"Damn! I've got a cramp in my foot!" I yelled out in the line-up yesterday to no one in particular. Have any of you ever had a cramp in your foot? It's really uncomfortable. Especially out in the water. They say if you get a cramp, you are supposed to stand up and walk it off. Try that in six feet of water. And believe me I tried. For a solid 10 to 15 minutes that thing just worked itself into a knot that made my foot look like a petrified pterodactyl. It hurt like hell. I tried standing on my board. I tried everything. I'd catch a wave and try and stomp on my foot as I rode it. I'm sure I must of looked like Old Walter Brennan from the Real McCoy's. (boy I'm really showing my age). Nothing worked.

I get leg cramps a lot lately. I guess when you are getting older it all comes with the territory. I get them at night all the time. I'm forever jumping out of bed, waking my wife, and walking them off. I've taken to eating lots of bananas. I guess that helps. I don't know. Surfing for 252 consecutive days can't help. Plus I take my young pup for long hikes in the woods every other day. So the cramps are there each night, waiting to attack me. I'm over trying to talk the cramp out of leaving my body. Like I'm performing some kind of Cramp Exorcism. "I demand you to leave this leg now! Be gone you Evil Satan Cramp! Leave this man alone...he's too old for this shit!"

Nothing works except the walking it off. So yesterday out in the water, I put up with the "turkey claw" foot and let it work itself out. I suppose I could of paddled in and walked it off on the beach. But then I would of missed a wave or two. And, I'm a surfer. I can't do that. Let waves get by...what a dilemma huh? Not. That's stupid.

So last week I wrote about my "Soul Arch". I was tickled pink that my friend and fellow photographer Ed O'Connell captured me doing one. Then a few days later, my new Surfers Journal showed up in the mail and I was stopped dead in my tracks. That's it over there in the right hand column. You can just barely make it out. It's a guy doing a soul arch on what appears to be the freaking Head Wall at Tuckerman's ravine. I mean, it's a cliff face. It is perhaps one of the most frightening images I have ever seen in surfing. Good Lord what is happening to surfing? These mutant beasts of waves, are being ridden by individuals during every possible swell. But this guy doing this soul arch on this wave? It's...I don't know. Scary. It's just gut wrenching madness.

The repercussions of messing up on a wave of that magnitude is beyond anything I could ever comprehend. I get it that Jet Skis are right there, and they provide the means of rescuing someone, but damn, I don't think they have a Jet Ski that can go under water and pull someone out who is drowning. Case in point. The Hawaiian who died a couple of weeks ago at Mavericks. Sion Milosky. He had friends on Jet Skis right there videotaping his last ride. You can actually hear one of the guys on the Ski say "We should go and get him." Well I guess they should have. But it was already too late.

Because Sion, was under water taking two massive waves on the head. Drowning.

And for those who say he died doing something he loved, well, I guess there's some solace in that. He did love surfing big waves. But on the other hand. I can't imagine that taking a pounding by huge, thick, cold, waves and then sucking seawater into your lungs is something anybody loves. I could be wrong. But that sounds awful. I don't think Sion's last thoughts were..."This is great! I love this..." I would hope that his last thoughts were of his wife and two daughters. And that sad realization washing over you, that it's over.

Your life is over, because of big waves. There's nothing romantic about that.

But do not get me wrong. I'm like everyone else. I enjoy watching it. I enjoy staring at photos like that TSJ cover. I enjoy groaning out loud with my friends when we watch someone get worked on a beast of a wave. So I feed right into the whole concept. I won't ever do it myself, but I'm part of the reason that the Big wave Riders risk their lives. The DVDs. The YouTube clips. The spreads in the mags. The stories. The real horror of big wave surfing. I'm part of the machine that feeds that whole scene.

I don't feel guilty when someone dies. I feel a true sense of sadness coupled with that nagging "what a waste" feeling. But I'm not gonna turn away from the next clip that comes my way. Or the next cover shot. That's something we all live with. We are all a big part of that Big Wave Frenzy. It's like the NASCAR scene. We fill the racetracks. And wait for the crashes. And the sponsors feed the drivers that go a million miles an hour so we can get our thrills. And then when the accident happens...no one turns away. We all watch it. Over and over again. It's the same with Big wave Surfing. We feed it.

Bigger and better. Higher and steeper. Hollow and hollower...it's never ending.

So the April Fools Day Storm came with the typical media hype. And while it did snow in certain locations, it did not snow much here. Yes there was a few inches on the ground, and it did appear that it was going get worse. But the temps were hovering just above the freezing mark, and it basically killed any chance for any real accumulation. It turned to rain and sleet. Surfing sleet is not fun. But due to the fact that the prior four days had almost no waves. Well, you can't really call a "four inch wave" a wave now can you. No you can't. And this past week turned out to be the most difficult of this yearlong undertaking. I was hard pressed to get a wave to ride for the prescribed 9 feet.

There were days last week when I would stand in the water thigh deep, and wait for a wave. I'd stand there and wait. And wait and wait...and finally? A rogue 6 inch wave would come, and I would paddle like crazy and catch it, and try to unweight. I'd slide forward on the board and miraculously go the 9 feet...it was crazy. But I did it. I've done it every day so far. And with the good lord willing, I'll keep going until this year is up.

But that April Fools Day Storm? Well, it was a welcome sight for me. I've always said, give me a snowstorm any day of the week. At least I know there's going to be waves. And I caught a bunch the 1st and 2nd of April. Yes there was sleet in my face. Yes it was cold. But surfing in real waves around here can make anything seem tolerable.And the best part of that snow storm for me? I did not shovel a single flake. I knew it would all melt and that I'd be wasting energy using muscles that would better suit me surfing than shoveling or snow blowing. No sir I did not shovel any of that snow.

And looking outside my studio window today...well it's all gone. Just like I knew it would. Ha! But then again, so is the swell...but they are talking more waves coming this week. Bring it baby! Bring it on...Big "Cramping" Daddy is waiting...

Now for some of my Weekly Global Observances:
The bombing in Libya and K-Daffy's tanks and troops are winding down as we have turned over that duty to NATO. And while our President has insisted that NO ground troops will be deployed, I can't help but think. When have we ever had a successful War when you didn't have ground troops? We simply have not. Ever. So this dilemma of arming the Rebels and taking K-Daffy down looms closer to a disaster for the US and our Allies as this thing appears to be in a stalemate.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for K-Daffy being toppled. Though I admit, I'll miss his wacky outfits and crazy rants. He reminds me of an old Blues singer. I wonder if he sings and plays guitar? Be great to have him perform. "K-Daffy sings the Blues." Be a great name for a CD. I'd buy it. And those brown and beige outfits and those little hats? That's fashion baby. Ole K-Daffy knows how to dress up.

But seriously? This thing is not going to end anytime soon.

In other Middle East madness. The death toll in Afghanistan has reached 20 because of the Bonehead Pastor from Florida Rev Terry "Mutton Chops" Jones and his burning of the Quran. Someone should grab that idiot and burn that damn ridiculous looking facial hair off his face. Are you kidding me? This guy is a buffoon.



Look, the idiots who are killing innocent people over this are equally wrong and insane. But really? Reverend Jones you had to burn the Quran? Even though you knew it would incite riots and cause the deaths of innocent people? You know someone is going to burn a Bible now...man this world is full of losers.

I just read somewhere that Charlie Sheen is going to go on tour with his "Torpedo Of Truth" Tour. Charlie is fading on his 15 minutes of fame. He may be Winning. But I'm over him. There's a whole bunch of Loser celebs out there waiting to take that Throne of absurdity. Move over Charlie...let someone else make a fool of themselves.

So how about that Southwest Airline nightmare? Oh man. Look that reminds me. I have a crack in my windshield. I need to get that fixed. Good Lord. That had all the fixings of that terrible Aloha Airlines tragedy back in the 80's. Remember that? That was some scary stuff. Airplanes can't fly with big holes in them.

Speaking of big holes...the lost Cobra was found hiding in a hole in the reptile room at the Bronx zoo. Whew! Wouldn't want to cause panic in New York with a lose Cobra...are you kidding me? That's a story? I guess it is. With all the crazy shit in this world I guess we all need a Walt Disney break every now and then. Speaking of Disney, my youngest daughter Noelle in hindsight thought we should of named our puppy "Pongo". Ha!


ANNOUNCEMENTS: THE RUN REDUX IS OUT! Pick one up in the shops or email me and order one directly or go to www.surffreeordie.com

COMING SOON on APRIL 15th, 2011 It is "RALPH's PIC OF THE WEEK" 8th Year Anniversary! We started this weekly blog on April 15th, 2004.

Happy Birthday David Robinson April 2nd.
Happy Birthday Don Rose April 2nd.
Happy Birthday to Adam Coates April 5th!
Happy Birthday Brook Gassner April 6th!
Happy Birthday to...Mike Keefe, Casey Lockwood and Duffy McCarthy April 9th!
Rest in Peace Yia-Yia the Valhouli family grandmother who passed away this week at age 90. That's a wonderful long life. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. Especially her cooking. Rest in Peace Yia-Yia.
Congrats to my buddy Jeff Chamberlain on the birth of his grandson Cassius!
RED SOX lose two in a row. Big Papi nails two HR's though...

Don't forget to Check the DAILY BLOG on My CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY. (Click
On the Banner on this page.) Started on July 26, 2010 ENDS July 26, 2011. A Wave
a day for 365 consecutive days. Just click on the banner ads on this page.

CHECK OUT THE NEW/Old YESTERDAY PAGE! ALL OLD New England and
beyond Surf Pics! *NEW PICS added each week!

*Check out the NEW updated DROPPING IN ON RALPH blog Section.
ALL of December, January, and February will be up soon . The DROPPING IN ON
RALPH section will be up to DATE as soon as I can find the time to do it. There's just so much a man can do in a single day. But I do want to update that page, as it is entertaining to say the least. Because there's some great letters from you guys from all over the world. (And a few hurtful ones too). But check it out.
*This is the blog section of this website where you can write in and comment. The only downside of this blog is, you actually have to use your REAL Name. No hiding behind some fake handle and name. If you want to comment, you have to man up, and be yourself. I will post all comments, both good and bad. You just have to be yourself.

Please Support ALL The photographers who contribute to Ralph's Pic Of The Week
every week for the last 8 years. **Think about BUYING a Photo from any of the weeks
on RPOTW as a GREAT Gift Idea. A nice framed photo of your favorite Surfer!

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

Ralph