Who was the most stoked surfer you've met in Oregon?

[Ceedog]

There's one kid down here though that I'll see at all the breaks, who's always positive and just happy to be out, I suspect altered perceptions may play a key role. Other than him i'd say most of the people I've met here.

[SooLoo]

Damn. Forgot sparkomaticus.

[bluesilver]

When I'm away from the watrer for long, dry stretches - you all stoke me.
The stories mixed with the daily cam reviews keep me loving something I don't get to do nearly as much as I'd like..

[nm]

When I'm away from the watrer for long, dry stretches - you all stoke me.
The stories mixed with the daily cam reviews keep me loving something I don't get to do nearly as much as I'd like..

can one of you guys hand blue a gentle glide for this brotex moment....?

[scubetubeular]

I agree with Doc.
People who are overly stoked are annoying.
Especially when they are always overly stoked.
There has to be some down time.

[bluesilver]

I'd perfer a beer

[Dub Star]

Too easy....Dub Star.

So I am not the master of stoke. I’ll be the first to admit it.

Let me see how can I put it in perspective…….. again.

OK Smithgrind, remember when you went to Santa Cruz and points north? Didn’t you stay in a lighthouse? I do because I remember how stoked you were posting pics of the Lane and gloating it. So now imagine having that at your disposal for 8 or so years and a low key beach break biking distance from home and work. Pretty much waves every week all year, with no worries and little thought required. Surf, work, eat, sleep. Day in and day out.

Now imagine a guy who lives 70 miles inland, works 40-50 hours a week to pay a mortgage and support a family. Who gets to surf one or two days a week if it happens to be good, that week, on certain days, in a place where constancy is never the case. A guy that drives and drives and drives often for marginal surf or to play by someone else’s rules or get vibed. Or to show up and hear “it’s done” but “there weren’t any extras anyway”.

You see, it’s really hard for me to get all that stoked on surfing. Trust me I have been and I still do, but don’t obsess about it or really get to excited about it. Surfing’s great and all, but honestly It is what it is?

Now stoke on bros.

Laters-

[Spent]

That one's perspective Dub. Another perspective might be, you are a healthy young man with a beautiful family and home. You have a good job. You're a good surfer and get to surf a lot more than many others.

More than half the torment is in our own minds and that's something you can shift around.

[Lil' Snowy Plover]

That one's perspective Dub. Another perspective might be, you are a healthy young man with a beautiful family and home. You have a good job. You're a good surfer and get to surf a lot more than many others.

More than half the torment is in our own minds and that's something you can shift around.

Well said, and let's not forget that circumstance is an act of agency.

[pra_ggresion]

Nope his life sucks. I'd quit if mine sucked that bad. Or at least go find the most onshore wind exposed current driven slop, get a beat down and love it.

[scubetubeular]

That was well said Spent.
I'll remember that when I get healthy and mobile again.

[Doc]

I like to complain about stuff...
Even when I have it good...
It stokes me out.

Doc

[Dub Star]

OK guys. Thanks for you support, but I'm fine. Not going to jump off the Brodway or nutin. Happy as a bearded clam in fact.

But for the record never said never said that my life sucks. We were talking about stoke and surfing. Surfing's just not life for me. Although it's a good way to have fun and get some exercise.

Love.

[Spent]

Yeah, sorry I wasn't trying to be pedantic.

I've been through it. I was never in a position like you but I lived within walking distance of decent surf before I moved here and I told myself as long as I get half decent waves on a weekly basis, I'll stay sane in the valley. Of course that doesn't always happen and I turned into a right wanker when I didn't get my surf therapy.

So I'm sitting down with this kid at work. Got both knees smashed to pieces by her step-dad, runs away, starts using meth, pregnant on the streets blah blah, you know the story. And it might seem obvious but it took a long time for the wires to connect with me. Surfing means so much to us but its insane to let it torment us. Someone is always getting more and better waves than you. There's always someone ripping harder and dominating. Scoring, living the beautiful life but how much perspective do those dudes really have living that temporary fantasy life? Just how hard is the crash for them?

They can't hide from real life forever. Maybe they'll have to deal with an injury like Scube. Maybe, some tragedy will come out of nowhere or maybe they'll just freak out that they are a not an immortal surf god but a human being, whose body will age, decay and die and all those perfect waves will wash away into nothing. Surfing isn't forever. I suppose the trick, how to use surfing to keep you grounded in reality opposed to using it as a distraction That just might be the source of real stoke.

[Scottnorby]

The Schriver brothers of Newport were all over Avalanches (or for us old schoolers 2nd cove) way back.
They inspired me.

Phil Lannigan---is he still alive? That guy would tote me around in his van to Boiler bay and 2nd cove before daylight in the dead of winter----when I was just learning---and he would make me paddle out.
Ouch

Jeff Scariano was always on it in the 90's. And he beat cancer. And he still surfs.

Stoked.