Every now and then I come up with a funny meme. Yes I had a few reservations about creating this one, but honestly? I think that Jesus has a sense of humor. Especially now-a-days. How could he not? And I'm guessing there is much laughter in heaven. Still, you have to wonder how and why these two days have become one. How can you let Easter fall on April Fools Day? This meme above practically wrote itself.

Easter after all is the most important day for all Christians who believe in the resurrection of Christ. It is the one day moment in all of Christianity that sets this massive following apart from all other religions. How can they let these two totally opposite days fall on the same day? What genius came up with that. Don't they have calendars in the office?

April Fools Day? Let's face it, it's not really a holiday. It's literally a joke.

Though I know some people who love this day. I have a close friend, who by the way, is a strict Catholic claim that this is their Favorite Holiday. Huh? It's true. This friend loves to create mayhem on this most silly of days. So, I am wondering what that person is feeling today.

How do you celebrate these two days without tipping the apple cart.

The Catholic religion is very strict in their beliefs. Though I must admit they have come a long way since the days of hell and brimstone. In fact, the Pope recently came out and said that there is no hell. Say what? Yup, according to Pope Francis there is no hell.

He says that those without Jesus in their heart, will simply disappear when they pass. "Their souls will fade and disappear into nothing."



That's a bold statement, and if you ask me, that's gonna cause some problems within the flock. If some Christian criminal, who is on the fence about committing some horrific crime hears that there is no hell? Hello? That's not good. The threat of hell has kept most Christians in line.



This is what kept us on our toes. The thought of spending an eternity in hell was enough motivation to us on the good path. As a young boy I had to keep track of how many sins I had on my soul. God forbid if you had a mortal sin and didn't get to confession in time before you passed, you had a one way ticket to hell. That's frightening as a young child to deal with.

Maybe, just maybe Pope Francis was playing a April Fools joke on us!



I'm going to make a bold statement of my own. I'm going to claim that this last month of March was the BEST March we have ever experienced ever!
Think about it. We had five major swells that produced well overhead waves that last for days on end. This last one (pictured above with Jared Veltsos) was dare I say? The biggest and best? That's a tough call. But there were some double overhead waves and some bigger sets that came through on March 28th, 2018. There is an old saying about March and it goes like this. "March comes in like a Lion and goes out like a Lamb."



They ought to change that to "March came in like a Lion and hung around like a pack of Lions and went out like a Lion with a full belly." There was nothing "lamb like" about this March. This pic of Terence Kirby on March 5th was just the beginning of the insanity. Scratch that. It was insanity, it was without question "MARCH MADNESS!"



The big swells of March brought with it some big injuries. Johnny Meehan suffered a major blow to the head by his board, when paddling out through a big set. He was able to duck dive the first wave, but the second wave which capped out in front of him, picked him up during his duck dive and proceeded to lift him and his board up through the face, and into the lip going backwards and upside down. As a surfer I know how terrifying that can be.

The violent thrashing caused him to get hit in the face by his middle fin, and he suffered other bumps and bruises while experiencing one of the worst ever hold downs. Being hit with your board is one thing, but to be held down underwater getting thrashed until your lungs are about to burst is something else all together. Luckily a friend 'Brian" was near by and was able to assist Johnny to the beach. Thank you Brian. You're a good man.

Johnny got 10 stitches in his face and his head was hurting and swollen pretty bad. When I saw him the next day he was black and blue and still a little shell shocked from the whole ordeal. His one take-a-way from the experience is this. "If I were to be faced with that same situation again, I would ditch my board and dive for the bottom. None of this would have happened if I had just pitched my board. Worse case scenario? I would have maybe broken my leash and be forced to swim in. But I wouldn't have gotten this beat up."

So there's a lesson here for all surfers in big waves. And let me repeat that part again "Big Waves" not small surf. Never ditch your board in small surf. But if you're faced with a macking set wave, and there's no one behind you, it's OK to ditch your board. The life you save may just be your own.



This was my second head injury involving getting hit with my board. During my MOLLY campaign 7 years ago. This one required 12 stitches. The first time was during Hurricane Hortense in 1996. That injury cost me 36 stitches in my face. And that particular injury was made even more horrifying, because the board hit me so hard it knocked me unconscious. I've been knocked out twice in my life. That one was frightening. So, what's this all mean? Nothing really. Just try and protect yourself and others out there. Because getting hurt can happen to the best of us.

" Surfing Heals All Wounds (and causes a few as well) "

This is one of Ed's best angles. He loved to set up across the bay and zoom in with his mighty 600mm lens and catch those hollow freight trains going by. Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.


Now for Some Local, National and International News
I'm guessing most of you watched the 60 Minutes show last Sunday when Anderson Cooper interviewed Stormy Daniels. I couldn't help but think about Melania and how hard that had to have been for her. Let's face it, her husband is a horn dog. In fact, there hasn't been a hornier president in the White House since Bill Clinton. And if you stop and think about it The Trumps have more in common with the Clintons than they do with any of the other past presidents. Now how ironic is that?




Back in the day when they were all friends. I bet they wish they could all go back to that time. Back when being a horn dog was acceptable. When cheating on your wife was cool. Ah the good Ole days.

Hey kids it's EASTER and here's a few memes to brighten your day and to remind you all what this day is really all about.



An oldie but goodie. Clever back when it first came out. Still brings a smile to my face. How about you?



Never seen this one before. But I have to admit, it's become a favorite of mine.



KSM Photoshop of the Week
Check out this horrifying photo of KSM down at GITMO dressing up as the Easter Bunny for the children of the guards. The Khaliddy Bunny. How on earth did this happen. That one kid will be scarred for life. It never ceases to amaze me, what lows I will stoop to to bring shame and dishonor to this butcher.

So my friends, please take advantage of this weekly photo shop of the mastermind who planned 9-11 and resulted in the deaths
of 3,000 innocent civilians by KSM (Khalid Sheik Mohammed).

*Note to self -must pick up a case of "Easter Eggs" at Home Depot this week.

HAPPY EASTER April 1st, 2018!
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY April Fools Day, 2018!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY David Robinson April 2nd, 2018!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Don Rose April 2nd, 2018!
GET WELL SOON Jon Gozzo!
GET WELL JoEllen Bunton Sending positive thoughts
and prayers to you!!
REST IN PEACE Patrick Mulvey.

FYI Lenny Nichols is looking for someone or someones to take
over the ESA-NNE District. Please contact Lenny Nichols by calling his cell (603) 944-2418

THE NEW GRANITE GIRLS poster! Shooting for a May Day premiere and a Summer DVD release.






Please Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week every week for the last 13 years.
** BUY a HIGH RES Photo from any of the weeks on RPOTW.

Remember my friends... Surfing Heals All Wounds.
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph

*Click on the photo above to see a larger version

(Above) The feeling you get when you soar through the air.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery





(Above) Becca Speak cutting back for more energy. The heel to toe carve
is not uncommon to many of the world's best surfers.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery





(Above) I looked and saw this guy take off. Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery





(Above) Mikey Evans has these carves down pat.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) The timing is critical here. Colby waiting patiently for the right moment to leap. Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) And that timing paid off. Colby streaking down the line.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Richie Appel in another long carving cutback.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Terence Kirby on the other side of the bay for this swell.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) That lighthouse is as old as the land itself.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by Jeff Crawford
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery


(Above) You best be being paying close attention to the indicator.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by Jeff Crawford
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Did he make it? How the hell do I know? If I had to guess? I'd say no.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo courtesy of Wyatt Couture
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) That's a fast moving freight train of a wave right there.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo courtesy of Wyatt Couture
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery







(Above) Welcome Ed Moran (new photographer) to our coast.
Expect to see more from Ed on the blog in the future.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2018. Photo by Ed Moran
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery