With the entire surf world trading in flip-flops for Birkenstocks and moving to San Francisco this week for second ‘big city’ addition to the tour this year, it will be interesting how the motley crew of surf rats takes refuge in the City by the Bay…

Pro surfer/ Australian Playboy Matt Wilko Wilkinson was reportedly arrested in Newport Beach last weekend. Officers responded to reports of a man laying down in the streets. Apparently Wilko had a couple too many root beers and mistook the sandy pavement for his bedroom and that sort of thing is frowned upon in Newport Beach.

Not likely that charges will be filed, which is good news for WIlko who was free to migrate North without any legal hassles for the Cold Water Classic in Santa Cruz, and the Search San Fran event which starts tomorrow.

Wilko is not the only Australian to run into trouble getting himself to Northern California. Joel Parko and Mick Fanning both used twitter to moan about Qantas being grounded, halting their travel route to Golden Gates.

@mick_fanning: Just found out no Qantas flights will be flying as of 5pm tonight. Wonder if we will make it to San Fran hahaha

@joelparko: I’m stuck I can not find a seat on a flight to San Fran… looks like I’m putting my feet up at home.

@mick_fanning: I love all the suggestions on getting to SF. @kellyslater rang John Travolta and he’s coming to pick @joelparko and me up.. I wish hahah

But with the contest looming, it looks like everyone has made it safely to Frisco, where some small well pulses could have the event underway tomorrow.

Just in time for the ASP’s NorCal leg, the sharks sent us a reminder that they are still there, still large, and still hungry. A local Santa Cruz surfer is very lucky to be alive after a 12 foot whitey bit him on the shoulder and neck while surfing Marina, a short drive South of Santa Cruz and San Francisco.

Also of note, there is also a World Bodysurfing Tour event going on in Ocean Beach during the dame windoe as the WCT event. I actually made up the ‘world tour’ part, but there really is a Bodysurfing comp running at the same beach, put on by some rad dudes who aren’t afriad of sharks or drowning. Word on the street is that a couple of the boys on tour are planning to participate. No word yet on if the bodysurfers will be allowed jet-ski assist. Probably not, but check out this awesome video they did.