| Stouthearted Men |
by Joe McGowan - Originally published on The Surf Info Page at joemac.net, May 18, 2003Yesterday I looked at boys and saw men. Before I get started on that, let me first apologize to all of the competitors in the ESA Northeast Regional Championships just concluding at Long Beach Island, New Jersey-I only watched 3 heats of the whole thing. Although it's a local event for me, I couldn't be there on Friday (work), 3 heats time was all we could stand in that fearsome wind and cold on the beach on Saturday, and here I sit on the Sunday of the event.I should be at the beach watching the finals but we went a little big last night, the conditions aren't really great and I want to write this down before I forget. I rambled on about this at some length last night, my family and friends were most patient as I was holding forth.Back to the apology. Since I only saw the 3 heats I know that what I'm about to say is probably unfair or not fair or something like that, but what most impressed me about this recent competition has nothing to do with who won, placed or showed. To be sure you all have my respect and congrats on those finishes, but I saw something else, something really impressive from the beach on Saturday.First, of course, I have to set the stage a little. The competition was held in the final days of a strong northeast blow. The seas were very heavy and "confused" as the mariners say. The strong onshore/sideshore wind persisted through most of the 3 days of the event and there were strong swells to paddle through to get to the line up. They were coming at you from any number of directions and there was no really good plan of attack to get out except to brute force your way by maintaining a strong paddle toward the outside with smart ducking under the incessant, pounding, incoming waves. The only strategy that really works for these conditions is to work out between sessions. Even if you did make it to a spot that looked like a line up a minute ago, the seas were shifting and you were drifting so that you had to constantly paddle to maintain a working position.Surfing in these conditions is not for the faint of heart I can tell you. It is indescribable, I think, if you are not a surfer or otherwise a mariner. It is an incredible amount of work for your fun and it takes a commitment that is really up a level, way up. If you do catch even one of those storm-surf waves though, it is well worth it and sometimes I'm up to it. Whether I am or not, I'm always impressed by those that are. The guys who rode in the Boy's semifinal heats had that respect from me yesterday and I stood in awe of them, showing their commitment to this thing we do, showing undaunted heart against waves that readily swept them aside.Me and my buddy Rich were sitting on the rocks of the groin near where they were assembled to paddle out. As they waited for the air horn to signal the start of their heat the sea looked fierce and the wind was howling and you could see each of them look out in turn, staring, concealing as best he could the pit that was forming in his stomach. You could see them sort of not looking at each other, so as to not let on the nervousness each was surely feeling. They sort of reminded me of me and my buddy Roger Jeffreys, also at a young age, staring down the very same conditions after getting off the school bus one day. After a long silence, he: "Well, I'm not afraid...", me: "...me either...". Both of us: "...let's go".Then it came, a blast from the horn, time for them to paddle out. I didn't register an instant's hesitation from any one of them. There they first showed themselves men, resolute in the face of something hard to do. Ready for it, psyched for it, determined to bring it.And bring it they did. As I said, it's a lot of work to be out in these conditions. These guys never flagged for a second. In a 20 minute heat each of them gave all out to the full measure and came away stoked. Worked for sure, but charged too with the good feeling of a big challenge faced. Stalwart is an apt word to describe my impression of them as the heats unfolded, "...marked by outstanding strength and vigor of body, mind, and spirit". That's how the dictionary defines the word and I think that they brought that meaning to life that day.What was further excellent about watching them is that a few of them did catch hold of some shorebreak, managed to put up some points in tough conditions and got a taste of storm wave. Fast, powerful, every stroke that they had just paddled suddenly worth it. That was really cool to see!There were moments with each of my kids as we raised them when some personality or character trait revealed itself, something that seemed like it would stick and contribute to their adult persona. These stay with me as defining moments, not so much in my kids growing up but in me coming to see and know the real them as it happened. That's sort of what this seemed like.I'm betting that at this point in their lives each of those semi-finalists aspires to the pro tour. If effort was all it took they would probably get there. No matter what kind of challenges they do end up facing though, I could see in their surfing yesterday some of the qualities that they will bring to stand up to them-including pure grit if need be. So here's to you guys, Omar Meddeb, Jeff Capone, Dan Mears of the CNJ District, Zack Humphreys, Brad Moran, Ben Graeff, Chris Eaves, Ray Leotta, Scott Barrie of the SNJ District, Leif Engstrom, Travis Beckman of the NY District and Lars Jacobson of the NNE District. You guys dug deep when you needed to and if our paths ever do cross it will be my honor to surf with you men.
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  written by Momooo, November 09, 2007 Write comment
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Thank you !