Life of Brine: A Surfer's Journey

by Phil Jarratt

“In the not-so-small world of surfing, Phil Jarratt has seen it all. Luckily for us, he’s a fearless, funny storyteller, with a reporter’s unsentimental eye and an endearing modesty. But his memoir is, above all, a haunting the boy practising drop-knee cutbacks in his mother’s full-length mirror in mid-century Wollongong becomes a man.”William Finnegan, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Barbarian DaysLife of Brine is the memoir of Phil Jarratt, one of the world’s best-known chroniclers of surfing culture whose lifelong pursuit of the perfect wave has placed him in the midst of some of the most exciting moments in surfing’s modern history.   Jarratt, who has courted controversy in his long career as a journalist, editor and documentarian, pulls no punches as he rides an exhilarating wave of nostalgia from the sixties up until now, through the heady days of drugs, alcohol and excess in Bali and Biarritz and other exotic locations in between. Filled with debauchery, reflection and insight, this is a book that will be devoured by surfers young and old.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

357 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2017

Reviews

[Warrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a young surfer I loved Jarrat’s irreverent take on surfing and his ‘gonzo’ style journalism as a long time writer (and sometime editor) of ‘Tracks’ magazine.
This autobiography puts that bit of his life in a much broader perspective, showing us the early days of falling in love with surfing (probably the strongest part of the book) and the great successes (or fall, read it as you will) into the corporate world, politics, ‘Playboy’ magazine, publishing and falling in love with the next deal.
For anyone interested in the hectic, drug-addled machinations behind the emergence of professional surfing, there are fascinating insights and telling vignettes on greats like Michael Peterson, Miki Dora, and background to events like the infamous Australian / Hawaiian rivalry on the North Shore.
Jarrat gets to surfing locations that you’ve only read about, and sits in on conversations with some of the legends of the sport you could only dream about.
But, the terrible title does point to one nagging thing; despite the obligatory and sometimes unconvincing mea-culpas (‘I should have been paying more attention to my family ... etc) the author seems self—centered, with a fairly high opinion of himself and the book can feel a bit like name-dropping on a global scale especially in the second half.
I would have liked more of the personal moments: his relationship with his father, and family, and what was it about surfing that really mattered to him, rather than the parties, cocaine, sexual conquests, business class flights and great meals on the coast of France.
But, to be fair, I suspect that the portrait that develops is an accurate one; of a restless, ambitious, talented writer and businessman, always looking for the next adventure, for himself.

[Lee Belbin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was born in 1949 and grew up around the Cronulla Beach culture while Jarratt was born in 1951 and grew up down the road on the Coal Coast. We both watched the bumpy beginnings of surfing in Australia. While the waves were less crowded, the polarisation of surfers and others and even experienced vs grommets was notable. Jarratt’s early surfing experiences paralleled mine, but out lives diverged radically. I skipped the drug and beer scene altogether and did science. Jarratt was immersed in both within the publishing domain. His comments about the well-known surfers brought back memories. I had a Midget Farrelly board and remain a ‘longboarder’. A warts and all autobiography of an interesting time on Australian Beaches, and in the men’s and surfing media.

[Brendan Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story! Surfer Phil Jarratt takes us on a surf through Australian history, this history of surfing in particular, but as a journalist, through Australian Media, politics, and international business. Excellent read. Recommended.

[Michael Commons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a who's who of surfing. Good read.

[Simon Noonan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

Loved hearing about the old days, esp how the Noosa classic came about. Makes you think about your surfing journey and where it might take you

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, if brief, auto biography from someone whose connections in surfing have taken him to some very interesting places.