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Pro Surf Ramblings

The WCT is in dormant time and waiting for the below contest to start.

Next Men's WCT contest is September 12-16 at Trestles, California.

The next Women's WCT contest starts August 21 in Brazil.

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Pier Talk

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The good thing about surfing is, that you're never satisfied.

Similar to a junkie who is always looking for the next high, surfers are always thinking of that next wave. Sure, we can get ‘surfed out’ in a week long swell, but we are always looking for the next high, the next time we can experience the thrill.

Surfers usually know if there will be surf the next day or not and we always position ourselves to fit that surfing lifestyle. For instance, if a hurricane swell is predicted for the weekend do we make plans to attend a distant cousin’s wedding in Palatka?

A famous cliché that the thrill of the hunt is better than the kill is semi-true in surfing. Of course sliding along a perfect six foot wave is pretty thrilling, however, just getting to that point, or the hunt, is part of the fun in surfing. Some say in other sports that you are only as good as your last game. For surfing, you are only as good as your next wave. As surfers we are never completely satisfied and always want more.

Surfing is an ever changing platform for the people who participate in it.

I think that is why surfing is so related with the youth movement. If you think about it, surfing is one of the true grassroots sports. In this modern day every sport seems to be departmentalized. Kids are forced to attend practice and participate by overbearing parents, or organizations that continually enforce pressures on the youth. Sand lot baseball doesn’t exist anymore. For surfing, the opposite is in effect. Sure, there are the commercialized aspects of surfing with the contest, videos, and clothing. However, no one is telling young Billy Bob that he must go surfing every morning so he can make the High School team.

Surfing is owned by itself.

No one really holds the deed or title to surfing. You don’t have to pay green fees to the country club to surf. In the competition world, of course, the powers-to-be control surfing somewhat. But, basically, surfing would exist without the contest scene. People would surf regardless if Kelly Slater wins an unprecedented 8th World Title. However, the laudable Mr. Slater is proof alone that surfers are never completely satisfied with their last wave they rode. He could have easily quit at number seven!

However, even if he doesn’t win, he, you, and I will still surf tomorrow regardless.

The best thing about surfing is that you are never satisfied. One good wave or session makes you crave another.

As my wife sometimes says, “Eating makes me hungrier.”

For me, surfing is what I like on my plate…and I’ll take seconds!

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We Are Water Happenings

Central Florida recieved pretty fun surf this past weekend with it lasting into Monday and Tuesday. A weak tropical wave provided a small SE ground swell that wet our whistles with surf. Its been a pretty flat summer up to this point so this swell was nice way to break the ice. We should start to see more swells as we are getting deeper into the Hurricane season!

We are also experiencing a summer time upwelling. The water temp has dropped into the lower 70's! (Speaking of breaking the ice)

I'm putting the finishing touches on BK Williams Surf Survey and that will be published this weekend. Also, next in line I'll be working on Walt Barnes interview. Walt has provided an on-line surf report and forecast for over ten years and I call him the Grandfather of On-line Surf Reporters. The interview was conducted a few months ago and I'm just now getting around to editing it.

Also, I have some more Dermot stories to get out there over on the Swell Memories link. Also, hopefully, logjammer is brewing up another introspective article for the drifting link.

Brevard Schools start up next week! If you are in school make the best of it as you are developing memories as you go.

Fresh Friday out...

August 4th, 2006

David Reid

Sales@WeAreH2O.Com

Summer Surf Scene at 2ndlight...2006