August 10th, 2004
For those of you who read my weekly "column" I apologize for being late. You see, I typically do these columns on a Sunday and post them late sunday night or, early Monday morning. That's if I have nothing more important pending, or worse...the surf comes up. Which ironically brings me to this weeks topic.

As you know by now, we just had our first Hurricane swell of the year followed by an additional solid ground swell from an offshore Low Pressure system that gave us two days of waves. That's 3 days of good surf in one week. Like a lot of you, I surfed until my arms ached and then I surfed some more. I shot a ton more footage and generally had a great time in prime New England summer surf. Much to the chagrin of my son Max, I did not join the masses who headed down to Rhode Island. Instead I opted for the swell to come to us.

The premise of my column this week is, how is it that, no matter when the swell hits everyone seems to get that day off and surf? I mean it can be week day or weekend. Everyone I know gets their quota of waves. I know the answer. I know it because I live the lifestyle.

Once they get the "feeling", Surfers will adjust their lives to surfing for the rest of their lives. This needs repeating. SURFERS WILL ADJUST THEIR ENTIRE LIVES AROUND SURFING. Now, I know that surfers as a rule, make-up a whole part of our society. Doctors, Lawyers, chefs, managers, artists, bankers, Insurance and Real Estate agents, carpenters, painters, Military, government work, Restaurant owners, car dealers, shop owners...you name it we do it.

And to a single one of us, when the surf comes up, we go surfing.




Yesterday. "AH-H-HWOOOO!" 1973
Joe Somogyi yelled that now infamous surf call back in the early 70's. Joe was responsible for naming some of the breaks we all surf today. He was a true pioneer. He helped build a lot of these homes you see here in Hampton. He was a bona fide War hero too. He was also my best friend. He passed away in 1978. We all miss him.

Video Still from the Movie Surfing The Soul by SFOD

If you got good surf pics send em off to me directly.
Just make sure they are NOT huge files. In fact if you have any questions about the size, email me first and I'll write back. Start snapping your buds!!
Ralph Pic Of The Week


If you want to access the Pic of the week from past weeks click here. Archives


Today. TROPICAL MADNESS.
 Last week the surf was good. The water was chilly. But Hawaiian transplant Nohea Nichols got off work at the shop to sample some New England Tropical surf. It's colder than it looks in this photo.
But Nohea brought her Aloha spirit out into the line-up and warmed up the Wall with her stylish backside flow.


Photo by Ed O'Connell


I know I am not alone in this theory. And, I'm not complaining. I just find it truly amazing that as a sub culture (which is what we are) we can collectively pull this off. Swell after swell, year after year, no matter what the conditions.

I know there are many new surfers out there. Many of you are adults, while a good many more are groms. This is a warning to you all. Be prepared to miss many important family gatherings, business meetings, official meetings and everything else that happens to fall on a day that there is surf. I'm feeling guilty. Not because of my own quirky lifestyle, but because of what I've done to my own children. My kids are fully engulfed in the surf scene. My son Max is doomed. I can see it now. He's already trying to get one by me to go surfing. Like not doing his daily chores, mowing the lawn, etc etc. When the surf comes up (for him), he's trying to shuck and jive me! I laugh.
"You can't BS me" I tell him, "I've been there!" As bad as the downside of the lifetstyle is (and make no mistake about it, it can get bad), the goodside outweighs the bad by a wide margin. Surfing is the best thing that ever happened to all of us. By far, there is nothing in the world of sports that compares to surfing. Nothing. Not snowboarding, skateboarding or any of the organized sports. Nothing gives you the feeling of surfing.

So, be prepared to lose girlfriends, boyfriends, jobs and generally letting people down your whole life, because you blew them off to go surfing. Which is what I did to you all this week. There was Great surf Sunday and Monday and I passed on this column... to go surfing.
Until next week....Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph

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