I know, I know, I'm a day late here. But I have an excuse, there were a couple of major factors in this column being late. First of all, yesterday was Christmas. And I typically work all day and night on Saturdays's to get this weekly out by Sunday morning. And the other contributing factor of my being late this week, is that snowstorm. Perhaps you heard about it? That thing is whipping up some serious wind, snow, and surf.

It's an Old Fashioned Butt Whooping Nor'easter!

But getting back to Christmas. As most of you know, I am involved in a Major undertaking of surfing every single day for a year. Yesterday being Christmas is part of that everyday deal. I had to surf. And honestly? This was not the first time I ever surfed on Christmas. Hardly. I've surfed quite a few over the years. But yesterday? Well it was clearly a memorable surf for me. Why?

Well for starters, I was halfway to the beach when I realized that I had forgotten my cell phone. Now for all intents and purposes, I have surfed way more times without a cell phone but as of late, I always have the cell with me. The way I figured it, I had two options. Go back and get the phone, or just deal with not having the phone for this
surf session. I chose the latter. I was thinking I won't really need a phone today.
Except to call a few friends to wish them a Merry Christmas.

I was thinking it's no big deal. If I need to make a call, I can always borrow a phone.

I pulled up to the beach and Ed O'Connell was there getting ready to snap a few pics. Ed's a great guy, he and his wife Cathy took time out of the Christmas Holiday to drive by the ocean and possibly snap a few pics. I was stoked to get Christmas pics of me surfing for Molly. I was beyond stoked. I can't recall if I've ever had flicks of me surfing on Christmas Day. Today was going to be that day. I was so happy.

The surf was waist high and there was NO ONE out anywhere! I had it to myself!

As I was getting ready to haul Big Black out of the back of the Commander I made a horrible discovery..."Oh THE HORROR THE HORROR..." I had forgotten my gloves. My Mitts. My super warm wetsuit gloves. My heart stopped right then and there. I looked at the perfect surf and made a quick assessment. "I can paddle out without my gloves and catch one wave." I can do this I was thinking to myself. I can do this...

I asked Ed how long I could survive if I didn't wear any gloves. And before he could answer me I reminded him of what I'd heard recently or read somewhere. And I could of sworn the report said that if you were to fall off a boat in the cold ocean, you could survive for 20 minutes. I looked at the ocean and said..."I Can do this Ed. I just need one wave and I'll come right in.." Ed didn't say much. In hindsight, I should of picked up on Ed' s silence. Instead, I walked to the water's edge and said "I'll be right back."

I jumped in the water and started to paddle Big Black to the outside line-up. I think I went all of 20 yards when I had to stop. My hands were FREEZING! "I can't do this! It's way too cold! I'm turning back." Ed never said anything. But he knew I was cold.

"I just can't do it Ed. It's way too cold." So I borrowed his phone, and called home.

My daughter Gabby answered the phone, and after a few dropped calls, I was able to explain my predicament. She quickly sprang into action and drove the wetsuit mitts and my phone down to me. When she showed up 10 minutes later, she also brought the NIKON D-90 and snapped a few pics.

Thanks Gabby, you saved the day. Or rather, my hands.

You know this was not the first time I had a cold encounter with the surf on Christmas Day. I can vividly recall a time when my High School Buddy Jeff Crawford called me to say we were going surfing on Christmas Day. I protested at first saying "It's Christmas Jeff! My parents won't let me go!" But Jeff was insistent on doing this. We had a group of friends who surfed back in those days. It was the mid 60's. The War in Vietnam was raging and I had a short window before I would leave for boot camp myself. But this last Christmas in 1968 was my swan song with my surf brothers.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I had to do this as well. So off we went. Straight to North Beach (The WALL) in Hampton. When we pulled up at the Wall the surf was HUGE! I mean it was all of 6 to 8' feet and breaking so far out. Back in those days we had longboards with NO leashes. We knee paddled those big old boards outside, or as far as we could, before the big sets would just take us out. We were all getting worked just paddling out. But we were determined. And stupid.

I remember getting on my knees and paddling as hard and as fast as I could. I was almost outside, when I was hit by a huge wall set. Needless to say I lost my board. I realized I had a very long swim ahead of me. Now what I didn't mention was the wetsuit I was wearing. It was a Dive Suit. PARKWAY. It was thick enough, but not very flexible. I had the Beaver tail suit, but it was NOT connected, and I was not wearing a hood. I hated hoods back in those days. I hated them.

But after a few waves on my young head I was wishing I had one. I was getting delirious swimming back towards shore. And it was getting late in the day. My head was experiencing the ultimate Ice cream Headache. I was about 30 yards from the beach when I suddenly lost power. I had become disoriented. I was sick and my head was spinning.

In hindsight, I was basically drowning. I was in trouble.

I can recall taking in water in big gulps. I could still see the shoreline where my friends were standing and yelling to me, trying to point to where I should swim. But I could not swim anymore. I was done. And that's when the Christmas miracle happened. And it happened in the form of one of my friends. The unassuming Jay Wilbur.

Jay had been surfing with us and he had gone through the same ordeal, only he never lost his board. He had come back in on his own power. But he was standing there on that Christmas Day, with a towel wrapped around himself, getting out of his wetsuit and into his clothes. When he saw me he knew I was in trouble and without any hesitation he jumped into that ice cold water and swam up to me and pulled me in.

He was bare chested and wearing jeans.

By the time I reached the shore, I was almost in complete shock. I vomited on the rocks there at 10th Street and my head was spinning. But throughout it all, I kept thanking Jay over and over again. He had saved my life. I never forgot that. That was Christmas Day 1968. That same afternoon we met a Hippie from California who was (I swear to God) driving a Hearse and up on his roof was a 8' 3" Harbour Rapier.

Long story short, we became friends with the hippie, and I ended up buying that "short board" . I still have it today. Jay ended up becoming a minister somewhere. I lost track of him when I joined the Marines. I ran into him a few times after the war. He had quit surfing altogether and had devoted his life to the Lord. Thank God for Jay Wilbur.

So the whole 20 minute survival thing? Yea, well it's more like 3 minutes tops. None of us could not survive in water that cold for 20 minutes. Period.

So that's my Christmas story of past and present. I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday...please be careful out there in this latest storm. The ocean is still in charge.

We are insignificant. Happy Holidays my friends. Happy Hollowdays.


Now for some of my Weekly Global Observances:

The President signed the Tax relief bill for all Americans last week. Thank you. Who among us does not want tax relief? I mean hello? That was a no brainer for most of us. Working together is a good thing. Nobody wants their taxes increased especially now during these difficult times. Yet there was discontent within his own party. Forget the party hard liners and think about what's best for all Americans...we want a tax break. Am I right here people? Can I get an amen? Thank You.

The Patriots beat the BILLS today 34-3 and somehow before that game, I was a little skeptical. I feel silly now knowing the outcome of that game. I guess it's safe to say, the Patriots are for real. We now have a Bye and Home field advantage throughout the Play-offs. But anything can happen in the NFL. Anything. But I've got a feeling...and it's a good feeling. But I won't say it out loud...not yet anyway's. But I'm pretty freaking giddy...oh hell yea I am.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:MY MOVIE IS OUT! REPEAT. THE RUN REDUX IS OUT!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Happy 16th Birthday Carley Gould December 26th!
Happy 11th Birthday Weiland Anderson December 27th!
CONGRATS to ESM for their upcoming 20th Anniversary!
CONGRATS to the TSJ for their 20th Anniversary as well!
GET WELL Timmy McCarthy...we're ALL Praying for a quick recovery Tim!
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Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph