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Photo by Kim Grondin
March 5th, 2017 The RUN is 31 out of 31 Weeks.
Waist high or better at least once a week.
There was Chest High Surf on the March 2nd, 2017		 Send your SURF Pics to me directly to ralph@adlantic.com.
Need photos by 12 noon on Saturdays. 
Click on Archives link to see all the past Blogs and pics..

The TROPICS! THE TROPIX! GOING TROPPO! No matter how you say it...Every SURFER Needs to go on a Tropical Trip. The BLOG will be late on MARCH 12th. Due to the tropix trip.



This Blog is dedicated to the tropics. I am of the strong belief, that every single Surfer must at one point in their lives, go on a tropical surf trip. Especially those surfers who live in climates where the winters are borderline unforgiving. Yes there is snow boarding and skiing, and those are great winter sports. But there is nothing like the tropics. Nothing.



Where do I begin? I guess the obvious is a good place to start.

The air and water temps are something to die for. No wetsuits. No winter clothes. No bone chilling cold days. It's night and day. New England Winters and Tropical Winters. I was saying just the other day, that when you hit the water for the first time on your tropical trip. That sensation of feeling your arms dip into that blue-green water as you paddle out to some reef. The smell of tropical surf wax on your board. The air temps with tropical fragrances, is heaven like. The clarity of the water as you paddle. The reef, the urchins, the fish, the tropical birds, the green lush mountains rising out of the shoreline, the swaying palm trees, and the quietness of it all.

This quiet peace that washes over you. This is why you traveled here.



The first time you paddle into that blue-green peak. Taking the drop and hitting your bottom turn as you pull up into that perfect, tapering, hollow wave face.
It's hard not to notice the reef beneath your feet as you zip along on that translucent wave. Maybe you pull into that barrel, or maybe you hit that lip with total abandon. You do it with ease and the knowledge that the water is warm, so if you eat shit in the barrel, or mess up that hit, you will end up in bath water. And that makes it all Okay.



And when you take your last wave of the day, hitting the sand and walking up the beach. It is a feeling my friends that every surfer needs to feel. Trust me.
We all need to experience this at the very least ONCE before you punch your ticket. But I can tell you this, if you go and your experience is like so many others, you will go back again. Because this is what surfing really is.



You all know me well enough to know, that I am a New Englander. I was born here and I will die here. And if I had to choose between living in the tropics or living in New England? I choose New England every single time. But having said that, I know that I will continue to go back to the tropics for the rest of my life. Surfing and our heritage was born in the tropics. The ancient Hawaiians and Tahitians are the founding fathers of surfing.



Surely you all know that surfing didn't start in California of New England right?

It started in the tropics. So for that reason alone, you need to go Troppo. To pay homage and respect to the ancient surfers of Hawaii and Tahiti. You owe it to them. Plus, that's a good reason to tell your wife or girlfriend why you must go. Or better yet, take them with you. Unless it's a buddy trip. And typically, all "first time" tropical trips are with your buddies. You will forge lifetime friendships and memories that every surfer needs to have.



Lord knows I've done both. My first tropical trip (outside of Southeast Asia during the war) was in 1971 on Oahu. In 1972 I went to Florida. Florida? Yes Florida. Tropical waters and palm trees. That's Tropical. From there I went to the BVI. Tortola is where I really hit my stride in the tropics. In 1979 my late friend JT and I scored some insane surf. We met some Californians Sam George and Jeff Chamberlain, and became friends with them. We are all still friends today. After the BV trip, I did many Hawaiian trips throughout the 80's. Then there was the Costa Rica and Nica trips in the 90's. And sprinkled throughout all of those trips, was the PR jaunts. Now there's a locale for all East Coast surfers. Puerto Rico. It's easy to get to and the surf is good to great. They used to call PR the Hawaii of The East Coast. Think about that for a second. They weren't kidding.



So PR is our next destination. I'm hoping for Big Surf to shoot and some fun waves to surf. Because Homey don't play the Big Wave Game anymore.


"Surfing In The Tropics Heals All Wounds"

 

 

 

 

 



This week's pic from Ed's corner was shot on March 4th, 2014. The surfer is Pev. One of our BEST longboard artists. This pic is funny because now-a-days it's rare to NOT see Pev with all five over or all ten over. Regardless, it's still a great photo from the late great Ed O'Connell.

To see more of Ed's pics just scroll through the archives. He has shot so many pics for the blog. Each week I will feature one of Ed's great pics from this blog. Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.

Now for Some More Of My Weekly Global Observances
The Oscars was a typical Oscar night. Though I must say I thought Jimmy Kimmel was great. He did a good job and should be asked back. The highlight of the day was the final award. BEST PICTURE. It is the biggest award of the night. But somehow, someway, the Gods looked down on this fiasco and gave us all something to remember.

The BEST picture went to LaLa Land and then...wait a minute.

The BEST Picture was supposed to go to Moonlight. (Both of which I might add, I have not seen, nor will I). And that caused an uproar that will go down in history as the biggest screw up EVER. It was not the fault of Warren Beatty or Faye Dunaway. And it certainly wasn't the fault of host Jimmy Kimmel.

It was done by some bonehead backstage who was tweeting throughout the night, and his job was to hand the presenters with the CORRECT envelope. Turns out he didn't and this was the wacky results. *He was fired this week and will not be back. Oh well.



The chaotic scene at the Oscars last Sunday night. It was great!



All I know is, somewhere Steve Garvey was jumping up and down yelling "Thank you Lord! Thank you! Finally, they can stop talking about me and my mess up! Thank you baby Jesus!"

Now for some good Hollywood news. Local comic Jimmy Dunn is out on the West Coast doing his MONSTAH TOUR. Here check this out.



Look if you're in the area check out one of Boston's Best comics.

KSM Photoshop of the Week
Warning. Not all Tropical destinations are safe. There are STILL some cannibals out there. Seriously. Cannibals. These thugs pictured below are ACTUAL Cannibals. Now is KSM a Cannibal? Not really, he is however evil, and he has killed many innocent civilians. So even though he didn't dine on his kills, he did create a persona about him that is pretty dam near Cannibalistic.



So my friends, please take advantage of this weekly photo shop of the mastermind who planned 9-11 and resulted in the deaths of 3,000 innocent civilians by KSM (Khalid Sheik Mohammed).

*Note to self -must pick up a case of Prime Rib and pork chops
at Home Depot this week.

 Prayers and positive thoughts to Erica Nardone's recovery.
GET WELL SOON Karen Evans!
RIP Bill Paxton. He was one of the Good Guys of Hollywood.
Happy 67th Birthday to the late Joe Somogyi March 2nd, 2017

Please Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week every week for the last 11 years.
** BUY a HIGH RES Photo from any of the weeks on RPOTW.

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

Ralph
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.
Yesterday- Kevin Grondin Frame Grab from March 1990.
 (Below) This video frame grab is from the 1990 movie I shot on my old GASF Super 8mm movie camera. The video is down in the video section and in my honest opinion it's worth watching. I'm hoping to get more footage of this ageless surfer this coming week.
Photo by RALPH


*Click on the photo above to see a larger version

To contact the advertisers below, simply click on the Ad itself. Anyone wishing to find out info about advertising here can do so by emailing me directly by clicking here. 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.


All PHOTOS BELOW SHOT THIS WEEK
*Unless otherwise noted.
Today- The Windy Wall Day. March 2nd, 2017.
Photos by RALPH



(Above) This was as windy as it ever gets around here. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery


(Above) The longboarders were having a very difficult time trying to paddle
into these wind swept waves. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



*For the record, we have bought all of our JEEPS
from Lansdale JEEP the last 25 years, and have
not had a single regret. They are the BEST!!
*Click on the Ad above to see more!


(Above) Kody Grondin knew how to handle those wind gusts.
Weight on the nose. March 2nd, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery





(Above) Made new friends with these youngsters (both younger than me).
They were in town for their brother's funeral service. I'm sorry boys but I forgot your names. Billy and Jim? Send me an email when you get back to Oregon and Costa Rica. March 2nd, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) Kyle Linseman kicking up some serious wake. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) The wind was holding the waves up. But not enough to make a difference. March 2nd, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery


(Above) They were hollow if you could just get into them. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery





















(Above) Mikey Evans cutting through the wind. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery





(Above) I call this one the Washboard wave. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) This kid has talent. Both in the water and in the shaping room.
Mikey Evans. March 2nd, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery











(Above) Climbing the windy staircase. Mackey V. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery




(Above) Kody with his nose to the wind. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery





(Above) Late for a dentist appointment Kody reluctantly leaves the scene. March 2nd, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) The wind was blowing the tops off the waves. It was still fun though.
Just ask Mackey. March 2nd, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) Calling it a day. A windy day. MVF. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery







These guys make the BEST decals.







(Above) Down the beach a little bit this peak was starting to work.
March 2nd, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) Kyle Linseman setting up for a little cover up. March 2nd, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) This guy was wishing he was a good 20 yards further out.
March 2nd, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery






North Conway's Family Mountain



Southern New Hampshire's Favorite Mountain



"New England's Most Accessible Resort Destination"




"Ski All Day And Into The Night"


Today- The Day Before The Wind. March 1st, 2017.
Photos by RALPH



(Above) I watched the swell slowly build as the sun was setting.
March 1st, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery







(Above) Looking south. The sky was the show this night.
March 1st, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery











(Above) Looking southwest across the marsh. March 1st, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) Like I said;. The sky was the real show that night.
March 1st, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

Today- Sunday February 26th, 2017
Photos by RALPH



(Above) It was small but clean. February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery












(Above) It was waist high. February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) That's at least waist high. You had to wait for them though.
February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery








(Above) This guy was having fun. February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery







(Above) I just liked the close up of this wave. February 26th, 2017
Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery






(Above) She was quickly running out of Real Estate. February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery





(Above) Mind surfing only. February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) Thank God, there were so many families lined up to go for a swim. NOPE. February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery




(Above) This just might be the first time I shot this angle. February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery


















(Above) I surfed here quite a bit during my Molly Campaign.
February 26th, 2017 Photos by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

Today- Nichols Ohana in Hawaii March, 2017
Photos by Lenny Nichols



(Above) Love seeing these siblings together. March , 2017
Photos by Lenny Nichols *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery








Great New Marine Forecast Site


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 as well.

And we don't care if you shoot pics 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. So shoot first and ask questions later, just send the dam things.



   





 




(Above) The Franson family vacationing in Costa Rica looking like they are getting good surf. March 2017 photo c/o Steve Franson
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery


(Above) The ageless Mr Tropical himself Kevin Grondin in another ageless move in PR. Photo by Kim Grondin
 *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery


 

(Above) The Franson's Costa Rican's view. . March 2017
photo c/o Steve Franson
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery
 


(Above) ALL RISE: The 10th Street District Court Of Surf is Now in Session.
The Honorable Judge RALPH presiding. CASE #409 BLATANT DROP IN OF THE WEEK- Click the image above to see the outcome of this Surf Crime and the
Verdict that was rendered. Photo by RALPH
* Click on the photo above to see the OUTCOME.


CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON on each clip to view videos

New Hampshire To Puerto Rico 1990 from Ralph's Pic Of The Week on Vimeo.

In March of 1990, four NH surfers went to PR for a much needed tropical break. Kevin "Doc" Grondin, Mike "Zappy" Paugh, John Duffy McCarthy, and yours truly. The cold and the snow was getting to us. Kevin and I left our pregnant wives home. Or rather, they LET US GO. I'm sure there was some kind of deal involved. But seriously folks, is there any wonder why we are still married to them? Love you both! Kim and Cory! It's hard to believe this was 27 years ago. Where does the time go...I don't want to know, I'm just filing space here. The soundtrack is by Beautiful People using Hendrix samples. The results are so cool. Check it out!

PR Winter 2014 from Ralph's Pic Of The Week on Vimeo.

This is the footage I shot in March of 2014. There's some Big Tres here and some other funky little spots. *Note The large surf at Wildos is worth the price of admission alone. There's additional footage from Max.

The music is from Miguel Tito Rodriguez. I met Miguel in Rincon last winter. He was playing outside with his bass player and I was completely blown away by his playing. The song is called De Juno. The man can rip on the six string. I hope you like this little Tropical Clip.

Ralph



Matt&Max 2-23-17 from Ralph's Pic Of The Week on Vimeo.

Matt Colby and Max Fatello found themselves out in perfect 3-5' glassy conditions with a crowd of two. Just them. I wish I had the video camera, but alas, I did not. I did however, take many stills and created many sequences. And that my friends, is what you will see here. I shot this with my NIKON D 7100. The music is by James Marshall Hendrix. It seems to work well. *Be sure and watch till the very end.

SNOW DAY 2-16-17 from Ralph's Pic Of The Week on Vimeo.

Another Snow Day in February. I've lost count on how many this makes. I only know that my snow blower died and I'm hand shoveling two driveways. Ugh. But look, I'm not complaining (much), the snow on the trees is a beautiful sight. Surfing in the snow has always been appealing to those of us who live and surf here. And it's always been a treat for those of you who don't. I have to say I love this soundtrack. It's by BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. They remix Hendrix riffs and vocals and add their own instruments. Really cool. Oh and the surfers? Well, the one's I can remember are: Skip Brunette, Matt Colby, Perry Reynolds, Andy Elliott, Mark Jowett, and Gilly Donatelli. There are a bunch of guys I couldn't ID. So check it out, you might be in this edit. Hope you "dig it"



VALENTINE ROCK 2-14-17 from Ralph's Pic Of The Week on Vimeo.

February 14th, 2017 and I find the biggest heart shaped rock ever. Actually, I found it years ago, but have been waiting for a reason to use it in one of my web edits. And today my friends would be reason enough. After all, it's Valentine's Day. A day when we tell those we love that we love them. And not for nothing, we say we love each other every single day. We don't need a day to remind us to say love. I chose the song "It's Love" by my favorite band next to the Beatles and Hendrix, KING'S X. Those guys are the real deal. The surfers include: Joel Feid, Gilly Donatelli, Max Fatello, Chris Stelman, Andy Elliott, Marky J, Peter Stokes, and a bunch of Jersey boys. Be sure and get your sweethearts some sweets. Happy Valentines Day baby!


 





 


 

 





 

 

 





















 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
CLICK ON THE CRACKIE IMAGE TO SEE ALL THE CRACKIE VIDEOS. The CRACK MASTER is COMING BACK IN 2016 and in HD! Meanwhile just click on his face and go to his YouTube page and watch all his absurd videos. And if you have a question for Crackie, no matter how stupid, or absurd, please send it here...crackie@adlantic.com

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











COMING NEXT WEEK. Starting late Saturday into Sunday


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


COMING NEXT WEEK. Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! as in NEXT Sunday.
Not today.


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







Just roll your mouse over the image above to see how the guilty party has ruined the wave. Crime does not pay my friends. Look both ways before
taking off. Or you will end up here.
Today March 5th, 2017

"Hey anybody call for a Puerto Rican Uber? " 		 


Ray King pulling up at Marias to pick up his Uber passenger.
Photo c/o Raymond King


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