YET EVEN MORE ON THE DARKER SIDE OF SURFING
2-6-08
BY CORKY CARROLL

Those of you that have way too much time on your hands and read this column on a regular basis are aware of the series that I have been doing lately regarding the more darker parts of the surfing life. I have been getting some great response to these and many of you have sent me emails detailing your own surf horror stories. I have been having a lot of fun reading these too. It’s always great to see a horrible wipe out. Not good when it’s you though. Here are a couple of interesting surf related mishaps that came to me via the email.

This first one comes from Tim Hennings:

“I was just thinking about something that is truly incredible about being a surfer. You see, unlike being a “golfer” or tennis player, or other sport pursuer on land, when a surfer steps off the edge of the continent, he leaves the comfort of being “Man-king of the jungle”, and becomes that kid that always got picked on in grade school by everybody. Here’s a case in point. I was surfing at 17th Street after work one day about 6 months ago. There was a small south swell going, and the water was green and warm. It was high tide, and the waves were pretty walled off, breaking close to shore. I didn’t care, because that day I was nursing a severely bruised leg from my new sport of men’s soccer. I hobbled into the water, wearing my full suit and (believe it or not) wetsuit hood, and started out into the crashing waves. After no more than 15 minutes, I looked to my right and to my horror I saw a huge bowling ball size head coming at me full speed 20 feet away. When it got to 10 feet, it looked up and tried to stop, but the inertia kept it coming closer. I could see it was a huge elephant seal. We stared at each other for about 10 seconds; his big black eyes looking very impatient and confused. The schoolyard bully wanted something from me. I sat there terrified thinking “what have I done to you, leave me alone!” (But the schoolyard bully never really did need a reason, did he?) In my black wetsuit hood and goatee, I thought maybe it was mistaken identity, and he was just excited to see a friend. He vanished. I sat there for awhile in shock, wondering what did he want? Was it to eat me, to beat me up, or was it something even more sinister… About a week later I relayed my story to a passing lifeguard in a jeep. The lifeguard said to me “oh yeah. They’re mating this time of year.” I think I will go back to soccer, where I will be safely hobbled!”

Yeah, nothing quite as chilling as a big bull elephant seal with “the look” in his eye. Best to stick to land sports amigo. This next one actually came from my pal the Blue Dog. He was recently on a little surf adventure trip to a little known break in Guatemala and witnesses this next mishap:

“I have been reading your recent columns about nipple rashes and stingrays with much amusement. I thought I would share with you something I saw last week while I was in Guatemala. I was staying at a nice little beach hotel which is located on a nice white sandy beach and rests in a coconut groove. The spot is surfed but not well known. I was the only surfer there until the second to last day when a group of very eager young dudes showed up from Long Island. There were six of them and they seemed to want to ride every wave that came through. I got out of the water and was having a leisurely breakfast hoping they would spend all their energy soon so I could go back out and get a few myself. When the first guy got out of the water he was getting dry and screaming about all the “sick barrels” he had caught. He looked down on the ground and saw a tool which is called a gancho. These are used to cut down the palm fronds. They look sort of like a boomerang but the inside edge is super sharp. As his buddy was getting out of the water the first guy yells at him to check out the “Mexican Frisbee” and sails it toward him just like you would a plastic Frisbee. The poor dude getting out of the water had no idea what was coming toward him and he tried to catch it. Bad idea.
It took off his four fingers and stuck into his board. The guy started screaming and yelling intensely. I wanted to tell the dude to “get a grip” but didn’t think it appropriate. Instead I finished my breakfast tamale and paddled back out.”

Whoa, THAT is a bad one. I have always found it NOT a good idea to mess with sharp objects. Keep the stories coming folks. It brightens my day to find out that these things happen to other people besides me.

SURF CITY NEEDS A SKATEBOARD PARK
The Wave ~ 2-6-08
By Corky Carroll

Last week I wrote a column about my eleven-year-old son Tanner’s love of skateboarding and his goal of becoming a professional. The boy is so dedicated that it amazes me. He went so far as to wrap a skateboard in a towel with no wheels on it so he could practice moves in his bedroom at night without anybody hearing him. I know the feeling. I was the same way about surfing when I was his age. I did so much “air surfing” it was insane. In fact people who saw me do it and did not know what I was doing actually thought I WAS insane. And many of them were doctors. Tanner does the same things. Wherever we are he is pulling “moves” on something. Trash cans, walls, stairs, whatever. And he has names for everything. “Hey dad, check out this 427 triple reverse screaming Katmandu.”

And I will counter with, “Yeah cool, but check this “way sick barrel stuff through the hole in the hedge.” And it goes on and on.

Anyway, the column got a ton of response and a lot of it was from people in Huntington Beach that are calling for a skateboard park. I had no idea that there was no skateboard park here in beautiful Surf City. How could this be? But now that I am aware of it I felt the need to say something. We should have one. Below are some letters from local residents who wrote to me in the past couple of days. For some crazy reason they seem to think that I have some sort of clout with the City. They probably have more than me, especially in numbers. I do have a lot of weight to throw around, that’s true. But it is around my waist, not political power. Here are a few samples of the emails I got.

“I read your article about your son, too bad he has no where to skate in this city? Maybe you can help get some of the city council to build one? Maybe get together with some of the surf shops, I know our son would love it. I have to keep driving him to Costa Mesa or San Clemente to have some good clean fun. This is something the city needs! Hope you too feel the same, thank you.”
Marianne

‘Can you imagine a skatepark on the beach next to the
pier where tourists can watch the great skateboard
talent in our area. The Santa Barbara city put one on
the sand just south of the pier. You have the pull to
get the city to do just such a thing. Surf city, needs
a great skate park and the kids need one.
Can you help?”
Ronny

“Hi, great article on Saturday, Hey, since your the "BEST KNOWN SURFER" in H.B., and your kid loves skateboarding so much, Maybe YOU can help out the rest of the kids and talk with the City and get a "REAL SKATEBOARD PARK" built in the city?
It’s unbelievable that "surf city" HAS NOT GOT A REAL ONE?? Every city around has one, Costa Mesa has one of the best, even Long Beach has a few really good ones, Heck, "FONTANA" has a killer one!!
But we have nothing, I think a good article in the paper too would help from you, maybe get all the kids to email the city to ask for one, Heck, they built that "sports center" And I was amazed they didn’t put one in there? Or Hay, how about at the pier like Santa Barbara!! When its blown out, START SK8'IN!!
Just a thought,
Mahalo for listening”
Aloha
Barry Johnson

“Hey king of surf dudes and wizard of writing we need your help. Did you know that your very own hometown of Huntington Beach does not have its own skatepark? I read your story in the Local section the other day about your son Tanner wanting to be a professional skater. How is he going to do that without a good park to practice in? Towns all over the country have skateparks but not here in the surfing capital of the world. How about doing a story on this and urging the wigs on the HB Capital Hill to let loose with some funds to put in a park for our kids and yours? If anybody has the voice to do it then that would be you. Help.”
A fellow Surf City Surfer

O.K. I did it. City Hall listen up. WE NEED A SKATEPARK.