray whale just offshore Palos Verdea

Although my iPhone camera lacks distance capability, it was the only camera I had, so I snapped a few shots of the whale as it surfaced about 50 yards away. Although it doesn’t show well in my pictures, there was a fairly deep cut on the peduncle, the top of the whale near the tail, which looked like a keel strike. The cut had healed, but it was evident a boat had crossed paths with the whale at some time in the past.

All of us on deck watched as the young gray whale swam slowly south, just off the kelp line along the coast. In a few minutes it had vanished in the distance, but remained the topic of our amused conversation. When the divers surfaced a few minutes later, they had not seen the whale from below, but caught a parting glimpse as it moved into an area of bright sunlight on the surface.

Gray whale moving south

What a great day! The ocean swells, sunshine, new friends having a good time, and a whale swimming by to say welcome to the west coast. Once again, I was in my element and loving every minute of it. Even the return to King Harbor, with the painted mural of gray whales off in the distance, was a special experience as we passed the Portofino Hotel and glided past boats of every description.

It doesn’t get much better

Until next time, remember to do one little thing to help Nature have a better day.

Frank Gromling, Publisher
Ocean Publishing
www.oceanpublishing.org
386-517-1600 / Fax 386-517-2564
Making waves with quality books!

The Disappearance

Body Glove Co-Founder, Bob Meistrell, was out cruising the Body Glove boat last Saturday.  Local surf photographer, Mike Balzer, was out shooting photos and captured this shot.

The Disappearance

Out shooting The Disappearance today.  The boat is owned and operated by co-founder, Bob Meistrell.