In 1961 I shifted from skim boarding to riding ocean waves. It was my dads fault.! He taught
me how to hunt and fish. Things are what parents did to their children in that day, stage and time! We surf
fished. Sand spiked and with a very heavy lead sinker with big hooks that we were able to throw into a surf beach break! Far out!! Caught our dinner!
I loved doing that with my dad and yearly, " the Grunion Run", ! Our family were inland people. Valley Animals. I was so young, I didn't know that if we lived inland we were considered outsiders. I was to young to know what outsiders were? However, I wasn't such a noviscote to be unaware that if there was a group of outsiders than there must be a group of insiders!
So, what or who determines the inside and is it possible that anyone allowed a choice would choose to be on the outside, looking in? Hard to believe, isn't it?
What fun I had living in Kansas? Go figure. Bottom line. There is no surf in Kansas. California doesn't have very good waves either, on the best of days. What I learned is, if you want something, go out and get it. If I named all the breaks that I have surfed and all the people I have met in many countries surfing said breaks with, you would have no choice but to call me a liar!
I thought for a minute I had dedicated my life to surfing! I was right but I realized later that surfing also involves sailing. That is where and when I finally met a woman I loved and love. She is my wife. She can sail and that is more important to me than surfing. I met here in Cairns . Australia. She is from New Zealand. When it started to get crowded I thought I might try something else. Well, it evolved into a life-style. Sailing. I sailed so far and so many miles that I finally met my wife. She is a fine sailor and my friend. We have been together now for quite a few years and in several countries.
I wonder what is around the corner? I think I have one more trip left in me? Not sure. I am weary
because I am growing tired of bullshit on every level. It is a sad thing but it is on every level and that would be liars! Do you understand?
Surfing Kauai defined me! Sailing the South Seas measured me. Commercial fishing fed me. The U. S. Merchant Marine showed me! Diving everywhere I have traveled allowed me to become something more and yet something less than the bird pile/fish feeding frenzy I have witnessed. What is above meets what is below, a paradox! No-balance.
About Me
- Robbin
- Sacramento, California, United States
- so salty pieces of coral from surfing Hawaii in the 60's and 70's getting reef pounded living in my body fall through my skin from time to time!
sailing to Oahu
Jimi Hendrix was playing on Oahu. I had never sailed. Surfed Mexico, California, Hawaii! Aw, how hard could it be to sail 90-110 miles from Kauai to Oahu? Piece of cake, right? Remember it was the 60's! This is so bad. We thought we were looking at Kaiena Point,Ohau, knowing we weren't going to make the concert! But at least we were in site of Oahu-wrong! Coy, who had never sailed before, me,who had never sailed before, jeff and Abbott etc. We were looking at the sleeping giant on Kauai! We had done three-sixty's in the night! We sailed on the only tri-marran I've ever sailed on ( except later ) in my life, missed the concert! It was at the Waikiki Shell Ampitheater ( Moon eclipsed . We finally made Nawilwili Harbor! The Skipper tried to give us his boat saying, " It's trying to kill me"! We watched him go stark raving mad not even realising that had we got caught in the channel current we were on our way to Japan! Remember it was the 60's and we were going to see Hendrix. I left out some of the good stuff but I will make up for it later!
1 comment:
I wonder what is around the corner? I think I have one more trip left in me? Not sure. I am weary...
I seriously understand. I use to post a lot about politics but got tired of the "bullshit" just like you wrote about. Now I only mention current events when I really pissed off.
Got a couple of kids so I can't jump the metaphorical ship yet but once they are out of the nest I'm seriously thinking about finding some place on the planet that is at least semi-isolated to get away from it all.
Happy New Year! Hope it is better for us all.
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