SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — The vibe on the pier was predictably mellow, even with 10 of the world’s best surfers gathered.
The morning’s low clouds had not burned off yet. Couples nibbled breakfast on the deck of Fisherman’s restaurant. Fishermen dangled lines into the Pacific Ocean below. Seagulls lingered in the stainless steel sinks where the catch is gutted and cleaned.
Near the end of the San Clemente Pier, surfers like Carissa Moore and Gabriel Medina milled about in flip-flops and caps bearing sponsors’ logos. They were summoned to help promote a new era in professional surfing.