Let's keep Maui in our hearts, after the camera and TV trucks have left, people are still without homes and businesses. If all you can do is send love and aloha, that’s enough. The genesis for this newsletter was when I was walking my dog and picking up trash from the weekend at my local beach/ surf break.
Respect, the word can have so many meanings. In surfing, respect can take many forms, like respect for your elders, respect for the ocean, and respect for each other.
Respect for your Elders. No, gramps didn’t have a cell phone at Pipeline in 1963. He didn’t get a surf report from Surfline, nor did he see the buoy report on the local news. What he did have is knowledge, and to be more specific, “local knowledge”. Have respect for the locals when you visit a new surfing spot because it might keep you alive.
We had our first really big stuff over the last week and the line-up was packed. Just to hazard a guess, I’d say that 75% of the people out there should have been sitting on the beach watching the locals. We have had a few storms and the sandy bottom is always changing. The locals know what’s going on out there and when the waves get big, it can turn to tragedy rapidly. I have a friend (who surfs nearly everyday) and she hit an unexpected sand bar and broke her foot badly. Respect the locals and their collective knowledge. As a lifeguard on Hawaii’s North Shore, Darrick Doerner has seen his share of rescues. Darrick told me about many of these during filming. Darrick’s son Tiger Doerner did an interview for ATJ, and you can find it linked to Tiger’s name (I give a short introduction and explain what you are about to see).
No matter how good you think you are as a surfer or waterman, the elder surfers in the group are better. They might not be the fanciest or ride the sleekest boards but they have a local knowledge that if you show respect, I would think they would be ready to share. So many times in the creation of ATJ I thought I had all the answers going into an interview, and so many times I was wrong. As an example, I had worked really hard for two weeks getting ready for my interview with Bill Hamilton. Even before I got the first question out, he looked me straight in the eye and said, “I’ve been thinking about this for a very long time and I have a few things to say about this”. Dead stop on my part, time to learn from my subject rather than me showing off what a good interviewer I am. It happened several times and I am most grateful to the legends that redirected my attention to more important things. Surf history and culture often involve stories, people, and places that aren't widely known. I hope I might help might uncover hidden gems and share fascinating anecdotes that you wouldn't find in mainstream sources. These insights can deepen your appreciation for the sport.
Pick up your trash. Where I live in California, it can be 35 degrees difference between the valley and the coast, and who doesn’t want to come sit by the ocean and cool off. Please leave the beach, anywhere you go to surf or enjoy the benefits of the ocean, as you find it and if you find it trashed, pick it up, keep it out of the water. Surfing connects you to the Earth's primordial forces. You become attuned to the tides, the swell of the ocean, and the lunar cycles that govern them. This profound connection weaves your existence in the grand tapestry of nature.
Knowledge is KING 👑