Having a Mother's Day Swell was something special. I mean come on? We've all heard the MOTHER OCEAN reference our whole lives. To get waves like this on Mother's Day? It was special. No question. The image above and below are video frame grabs from the video I posted above. That's Kody Grondin above and Max Fatello below. Check out the video, it's pretty cool. And the music is by QWILL. My super talented nephew.
This swell is also the 41st week of waist high or better. The longest "RUN" I can remember was back in 2009, when we hit 44 weeks. We never broke the 52 week mark, but we came close. And let's face it, we're in the season where waves are few and far between. Still, 41 weeks is pretty good. So fingers crossed.
Ten years ago during my year long CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY Campaign I got hit in the head with my own board. Besides me getting a decent cut in my head and going to the ER, the board was damaged and I needed to fix the ding. The good news was I never missed a day. They gave me waterproof tape to put on my wound. This happened on May 6th, 2011. Exactly 10 days later I paddled out on the same board after Mike Stanek fixed the ding, and this is what happened. This is from my daily CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY Blog/JOURNAL. You can all form your own opinion on this, I have my own.
But this is exactly what happened on that day 10 years ago today.
10 YEARS AGO TODAY. FROM MY DAILY CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY BLOG/JOURNAL. http://ralphspic.com/Molly%20May%202011.html
So by now, everyone I assume, has heard about "The Photo". But if you are one of those who has not heard, I need to back up a bit. Yesterday at 2:00PM it was pouring rain. I mean, it was coming down hard. I went to 10th Street to get my wave. I saw Lenny across the street at a party for a local surfer DJ Sparks. His photo is posted in yesterday's blog.
It was going to be the first time surfing on Big Black since I got hurt on May 6th. To say I was a bit hesitant would be an understatement. I was all of that and more. Not because the surf was big, but more of a "freak accident" happening again. With my luck? Ha! Please, anything could happen.
So I paddled out in the driving rain.
I felt something strange in the water, but just thought it was due to the combination of me being slightly nervous about surfing on the same board that damn near killed me, and the fact that it was pouring rain. I felt a coolness around me. The air was cool. I sat on my board for a few minutes...bobbing in the water and saw a wave come at me. It was a left. My last ride on Big Black was a left. "Perfect" I thought.
I stroked into the wave and struggled to my feet. I tried to plant my feet in a stable position. I slowly felt myself gain confidence, as I rode the small wave all the way inside. I even said out loud, "OK I've got this. I'm back on Big Black. I can do this!" I went right back out and caught another wave and then headed home.
I found two whoopee pies on my windshield. A friend had left them for me. My good friend Barbara Savastano. Apparently she showed up while I was out surfing and left the pies. Before she left, she leaned over the wall and took a photo of me riding that first wave.
And that's when everything changed. This is that photo.
If you look closely, there appears to be an image standing directly behind me. The image appears to be a small child. And that child appears to be placing a hand on my back. Supporting me. Almost like I do when I place my hand on Molly's name at 18th Street. You've all seen the photos of that. This has, as you can very well imagine turned into something bigger than any of us could possibly imagine.
Of course the obvious questions arose. Is it Molly? If it is not Molly then what is it? Or who is it? *If you click on the image you can see it slightly better. There are other side stories to this amazing photo.
First, I wore my Molly T-shirt all day on Sunday before going down to get my wave. Big deal? Well it is, because I usually only wear that shirt when I am attending Molly events. When I pulled it out of the closet yesterday I even said to myself. "Why am I wearing this today?" And of course my reluctant approach at riding the board that almost killed me 2 weeks before.
And unbeknown to me at the time...?
Down at 14th Street, out surfing on his SUP was Buck. Molly's dad. I even waved to them. They did not wave back because they didn't see me. I just waved to be friendly to those who were out in the same pouring rain.
Is there a logical explanation to all of this? Perhaps. Could it be explained that somehow this image that appeared was a result of some digital malfunction? Sure. Even if it was? The fact that the glitch or spec of dirt ended up looking like a little girl standing behind me? That in of itself is mind blowing.
But for me? I'm sticking with what I see and what I believe. That was Molly. Supporting me. Holding me up. Being with Buck in the water and then comforting her mother and little brother at home. That's my take. You can form your own opinion. But I know what I felt out there that day. And I know what I see in that photo. I believe. Ten years ago today.
NOW FOR SOME GARDEN UPDATES.
And so it begins. The garden is rototill-ed and I put up the fence.
It's a lot of work, but in the end, it's all worth it.
Just ask anyone who's sampled my corn. I am KING KORN!
Last month I Blogged about DIPG. A local surf family is dealing with this disease and there is a Fund raiser at COMMUNITY OVEN on Monday May 17th, 2021 from 5PM to 9PM. Click on the poster below to learn more about Evan Austin and DIPG. Lets find a Cure for DIPG. GO EVAN!
Let's all go out and support the Austin Family on Monday May 17th
at the Community Oven in Hampton. THE CURE STARTS NOW!
Here's some interesting news. I've been surfing for 57 years and I did not know that the origin of the GOOFY FOOT actually came from GOOFY and Disney. He was featured in a movie from 1930's surfing with his right foot forward. I either didn't know or I completely forgot I knew this
"SURFING, MOLLY, GARDENS, and FINDING A CURE FOR DIPG
HEALS ALL WOUNDS!"
|
This week's Ed's corner pic is from May of 2008. The surfer is Unknown. Unless you guys recognize this guy. If you do let him know. He might have missed the first time it ran.
Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.
Now for Some Local and National News
This is scary and sad news. Israel and Hamas are going at it again. Peace in the Middle East is fleeting at best. I'm not a big fan of Hamas, still it's always sad to hear of women and children dying in these attacks. That's the ugly side of war.
And what will be the deciding factor for a cease fire? Hamas has to stop randomly firing rockets into Israel for starters. Don't go sticking your finger in the beehive. The Israelis are like yellow jackets, you mess with that hive, they are coming out in droves to sting your ass. When will Hamas ever learn?
This last week we received GOOD NEWS from the COVID Front. If you are fully vaccinated you don't have to wear masks. But only in certain situations. I'm not sure what the final say is, but the restrictions are slowly being lifted. If you have NOT been vaccinated, you need to get it done. Sooner rather than later.
So DarkSide (the Russians) got 5 million in ransom money from the Colonial Pipeline. Is that not the scariest thing we’ve heard in some time? Are you kidding me? DarkSide? These Cyber Pirates were able to cripple the eastern side of the US causing wide spread panic that sent people (hillbillies) rushing out to buy gas. And not just buy gas but hording gas.
Look at these photos. Just when you thought it was safe to go out and buy toilet paper again, now we might have a gas shortage because of all the clowns buying up all the gas. Look, I don’t mean to belittle the little minded people out there, but for the love of God people get a freaking grip. Have you all lost your collective minds? You gas hoarding Hillbillies! Knock it off.
People are taking video and pics of you clowns and posting it on the Internet. Do you really want to be one of those people? To have your mugs on Instagram and Facebook?
Filling up gallons and gallons of gas? And some of you are using trash bags? Trash bags? WTF??? What did your Pappy and Momma teach you when you were youngins? When in doubt, panic? Come on people. Leave some gas for the folks that really need it. It’s not the end of the world. Knock it off.
Liz Cheney stood up to face the backlash from her own party members last week. She's one of a handful of GOP members who refuse to acknowledge the absurdity of 45. I'm not a fan,
but I admire her for standing up for what is obviously right. As you all know by now, I am NOT a Democrat. I am NOT a Republican. I am strong Independent. I no longer drink from the well of either party. I drink from the well of truth. Good on you Liz.
My friend Barry Marshall and his brother Kevin will be performing a virtual concert on Facebook on Friday May 21st, 2021.
KSM Photoshop of the Week
Now we all know that KSM is NOT a surfer. But if we were to use our imaginations, we could possibly see KSM as this kind of Surfer. A mean old man pushing young Groms off their boards and sneering at them. Just try and imagine it. Khalid Sheik Mohammed being a total jerk in the water. Oh I can picture it. Khaliddy The Jerk in the water. On second thought, I'd rather not think about this possibility.
And 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 used XXL wetsuits
at
Home Depot this week.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Peter Stokes May 22nd, 2021!
REST IN PEACE Glenn Randall.
HEAL QUICKLY Tony Berardini after his Hip Surgery!
PLEASE Keep 90 yr old Chuck Dreyer (Kim Grondin's dad)
in your thoughts and prayers as he recovers from surgery.
PLEASE Keep JoEllen Bunton in your thoughts and prayers too.
PLEASE Keep Bob Crawford in your thoughts and prayers.
PLEASE Keep longtime NH Surfer Greg Smith in your Prayers.
PLEASE Keep local Surfer/Musician Pete Kowalski in your thoughts and prayers throughout the year.
Please
Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week every week for the last 16 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
|
Yesterday-VFG OF MIKE "ZAPPY" PAUGH IN 2005!
(Below) This was from a a cold winter day out at a remote location. Mike
was getting barrel after barrel out there. There was a time when it was just a handful of surfers who owned that spot. Zappy was one of the original riders
out there. I've got some great Super 8mmm movies of him from the early
80's to the late 90's. Photo/ Video Frame Grab by RALPH
*Click on the pic to see a larger version.
|
I kept a daily Blog on my CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY surf campaign, when I surfed every single day for 365 consecutive days. Click on the Banner above to read entries of my daily journey. There's some really interesting and true experiences
that happened during that year. Some of which are to this day, unexplainable. Some are just mind blowing. But all true.
I started on July 26th, 2010 and ended on July 26th, 2011.
Some rainy Sunday, pour yourself a cup and go through the journal.
Pay close attention to the month of May in 2011. Read that month and let me know what you think of that. Be forewarned it will change you forever.
|
