The Top Ten List

Last weekend, Julie and I headed down the shore to catch the lingering effects of a recent swell. I've come to judge the Surfline report with some skepticism - as a rating of fair to good was given the Rincon surf while Julie and I were in Puerto Rico. I thought the waves were huge that day. On many occasions, Surfline reports flat - poor conditions for the waves of OCNJ and upon arrival I find some really fun little waves to ride. Well, its pretty rare to find a Surfline report of fair to good for OCNJ and when I saw a positive rating for the Jersey Shore last week, I told Julie we had to get down there. We left Saturday morning at 10 AM and started out on the 1.5 hour drive from Narberth to 44th and West on the island. After cruising along to some morning tunes, Julie and I got to talking about surfing. She started to list the reasons whey she loves surfing and I told her to check out my last post - our lists were eerily similar. Then I told her about my favorited surfers - my top ten list. This is a list of the surfers who I think are the best.

10. Phil Edwards - He makes the list because his book You Should Have Been Here An Hour Ago was the first surfer's autobiography I ever read. As a young boy growing up in Oceanside, Edwards was part of the California surfing boom of the 1950s and later became a pioneer big wave surfer at Hawaii's Bonzai Pipline. Edwards is the epitome of Surfer Cool.

9. Rob Machado - I don't know too much about Rob, but in the film Step into Liquid Rob seems like a super cool guy hanging out with his buddy who broke his back while surfing.

8. Occy - Wild Austrailian needs to be on this list. North Shore cast member.

7. Laird Hamilton - Mind, Body, Spirit beefcake. North Shore cast member - that costume?

6. Shaun Tomson - South African tube rider, documentarian, super cool.

5. Kelly Slater - maybe the best?

4. George Freeth - Irish and Hawaiian, first white man to really popularize the sport.

3. Mark Richards - MR rocks!














2. Eddie Aikau - World's Greatest Waterman, not only a masterful big wave rider but an amazing life guard and a hero.

















1. Duke Kahanamoku - the father of modern surfing!


Sorry no women made the list -
Honorable Mention - Louise Southerden - Her book Surf's Up: The Girl's Guide to Surfing gave me the courage to get over myself and PLF!

Why do I do what I do? No, really why?

5.3.09

I’ve finished my final paper for the MA program at Temple. Julie will edit it for me. I’ll print it out and deliver it to Professor Nguyen on Tuesday. What confuses me is how I feel – there’s no sense of satisfaction. It’s an empty feeling – like I’ve lost something that defines who I am. For the past three years, I have been a graduate student. Now I’ve graduated – what’s next?

Ah, Germain Grisez was right. In his book, Beyond the New Morality, he argues that if you base your happiness on accomplishing goals – then you can never be happy, because happiness is something in the future, something you are always striving for. As soon as you reach your goal, you must set a new one. There is no time to relax. There is no moment of accomplishment, satisfaction, or happiness. How can I break this cycle?

Maybe I’ll choose a distraction – like surfing? Do I really love surfing? Why do I surf? Why do I teach? No, really why?

I like surfing for many reasons:
1. I like the way it makes me feel. Athletic, Powerful, Excited, Stoked.
2. I like the way I look in my surf gear – I rock that wetsuit!
3. I like surf culture – it offers an alternative to mainstream society that focuses on living in the moment, The Journey, and doing something you love.
4. I like the aesthetic beauty of surfing – I could watch videos of Mark Richards and Shaun Thomson all day.
5. I like that surfing is an activity that I can share with my wife – like tennis, only its not competitive (for me anyways).
6. I like how surfing makes me aware of the ocean, the beach, and the environment in general. I feel more in touch with Mother Nature and I care more about her.
7. I like the challenge of surfing – the physical challenge of trying to catch a wave, the mental challenge of finding good surf in a constantly changing system of energy, the emotional challenge of overcoming fear.
8. I like that surfing takes place in the water and at a beach. I can spend an entire day at the beach, exercising and having a ton of fun.
9. I like how difficult it is to surf. When I actually catch a wave and stand-up for the ride, I get a huge sense of accomplishment because it is no easy task. If it was really easy to surf, a lot more people would do it.
10. I like surfing because it makes me happy. Just thinking about surfing makes me smile.

It took me less than ten minutes to come up with ten reasons why I like surfing – that’s pretty good – I think it is safe to say, I definitely like surfing.

Droppin In Mainstream? SI's Kelly Slater Article

I just finished reading Gary Smith's article on Kelly Slater in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated titled Ready For the Next Wave. This photo captures the author's intent of trying to open the door into Slater's life, "the door that's there for all of us, the one too risky for many to open, behind which lies the question: Why do you what you do?"

It definitely got my heart pounding as Smith provides a psychoanalysis of Slater and why he surfs. Slater is the face of professional surfing. When I had no clue about the art of wave sliding and the joy it brings, I still knew Kelly Slater was the best. Smith does a good job of challenging the audience to examine their own lives as he delves into Slater's.

The article probes into the personal life of Slater to expose the forces that drive him to succeed. According to Smith, Slater grew up "as the child of alcoholism and divorce." This shaped his self-image, personality, and how he copes with the world. As the middle child, "Kelly was the mediator, the boy who yearned to be the bridge" in arguments between his mother, father, and siblings. As a skeptic, I initially found Smith's article too cliche - the superstar finds his strength by fighting to turn his troubled childhood into the fuel for his excellence. Great material for a magazine story, but maybe overly dramatic.

Yet, there is something about Slater. It could be that I've heard about him, but I can't recall ever really hearing from him. No interviews pop into mind and he's rarely quoted in the article. It reads from the perspective of the arm chair analyst providing details of the patient's life as the source of his anxiety, self-consciousness, and depression. Kelly comes across as this silent surfing giant struggling to overcome his own personal demons.

Slater's story rings true for me. The article left me feeling uncomfortable and a little upset. I've found myself at 33, trying to avoid the whys of my own life. Why am I a teacher? Why do I study History? Why am I here? David Byrne's lyrics - "This is not my beautiful house, this is not my beautiful wife, my God, how did I get here?" have much more meaning to me now than when I was a teenager. I can identify with Slater. What worked for me as a child: getting good grades, trying to forge my own place in a big family, ignoring the chaos, seeking to please authority figures - doesn't cut it today. Currently, I find myself teaching in a very chaotic environment where strength and attitude are rewarded while compassion and generosity are considered weaknesses. As a result, I suffer from a lot of anxiety, worry, and panic about my teaching, graduate school, and the future. Sometimes I can't enjoy the good times because they are always fleeting. I can understand how Slater could be a world champion surfer and still feel unsatisfied with life.

Smith's article definitely intrigued me. As a surfer, I liked seeing the exposure of the sport and its perennial king. Hints of the future - Surf Stadiums with the Perfect Wave Machines, and Olympic gold - also stoked my enthusiasm. Smith pulls the curtains back just enough on Slater's personal life to leave me wanting more. The next surfer biography I'll read is Slater's Pipe Dreams. Hopefully, it will allow me to open the door and walk into Slater's world.

You can check out the article at: http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1155067/index.htm

Jersey Shore Surf!

August 25, 2009

First time in the water: Ocean City, NJ
44th street. In the break between 45th and 43rd streets.

Observations: Mostly sunny. Light cloud cover, high small cirrus clouds. Above average temperatures – 70s. The sun is directly overhead. Sunlight sparkles off the wave, like diamonds in the sea. Water temperature – cold, maybe the coldest water I’ve ever been in – feels like pins, prickling / stinging my feet and hands. Wetsuit works great, offered protection from hypothermia. The stoke of wave riding kept me warm – no time to think about being cold when you are scanning the peaks on the horizon for the next perfect wave to glide down.

As I returned to the waters of Ocean City, NJ – I also reverted back to my kooky-style of surfing. With a nice sandy bottom, no coral reef to worry about destroying, no sea urchins with their nasty needles to dance around, I could just stand next to my board and wait for the waves, hop on at the last minute, paddle one or two strokes, and then hold-on tight, rise into my cobra pose, climb up from my knees to my feet and viola! Stand, surfing, for a solid 3 seconds!

Sure, my first day in the water after Rincon, PR was a bit of a let down, but only for a few seconds. As soon as I caught my first wave and rose to my feet, I only thought, in that moment, fully focused, that this was awesome! Also, I was super jazzed to find nice little 1 footers to ride at the 44th street beach. This is my beach. This is where I surf and its nice to know that on any given day, I can get out in the water. I don’t care if it is flat. I don’t care if it is cold. I don’t care if it is crowded. I know I can get out there and have fun, every time.

There are no great tales of unforgettable rides to tell after this first day. I was excited on two separate occasions to be able to take one step forward on the board in my ultimate pursuit of walking the nose. There was one moment though, when a group of birds were flying in the migratory V-formation, north along the beach toward Atlantic City. The amazing thing was this flock of about twenty birds flew just a few feet above the surface of the ocean and directly in my direction. I laid prostrate on my board and just watched as they flew over, so close I could clearly see that they were ducks. In the same frame of sight, the sun sparkled off the water creating an amazingly beautiful testament to the pure beauty of mother Earth. I was overcome with awe on top of the stoke I’d already received.

What a great day!

Rincon's Famous Breaks - Steps and Tres Palmas

This image is from Steps Beach and Tres Palmas surf break. When we arrived in Rincon on Tuesday - this was the first famous break we visited. You can see the surf from the Road to El Faro (The Lighthouse). A dirt road leads down to the beach with a small turn-around for parking. I immediately recognized Tres Palmas from photos I have seen on the internet (keep in mind, there are more than three palm trees at this break). There were only two cars parked at the beach. They belonged to some people who were snorkeling. An attractive woman in her late forties and an older gentleman told tales of seeing beautiful brightly colored coral, some small fish, and a few baby sea turtles - how precious (86 the sarcasm). As you can see in the photo, the surf was virtually nonexistent - which means perfect conditions for snorkeling.

Also, nearby I spotted some surf campers with their tent set up. I walked over to get a good photo of the steps and say hello. After a friendly greeting, I became somewhat wary as I noticed they were enjoying a morning pick-me-up, passing around a bottle of liquor - a little hair off the dog that bit yah, just like Spring Break '98!

Julie and I never got into the water at Steps - though the next day we did cast off from Maria's Beach and paddled after some surf at Tres Palmas. Thursday, as a big swell came in, I had to avoid this break because I couldn't handle it as a kook (6 - 8 feet).



I was fascinated by the fact that as the swell rose, the surf broke further out from the shore - this has something to do with physics and wave height v. ocean depth. It was a powerful experience to see the Steps in still waters one day and then see white wash angry ocean the next.

Check out the video Tres Palmas - There Will Be Swell on YouTube. March 2008 the waves got Big Boriqua-style! Ah, the ocean's way of celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Spring Break '98. Well done lil' lady.

The beauty of Rincon is that these great surf breaks are all part of a Natural Marine Reserve. Kudos to those who have lobbied on the behalf of Mother Nature! As a result, they have a rustic - state parkesque feel. It reminded me of my days as a child at Selkirk Shores in Port Ontario, N.Y. Hope you get the chance to visit someday!

Avoiding the Barbed Wire Fence of Fear

OCEAN VIEW IN SAN JUAN, PR

3. Surfing has changed how I view myself.

Narberth, PA 6:53 AM 44 degrees Clear sky as sunrises. Greyish blue fades into white fades into orange at the horizon. Birds up early, lots of chirping, geese honking.

Our journey to Rincon began with the R5 train ride from Narberth to 30th street station, followed by the R1 airport line to US Airways departures. It was Saturday morning before Easter break and our flight to San Juan was overbooked. What stands out in my journal writing is the emphasis on emotion I felt about the upcoming week.

- Couldn't sleep last night - too excited about too much: trip to P.R., new puppy, final paper to finish MA program. I'm excited to see, hear, smell, taste a new place. Very excited about getting back in the water. Also anxious.

The anxiety was due in part to a lack of self confidence in my ability to surf. More generally, I think it was tied to the fear of the unknown. I'd never been to Puerto Rico. I'd never been on a surfari. I'd never shared the water with professionals and territorial locals. These fears were rooted in my inexperience. As the great David Lee Roth said in his monumental autobiography Crazy From the Heat, something like knowing that I didn't know what I thought I knew was all I ever really needed to know. Like Roth, I too was blessed with self awareness:

I'll do a rental lesson with Julie the first day = probably Wed because we're kooks. I hate feeling like an amateur but I have to crawl before I can walk to the nose.

Embracing my kookiness, my newcomer status, allowed me to relax. Recognizing the reality of the situation (I don't really know what I am doing) and putting aside my ego made asking for directions, taking lessons, and begging for help easier. In fact, it made the whole vacation much more enjoyable! Thank God that I realized this before I even left Narberth.

The First Surfari

2. Surfing has changed what I want to do on my vacation.

When I first met Julie's parents and my future in-laws, I was watching MTV's coverage of Spring Break 1999. As a recent college graduate, I longed for the care-free, reckless, and self-destructive mayhem playing out on beaches across Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Dave and Peg knocked at the door and I clicked off the television. In response to their warm, enthusiastic Hello!, I simply stated, "If I could give my younger brothers one piece of advice, it would be to go on Spring Break." Months later when Julie told her dad she was dating her redheaded roommate, he gasped, "you mean the Spring Break guy?"

Needless to say, Spring Break has a special place in my heart. This year my wonderful wife Julie planned a trip to Rincon, Puerto Rico to celebrate Spring Break '09! I was lukewarm to the idea due to the impending economic doom caused by the banking financial crisis. Also, I had the specter of my Masters Comprehensive Exams hanging over my head along with the work for my final grad class. I thought I might use spring break, not for enjoyment but to get ahead on my work. (Soooooo lame!)

Julie prevailed, despite my misgivings, to do everything necessary to ensure a fantastic trip! She found really cheap airfare and a direct flight to San Juan, PR, booked a night at the famous Art Deco hotel Normandie, and rented an inexpensive apartment from a super wonderful couple in the great surf town of Rincon. This Spring Break was our first Surfari and what better surf destination than the Hawaii of the Caribbean, RINCON!

The next series of blog posts are taken from the journal I kept during the break. Throughout the week, I found myself chanting: best vacation ever, best vacation ever. Spring Break '09 was not the traditional - get tore up from the floor up, foam party, car bombs, hangovers and fast food. It was something completely different - going to bed at 9PM, getting up at 5:30AM, no T.V., - only pure appreciation of the ocean, the land, the air, and the stoke.