First ESA contest, first flat spell, the US women's Soccer
Team and Cosby coughs up the truth on drugging women.

I looked over at Kai Nichols this morning as he walked down the stairs at 10th Street. We both looked out at the dribble conditions of the surf for the first NNE ESA contest of the summer. He looked sullen. "I've seen worse surf in bigger contests." I said. He shook his head. "I Know. So have I."

Of course none of that mattered this morning. If you know how to grovel in dribble, then you were one step ahead of the game. Because it was put on your best grovel face and paddle out.



It was pretty weak for most of the competitors. Then again, there
were some who were relived that the surf was so small. Some of the younger groms and certainly their parents. Being a parent who watched all three of our kids go through the ESA, it was always dammed if we do, and dammed if we don't, when it came to the
size of the surf in the contests. I mean there was just know way of knowing what the kids would be facing from one contest to another.

Surfing is not like any other organized sport. There is no wave machine. If your kids are used to soccer fields, baseball fields, and football fields they will be in for a big awakening. Lord will they ever.



Try telling me that Nicole Quinn is not thinking this wave behind her is ten feet high. And try telling her mom on the beach the same thing. I can feel the knot in both of their stomachs. And saying that this morning, I felt myself getting melancholy watching it all unfold in front of me. Not being one of the anxious parents, or judging, or keeping the non competitors out of the contest area.

I missed the last minute tips to the kids before they paddled out. I missed getting pissed at the judges for missing my kid's best wave. And I miss the times they did place high. And at the end of the day when the trophies were handed out. It was all worth the long hours
on the beach.

It is all made possible by the volunteers of the ESA NNE.

The whole Nichols family have been sweating on the beaches of New England for many years now. It is all on the backs of Lenny and Arlene. Yet they somehow manage to pull it off summer after summer.
They have a great group of parents who help out each year as well. The faces of the parents may change, but the spirit they bring is still strong and evident. And that was present this morning.


Speaking of young kids. How can there be such evil in this world to
let this child end up in a trash bag on a beach in Massachusetts?
How is that possible? And no one knows who she is. "Baby Jane Doe" has nobody claiming her? Look at this face. How could she be without a family? Without someone who's missing her?

How can this happen?



Last week I wrote about the one year anniversary of Ed O'Connell
and John "JT" Taylor's passing. This July 16th marks the one year anniversary of Rye Surfer Alan McGregor. Rest in peace all of you surfers. Last July was the saddest July ever. The saddest.



Speaking of sad. The South Carolina Confederate flag controversy nightmare is finally over. It always seemed like a no brainer to me. But to some of descendants of the Confederate Army did not want to let go of their historic legacy. Even though the flag was a symbol of what the Civil War was all about.

And make no mistake about it. It was about slavery.

Not what the south wants you to believe..."The War Of Northern Aggression." Please. It was about the right to own slaves.
In either case, the flag came down. We have only one Flag.
The American Flag.

Hopefully the peace will return to Charleston.



Congrats to the US Women's soccer team. First Championship in
15 years. They beat Japan in a one sided match. The girls and their coaches all play for one country, and One Flag.



"Surfing and Peace Heals All Wounds"