Brendan P.

surfnyc@infohouse.com

My surfing life started in Bay Head N.J., in the mid to late 60's. My family had a summer house at 50 Mount St. between Lake and Main avenues. On the days that there was a good swell we would walk to the north end of the town line and watch the surfers. I spent long days body surfing and "rafting" (riding waves on an air mattress).

Skip ahead to 1981. I had given up booze and drugs and was looking for a new fix. I was working at a photo studio where the vice president, who owned a long board, lent it to me. The board needed ding repair, so I fixed it. Upon the owner's repossession of the long board he presented me with a single fin short board that he had bought at a garage sale. I bought that board from him and a couple of years later left it behind in San Clemente at Herbie Fletcher's shop. I took my new Herbie Fletcher thruster to Mazatlan, San Blas and Punta de Mita (an hour away from Puerto Vallarta). Six more boards and safaris later (over the course of 14 years) I still can't surf. I've had fun learning. I spent much time on Dune Rd. between the Moriches and the Shinnecock Inlet. Closer to home (NYC) I favor the Long Beach jetties. My good and kind friend in Long Beach, lets me keep a board in his garage a short walk from the train and beach. If it's offshore for N.J. I look forward to hitting it there.

I hope to have a very long future surfing, practicing the aloha spirit and making a lot o' friends.

Matt P. mattp@re-comm.com Caution: Stream of consciousness

kOOks,
Currently I live in Newport RI and surf at Ruggles often. I would definitely be in for a trip w/ a house to Cape Hatteras. On a side note- I asked a while back about places to move to in NYC and got some helpful responses. Thanks everyone. I was entertaining the idea, but now I just don't know. The thing is, I think I'm realizing that I really don't like the cold. I grew up on the cape and have always lived in New England somewhere. And when I tell people that I surf during the winter, after laughing laughing inside at their puzzled expressions, I have to explain that the COLD is an OBSTACLE to surfing in the winter (but it sure keeps the crowds away) and that I would prefer that it WASN'T cold, but when it's 4-6 foot with light offshores, I have to go out. It's an addiction and my only source of therapy. Again, more puzzled looks dart my way. And I usually walk away with a big, dumb-ass grin on my face remembering past sessions. People think I'm weird, anyway.

My point? -Good question. I'm at that time in my life that I feel I'm in a slump and I need to do something about it. I'm single and only 27. I started my own business the beginning of this year, but I have decided it's a bit too much work for 1 person. Plus, I really need to start making money again. I have TONS and TONS of computer and networking experience, so finding a job should be pretty easy.

Again, my point? -Where would any of you kooks move if you could go anywhere you wanted?

Someone suggested Hawaii, but I think Hawaii would be a bit too far. But if I could get a job there, I would definitely entertain the idea. I would also be a major haole (sp?). Any thoughts on that subject alone?

Someone also mentioned Florida. Any suggestions where abouts (besides near the ocean)?

Someone mentioned Costa Rica which doesn't sound too bad at all, but their economy is in pretty tough shape. But if I could find a job............... Does anyone know of anyone who has moved there?

Getting away from my little psychotic and rambling on and on session..... Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Matt (I wish it would just warm up and go off, but it's f*ckin' winter, and it's been so small for so long, so I think I'll write a rambling email to all the other kooks that are probably feeling some of the same things - but if they aren't, then I'm a real KooK, truest to its nature)

I'll shut up now :^)

-Matt

Karl P., III

kpfeil@fitchinv.com

Hi, my name is Karl P., III, My interests include: Surf, Surf, Surf, Surf, Surf, Surf, Surf, Wave riding, Sex, Sailing, Music, and a lot of other things. My friends call me Karl or Chuck (don't ask me where Chuck came from!) feel free to use either when addressing me.

At age 17 I began surfing, and for the next few years, that and sex where the only things I could think or talk about for any extended period of time. At age 27, I got married and now all I talk about is surfing. My first surf board was an old single fine Design One. It was a great board to learn on considering the deck was rounded and if your foot placement was slightly off center you were bound to wipeout. So after a couple years of riding the Design I, I realized that if I could ride that thing - I could ride anything! Since then I've had a wide selection of boards, most notably are my current boards: Hobie (9' 6"), Bahne (9' 6"), Hunt (7' 6") (hot pink) and WRV (7' thruster).

I surf every summer on LBI at a break that goes by many different names: south-harbor, the church, half mans (since half of a man drifted onto the beach one day), secret spot and parking-lots. Its a great break that can handle a swell from many directions, plus its not very crowded - since all the geeks are surfing in Harvey Cedars. Don't get me wrong Cedars is good, but it can be a zoo! In the winter I surf north Joizy from sandy hook to Manasquan inlet, wherever the crowd is smallest. I also like to leave our little frozen paradise (at least twice each winter) to surf more tropical waves (Mexico, PR, Tortola, Barbados, Hawaii, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica ...). In the past, I've been very lucky - catching solid head high to double overhead waves every trip (each trip - no longer than one week). But 1997 screwed up my perfect track record with no surf in Rincon, PR for a solid week (I had to drive to the north shore to get head high waves), and small surf (waist to head high at best) in Mexico. This March, 1998 Bud (another KooK) and I are going to Costa Rica (I hope we get decent surf!) NO WIVES- this is purely a surf trip.

To rap things up, I would like to ask for any surf travel suggestions for the future. The destination should have a reasonable flight time- for a one week trip. In addition, keep in mind I would like to maximize my water time, so I would like surf the day I arrive at the suggested destination and the day I depart.

Ride On

Karl/Chuck

Myriam P.

mypit@cam.org

As for who I am, let's say that I used to study Computer Science at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal, which means that I live in Montreal and am French speaking. I'm looking for people to travel with from Montreal or surroundings to the coast, so if you know someone please tell me. I started surfing a year and a half ago, but I've surfed about 2-3 months a year... So I'm still very much a beginner, but I just can't live without surf. The problem is that I'm just much, much too far from the ocean...

That's all I have to say for now, I guess you'll get to know me better by my postings.

Myriam
P.S. Please visit my web site to learn more. Myriam's Web Site. In the Surf topic, you will be able to find a list of about 600 surf shops on the East Coast that you may want to take a look at. If there's any correction or addition, please advise me, I'd like to keep that list up to date... because it is a good reference on the web.

EDITORS NOTE: MYRIAM aka "La Kanook" was later awarded the prestigious kOOk of the Year Trophy for 1998 for her outstanding dedication to the sport by the Surfers' Environmental Alliance and soon thereafter left cold chilly Canada to find a job crewing on a boat in the Caribbean. ALOHA MYRIAM...

Pamela P. Mrs. Peel

My name is Pamela, but you can call me Mrs. Peel after my alter ego, and I'm a brand new kook.

My actual surf time story is fairly short . Starts a few years ago on a California road trip, Newport Beach, a old school friend, John Henrici, took me out to Doheny and well, you know what happened to me there.

Came back to town, signed up for a week of surf camp, Baja trip with club Ed. Hooked up with Ed in San Diego, we stopped over at a ymca surf camp on the beach Imperial Beach, for some reason, and that's where i stand up surfed for real for the first time. In Baja, K181 we camped out on the beach, surfed a lot. Probably too big and kind of fast for me. Though I didn't seem to mind much. In fact I was pretty pleased about it all. It was pretty nice.

Didn't surf again for a year or so until last summer. Went out here on long island a few times. Gilgo, Moses, Montauk.

And now I got me a surf board. A beautiful hand me down Country surf board and a brand new beautiful wet suit, so I'm ready for whatever...

I have a free lancer's flexible schedule which is good only I don't have a car right (but I'm looking for a nice Lotus Elan if you knwo anyone selling one) now so I'm looking to hitch rides. I am willing, in fact expecting to take my board out on the train. I^“m even more willing to accept rides so if anyone is driving out from town any time....

Oh, I live in Manhattan, I'm 44, a sculptor, making money through modelmaking and moldmaking jobs and giving sculpture workshops for non artists and art meets science programs for kids and adults too. I take those out of town a lot, usually not anywhere near where there's surf but I'm hoping to put something together next for LA, Mexico and possibly Peru. Meanwhile I'm trying to hang around at least until late summer maybe get out in the water around here. Maybe meet me some kooks.

Cheyenne R.

The Indokid

Name is Cheyenne Ramedhan. Grew up in a legendary surfer's paradise, Indonesia. Island of Java is the exact location. I was a ruthless skater before the Queen of the South Seas had invited me to her domain. Yet, before the complete transformation I had to feel the joy and pain of sponge riding. Until one day one of my respected mate introduced me to a weird-looking vehicle. A vehicle that soon changed my life after.

On this vehicle I have managed to traveled through the known as well as the unknown notorious places on earth. Places like Bali, West Java, California, Florida, and the temporarily resting place, New York. Once in awhile, I've been dreaming to get away from New York just be back in a place where I used to be. Patience, that was what I've been telling myself. Through patience, only then a complete transformation can be attained. "Apakah kamu tidak tahu jika orang yang sabar itu akan menerima segala yang Ia inginkan di kemudian hari?"

Terima Kasih Banyak Atas kebaikannya,

Cheyenne"The Indokid"

* * *

Larry S.

Surfweeny

While I have been around for a few weeks, I have not yet had a chance to introduce myself. I would like to first thank Kevin O. for introducing me to kooks, and would like to thank all of the kooks for the interesting messages that I have received over the past several weeks.

Larry S. is my given name, I am 28 and I reside in Spring Lake, NJ (the town in which I was arrested last year for surfing during the Bertha swell) with my Wife, Patti, and two sons, Larry III (4) and Patrick (2). I am employed as a Media Supervisor at SfM Media Corp. (a media buying service) in midtown Manhattan, and have been for almost 5 years (that's approximately 1000 hours of commuting to date, so if anyone has any career change suggestions, please let me know).

I was born and raised at the Jersey Shore, and until I started working in Manhattan I spent more time on (fishing) or in the ocean (surfing, swimming, skin diving) than on land. I have a great love for the Ocean and it's environment and some day plan to leave the corporate life to spend more time with pursuits that involve it.

I have been surfing for about 18 years (on fiberglass) probably 21 if you count standing up on any piece of styrofoam that floats. I grew up surfing Manasquan and Sea Girt (NJ) for the most part because they were the shortest bike ride away. More recently I have spent time trying to find breaks that don't attaract the crowds that Manasquan does.

I have surfed in various locations around the country and the world including, Southern California, Florida, Hatteras, Puerto Escondido, Hawaii, Costa Rica, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola and Barbados. The places I would most like to surf in the near future Maine, Canada, or at this point in the summer, anything with some size.

While I have some interesting stories to tell, I share an internet phone line with my boss and will probably be getting cut off any minute so he can check his stocks. On that note I will end my intro and hope to share some stories in the future.

Surfweeny

The future's uncertain and the end is always near!

Robert S. rsherman@interport.net
Subject: Greetings to All kOOks

Thank you kOOkman Keith T. for turning me on to this site. You all are Rad to the Max (ok, so I started surfing in the 70s).

HELP. I^“m currently stuck on an extreme low tide sandbar between Columbus and Amsterdam in Manhattan.

I lived in the south side of Chicago until I was 12. The only connection with surf I had between 1959 and 1972 was the frozen windswell formations on Lake Michigan in mid February (like white traffic cones all bent in the same direction as far as the eye could see).

Luckily my family moved to Northern California. Boogie-boarding overhead Poipu Beach in Hawaii at 15 was my rite of passage into this world where all soul-based priorities shift downward one notch from the need to be in the water. I bought a 7'2" Freeline Design in Santa Cruz and cut my teeth at Pleasure Point. I misspent my youth at Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Fort Point and Kelly's Cove.

I filled the waveless gap for my 6 years in Boston by windsurfing all the lakes and bays. I studied piano and jazz composition at the Berklee College of Music. Then I finally rekindled my passion with a vengeance when I came to NYC for my masters degree. I have been accessing the Long Island breaks as often as possible ever since.

Now I live and work at home with my expecting wife Rifka (wavechild #2 arrived mid July 1998) and two and a half year old daughter Clio, who already has a wicked snap to her feet on her cut-out rug surfboard. We spend our month of Sundays in August on Fire Island where I can, for that all too brief period, live the life. The rhythm of the day there revolves around low tide, as the sandbar and jetty come to life causing everything else on earth to fade away into distant shadows and whispers.

I ate big water with Hurricane Edouard in 96, the single most terrifying experience in my life, and have sworn off large surf until my children grow up. My true love is a Phil Edwards 9'6" with redwood nose and tail blocks. My quiver also holds an 8' Stewart hydro-hull and a Classic 9' Zuma Jay.

The biggest challenge in my life is that, on a daily basis, I must fight off the deep inner urge to drop the whole ball for a shack in front of some warm left point break. Meanwhile, I'm thrilled to find this kOOky seawall where I can hang my towel.

See you all in the water.

-Robert

Kurt K.krieke@ogden-energy.com Subject: Dropping In

I guess the etiquette here is for a newly nominated member of this clan to tell you all about who I am and how I came to care at all about surf, surfing, surfers, surfboards, etc. Here goes: After a kidhood spent living on the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland (I was there when you couldn't swim in the Lake and the Cuyahoga River caught on fire), and a collegehood spent on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, I became a New Yorker. ... no surf yet ... I worked as an environmental engineer, went to law school and am now an environmental lawyer, live on Yupper West Side of Manhattan, work as in-house counsel for a company in NJ that operates 26 garbage-fired power plants all around the USA and is also into building power plants, water systems, stadiums, theme parks, etc. around the world. ... hang in there, it's coming ...

Flash forward to 5 years ago when me and my girls (spouse, progeny #1 and #2) got hooked on spending each August renting a house on Fire Island. But aside from seeing a few surfers in the water (and watching the women) it was mainly to kick back and hang with the family, which normal life doesn't allow enough of. One of those summers my daughter met another guy's daughter, and me and the guy's family began to hang out and it turned out he was nuts for surfing from growing up in northern California and was also interested in sharing this mania, and willing to loan his extra longboard and try to teach someone at 42 going on 22 to surf (see kOOk R. Sherman).

After 2 summers (each one month long, for as many days as low tide was breaking and no hurricanes were) I am still trying to figure this thing out. (As Rob pointed out once, I still haven't spent as much time in the water as the average novice teenager does on their first weekend.) I have not yet reached it, but feel it for this summer! I'm in the market for a board of my own, so if anybody knows of a decent, rideable, probably used (utility cost of a new one for one month a year is too high), longboard for sale, give a shout. I dig hearing about the places you all get to around NYC other than FI, but for now I can only count on summer vacation and the VERY occasional hookey-from-work trip. When I hit the lottery and chuck it I'll check 'em out.

-Kurt

David R. "The Minister"

Subject: My name is David, and I am a Kook.

My name is david, I am, and always will be a kook. when i was 2 years of age, my father decided NYC was no place to live a life or raise a family, so he packed us up and we headed for sunny southern california. now the truth is, he didn't move us there to flee the crime, or the grime or any of the other things new york has to offer, he moved us there because he wanted to learn to surf.

we landed right across the street from la jolla shore, one of the nicest places a beginner can learn at. a very gradual, sandy bottom makes for plentiful waves, that break very gently when they are head high or smaller.

but i have to surmise that it didn't take my dad long to get the place wired. within 2 or 3 years, my parents were ready to by a house, and they bought one only a few blocks away from wind'n'sea.

wind'n'sea is the classic la jolla reef break. works on any swell, any direction, large or small. and within a mile north or south there must be a dozen other distinct break ranging from the reliable summer womp of marine street, to simmons, (named for bob simmons) a screaming right that only works on winter's best north swell. in fact, simmons is where my dad got his biggest, best wave ever. during "the swell of '68" with only two other guys in the line up, my father found himself scratching for the horizon as a clean up set reared up in the kelp beds. much to his chagrin, he found himself in position for the biggest, baddest wave of the bunch. he turned, took off, and will still tell you the story with little or no prodding. my father just turned 64, and still surfs when he can get to water that is warm enough. currently he's land locked in southern oregon.

now you might think that a pedigree such as this would mean that you better stay the hell out of my way in the line up. you'd be right, but for the wrong reasons. I spent nearly every afternoon after school, and most weekends in, or around the water, but never really got the hang of it. maybe it was the line up i was in. wind'n'sea is a pretty tough place for 12 year old to get a wave and when i did, i sure as hell wasn't going to mess it up by turning or some such foolishness. maybe it was the vintage board i was on, a 7'6" square tail, shaped by karl ekstrom, and glasses by ron mc cloud. but to give you some idea, neither of them signed it.

when i was 15, my dad took me shopping for a new board. i picked out a 6'2" channin swallow tail with wings. this was just before simon andersen unified the surfing world, so at that time, you were either an MR twin fin amp out from PB, or you rode a swallow tail with wings. la jolla surfers didn't ride twins. the new board worked pretty well, but in never really got it figured out. with in a year, we moved to oregon.

there is surf in oregon, a lot. but my folks live 3 hours from the coast. also, we didn't have none of this internet stuff, so you never really knew what you might find if you headed out. in the 12 years i lived in oregon, i can count the number of times i got out on my hands. this winter alone, i've been out more times.

the details of what brought me to nyc have nothing what so ever to do with surfing. but surfing, especially winter surfing has everything to do with why i am staying. for most of the summer of '96 i was going crazy. my wife to be was working way too much, and we just weren't getting out of the city enough. my uncle has a house out in e.hampton, but what from what i saw, it just wasn't worth the crowds and the travel and the hassle. it sure as hell wasn't what i grew up on.

then came hurricane eduoard. sunday i saw double and triple over head waves peeling off the bars in east hampton, and nobody on them. monday i saw the ditch going off real mellow. i went to main beach surf shop, laid my plastic on the counter and said "do me."

i walked out with a 7'11" G&S magic and an excel 3/2, headed straight for the ditch, and in one day got the price down to $100/wave. i was stoked, i was a born again grom.

i wasn't dialed in yet, and had a lot of work. but, even in the middle of the biggest video i've ever produced i caught a couple days of hortence. i went out on days that were so bad, you would believe someone was in the water: thigh high with a 25k side short and worse. i bought another board (9'6" lochre.) i was out of my mind.

then the water got cold. i thought about it for a week, wondered if i would really surf in the dead of winter. then, the day before thanksgiving, the first nas

best) i bought it, a hooded 5/3, put it on, and hit the water.

it's a sickness. i found websites telling me when the next waves are coming and a connection up virtually 24/7. i've been in the water 25-30 times since i got the winter suit. when my wife and i got married in january, we went to florida, boards in tow. i got another board (7' squashtail, i wonder if i can ride it.) my wife and i are trying to buy a house in montauk. i'm doing what my father did, without the good sense to look for warm water.

i've never been happier in my life.

-The Minister

EDITORS NOTE: The Minister has of late been spending alot of time in Montauk NY dipping himself in saltwater and the surf culture of the East End.