by Corky Carroll

2021 has been a very hard year on the surfing community, losing many icons and legends as the months have rolled by.  On October 14th one of the brightest minds, coolest characters and smoothest surfers pulled out, Tom Morey.  Most of you will remember him as the inventor of the “Morey Boogie,” or more simply, the BOOGIE board.  Tom was 86 and still smiling.
 
This one hit me hard as we had been close pals for going on 60 years, having first met in the early 1960’s.  Rather than going into a bunch of historical stuff I would rather share a little story about a few months I spent surfing with Tom in Puerto Rico, Jan thru April of 1968.
 
At that time surfing in that part of the world was still fairly new.  I had been there a couple of months before to surf in the first Puerto Rico International Championship and liked it a lot.  There was a movement to try and get the island established on the surfing map and the next years World Championship was scheduled to be held there in November of 1968.  I was thinking spending some time down there prior to that would increase my chances, so I packed up and, along with my then pregnant with our son Clint wife Cheryl, took off for an extended stay.  

Upon arrival we rented a small cabin on the hill overlooking the surf near Rincon, the main surf break.  And, to make things even better and more interesting, Tom Morey and his wife had also just arrived and rented the cabin next door.  Over the next few months we surfed and hung out together, shared countless stories and thoughts on surfboard design, jokes, lies, ideas on space travel, time travel and more cosmic craziness than I can describe here.  We also did a lot of yelling out, “Aguaaaaaaaaa,” to the owner of the cabins, who lived just above us, to turn our water on.  He liked to turn it off when he didn’t see our cars there.  It became a thing that over the years when Tom and I would see each other, or talk on the phone, we would always start off the conversation with a loud and long rendition of the aforementioned, “Aguaaaaaaaaaaa.”   

Three things stand out in my mind from that experience with Tom.  One is us paddling out on a huge day at a spot called “Tres Palmas.”  It was just us and it was big.  As we got to the lineup Tom, who had not really surfed giant waves before that, looked at me and said, “So, do you think this is 20 feet?”  I looked back and seriously replied, “Are you kidding?  It’s at least 80 feet.”  We should have laughed but were both so scared that we just left it at that.
 
The next was one day when we had been spearfishing and I was swimming in holding the bag of fish we had nailed.  It was always the guy that got the less amount fish that had to hold the bag, and that was always me.  On the way to the beach I ran eye to eye into an enormous octopus, like the size of one of those Krakens in the movies.  Scared me so bad I still have nightmares about it. Tom was mad at me for not trying to spear it, “ya know kid, that’s good eating.”  I asked if he was talking about the octopus or me?
 
The last, and most profound, was one day we were sitting in the water at a very remote spot with nobody else around for miles.  Surf was good and it was a nice day.  We were waiting for a wave and talking when far off in the distance we spotted a fish about two feet long just skipping on top of the water coming our way.  Right behind that fish was another fish about three or four foot long skipping on the water at exactly the same pace as the smaller one in in the lead.  They came racing past us going really fast. I was glad they didn’t hit us.  And they sped off towards the horizon with the big fish in chase of the smaller fish as far as we could see.  I looked over at Tom and asked, “So, do you think the little guy is gonna get away or will the big one eat it?”  Tom, in his perfect scientist mode, says that the big fish is gonna eat the small one.  Saddened, I asked why he thought that.  He says, “The little fish is spending more energy to get away than the big fish because he is smaller, so the little fish is gonna be lunch.”  I was obviously not happy at this conclusion.  Tom looks at me and matter of factly just states, “Corky my boy, that’s life in the food chain!!!”   This is when I decided that I didn’t like the food chain concept too ​much.  Visions of the octopus flooding my now terrified mind.
 
I am gonna miss great chats with him, listening to his ideas on music, surfing and the universe, and just his great wit and sense of humor.  
 
Tom Morey, one of the great ones.  
 

by Corky Carroll

​The 22nd Annual International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set to go off on Saturday, October 9th.  This years’ event, to honor the inductees for the year 2021, will take place at the Huntington Beach Pier Plaza, on the North side of the pier, kicking off with a “meet and greet” at 9 A.M.  This will be followed by the induction ceremony itself set for 10 A.M to noon. There will be Hawaiian music during the ceremony by the Kolohe Ukulele Club and an after party following at the Huntington Beach International Surf Museum with food and refreshments.  

Viewed by the surfing community as the “Academy Awards of Surfboard Building,” this is a highly prestigious and coveted award within the surfing industry.  The ISBHF began back in 2000 as the brain child of local surfboard builder and real estate mogul, Bob “the Greek” Bolen and his trusty side-kick Mike “Mickey the Rat” Ester.  (Just a side note: if you see these two cruising down Main Street in Rats woody station wagon you will swear it’s Cheech and Chong going surfing.)  

​The first person inducted was the late great Bill Holden.  The idea was to honor the mostly “unknown out of the shaping room” heroes who have dedicated their lives to the shaping, designing and construction of the surfboards that we all ride day in and day out.  Up until then it was mostly the famous surfers who rode the boards that got all the glory.  (Another side note: in my case this was totally deserved….hahaha.)  The award itself is completely hand crafted by Mickey Rat to honor each inductee for his or her contribution to the art of building surfboards.  
​

​Some of the previous inductees include Hobie Alter, Dale Velzy, Richard Harbour, Greg Noll, Bing Copeland, Mike Doyle, Hap Jacobs, Skip Frye, Gordie, Jack O’Neill, Doug Haut, Mickey Munoz and Robert August.  The list is a who’s who of the foam dust eaters.  
 
This years’ list of honorees is truly formitable.  Kicking off with the man most fondly referred to as the “Godfather of the Surf Industry,”  Walter Hoffman.  He and his brother Philip “Flippy” Hoffman were early big wave surfers in Hawaii and extreme lovers of the bohemian surfing lifestyle.  Their father, Rube, had built a fabric company and both of the brothers would find their lifetime niche designing, building and selling all sorts of fabrics to the world.  Foremost for them was the growing surfwear industy.  Most all of the material for the shirts, shorts and other “surf” related clothing has come directly from Hoffman Fabrics over the years.  All the time Walter and Flippy were still surfing their brains out.  Flippy, who was known for riding as big or bigger waves than anybody, passed away a few years back.  But Walter is still surfing going into his 90’s.  Every few years I have the pleasure of sharing a surf session with him and it is always a wonderful experience.  The man has the stoke.  
 
Next on the slate this year is 4 time World Champion

by Corky Carroll

​Through the years there have been many great surfers that more than less were specialists in a certain aspect.  Some have been expert big wave riders, others expert small wave riders and some expert middle size wave riders.  For instance, you have  guys like Greg Noll, who was famous for fearlessly riding giant waves yet was pretty much an average small wave rider.  One the other hand there was the great East Coast Champion Gary Proper, the dude could ride tiny waves better than just about anybody ever could.  But didn’t like the big ones.  
 
There have also been many surfers remembered for certain parts of surfing that they were really good at.  Like David Nuuhiwa, who was the greatest “noserider” of the great noseriding era of the 1960’s.  Barry Kanaiaupuni was well known for his monster bottom turns at Sunset Beach, on the North Shore.  Mike Purpus was well known to have “the best Cutback in the business.”  Billy Hamilton and Skip Frye were both respected to have extremely beautiful surfing styles.  Gerry Lopez was the man when it came to “tube riding,” and in fact was dubed “Mr Pipeline,” taking the title from the great Butch Van Artsdalen.  
 
There have been some that have been able to ride anything thrown at them well.  These are special human beings.  Kelly Slater would be one that immediately comes to mind.  From tiny Cocoa Beach, Florida ankle snappers to giant Waimea Bay on the North Shore, no problemos.  Also on the dance card in this category would be guys like Peter Townend, Jock Sutherland, John Peck, Michael Ho, Reno Abellira, Rolf Aurness and Jeff Hackman.  There’s more but my space is limited here.  

by Corky Carroll

With the normal heat waves of September and October comes the big offshore winds that we call “Santa Anas.”  Most surfers relate this with good surf.  If there is any kind of swell running these winds create very good wave conditions.  Along with this it is also very dry and very hot.  Which leads me to this weeks little advice from your favorite surf guru, me, on what this can mean to you and other surf seekers during this time of year.  This also relates to any and all others who plan on doing any kind of strenuous exercise outside.  
 
STAY HYDRATED.  I cannot stress the importance of this.  We preach this for those surfers and others who visit tropical areas where it’s hot and humid.  So many people forget to do this, or mistakenly think that drinking coffee, soft drinks or alcoholic beverages is hydrating.  They aren’t, just the opposite.  Ya gotta drink water or other hydrating liquids such as electrolytes, even Gatorade.  It’s very common for people to get sick, thinking that they ate bad food or drank bad water, when its dehydration.  In fact, it’s almost always dehydration.  I have had it twice and never want to have it again.  The first time was when I surfed a few hours in the morning at a tropical point.  I came in for breakfast and had coffee but no water or juice.  Then I went back out and surfed a couple more hours.  Drove back to where I was staying and started feeling sick.  Go much sicker fast and thought for sure that the breakfast I ate was giving me “Montezuma’s Revenge.”  Lucky a doctor lived in the building and treated me.  He explained that I had totally dehydrated myself and in fact it was not from food or water.  It was lack of water.  The second time I was doing a diner concert at a hotel and had a big glass of water on my side table.  Naturally a pal of mine switched my water with a huge Margarita.  Did a two-hour set, all the time sweating like crazy.  When I finished I was super dizzy, wound up passing out and spending the night and the next day in the hospital with an IV drip.  Learned my lesson for good.

​
​What you really do NOT want to happen is to get Heat Stroke (also known as Sun Stroke).  Here in Southern California during these late summer heat waves it gets super dry.  People who exercise during these conditions, or work in non air conditioned closed in spaces, are prime targets for Heat Stroke.  This is deadly.  
 
From WebMD.  “Heat stroke is the most serious form of heat injury and is considered a medical emergency. If you suspect that someone has heat stroke -- also known as sunstroke -- call 911 immediately and give first aid until paramedics arrive.
Heat stroke can kill or cause damage to the brain and other internal organs. Although heat stroke mainly affects people over age 50, it also takes a toll on healthy young athletes.
Heat stroke often occurs as a progression from milder heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat syncope (fainting), and heat exhaustion. But it can strike even if you have no previous signs of heat injury.
Heat stroke results from prolonged exposure to high temperatures -- usually in combination with dehydration -- which leads to failure of the body's temperature control system. The medical definition of heat stroke is a core body temperature greater than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, with complications involving the central nervous system that occur after exposure to high temperatures. Other common symptoms include nausea, seizures, confusion, disorientation, and sometimes loss of consciousness or coma.”
 
So, please take my advice and if you are out surfing, running, doing any kind of exercise or are stuck in non air conditioned indoor places, ya gotta hydrate and take measures to not get overheated.  Stay cool in the heat. 

by Corky Carroll

​For those of you who are not familiar with the infamous “Wedge,” let me clue you in.  This is a wave that forms next to the jetty at the south end of Balboa.  The big south swells in summer come marching in out of deep water and bounce off the jetty, causing them to literally double in size and form a huge A-frame like wedge.  The waves there can get 20 feet high or more when it’s working right.  
 
When I was young this place was strictly a bodysurfing surf spot.  The fact that the huge wedges of water break in extremely shallow water, very close to the beach and mostly close out relatively quickly made it what most considered either impossible or just too dangerous to try and ride on a surfboard.  
 
In August of 1969, when the biggest south swell in decades hit Orange County beaches, Mickey Munoz and I got the bright idea to try and board surf it.  There was a very low tide early in the morning which gave us the impression that, due to the size of the swell, it might break out just far enough to make it possible to take it on.  We drove up there at first light to check it out.  Turned out the swell was so big and so powerful that it was not bouncing off the jetty and there were just big surges of water going up the beach without breaking.  No deal.

​Not too long after that some local surfers from the Newport Beach area started figuring it out and surfing it on big swells.  Danny Kwock stands out in my mind as a guy who was one of the first to really ride it successfully.  When I first saw photos and video of him and a couple others doing it I said to myself, “YES, that’s exactly what I was thinking.”  
 
The problem for board surfers is that most of the time the whole thing happens extremely fast and very seldom ends well.  You must time the take off just right, made an extremely steep drop, turn hard and up into the massive curl and just hope you can find a way out without getting totally pitched into the sand very violently and then washed up the beach like a rag doll.  
 
In recent years, with better equipment, guys are starting to really ride it well.  It’s very thrilling to watch yet still super dangerous.  The consequence is possible broken neck, back, every other bone in your body, or even death.  Getting stuck with your board in a bad wipeout there is just NOT something you want to have happen.  Kinda like getting hit by a bus.  
 
Then there is the question on many people’s minds, should guys on surfboards even be out there?  This is one of the premier bodysurfing spots on the planet.  In fact, it is probably THE premier bodysurfing spot.  Having surfboards in the lineup makes it even more dangerous than it already is.  Many feel it should be bodysurfing only.  I can see their point too, even though I wish I was still young enough to be one of the intruders.  
 
I don’t know the answer to this other than maybe letting boards in the water only in the mornings before like 10 or 11, like some beaches do, and then leave it for the bodysurfers the rest of the day.  That could work.  Or just leave it open to whoever has the nerve to take it on, even though this is a bad mixture and almost stupidly dangerous for everybody.  
 
A word of warning, DO NOT go there unless you are an expert surfer, bodysurfer or whatever.  This is not a safe place for anybody, much less those not skilled enough to handle it.  It is great to go and watch though.  It breaks so close to the beach that you can see the terror in guys faces and hear the blood curdling death screams as they get rammed into the sand with pile driving force.  Heck, who doesn’t enjoy a show like that?
 
 

by Corky Carroll

​Zoom back to 1959 when surfing was just starting to take off.  The following is edited from my new book, “Not Done Yet.” With the gaining popularity of surfing came surfing publications.  One day somebody at school told me that there was a surfing newspaper that had come out and had a killer photo of three guys on a giant wave at Makaha, in Hawaii, on the cover.  The word was that they had them for sale at the Ole Surfboard shop in Sunset Beach, about a half mile south of our house.  When I got home I squealed, whined and begged my mom relentlessly until she coughed up a dollar.  Then I jumped on my trusty schwinn three speed and flew down the road as fast as my little legs could peddle.  
 
The Ole Surfboards shop was an old Quonset hut converted into a tiny showroom in front with the entire manufacturing process done in the back.  That was back in the days of real surf shops.  You got blasted by the smell of resin right when you went through the door.  And normally you would step in some and ruin your shoes at the same time, or at least get a bad case of fiberglass itch from the dust in the air from sanding the boards.  It was sort of becoming part of the whole process I guess.  Be one with your board, so to speak.
 
When I got to the shop that day local surf star and future legendary lifeguard Timmy Dorsey was working in the little sales area.  He was one of my surfing heroes at that time and I was happy that he was there to talk to.  Timmy was one of the few local surf stars who had taken the time to be nice to me in the water and always had had a smile and a “hey kid, howsit?” for me.  Of course I was probably a bit hard to bear at that time for most of them due to my zealous stoke and high energy.  

​So Timmy sees me come in and gets this huge grin on his face.  “I bet I know what yoooooouuuuu want,” he said with music in his voice.  
 
My eyes lit up.  There it was sitting on the counter.  The object of my desires.  The first surfing newspaper complete with the classic surf shot of Peter Cole, Wally Forsyth and George Downing screaming across this huge and beautiful wall of water at Makaha.  
 
“Yeah, the paper the paper the PAAAAPPPPPEEEEEEEEEER.  I WANT IT.”  I bellowed with glee.  
 
“How much money do ya got?”
 
“My mom gave me a dollar, is that enough?”
 
At first Tim sort of winched and frowned.  He was looking at the ground and kinda shaking his head.  I guess he could see the light go out in my eyes.  Well I guess he kind of engineered that actually.  “Gee kid, they want a buck and a half for this thing,” he said with just a touch of sympathy in his tone.  
 
My head dropped. 
 
“But for you I will let this one here, with only the small resin drip on the corner and a light mustard stain from my sandwich, go for only a dollar.”  
 
“REEEEEALLLLY????”   I came back to life.
 
“Yep.  And not only that I also want to tell you that Ole and I have been watching you surf and are impressed with what we have been seeing.  You could have some potential.”
 
“REEEEEALLLLLY?????”  My heart was soaring.  (Note:  the price on the cover was actually fifty cents.
 
“Yep.  And Ole has authorized me to offer you a surf team deal if you wanna ride an Ole Surfboard.”  
 
“REEEEEEALLLLLLLY??????”
 
“Yep.  Free color.”
 
“FREEEEE COLOR….OH WOW…. REEEEEALLY???”
 
“Yep.  So, when do ya wanna order your new team Ole board amigo?”   
 
Before those words had finished leaving Timmy’s lips I was on my bike, slightly soiled surfing newspaper in hand, and was racing home as fast as I could go.  My dad should be getting home from work at any minute and I had some serious work to do.  
 
I have to say that both of my parents were always behind my surfing and did all they could to support me.  When I told my dad about the “surf team deal” his eyebrows went up.
 
“Free color, that’s a good deal?”  he smiled.
 
“Yeah Dad, amazing deal.  Ole and Timmy Dorsey himself think I have potential.  Come on dad, pleeeeeeaaasssssssee????????”   
 
This conversation when on for about a month until he finally caved in and agreed to buy me the board.  But I had to pay him back half of what it cost from my paper route.  I think the “free color” price was $80.   So I owed him forty bucks.  This was sort of the beginning of him trying to teach me the value of things.  
 
The day I ordered my first Ole still stands out in my dimly lit memory banks.  Tim and I went over a few different color combinations and it was an agonizing process.  A friend of mine who started surfing about the same time as I did, named Terry O’Dell, had a board with a topless mermaid painted on the nose which I thought was extremely cool.  But my mom might not like that.  After awhile I finally settled on three color panels.  Green, White and Red.  Tim pointed out that this would look like a big Mexican flag.  
 
“Well, then I can yell “Ol’e” (like the bullfight call) on my Oleeeee,” I announced.  This was like a strange omen for things to come later in both of our lives when we became neighbors living on a point break in Mexico.  
 
 

by Corky Carroll

There are tons of negative features that Covid 19 has provided us with, mega tons.  The list would be too long to even attempt.  There are very few positives.  I was gonna say, “if any.” But then there is one very interesting outcome from the whole thing that could be taken as a positive, depending on how you look at it.  And it involves we hard core surf people who are in the water everyday doing our best to have fun and ride a few waves.  
 
Since Covid started and all the lock downs, places closed, etc. etc. etc., there has been a huge increase in the number of female surfers.  From what I am hearing many have taken up surfing because of gyms being closed or restricted access.  They were looking for another form of exercise and there was surfing just sitting there all ready to take them in.  So, we have seen a vastly greater amount of new female surfers than males.  I touched in this awhile back.
 
Is this a good thing or not?  Well, in my opinion, who doesn’t like to see hot lookin’ surf chicks in the water?  Most all guys and most girls too.  Now, I guess you could take this as a sexist and typical horndog male thing to say, and to any of you who might take it that way I apologize right now.  No offense meant.  I am way too old and happily married to do anything other than enjoy the view.  But it’s nice to have a more evenly balanced lineup just for the social aspect.  People like to chit chat between waves and it’s nice to have a girl to talk to instead of the standard crusty and smelly old surf dudes that I hang out with.
 
So, are there any negative sides to this female influx.  There is a belief that the most aggressive and hard to deal with surfers in the water are intermediate surf girls.  Guys like to say, “they snake you and drop in on you and they don’t care.  It’s like they think they are entitled because they are girls and can surf a little bit.”  And the always stupid, “…and ya can’t smack ‘em one.”  

​I don’t buy into that last part at all.  No, ya can’t smack ‘em one, that’s a fact.  But ya shouldn’t be “smackin’” anybody, man, woman, or beast.  It’s ok to smack a shark, but that’s about it in the smackin’ department.  Also, it seems to me that over aggressive behavior is not limited to either girls or guys, there are just certain people who are not considerate and act the way they do.  So no, I don’t see that argument as valid.  But it’s true that ya don’t wanna make one mad.
 
I think it’s all good and am happy to welcome more of our female surfing sisters into the lineup.  I do have one question though, and please do not take this the wrong way.  Many of the current girls out in the water where I surf, a warm water location, wear those new floss thong bikini bottoms.  And it’s nice.  But what I don’t understand is how they keep from getting really bad wax rashes? We wear long surf trunks for the very reason of not getting wax rash on our inner legs.  How do they wear those bottoms and not just get chewed up from the wax on their boards?  It’s like some sort of heavenly miracle or magic thing.  Hey, just curious, that’s all.
 
One thing I can say for sure is that there is some amazing surfing being done by the girls these days.  At one time I was certain that there would never be a girl who could surf better than me, and I held onto that fleeting fantasy for a long time.  Well, that misconception ended years ago.  The top girl surfers are doing incredible things and surfing far better than all but the very top men.  Certainly far far better than old fat dudes plodding along on SUPs.  
 
In conclusion on this subject, I just want to say I love to see more girls out there with us.  I dig surf chicks, just the way it is.  Yeah, it’s cooler when they are nice and not meanies.  Goes both ways.    
 
Lastly, and this part I really don’t like, we lost a couple more of our surfing community over the past couple of weeks.  Richard Harbour and Rockin’ Fig.  Both of these guys have been local Orange County icons for decades and it is a huge loss.  I just wrote about Greg Noll and also remembering Butch Van Artsdalen, so just didn’t want to get into more sad stuff this week.  I respected and loved these guys very much and was super sad to hear they passed away.  Everyone will tell you that one of the worst parts of getting older is that more and more of your pals leave. I told my beautiful and younger wife that I am going to live to be at least 100, and on my 100th birthday I am going to both surf and make love to her.  She just laughed and said, “well, you are NOT going surfing first then.”  
 
RIP Rich and Fig, we will all miss you.   

by Corky Carroll

​As most of you that are tuned into surfing know, we lost the legendary big wave pioneer Greg Noll a few weeks ago.  Tons of stuff has been written about him, his life and what he brought to surfing.  All great stuff.  Today I thought I would share a few of my memories of him and a couple of stories that, in my mind, kinda show what a colorful character and unique personality the dude was.
 
Greg grew up and learned to surf in Manhattan Beach.  His first board was made by the great Dale Velzy and a lot of Velzys surfboard wisdom was passed down to Greg.  He also got involved in lifeguarding and became a proficient swimmer and all-around water man.  When he was in High School his family moved to Hawaii and he went to school and surfed at Makaha, the famous surf spot on the west shore known to be the home of the big International Surfing Championships every winter.  It was there he met and surfed with such pioneers as George Downing and Buffalo Keaulana.  With this kind of influence it was not long before Greg Noll was one of the leading big wave surfers in the world.  

He also had a major influence on surfing in Australia.  In 1956 he went down there and took what was then state of the art “hotdog” boards that they were riding here at Malibu at the time.  These boards influenced the Aussies and became the in shape for their boards for years to come.  They called them “Mals,” short of Malibu boards.  
 
Ok, there is some history for ya.  I first met Greg when I spent my first winter on the North Shore in 1963.  He as the big charger at Waimea Bay wearing the infamous white and black stripped surf trunks.  He was out there during my first few adventures into what I considered “monster” surf.  Being an expert diver and swimmer, he could hold his breath for like weeks, and I think this gave him the confidence to take off on the biggest and gnarliest waves that came by.  Me, on the other hand, could hold my breath about 4 seconds and that was in the bathtub.  I was a lot more scared than he was.  I remember George Downing asking me if I was scared and I admitted that I was.  He said good, but Greg just gave a kinda evil laugh.  Sorta like, “oh man, this kid is in for a reality check really quick.”  He was always nice to me though and I liked to hear him “taking story.”  Greg was good at it, always had a tale to tell.

​The dude had an edgy sense of humor too.  There was a guy named Rick James that shaped boards for him.  One day Rick accidently cut the tip of his thumb off shaping a board.  First thing Greg did was grab the thumb and toss it in a jar of resin.  This became a paper weight on his desk for years.  Rick was not really happy about it as it eliminated any chance of having it sewn back on, but Greg thought it was the coolest thing ever.
 
One of the things that set him apart from others was his nerve.  Not only did he charge the biggest waves, but he somehow pulled off having two wives at the same time and they all lived together.  One wife took care of the business and the other took care of the house and kids.  Greg went fishing.  How do you do that?  
 
An early memory of Greg was when he used to make surf movies.  They would show these at high schools and small auditoriums up and down the coast.  At one showing in the South Bay infamous surfer Mickey Dora, who was a pal of Greg’s, showed up with a huge water bottle filled with moths.  When the movie came on and everybody was hooting and yelling at the big waves on the screen Mickey let the moths loose.  They immediately went to the bright light on the projector and wreaked havoc with the showing of the film.  Greg was last seen chasing Mickey through the streets of Hermosa Beach with blood lust in his eyes, Mickey being very lucky to have been able to run faster than Greg.  
 
Of course there are countless tales of the monster wave that he rode at Makaha in 1969, myth or not.  But the one ride that stands out in my mind was a huge outside Pipeline left that is on film.  He takes off and gets an amazing amount of speed across the face.  As the wave hits the inside reef it pitches up and gets deadly in ferocity.  Greg takes a high line and tries to make the thing but just gets exploded off as he hits a series of bumps on the face.  THAT one took skill and a huge amount of nerve to tackle.  
 
Greg Noll, one of the biggest legends.  Impossible to not respect the guy.

by Corky Carroll

I just received my copy of “Remembering Butch” from Amazon.  This is a new book about the life and times of legendary surfer and colorful character Butch Van Artsdalen, put together and written by Douglas Cavanaugh.  I had been wanting to read this for a while so the minute it arrived I dove into it.  I love this book.  It takes the very cool approach of being told mostly through quotes from friends and other famous surfers who knew him and were witness to his life from the early years at Windansea Beach in La Jolla, California to becoming one of the world’s greatest surfers and eventually one of the first lifeguards on Oahu’s intense “North Shore.”  
 
The back cover of the book sums it up very well and reads as follows: SURFER, LOVER, FIGHTER, LIFESAVER…
“Butch Van Artsdalen was all of these things and so much more during his all too short but exciting life here among us.  Everyone who was around the surfing scene from the 1950’s to the 1970’s has a ‘Butch story,’ many of which have been compiled in this oral history of his life and times.  From his early days as a part of the wild Windansea Beach crowd to being the first ‘Mr. Pipeline’ to becoming-along with Eddie Aikau-the first lifeguard on the North Shore of Oahu.  Butch rarely knew a dull moment and he packed a lot of living in his thirty-eight years.  He had many ups and downs in his life, starting with becoming one of surfing’s brightest stars in the early 60’s with his cutting edge performances at the dreaded ‘Banzai Pipeline’ in Hawaii, to losing his status as one of the ‘in’ crowd with the hippie shortboard revolution later in the decade.  He would realize a more important role when he saved countess lives as a lifeguard in the 70’s, but sadly his severe depression, exacerbated by alcoholism, kept him from fully understanding and embracing everything that he meant to so many people.  Regardless, there is nary a dull moment in his life, which is fully and richly documented here by his friends and family.”

​That pretty much describes the book.  It is just full of great stories and quotes by many of the surf legends and inside hard-core surf people, not only telling the story of Butch himself but also giving a very cool and colorful look at the surfing world as it developed into a sport and lifestyle.  
 
I first met Butch at the Hobie surf shop in Dana Point in about 1963.  He had been in all the surf movies surfing the Pipeline on the North Shore that previous winter and was a huge surf star.  He was working at the shop repairing dings in a little shed out back.  I had seen him at surfing contests but other than that didn’t really know him.  I liked him a lot, the dude had a huge personality and was very friendly and funny to be around.  Hobie put me to work in the shop as a salesman and we got to be friends quickly, as I think was the normal deal with Butch.  People liked him and respected his full charging approach to surfing.  
 
The following summer I had an apartment up the street from where Butch and Mike Hynson were living.  One night I was walking down there to see what those guys were up to, and I ran into Mickey Munoz.  He asked me where I was going, and I told him I was off to visit Butch and Mike.  He advised me to not go over there because Butch was drinking.  I soon learned that as fun as Butch was to be around normally that all changed when he drank.  He could be mean and liked to fight.  I will leave it at that as all that is well documented, and I would prefer to talk about the guy I knew as a surfer and very great person.  
 
Over the years I got to surf with Butch a lot in Hawaii.  He was a very gifted big wave surfer, one of the best of that era along with Mike Doyle and Eddie Aikau.  I had many great sessions with him at Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach, the guy was fearless.  I always liked to be out there with him because his “stoke” helped take the edge off the fact that we were often in severely dangerous conditions.  Butch would hoot, swing around and drop into a very late takeoff on some 25-foot monster like it was 3-foot shore break at La Jolla Shores.  
 
This book tells so many great tales of the life of Butch, a must read for any surf historian or fan of surfing lore.  He was one of the greatest from the early years of the surfing boom and this book gives you a really inside and good look at both his life and the surfing culture back then.  
 
 

by Corky Carroll

​Yep, it’s time for my annual beginning of summer public service column on how to safely go to the beach.  This is mostly for those of you who are novice beach goers and have no clue as to the dangers that lurk on and around the golden sands and sparkling waters that are so alluring.  This is all material that I have covered before but is vitally important.  Even if you are a seasoned professional beach-nik it might be a good idea to read this anyway, just in case.  
 
Huge fact: the sun is not your best friend.  You need to do everything you can to protect yourself from it, starting with sunblock.  Use it, and use it more after that.  Put it on 20 mins BEFORE you go to the beach, reapply often.  Yes, you will still get that nice tan you are so desperately seeking and No, you won’t go home looking like Larry Lobster.  You can use the ten zillion SPF and still tan.  Don’t worry, that golden bronzed and weathered look can still be yours, but you do not want to get sunburned, trust me.  Skin cancer is no joke, I know all about it.  Every time my skin doc sees me coming he gets a big grin and shouts, “WD-40 the register Vivian, here comes Corky.”  Todays burn is tomorrows fight for life.

​To further protect yourself wear a hat and sunglasses.  The sand and water reflect sunlight and that can severely damage your eyes.  Those pretty sparkles on the waves are like a jillion tiny mirrors.  Keep covered up as much as possible.  Also take something to put on your feet.  The sand also gets hot as the day goes on and the trip back to the car could be a lot different than the trip down.  You do not want a case of dreaded “fried feet.”    

​​Take along some water too.  Being in the sun can dehydrate you quickly.  The result is very similar to feeling like you have stomach flu or food poisoning.  Nausea, chills and all the other not fun activities that require a bathroom and a lot of moaning and groaning.   The extra danger in this is that extreme dehydration can cause a stroke.   Take water and drink it.   Beer is not water and in fact works the opposite.  If you are drinking beer make sure you have one glass of water for every glass of beer.   Same with coffee or soft drinks.  
 
Now let’s talk about the ocean itself. Depending on the swell and surf conditions there are currents. The more surf and bigger the swell the stronger the currents are. Even on days when the surf is tiny there are still currents. Generally speaking, the currents are going the same direction as the swell. If we are looking at a South swell, as is normal in the summer, the direction of the current will be going from the south towards the north. There are some who get all techno and want to tell you the coast goes East and West, but I am not one of those. In my mind if you are looking towards San Diego that is South. If you are looking towards Los Angeles that is North. So, on a South swell the currents go South to North. You can jump in the water and without even knowing it be a hundred yards up the beach in a few minutes. The dangerous part of this, besides losing track of where you are, is that these currents turn and go out to sea. This is called a “Rip.” Once you are stuck in one of these it’s not easy to get out. You need to swim sideways, towards the north side, to get out of the river heading out to sea. Then swim back to the beach. Do not try to swim against the current, you will wear out and then you have a serious problem. We always tell people to stay near the lifeguard towers. No matter how good of a swimmer you are, if you are not experienced in being in the ocean, you can get in trouble very quickly. If the surf is big the best idea is to have fun watching it and stay out.
 
This is the short and quick version.  I hope you take it seriously and use my advice.  Learning the hard way is not the good way.  Have fun but stay safe.  Happy beaching.