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| the author. not at work at anything she took the photo. it isn't candid. the first pose was weird. |
Yesterday was a bit of a reminder that sometimes when your so concentrated on self-evolution and growth and expansion and experience, getting the meaningful things out of life,and really pushing everyday to make it the best..
that its much easier than you think. You are not a saint or Socrates or Jesus Christ,just a surfer,in 2013.
There is a simple equation. With a good attitude, a couple waves with low expectation's, a few beers, a lot of sun, and a lot of skin showing from the other half, you can be brought back to earth. Its a good place.
San Onofre State Beach was always an enigma to me. I don't longboard, I don't drink a ton and although I am a student of my passion of surfing I considered the vagabond surf-bum van-liver under the hut lifestyle to be out-dated and less than desireable. In my first full winter since moving to San Clemente, I had been to Mexico and Santa Barbara and beyond and from beaches to bars from sun-up to sun down trying to take it all in,experience everything all at once, and take it all in. Never miss a moment. No time for a San-O day, no time to waste longboarding or dicking around with girls or just "cruisin"(as every San Clementian has listed under "favorite activities"), it just wasn't for me I thought.
Maybe I in fact,just wasn't ready.
It had been a long week, with a few long days at work, a few stressful life events to remain unmentioned, as well as a good amount of time spent digging hard looking into finally taking that trip to J-Bay and get my inner Curren on. My current employer, Rip Curl USA(which I thankfully was able to enjoy International Surf Day in California only with help of) was having their annual Planet Day at San-O, where all the corporate employeee's and individuals from the stores surrounding Southern California could come hang out for a day of fun, sun, and bun's(if you so cared).
I was late, seeing as I had to open the morning shift, and was stressed as had become a habit this past week. Low on fuel,had to run to get some before waiting in the hour line even to get into the lot where I didn't know where I was going or who I was looking for because no one answers their phones,shit who blames em', they were all on the beach! I was the idiot sitting in my truck fuming wondering what I was getting myself into.
After a good series of jam's in the truck, and sneaking a cerveza or dos in line while waiting, I was in. The "lot",was a strip of cars, lining the edge of the sand. Easily spotting my people and finding a spot,I realized I was in for something special. This was the stuff of legends. The thatch huts, the coolers, the boards leaning on everything(anything, I've never seen so many surfboards in my life), the old guys dark with sun, the young ladies the same(but different somehow), it was like paradise right under my nose.
I walked in, meeting my manager who greeted me with a brew, had a quick discussion about the future of wetsuits, then gave thanks to my COO for allowing me this opportunity to have this life that I love, to which he responded, pointing to the sea,responding the me by name, "No problem Danny, glad to have you! How long you been here?you been out there yet?" I hadn't, so I paddle out bareback with Ryan, my manager(still in wetsuit, what a baby) on the borrowed longboard from the pretty blonde standing next to me that offered me her's as I contemplated very little about what to do about my board situation. What a life!
Not having ridden a longboard in over a year probably, I was a bit of a shuffler as I joined the line-up slowly, where it was all hoots and smiles. Ne' a frown was to be seen, and who can imagine so with half the line-up having their faces buried in a toned female behind riding tandem in the miniscule warm surf. I got faded by an older guy, he said "sorry man", I said "no prob", I had a guy apologize for "getting in the way of my line" to which I laughed and I responded "c'mon man I can do that myself!". I looped the under-sized aircraft carrier of a surfboard, and sent it flying to the beach,seemingly miles away, and tried to casually cool the situation with a scared young lady on the inside who i probably almost killed. "My fault,I really should have been wearing a leash, I'm sorry." She smiles. She laughs as she reaches out and splashes water at me, "Good day for a long swim!"
Unreal. I let that be my last. Walking back up to the beach, there are more conversations had and ideas shared and relationships formed. Bonding is what happens on beaches(kind of catchy huh?) A gentlement to whom I have no recognition walks up to me and ask's, "What is a Dorybeach? I was on this website called that and I love it but I have no idea what it is." This man, obviously with some international heritage undeterminable, had stumbled upon me upon our website,and upon seeing my tattoo, wanted to know all about it.
The blonde is back. She's stealing her board back. "Wanna go back out?" Glug Glug. Of course I do.
A little smoother this time around, second time is the charm. I almost wear this older-looking ripper of a longboarders 9+ footer as a hat, and we laugh and share stories of the rides to be had and stare at the tandem's(cannot be helped).
Sitting on the hood of the truck swigging my last(as I said, I was EVENTUALLY leaving this nirvana), staring at the setting sun and the increasing # of still frowned upon SUP'er's(hey, gotta judge somebody this is AMERICA),she turns to me and congratulates me on the job that I had been doing and how its amazing how quick things had come to for me since moving to California thanks to my hard work. One to try and downplay successes,I say thank you, and quickly turn the subject back to commending her for all her help and friendship in doing so and relaying my stoke that she has found an avenue of happiness that she had been looking for quite a while and that it was amazing to see a hopeful glare in her eye again.
The crowds, the spot checking, the mad dash to rip shred tear, making sure that the bills are paid for and that you are satisfied with you efforts when you rest your head at night. Am i one the right board? How's my style, do you have a window winding arm? Fins? Don't even get me started on fins! Am I at the right spot? Why didn't I get on it earlier?
I had been on a tear, and I will never stop, but I want to make sure to have these moments again. Sun-tinged and stoked, on the hood of a car staring into a setting sun deep into some conversation to be forgotten by now,I had a revelation.
This is what this place is all about. This is why people come here. Leave all your bullshit at the door, and appreciate the beautiful people, places,and things around you. Listen, don't speak so much. Surf more, work less at it, enjoy the glide more. Smile at another person in the line-up and don't scowl. Have some fun, and for a second, appreciate.
I had stated earlier about how I would like to think that the beach-bum days of old are outdated, as can be improved upon in the modern age. We can utilize what's available to us and we know now to help see the world and stay in the sea,"stay salty my friends." Gone are the days that a life can be spent both fulfilled and spent sitting starting at the sea in the sand. We surfers are sly dog's(and cat's), and we will find a way. Don't MAKE it happen,let it happen(but give it a little nudge), be everywhere, all the time.
But every once in a while, just have a San-O day. Maybe before that plan to South Africa,or after, or just after a long week. Remember the source,and get back to what's good for you. Your not too cool for that eh'?
See you out there. I'll be the guy smiling.
"Beer's & Babes, Waves & Rays"
+DoryBeach-
