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SEND PICS by clicking here- Ralph's Pic Of The Week To check out Past ( RPOTW) Go to the Archives Page
January 13th, 2013- The RUN is 22 out of 24 Weeks. Waist high or better, at least once a week. There was no surf this week. The Run stops here. We start over next week.
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The Problem With Surf Blogs, or rather, New England Surf Blogs.

I always knew that by writing a local surf blog that I would be at the mercy of the local surf conditions. And well, it's no secret that sometimes here in New England the wave machine breaks down. In other words, we get flat spells. Long flat spells.

The new year has not been good to the local surfers.

Although, we did get some great early snow conditions that helped the snowboarders get in some early powder runs. But the surf itself? Not so good. And this blog is based on the local surf scene. The photographers who contribute to the blog each week by sending me photos are equally dependent on the surf.

And well, there was no waist high or better this week. Hardly.

However, there was surf out west. As in California. And one of the benefits of being a surfer is, you tend to travel and meet surfers and other photographers in your surf travels. This blog has reached out and connected with many of those surfers and photographers that I have met over the years.

Some of whom have lived here in New England at one point in their lives. And let's face it, once you have been here in New England, and have sampled our waves and our culture, it's hard to not want to return and reconnect.

This weekly blog is one way of doing that.

And thank God for that. Because if it were not for the pics that several of my west coast photogs have sent I would not have the goods this week. And by the goods I mean the amazing photos that the Phantom has sent in as well as ex-NH native Steve
Dillon also sent along.

Heck I even have a few from Tony Szabo in the readers section. Tony was another ex-New Englander who moved out west about 20 years ago. So the surf connection thrives on the internet. And it keeps this week's blog fresh. Because you will not see these pics anywhere else.

Thank you my Westies!

OK speaking of photographers. I got a series of photos yesterday by a local surfer/photographer who is a fan of this blog. Her name is Nicole and she shot a bunch of photos using her I-phone. Well, I have to tell you.

The pics were great. I mean really good.

The quality of the photos were amazing. To think that we can all pull out our cellphones and snap pics that are clearly pro like is mind boggling. I looked at my NIKON and thought gee should I toss this thing and just get an I-phone? Maybe that's extreme. But it sure opened my eyes to what the possibilities are out there with these damn smart phones.

Or as I am fond of calling them "Smart Ass" phones.

So all you surfing cellphone users out there, start shooting the surf and anything else that is surf or New England related, and send them off to me. I am convinced that the majority of photos and videos being shot today, and in the future, will come from these little hand held devices.

Be smart and take smart phone photos.


GO PATRIOTS!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope today's Patriots and Texans game ends up in our favor. As in a big way. I'm not expecting a major blow-out like the last time these two teams met, but I would think that the powers that be will have a solid handle on this game. Re Brady, Belichick, Wilfork etc etc and they will prevail. Besides...with the Ravens beating Denver last night the AFC championship game will be played in Foxboro. But only if we beat the Texans.

So let's keep our fingers crossed, and our lucky shirts, hats, jackets, lucky seats, and anything else that you you need to make this work in our favor. Because it sure would be fun to have another week of Patriots football.


Now for Some Of My Weekly Global Observances:

Hey this flu thing is pretty scary. I mean people are dying out there. There's always something that can jump up and bite you. This flu is one of them. Take precautions my friends. Get your flu shots and avoid crowds and those who are sick. Be smart this flu season.

Look KSM thought he might try out for the Texans Cheerleading squad. But once again the guards at GITMO saw right through his latest plan. Sorry KSM you are stuck in GITMO. Miserable and stuck. Though I'm
sure some of the Taliban and Al Qeada thought you to be sexy.



*Note to self: Must pick up some pom poms at Home Depot!

GO PATRIOTS!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aaron Buell January 12th, 2013!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kim Grondin January 13th 2013!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Steve McIsaac January 15th 2013!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Denise Lamb January 15th 2013!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Betsy Rowlee Brewer January 18th 2013!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Danny Ryder January 18th, 2013!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Brian Hall January 18th, 2013!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Erik Zak January 18th, 2013!
Get Well soon Rick Savastano! Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your loved ones.
Get Well soon Ed O'Connell!

Please Support ALL The photographers who contribute to Ralph's Pic
Of The Week every week for the last 9 years. **Think about BUYING a HIGH RES Photo from any of the weeks on RPOTW. Keep in mind the photos you steal from this site are low RES. You can't blow them up. Order HIGH RES photos that are suitable for framing. It's a GREAT Gift Idea. A nice framed photo of your favorite Surfer or Surf Break!Remember my friends... Surfing Heals All Wounds....
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph

Click banners above to help the people who
are still suffering from Hurricane Sandy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


JUST RELEASED and IN THE SHOPS and Online!!
Don't forget to go back and read the whole DAILY BLOG on My
CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY. (Click On the Banner below on this page.)
Started on July 26, 2010 ENDED July 26, 2011. A Wave a day for 365
consecutive days. Just click on the banner ads on this page.

To contact the advertisers below, simply click on the Ad space. Anyone wishing to find out info about advertising here can do so by emailing me directly. Ralph's Email I'll send you a template and other info on how you can become a paid sponsor

We highly recommend the various businesses and artists listed below. Why? Well simply put, each and every one of them is a Surfer, who lives the Surfing Lifestyle, and their business is a reflection of that lifestyle that we all love.

Yesterday- Local NH Surf Dogs 1992.
(Below) Surfers have always had surf dogs. And we always will. Click on the image to see who's who in this classic beach news photo. Photo courtesy of Cindy Dickens


Click on the photo above to see the larger version.

 




TODAY ... all the photos below were taken this week, unless otherwise noted.

Today- The Phantom Strikes Again! Monday January 7th, 2013.Photos courtesy of The Phantom



(Above) Here comes CHOPS *Check the rock formation on the left. January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.




(Above) *The Man on the Mountain West Coast Style! January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.


(Above) The wave here is worth the effort it takes to get here. January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.



(Above) Like I said...worth the effort. Just ask this guy. January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.






(Above) What a perfect little barrel for JC. January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.




(Above) My buddy Wally flying down the line. January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.





(Above) I love this photo. Check the wavy looking rocks on the shoreline. Very cool. January 7, 2013. Photo courtesy of The Phantom
*Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.

Click above to read the entire MOLLY BLOG in Chronological order


(Above) Another cool angle. That's Wally again. January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.



(Above) JC laying it out on the red rail. January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.



(Above) CHOPS in the channel waiting to take the boys home. January 7, 2013.
Photo courtesy of The Phantom *Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.





Today- Sunrises and Sunsets. January 2013.
Photos by Nicole Chouinard and RALPH



(Above) This was taken with an I-phone. Man we have come a long way.
Sea smoke sun rise. January 2013. Photo By Nicole Chouinard
* Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.




(Above) Every Memorial Day and Veterans Day I stand next to her. My fave
beach monument. January 2013. Photo By Nicole Chouinard
* Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.





boat




(Above) Always something special seeing the sun set over the water. January 5, 2013.
Photo By RALPH* Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.

Today- The Dillon Galleries January 2013 Photo By Steve Dillon




(Above) Steve has a great eye for empty waves. January 2013.
Photo By Steve Dillon* Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.





(Above) It's not a point and shoot thing with Steve. January 2013.
Photo By Steve Dillon* Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.


Today- The Phantom's last score of 2012




(Above ) Hard to say who's more casual here. The guy in the boat of the surfer?
Photo By The Phantom.* Click on the photos to see the Whole gallery.






(Above ) The guy in the boat with this beautiful sunset says it all.
Photo By The Phantom.
* Click on the photos to see the Whole gallery.




Great NEW EP from local surfer/musician
Nick Checo download it for free by clicking on image above.











We welcome all Surf Related pics from our Readers. Just make sure they are at least 900 pixels wide. If you have any OLD photos of local New England surfers and or of local New England surfing, we would love to see them and share them with our readers.

We can scan them for you. And we get them back to you undamaged. Trust me.We can do this...people love the older stuff. So if you have any, please send 'em along. If you have prints/slides we can scan them for you.

And we don't care if you shoot pics with with your cellphones. I mean it. Most of the images you see on the news and on the Internet were shot with them Smart Ass Phones. Shoot and ask questions later.





(Above) Byran Brodie at the Wall. Photo By Ashley Kelley
Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.



 

 

 



(Above) Tony Szabo taking the drop out west. January 2013.
Photo courtesy of Tony Szabo.* Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.





(Above) Tony Szabo's world out west. January 2013.
Photo courtesy of Tony Szabo.* Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.






 




(Above) Byran Brodie back at the Wall. Photo By Ashley Kelley
Click on the photo above to see the Whole gallery.


NEW QWILL Single JUST RELEASED on fathers Day June 17, 2012 GREAT SONG




















Local comic Jimmy Dunn has a great NEW book out called...BOAT HACK. Jimmy is a local surfer who also happens to be a National Comic and author...check it out.


Click on graphic to order a copy.




(Above) All Rise: 10th Street District Court of Surf Justice is now in session, the
Honorable Judge RALPH presiding. CASE 196 BLATANT DROP IN OF THE WEEK-
Click the photo to see the outcome of this Surf crime and the verdict.
Photo By RALPH

* Click on the photo above to see the OUTCOME.





















Click above to follow the entire CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY Blog. From start to finish. In chronological order as it happened.






CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON on each clip to view videos

New England Blood from the Granite Stoke on Vimeo.

The life of New Hampshire surfers in the fall.

Voices:
Billy Ritchie
Casey Lockwood
Mike Sidebottom
Brian Nevins
Erica Nardone
Dave Cropper

Surfers:
Michael Emery
Adam Fraser
Skip Brunette
Mike Sidebottom
Casey Lockwood
Billy Ritchie
Erica Nardone
Casey Mullen
Mark Scura

Thanks to Dr. Gerry Smith for flying us around over the coast!

 

 









In This Place 1974-1979 from Ralph's Pic Of The Week on Vimeo.

OK so I'm on a "Yesterday" kick. I can't help it. I admit, I have a soft spot in my heart for all that is related to our Surfing lifestyle, and our community. It is amazing to see how the scene at 10th street has evolved over the decades. The "local" surfers still hang there.

Some are gone. Like Joe and Moira. And my old dog Calley. Some have quit surfing all together. And some, like Kevin, are STILL ripping after all these years.

Though the surf and the sandbars are the same, that famous stretch of cement, is just now getting a face lift, some 30 plus years later.

The music is once again by my friend Robin Trower, and the song is called "IN THIS PLACE". We used to love that album, Bridge Of Sighs and this song, was my personal favorite.

Enjoy this little nugget from the past. I'm glad I had enough sense to shoot this stuff back then, because if I hadn't, it would of just been faded memories today.

Remember, Surfing Heals All Wounds.

Ralph

 

 







The First Crackie question of 2013. Another year of Crackie
wisdom. Don't forget if you have a question no matter how
stupid, or absurd, please send it here...crackie@adlantic.com

Check Crackie out on Facebook. You should Friend Him...though there are no guarantees that he'll be nice to you.









 





Look at the texture of this wave...COMING NEXT WEEK!
Photo via the internet




Recorded in 1978. Click on VINNY CD
art to see a larger version and how to
order this CD and others for sale at
GAF Music. www.gafmusic.com
A Division of Adlantic

 

 



Uh oh. Photo via the internet
COMING NEXT WEEK!


Recorded in 1983. Click on VINNY CD art
to see a larger version and how to order this CD and others for sale at GAF Music.
www.gafmusic.com
A Division of Adlantic













(Above) Put the cursor over the images above to see happens when you DROP in
on someone. You become Invisible. Simply put the mouse over the photo to see the
original photo and then marvel at the results of what happens when the criminal
becomes invisible.*Put the cursor over the photo to see the Real image.
Photo by RALPH

www.patspeak.com

“Southern NH’s largest mountain”



www.raggedmountainresort.com

“Get Ragged, NH Snowboarding at its Best”
   



shaw2



www.loonmtn.com

“Superior Snow Guaranteed”


Today January 2013 "Oh you were definitely tubed bro!! "



(Above) The things we do when the surf goes flat.
Photo via the Internet

www.shawneepeak.com

“Where you snowboard all day and into
the night”



 



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