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October
8, 2006
Hope
you all got some today. I stood on the beach shooting all day and could
not believe how many people walked up to me and said..."I had NO
idea there were waves today!" Now how is that possible? I mean really.
How is it possible that in 2006 you would NOT know there's surf?
With wave cams at every other beach, and surf reports on every shop line,
and the online surf reports...? Not to mention, your buddies and their
cell phones. And how about, just plain local knowledge? What did we all
do before modern technology made our lives so easy and simple? I know.
We woke up early and checked the surf. The old fashion way.
That's what we did today, and we scored.
If you didn't surf, you missed some clean waist to chest high glassy perfection.
Not epic by any standards, but good, solid, fun, high performance surf.
Lenny Nichols and the local ESA crew hooked up with Mike
Paugh's Zapstix shop and ran a contest today, and it was fun for all
contestants, of all divisions. I mean, any time you can surf clean fun
waves, with just a handful of friends, has got to be good. Some of these
young groms are getting pretty good. Good clean healthy fun.
And if you don't believe me...take a look at the photos I shot today...oh
yea baby, now that's what homey's talking about!
Before I forget, I wanted to point some things out to those who might
not know me. Or, to those, who may have forgotten who I am, and what I'm
about.
First of all, my name is Ralph. This page is called Ralph's
Pic Of The Week. My life is an Open Book. Anyone who knows me, will
vouch for that. My name is all over my movies and on this page every week.
Secondly, I DON'T HATE ALL CANADIANS. (Go back and read what I wrote)
I said I had a problem with a few of them. Some of my best friends
are from Canada.
I had a problem with one guy from Quebec who told me to F- -K OFF
in the water. Period. Guess what? I'd have the same problem with anyone
who said that to me. Whether he was from Quebec, Kansas or Hampton.
You getting this?
And finally, I support local photographers. The page is called Ralph's
Pic of The Week. I get photos from local photographers every week.
I post these photos every week. It's what the page is all about. Yes,
it's partly my editorial comments, but it's always been about the photos.
Always.
I write about New England surfing. I make movies about surfing
in New England. And my audience is New England. I'm NOT
trying to produce the next ENDLESS SUMMER. I've never tried to
get any of my movies distributed. I don't want to. I like making movies
about New England for New Englanders. I'm not trying to
spread the word of surfing in New England to the ENTIRE Surf world.
My comments about keeping images vague is just that. My opinion. Half
the photos that come into my mailbox each week has a caption of where
the shot was taken. Guess what? I edit them. The photographers don't mind
that I edit the content, and it leaves the viewer with a sense of imagination
and adventure, which is what surfing is all about. In case anyone out
there forgot that.
Imagination and adventure.
I will say this. I will NEVER post an aerial shot of New England
on my page. Why? Because, I believe they are Maps. They rob the viewer
of their imagination. And if there's anyone out there who can't see that,
well, I can't help you. I'm sorry, I'm not a doctor.
That's my own personal opinion.
And lastly. To those of you who are calling Older Surfers out on the beach
and actually threatening them with violence. Be careful of what you wish
for. Be VERY CAREFUL. And don't forget, you too will some day be old.
And that day, will come sooner than you think.
Mark my words.
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Let
me finish by talking about what a true local is. As far as I can tell.
The only true locals I'm aware of are, the original Native Americans
who hunted, fished and swam in these waters, in and around New England.
So unless you've got Native American blood running through your
veins. You're NOT a true local. As far as Surfing locals? Well that's
a different story. I've heard all kinds of accusations being bandied around
about who's a true local, and who's not a local. And really, there are
no true guide lines about how to measure your status at a local break.
But let's start with the basics here.
If you were born and raised in an area that has surf (Like Hampton)
and that's where you surf, then clearly, you are a local. If you were
born and raised in a general area such as Northern New England
and you've surfed in Northern New England all your life (RI-Maine)
...guess what? You're a local. If you've only surfed in an area for say,
10 years. You're a local. If you've only surfed for 5 years...well
you get the picture. The point I'm trying to make is...if you're familiar
with a break and the people who surf it. Then you can, and should, feel
comfortable being considered a local.
You don't have to live on the beach, to be a local.
However, you should RESPECT those who live in the area that you
are surfing. You should RESPECT those who came before you, and
you should always pick up your trash and keep your trash talking down
to ZERO. Buy from the local shops. Be pleasant in and out of the water.
Give
a wave- get a wave.
Pretty simple rules to live and surf by.
So much for October starting out as my favorite month. My poor
mother is dealing with terminal brain cancer...it's been stressful. I
know the cycle of having your parents go before you all makes sense, it's
just that watching a parent slip away is very difficult. And if that wasn't
bad enough, her birthday is at the end of this month.
I
lost my dad six years ago, and a year ago this month, we lost our beloved
Jerry. My wife's father, my father-in-law and our kids Grampy. He
was 64 when he passed away suddenly of a heart attack. We've never gotten
over it. Now watching my mother go, well, it's hard. The thought of
never tasting her home cooked meals again, or listening to her laugh,
or just watching her reaction when I tell her of our surfing adventures,
has weighed heavily on my family. So I guess, I should share with you,
this bit of friendly advice. Make sure you tell your parents that you
love them every chance you get.
You'll
never know when they'll be gone for good.
I was wrong about ISSAC last week, and I was soooooo wrong about
the Patriots. Man was I wrong. If you remember, I made a bet
with my brother Johnny about the game between the Pats
and Bengals. He thought the Pats would win. I did not.
I thought the loss of, Ty Law, David Givens, Willie McGinest, Adam
Vinatiari and Deion Branch had finally hurt them. I was wrong. Dead
wrong . But, at least I admit it. The bet between my brother and I was
an old fashion "NOOGIE" on the head. The good news is, he
was so happy that they won, he actually forgot about our bet. Ha!
I mean, who the hell gives out Noogies now-a-days?
Ok I'm going to go out on a branch (No not Deion Branch) here
this week and claim that the Patriots should win their division.
I mean, from what I can see, it looks like they should win easily. The
AFC East Champions is my prediction. Check back in a few weeks to
see how close I am. Hope I'm right.
REST IN PEACE Buzzy Trent.
Happy Birthday John Lennon
Happy Anniversary Cory. I love you.
And a Big Sorry to all you Yankee Fans out there...cuz I know
there's a few of you.
Hey
check out this cool petition about the Sea Wall
at North Beach in Hampton.
Remember
my friends...Surfing heals all wounds....
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.
Ralph
P.S. Thank you for
keeping my Mother in your thoughts and prayers.
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