August 31st 2008

A few weeks ago I wrote about the subject of being stoked.Or more specifically, the "lack of being stoked." I'm sure a lot of you remember it. But for those who don't. I basically said that, most adults I know are pretty jaded when it comes to being truly stoked on marginal surf.
And, I said that a lot of the experienced teens were equally jaded. And...I said that the only surfers who were Really Stoked were the young groms.

Well after last weekend with the Wounded Warriors Surfing experience and what I witnessed on Friday August 29th at the Wall. And what you my friends, can view exclusively here on this blog, changed my take on that subject. How's that? Well, I witnessed along with a handful of others, a 53 year old former world champion Pioneer in the Sport of Surfing paddle out at the Wall on Friday afternoon in dribbling, gutless surf and absolutely kill it.
And not only did he kill it, but he did it, with the stoke of a young grom. Who was this Stoked 53 yr old Surfer?

Shaun Tomson.

Yes the Shaun Tomson. Now I know there's a few of you out there who know very little about Shaun Tomson. In fact, I'm sure there's more than a few. However, I also know that there are more of you who know exactly who Shaun is. And to those individuals, I have to tell you, it was an unbelievable experience, to not only witness Shaun Tomson surf our waves with a handful of friends, but it was an honor for me to be able to shoot those rides.

So how good was he? Does Shaun still have it?

Look at the video clip and then ask me. I am telling you all right here and now, that the waves he was out surfing in, were absolutely pathetic, gutless, dribble, that even those of us who are somewhat regularly"stoked", would have a hard time surfing. Even...(and I say this with respect), those who compete. I mean, if you had a heat in these conditions, you would of been groveling out there.

But Shaun not only surfed these waves good, he surfed them with enthusiasm on par with any stoked grom. I kid you not. He surfed with Dave Cropper and after about an hour, he told Crop he was just going to get one more and head in. Well, about an hour and a half later, he was still out there. Surfing our waves, stoked out of his mind.

This is a man who helped take contemporary surfing, and turn it on it's head. It's true. Shaun Tomson helped Pioneer what professional surfing is today. From 1974 to 1980 Shaun and a handful of other surfers from Australia and South Africa turned the surf world upside down. That's why he was in town. He's on a self promotion tour for the new movie "BUSTIN DOWN THE DOOR".

The movie was shown at the IOKA in Exeter and it was really well done. In this day and age when there's a new surf movie every other day and they all start to look and feel the same, this is a movie about an important part of our history and it is as significant as any other surf documentary that you have ever seen. If you saw the flick you know what I'm talking about. If you missed it, well I would suggest getting the DVD in December.

It is the true story about Shaun Tomson, Wayne Rabbit Bartholomew, Ian Carins, Mark Richards, Michael Tomson, Peter Towend, Mark Warren and it is narrated by Edward Norton.

BUSTIN DOWN THE DOOR...is a must see Surf Movie about the true birth of professional surfing.

I kept thinking how my late friend Joe Somogyi would of been freaking out knowing that Shaun "The Prawn" Tomson was at 10th st in Hampton. Same with Kevin Grondin. Kevin was nowhere to be found that afternoon. Too bad, because I am absolutely certain, that Kevin would of been stoked out of his mind, to surf with one of our Surf Legends. Lenny Nichols got to share a few waves with Shaun along with Crop and a few others as well, were somewhat aware of who was out in the water with them.

But for me personally, I was beyond stoked. I felt like a little Grom Groupie around Shaun. I could barely contain myself. I mean, here's the guy who took riding in the tube to a whole new level, out surfing my homebreak. The same break that we all pretended to be Shaun Tomson whenever the surf got hollow.

Shaun Tomson surfed the Wall.

Just when I thought I could not have gotten more inspired than I did last week when I spent the day with the Wounded Warriors surfing, I spoke with Shaun about his unimaginable loss. The death of his only son Matthew. Shaun and his wife Carla lost their only child two years ago to a school boy prank that went horribly wrong. As a parent, there is no greater fear. It's something every parent dreads. Thankfully, most of us will get through our lives without this terrible tragedy. And, like most of you, we all wonder how we would react to such a loss.

Shaun's attitude and willingness to speak about his loss was in short inspiring. He told us all that it was surfing that helped get him through his grief and sorrow. My last words to Shaun that night was about this blog. I told him, that I end every one of my weekly columns with my tag of "Surfing Heals All Wounds". He smiled and said "That's beautiful". Then we shook hands.

I drove home from the IOKA that night with tears in my eyes, thinking about that hole in his heart. My tears eventually turned to smiles, when I thought about what surfing has done for Shaun and what Shaun has done and still does, for surfing.

Tonight, I'll say a prayer for Matthew Tomson.

We had a great day yesterday at the annual Surf Family Robinson Beach Party. Hard to believe that 17 years has come and gone and we still do this. All you surfers with young children who went to this event know what I'm talking about. It was a fun day and I was happy to see some faces that had never been before. And even happier to see the old faces still show up. If you missed it this year try and make it next year. It's the last Saturday before Labor Day.

Mark it down on your calendar now.

Looks like we have ourselves a couple of big ass storms brewing down south. Hurricane Gustav looks pretty beefy and Hanna looks promising for us. It is hard to believe that Gustav may make landfall on New Orleans. Look I know that none of us surfers want to see anyone suffer from any storm, especially those who have suffered enough already. And the Lord knows the people of New Orleans have suffered plenty from KATRINA. And I know we all live and pray for Hurricanes but this is too much.

Besides, who would benefit (wave wise) from Gustav? The Gulf coast of Florida and Texas? It's kind of a crap shoot anyway. With all that wind and unfavorable currents and conditions. Is it worth it? It's a dilemma being a surfer.

And it's certainly a dilemma being a surfer in these paths of Monster Storms like Gustav. It's like Dammed if we do and dammed if we don't. I guess we all really have no say over Mother Nature and we must let Nature take it's course. I just hope that some scientist doesn't come up with some kind of man made force that can dissipate Hurricanes in the future.

That would be a crime.

And don't think for a moment that they are not thinking about such things. Because they are. If they could stop Hurricanes from forming they would. In the bat of an eyelash. They'd kill em dead.

If they could. Same with Tornadoes. I can see killing Tornadoes, but please, not Hurricanes. Can't we all just get along? Storms and mankind. Can't we?

I guess we can't. Speaking of not getting along. There were quite a few people out in the water yesterday morning. I counted over 100 at 7AM. That's nuts. But it's true. There were a 100 people in the water at 7AM at the Wall on Saturday. I figured at one point I could of walked across every head and not touch the water. OK, that's a stretch. About 6 to 8' worth. Get it? I'd have to stretch my legs to walk across everyone's head? Never mind.

And I guess there were a few incidents where there were people doing things that they should not have been doing. And again, that's the problem of crowds. And not just crowds but the mixing of those who know how to surf and those who don't. There are no green circle runs and black diamond hills. It's all mixed together. And we have no ski patrol so we have to govern ourselves. It's not that far off from the Mad Max World.

There are several handbooks and lots of websites that explain the rules and regulations of our unregulated lifestyle. It's mostly proper manners and respect, but none the less, they are all helpful tools. And if nothing else, they will help you understand why that guy just yelled his bloody head off at you. You know, give you a heads up next time you paddle out. We all have to learn the do's and don't of this thing we all love.

Hey I wanted to thank all of you who sent me encouraging emails on the Wounded Warriors Surfing Event last week. Thank you so much for your kind words. It was such an inspiring day that it's hard not to appreciate and marvel what these true American Heroes have done for our country. And the fact that they chose surfing as a way to explore new possibilities and sensations is just beyond our wildest expectations of what the day would be like.

Both Michael Taylor and myself are already thinking about next year's event.
And you will see it all posted here.

It's the End of Summer. How do I know this? Because I witnessed all the Big Sales at all the shops including the annual Midnite Madness at Cinnamon Rainbows last night. The summer is over.

The kids are going back to school. The tourists will soon be leaving. The Days and nights will get a bit more chillier than the week before. You know what's coming. The Best Days of The Year that's what. Fall...Autmun. New England at her best.

On Thursday September 11, 2008 at 6PM on 69 High Street in Hampton. The Local American Legion POST 35 is having their third annual GWOT Dedication. What that means is, all the Veterans from the State of New Hampshire who were killed in the GWOT since last September 11, 2007 will have their names added to the monument outside the Post building.

This year we are adding three names.

This is a somber observance and is usually well attended by the whole community. The surfing community and the genral populace.

*The new format of this weekly blog is coming on Sunday September 14th.

Remember my friends...Surfing heals all wounds....
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph

Yesterday 1975 Shaun Tomson Free Ride.
(Below) This is the photo that blew our minds back in 1975. We had never seen this sort of image before,
and it was as groundbreaking then as the first ever aerial shot was today. Shaun Tomson's tube riding ability
was something else. This stuff was mind boggling. And think about the fact that no one had You Tube or video
access like yo do today. We only had the image to stare at. We had to wait for the dam movie to find it's way
to our neck of the woods before we saw what was really happening. But man once we did, it was
the beginning of something very special. You all need to see the DVD. Bustin Down The Door when it comes
out in December. It's a Must See Film and Ralph gives it two big thumbs up.
Photo by Dan Merkel from the movie FREE RIDE.

2008 Today-Shaun Tomson at THE WALL, Hampton NH August 29, 2008.

(Above) Shaun Tomson and Dave Cropper at 10th Street Prior to Shaun's first ever NH surf session.
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Shaun was such a good natured guy that he posed with everyone. Including me.
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Jill Caisey and Shaun Tomson. Shaun had that same big smile for each of us. He is genuinely
a nice guy.
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Shaun Tomson and Dave Cropper at 10th Street
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Shaun Tomson was killing the small gutless swell. Check the video clip in the clip of the week.
Video Frame Grab by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Crop, Shaun and Lenny. Check out the video clip to see Shaun surf.
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

Above) One of the Promo piece's to BUSTIN DOWN THE DOOR.
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Shaun after the movie at the IOKA in Exeter.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Crop and Shaun tossing out the giveaways at the IOKA in Exeter.
Photo by Chris Shipley


(Above) John Savastano and Shaun after the movie at the IOKA in Exeter.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Crop and Phil at last nite's madness. Put your mouse over the pic and check out Heather!
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Surf Family Robinson 17 years strong.
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Surfers and their kids. Surf Family Robinson .
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Skip strumming up a new tune at SFR..."Well their quirky and their wacky..."
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Surf Family Robinson Team One.
Photo by R. Fatello SFOD



(Above) James O'Hara and Mom Heather at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

Above) Jared jams a little cutty at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Gavin O'Hara , the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley


(Above) Busting losse at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Gavin and Mom Heather at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

RALPH'S VIDEO CLIP OF THE WEEK.
CLICK ON THE PHOTO IMAGE BELOW FOR SHORT WINDOWS MEDIA FILE VIDEO CLIP.
VIDEO by SFOD R. Fatello

(Above) CLICK ON Video (photo) Frame Grab of Shaun Tomson's FIRST EVER Surf in New Hampshire.
The SFOD movie is a SHORT WINDOWS MEDIA FILE VIDEO CLIP.
Video Frame grab by R. Fatello SFOD

(Above) Larry Giles having some fun at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Larry Giles having some more fun at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Larry Giles at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) John Adams having some fun at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Johnny Reynolds, perfect trim at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Yours Truly squeaking into frame at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Skip Brunette at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(Above) Skip Brunette on a super clean little left at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

(
Above) Chris Wilson riding the roof at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

Above) Chris Wilson in a cool looking image at the Wall.
Photo by Chris Shipley

Above) BHD saluting at the Wall.
Photo by Tom Woods