I haven’t surfed for a while, and things have moved on. The surf masses have increased, but I really have no good excuse. I have made myself busy with work, gardening, spirit, family, and practice. I still have ambition to surf – my boards distributed around the house and yard, wetsuits hanging dry, and sometimes a flip through a surf mag. Surfing is definitely famous – I was checking pics of the protest that pushed back on the softboard revolution – now schools, softboards, and all the diversity of growth is apparent. Protesting against the force of natural humanity – nope.

I wrote this for Christmas a few years back after Nicky H. and I met on the inside at JTH…

Was the day before Christmas and all through the Hook
The Crew jockeyed for position, but nobody bothered to look.
The sun was bright silver, a few clouds in the air,
In hopes a big set would soon would be there.

The Crew began to paddle, another set loomed,
Up the point waves crashed and 38th boomed.
And out on the horizon, just when you thought it had passed,
A bigger set rose, gathered, and massed.

When out of the fray, a nice bowl appeared,
I spun my ride around, an opportunity I peered.
I paddled hard and gathered speed,
Soon my board lifted, from the water it was freed.

Down the line I charged, missing this one and that
Off the top I sprayed, my bottom turn was phat.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a backdoor barrel, everything was clear.

With a little adjustment, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be the thick.
The lip just threw, and out I came,
Someone whistled, and called out my name!

Now in the channel, my ride all done
I decided that I needed more than just one
I turned back towards the waves, pushed through the whitewater
When all of a sudden, I was hit by someone’s daughter.

As I tried to fend off the kook’s LB,
I noticed another ripper bearing down on me.
Up to the nexus of third and second bowl,
Shot his board off the lip, he didn’t know the toll.

I saw what was coming, and did what I could
I used my arms over my head, just like a hood.
I tumbled in darkness, I hoped for the best
Soon it was over and I came to rest.

I popped up from below in a tangled mess,
And what did I see, it was Nicky no less.
I pulled on my chord to retrieve my board,
And in the deck was a fin, stuck like a sword.

It didn’t take long for Nick to see
It was his fin he left for me
He said he was sorry and I knew it was true
We walked up the beach together, he thought I was blue.

The waves were still pumping, but I couldn’t go,
Nicky still wondered, but I said, “its ok bro!”
He checked his twin fin setup, and looked back outside.
I said, “go for it”, and walked up the stairs to my ride.

I know you all are still there – thinking’ bout it.