November 14th, 2021 The RUN is 13 out of 13 Weeks.
Waist high or better at least once a week.
There were head high waves
on November 8th, 9th, 2021.
And waist high on the 10th & 11th, 2021. There were head high on
the 12th and overhead waves on the 13th, 2021.
And waist to chest high on Saturday November 6th, 2021
THE RECORD FOR THE MOST CONSECUTIVE WEEKS IN A ROW FOR WAIST HIGH OR BETTER. August 8th, 2021 was 53 WEEKS! TOPPING THE 43 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS SET IN 2009!
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Thank you.
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You know, most of us surfers who live in Northern New England live for these storms. Those powerful and unpredictable Nor’easters. But let’s call them what they really are. They are our own versions of Hurricanes. Without the tropical warm waters associated with Hurricanes. These “Nor’easters” do not feed off the warm tropical waters and temperatures. Hardly. Hell, we get them from September to May. The colder the air temps get, the meaner these storms get. Wind, cold, ice, and snow typically associate themselves with these storms. And with these storms, the unfortunate truth is that every year people get hurt.
And worse. Much worse. People die.
So while most of the surfers are doing their happy dances whenever there’s a Nor’easter on the horizon. Ultimately someone else will get too close to the water’s edge and get hurt. And sometimes surfers themselves get hurt. It’s part of the risk factor of being a year round surfer. If you want to sing the blues sometimes you have to pay your dues.
I heard on Saturday that two surfers were seriously injured. One of them pretty badly. I don’t know the details of the injuries but I do know that there were ambulances involved. From the stories I heard, there were two local surfers who came to the aid of the injured. As soon as I find out more info I’ll post it here. The point I’m trying to make here is simple. We all want to surf these storms that produce our best waves. But we all need to be a bit more vigilant out there. In other words, we need to pay close attention to what is happening around us.
It’s no mystery as to how and why so many surfers actually save swimmers from drowning in the summer months. We are watermen. We know the ocean. We know the mechanics of the waves we surf, we know the tides and the rip currents. We know more than the average tourist or beginner does. So while it’s not our absolute responsibility to assist those in need, it is a matter of doing the right thing. And that starts by paying attention to your surroundings.
Nobody is saying you have to be a hero out there. But it couldn’t hurt to pay close attention to those around you when you’re out in big surf.
The video I posted above is the trailer to the full feature film of the two significant NOR’EASTERS, The one from October 28th, 2021 to October 31st, 2021 ironically fell on the 30th anniversary of the PERFECT STORM. I remember that storm like it was yesterday. It was to this very day the Biggest surf I have ever seen here in New England in the 57 years I’ve been surfing. That storm claimed the lives of 13 people. Six of them were on board the ill-fated fishing trawler the Andrea Gail.
The so-called "storm of the century" was a deadly combination of three weather fronts comprised of southward-moving arctic energy which collided with a northward-moving tropical storm combined with an offshore Atlantic storm. The meteorological phenomena began developing over the western Atlantic on Oct. 26, 1991, hitting its peak on Oct. 30, and finally passing through by Nov. 1.
The trail of damage, which extended from Nova Scotia to Florida, sunk boats, killed 13 people and ravaged parts of the East Coast with damage estimated close to $500 million. Hurricane force winds continued more than a day, with Thacher Island clocking gusts at 74 mph, according to the NOAA information service. One weather buoy in the Atlantic recorded a wave at more than 100 feet. Think about that for a minute. A 100' wave.
Information from the National Climatic Data Center shows that Massachusetts bore the brunt of the storm's wrath, with an estimated $100 million of damage, followed by New Jersey with $75 million. Gloucester paid the highest price, however, with the loss of the Andrea Gail's crew.
The storm, first referred to as the no-name or Halloween storm, left a black hole in its wake. The immediate loss was apparent with the Andrea Gail, but another generation would feel the reverberations as local children grew up without their fathers.
Both Tyne, a Gloucester native, and Bobby Shatford of Gloucester left two children behind. Crew member Dale Murphy left one child.
My friend Jerry law of Maine sent in these newspaper clippings (below) of the massive Nor’easter that hit on October 9-10-11th, 1988.
And in yet another ironic truth. I personally almost drowned on October 11th, 1988. The day after my first wedding anniversary. I wrote about that near drowning in another Blog post a few years ago. But the photo of me at the top of this page was from that day. In fact, it was the wave before this photo that almost got me. But one thing for sure was it was very real for me, and very scary. You can click on any of these newspaper clippings to read about the heartbreaking tragedies that took place here in northern New England on those three days.
Like I said. We need to pay attention. Life is precious.
Please stay frosty and vigilant out there.
This last Thursday, November 11th, 2021 was Veterans Day.
That's the actual day when you say "THANK YOU" to a Veteran. NOT on Memorial Day. On Veterans Day we acknowledge the living Veterans and those who have since passed away. On Memorial Day we ACKNOWLEDGE those who died fighting in the wars. It's pretty simple. If you know a veteran, either in your family, or a friend, give them a call, drop them an email, or shoot them a text, and simply say Thank You. They will be so touched that you did.
And speaking of Veterans Day. This is me at the AMERICAN LEGION Post 35 in Hampton, NH on the 11th hour, on the 11th day, on the 11th month.
But what most of you don't know is, I'm wearing my original USMC Field Jacket that was issued to me 52 years in 1969. Yes it still fits.
Photo by Matt Parker
Thank you for all the nice text messages, emails, and phone calls.
"SERVING OUR COUNTRY AND SURFING HEALS ALL WOUNDS."
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This is Mikey Moran. Mikey is the REAL DEAL longboarder who rides his longboard in big and small surf and rides it with style and power. Mikey Moran is a hard Core surfer. Make no mistake about it. He's CORE all the way!
Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.
Now for Some Local and National News
Tis The Season. Click on the image below for tickets to
Jimmy's Christmas show.
Check out other listings of Jimmy's performances in the area.
Click on Jimmy above to find out more.
THE SOFIA SMITH SCHOLARSHIP FUND
If you can afford to donate a few dollars to help Greg Smith's daughter Sofia out please click on the image below to lend a hand. Thank you and Mahalo.
The GREG SMITH Paddle Video is down in the video section.
Click the image above to learn more about JOURNEY SURF CO. This is a very cool project for a worthy cause.
GO PATRIOTS! THEY SMOKED THE BROWNS TODAY 45-7.
They are moving in the right direction. They play the ATLANTA FALCONS on Thursday. So it's a short week for them. But holy moly they are looking really good on all three phases of the game. I'm not making any predictions just yet, but man are they ever exciting to watch. LET'S GO!!!!
KSM Photoshop of the Week
Now last week I had our boy texting Nancy Pelosi. But this? Is he sending her these hideous Selfies? Maybe. Hard to tell. But one thing is for certain, I'm having fun doing these weekly KSM's. I hope you guys are enjoying my work. Khaliddy sure is.
And 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 STAIN REMOVERS
at
Home Depot this week.
HAPPY HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY George Masten 11-9-21!
HAPPY 246th BIRTHDAY USMC 11-10-21!
HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY ANNIE KELLY 11-10-21!
HAPPY VETERANS DAY 11-11-21!
Congrats to Noelle Rizzo GRADUATING FROM SNHU last
Sunday 11-7-21!
We're so proud of her. Not to mention that she and her husband Pete are expecting a child in April 2022. Grandchild number 4! Yay!
PLEASE Keep local Surfer/Musician Pete Kowalski in your thoughts and prayers throughout the year.
Finally PLEASE keep Kim Grondin in your thoughts and prayers.
Please
Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week every week for the last 16 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
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Yesterday- THE STORM THAT KILLED THREE 1988.
(Below) This is so beautiful. October 9th, 1988. Surfers have been for decades now mesmerized by big and beautiful waves. How can something so pretty be so deadly. Well, we all know the answer to that. WE as surfers all know and respect the power of the ocean. It's the unknowing individuals who end up paying the ultimate price.
Photo by Jerry Law
*Click on the pic to see a larger version.
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I kept a daily Blog on my CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY surf campaign, when I surfed every single day for 365 consecutive days. Click on the Banner above to read entries of my daily journey. There's some really interesting and true experiences
that happened during that year. Some of which are to this day, unexplainable. Some are just mind blowing. But all true.
I started on July 26th, 2010 and ended on July 26th, 2011.
Some rainy Sunday, pour yourself a cup and go through the journal.
Pay close attention to the month of May in 2011. Read that month and let me know what you think of that. Be forewarned it will change you forever.
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