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October
10th, 2009
33 out of 34 weeks of surfable waves.
I remember the day like it was yesterday. The day I married Cory.
October 10th, 1987. As a surfer, I was concerned about
the swell activity for that week. What if there were waves on
my Wedding Day? Would I be able to surf? Would I surf and be late
for my own wedding? Would my friends miss my wedding due to the
surf? These are questions, that I am sure most surfers have had,
who have either already gotten married, or are thinking about
getting married. And make no mistake about it. It is a legitimate
question. And that goes for all you ladies who surf as well. What
would you do, if there was surf on your blissful day of matrimony?
Well...?
The obvious thing to do, is to turn a blind eye to the surf, and
just go forward as if there was no surf. That's the obvious thing
to do. But that's not what most surfers would be thinking, if
they woke up on the day they are supposed to tie the knot, and
found out that the surf was going off. I've seen it happen to
friends. Big summer swells on their day of marriage. Big Fall
Swells landing on the day of those well planned wedding days.
And I've seen the results of grooms being late. I've seen the
Best man at a wedding be late due to a new swell. Of course, this
does nothing for the surfer's over all image of "dropping
everything to go surfing". In fact, it only perpetuates that
negative stigma. We are what we are.
I lucked out on October 10, 1987. There was no surf. Well,
that's not exactly true.
I was in the Chapel that over looks one of the premier
point breaks here in New Hampshire. It's the Union Chapel.
Built in 1877. And if you surf around here, you know where
and what I'm talking about. As the groom on that day, I was in
the back with my best man (my brother John) who didn't surf, waiting
for the OK from the Reverend to step out and onto the alter.
And from that vantage point in the back of the Chapel, I could
look directly into the break. If there was surf that day, I would
of been staring at it. But as luck would have it, there was no
surf. It was flat. Or rather, it was under knee high.
No
reason to get excited about surf that day.
As
I was pacing back there with my brother Johnny, I saw something
out of the tiny window that caught my eye. A bump on the horizon.
At first I didn't believe it. Then the bump got bigger and pushed
towards the point. It was high tide, and this spot that I'm speaking
about breaks perfectly at high tide. The wind was slight, 10mph
out of the west, and it blew directly into this one lone wave
face. This one rogue wave of the day, gained speed and lifted
itself as it hit the reef. I stared dumfounded as the wave jacked,
and then folded going both ways. "Did you see that?"
I said to my brother. "See what?" he answered. "That
wave! Did you see that wave?" He looked over at the dissipating
white water and casually said "No, not really." I strained
my eyes to see if there anymore coming. "That was at least
chest high." I said. "Yea well forget about waves, you're
about to get married." Johnny said as he peeped through
the crack in the door to see where we were at. "Almost time
for us to step out" He said.
I looked back out the window at the ocean. I was thinking to myself,
that this was a positive sign. That one wave was a sign. But from
who? God it could have been anyone back in those days. But I thought
it was from Joe and Moira. My two close friends
who surfed and who had passed away long before their time. They
were lovers. They loved the ocean and being together. It was a
sign. That one wave. Then I felt this overwhelming feeling of
positive energy take over my whole body. This was going to be
a great day. This was going to be the beginning of something special
in my life. I turned to my brother and said "Let's do this.
I'm ready to start a whole new life with the woman I love."
As we walked out of that tiny room, I looked back one last time
at the ocean. It was dead calm. I smiled and walked out into the
chapel. That was on this day, 22 years ago today.
We went to Hawaii on our honeymoon. Kauai and then
Oahu. I surfed some great waves at Hanalei Bay that
first week. I even had a special session with just me and Joey
Cabell. That was truly a memorable surf session. He was riding
a longboard and I was riding a short board. He shared with me
some great surf stories. I took a few water shots of him that
night. I posted them here on this site a while back. He was still
a great surfer. So stylish and graceful. Me and Joey Cabell
at Hanalei Bay. Can you believe it?
Heading to Oahu the second week was equally as rewarding.
We stayed at the Turtle Bay Hilton. There was a break right
there. Albeit it was a weak and funky spot. But none the less,
I could surf if I wanted to. The North Shore was a familiar
place to me by then. I had traveled there many times leading up
to this honeymoon. Staying with the Nichols in Kaneohe
and surfing the North Shore with Kevin and Lenny.
I had become pretty comfortable on the North Shore in the
80's.
If you've never experienced Hawaii, you really should go
at some point in your life. If not for anything else, it's worth
it just to see the infamous stretch of sand and reef along the
North Shore. Sunset, Rocky Point, Gas Chambers, Pupekea, Off
The Wall, Pipe, Log Cabins, Lanis and Haleiwa. And if you're
lucky to see it, the Bay. Waimea Bay is still one
of the BEST Big Wave spots on the planet.
I recall seeing our old friend from Hampton, NH, Mr.Jay
Hammer on that trip as well. He had flown over from Maui
and hung out with us for the day. That same Jay Hammer
just recently got promoted to a full bird Colonel in the
US ARMY. Wow. My late friend Joe Somogyi and I used
to give him so much shit back in the day when he wanted to enlist
in the Army. Now look at him. He's a full blown Colonel
in the United States Army. Well "J-Rat"
I am very proud of you. And I know that, if Joe were alive
today, he would be too.
Does that mean I have to salute you when I see you?
So I hope you all got to sample this week's Monday Swell.
There was another great session on Monday. There was. I
went down and shot in the morning, and then surfed a few and then
went back out in the late afternoon, early evening, for a Water
Camera session. This time, I believe I got the goods. While not
exactly Nevins quality or size, it was a special bonding
session with the little Canon D-10. The funny thing about
taking a water camera out in the line-up is trying to stay discreet.
I was basically looking for empty wave shots. But once the local
surfers catch wind on what you're doing, they turn into amphetamine
Piranhas. So the dilemma of shooting empty waves without dissing
the surfers takes hold. While I'm not exactly Mr. Diplomacy, I
thought I handled the influx of boards akimbo in my face out there.
At one point I had to yell at one guy, who kept his craft in my
face for virtually every set wave. I finally had to say..."Hey
man you're ruining my shot!" He looked dazed and confused.
"Huh?" I explained that I was trying to get an empty
wave shot, and not a series of him flailing on his board looking
like a tazed drunk criminal on COPS.
"I'm just trying to get an empty wave photo." I pleaded.
"Oh...I'm sorry." he said.
I eventually got what I was looking for that night. Monday
October 5th, 2009. The night of perfect light and color. Like
I've said a million times before. I love the Fall.
Now
for some of my weekly Global observances:
I
walked by the TV on Friday morning and did a bona fide
double take. I swear I did. What made me do a double take? Glad
you asked. The news of President Barack Obama receiving
the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. Are you kidding me? Look...I find
this particularly hard to believe. I can't understand what the
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE committee were thinking about. And this
just proves, that this once prestigious award, has been lessened
with this absurd result. I mean, what the hell has Obama done
to warrant this? Or a better question might be, what has Obama
done period? Besides spending us into oblivion? GITMO is
still open (thank you). The troops are still in Iraq. The
War in Afghanistan is getting worse. The economy is doing
terrible. The spending and taxes are out of control. The Health
Care Reform is a mess. But hey, we almost got the Olympics
to Chicago...nope!
I'm sorry, but this is just one of those news stories that just
screams "What The Hell is wrong with this world?" A
friend argued that Obama wants world peace. Really? Name
one US President who didn't want world peace? Seriously.
Name one US President who didn't want World Peace.
Hell, every Miss America contestant speaks of world peace.
Why not name one of them a Nobel Peace Prize recipient?
But Barack Hussein Obama? Even
Obama himself was shocked that he got it. Thank God. Unless
of course, that's another part of his clever acting scheme. Look,
he wants to sit down and talk with IRAN's wacky Leader
who claims that the Holocaust never happened. What the
hell are you going to talk about? The Nuclear facility
that he's been building under your nose and wants to destroy
Israel with? How many more years of this?...Oh yea 3.
Seriously... How's that Hope and Change working out for
you?
The RED SOX are in trouble. REPEAT. The SOX are in deep trouble.
The
SOX have Game 3 against the ANGELS at FENWAY
on Sunday in a do or die situation. Can they pull it off?
Yes. Is it likely? Probably not. These PLAY-OFFS against
the Angels are not givens anymore. They just lost to the
Angels in the last series against them. The SOX
have great pitching, but you need the bats to come alive to win
games. One run in two games is not gonna cut it. But having said
all that...you still gotta believe.
The
Patriots
travel to DENVER this week to play the 4-0 Broncos
today. The Pats looked great last couple of weeks against
the Falcons and RAVENS . Let's hope we can beat that little
High School student posing as a head coach Josh McDaniels.
Maybe he'll have detention and miss the game. That would be great
for Belichick to beat this kid who learned everything he
knows about football from Belichick and Brady.
Come on Josh.... come out and play.
Happy 22nd Wedding Anniversary to Cory and Ralph October 10th!
Happy
Birthday Markey J October 11th!
Happy 50th Birthday to Johnny Meehan October
12th!
Happy Birthday Arlene Nichols October 16th!
Happy Birthday Melanie Velstos October 16th!
PLEASE HELP THE NH SURFRIDER FOUNDATION.
*Check out the updated DROPPING
IN ON RALPH blog Section.
*Molly Video by Joe Carter has been moved to the Community
Page.
Please
Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week
every week for the last 6 years.
Remember
my friends...Surfing Heals All Wounds....
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.
Ralph
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(Above) Unknown drifting through a nice
section. Monday, October 5th, 2009.
Photo By RALPH
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) Eric Canon drops blasting through
the pitching lip. Monday, October 5th, 2009. Photo By RALPH
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) Empty Wave the first water photo
I shot that Monday evening.
Monday, October 5th, 2009. Photo By RALPH
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) Empty Wave #2 the water photo
series I shot on Monday evening.
Monday, October 5th, 2009. Photo By RALPH
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) The behind the Wave Sunset . The
water shots shot from Monday evening.
Monday, October 5th, 2009. Photo By RALPH
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) Ed's Wave. Ed loves this shot.
Monday evening. October 5th, 2009.
Photo By RALPH
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) Empty Wave Colors. Water photos
are hard to do. Monday, October 5th, 2009. Photo By RALPH Click
on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) After getting two nice barrels, Nevins
went in and shot these. Click on this image. September 28th, 2009 Photo By Brian Nevins
Click on the photo above to see the whole Nevins gallery.
(Above) Mikey Moran in the speed blur
world. Brian was all alone out there. Click on this image too
see the rest. October 5th, 2009 Photo By Brian Nevins
Click on the photo above to see the whole Nevins gallery.
(Above) This is Big Handsome Daddy. I'm
always looking for any kind of tubey section. CLICK ON IMAGE TO
SEE MORE. Monday, October 5th, 2009 Photo By Ed O'Connell
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) Ryan from Long Island NY.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE MORE.
October 5th, 2009 Photo By Ed O'Connell
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
(Above) John Carden from Hampton. Putting
the camera down to snag a few for himself. CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE
MORE. October 5th, 2009 Photo By Ed O'Connell
Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery and more.
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