Christmas Presents

Road Trip

 

Merry Christmas 2008

Paul K with family- Hawaii

Chris goes to NYC with family

Scott stays home in Deerfield Beach, FL

Taylor Tasca along with Dad ripping it up in Cocoa Beach Thanksgiving 2008

Deerfield Beach, FL April 2007

Katie, Dad, Kristen and Scott Patrick

Bomba Shack

This is a picture of the must see Bomba Shack in Tortola. The surf spot in front (Apple Bay ) is one of the best I have ever surfed. Scott, Tom A and I had 6 straight days of a 4-8 foot swell with light winds and moderate crowds. Last year my family and friends rented Tommy Hogan's house which has bedroom views of this classic surf break. The Bomba shack offers free t-shirts if you pose nude with management.

Paul K- Scott T 1993 Napatree

Napatree, Paul reunion 1993
And the man, long time friend forever, former bus rider(remember our driver's name Charlie), photographer, only one ever to be a true Hawaiin..... etc., etc. Paul you are responsible for keeping us all so stoked!

"You pig"

Mike Ryan- Tortola March 2008

Here's a picture Mike sent to me last Winter. What a beautiful wave

Mike Mexico

Not all adventures and good times took place in the sixties and seventies. Here are a few photos of a recent trip to mainland Mexico- 2005 maybe . Mike, Buck, Mike McKenney (Florida surfer with the stoke of Jim havens and Roy Springer combined) and not shown in photos but Joe Limanni who last surfed in 1966 but decided after surviving pancreatic cancer that surfing ten foot ranch was a piece of cake.

In the first picture, the boys are obviously tired and sunburn (especially me). We've been in Mexico for ten days and we just finished a day of some pretty good river mouth.

the next picture was on our way home and we stopped at some beach break and I think we just ate and bought trinkets to let girlfriends and wives know we were thinking of them the whole time we were away.

That's me gingerly avoiding the rocks at Las Gatos in Zihuatenejo. It was small and barely breaking but we hear it could be a great wave at double overhead. You took a boat to get to this side of the bay. Our captain upon seeing our boards told he surfed too and tried to ride a wave on the launch. It sideslipped and we almost wound up on the rocks. Only in Mexico. I love that place.

The last shot shows a water spout out our front door. A hurricane had passed just to our south.

Good to be still making stories and not just telling them.

Dickies Oct 2008

Matt Ferraro wrote

Buck is the goofy foot pulling in... These pics were taken in October - we had more than a few swells as big which occurred on the weekends.

Will Jacobs Surf Team Cocoa Beach FL 1966

Cocoa Beach FL 1966 - Will Jacobs Surf Team-

I owe it all to my predecessors Tommy Weyant, Gearge Lewis (Bus 8 ) Basil(Richie Lienart, Chris Eckinburg ( who married the most beautiful girl in theworld- Lynn Todds sister) and of course Flea Bop (who let me beat him in theCape Cod paddle race)

Scott Deerfield Beach 2005

Check out Deerfield Beach, FL circa 2005

Hey you guys! I agree with Mike. Stop living in the past. , check the Billy Hamilton/David Nuuhiwa classic style. It may not be up North Shore standards but I swear the big sets were double overhead (East Coast measurements) Also, look closely andyou will see Ryan Geary, and Hilary Geary 

Scott still is King, or legend .......or is it a legend in his own mind, or maybe still "The original Gremmy"

PK Wedding

Oct 29, 1989...PK 's wedding. Here are some of the characters in attendance. The place is Waimea on the Big Island at the Koa Church. Tim Morgan, left, had to borrow a tie from Paul. One of the Westerly "boys" who transplanted first to Maui, and later Big Island and even

later to Kauai, following his "DAD"-PK. Tim worked for Paul everywhere he went. He was one of his "sons". Maintaining the restaurant tradition honed to him by the master, he currently is seen 6 nights a week at GO FISH in Mystic. Tim was the fastest "bus bOy on earth" as

dubbed by paul in a 1990 interview with Food and Wine Magazine! PK and Tim surfed many classic days together on all 3 Islands with some fond memories of the Church, Pier One. A Bay and Paukukalo.

Next in line is Balinese transplant Curt Schwarz, another one of the crew that came , stayed and then moved on to his current status as Mr Bali. Again, many classic sessions were had by these guys whenever the waves were on. Who can forget the Church?

Far right is William Beatty, heir to the Ocean House and current barender at the Knick reborn (at least last I know). Billie Boy was part of the Maui boy transplants and was there on all those great swells as well.

Finally, the beautiful Iwalani Isbell-she was Pauls first pal on the Big Island-great surfer and hairdresser, keeping Paul's already short hair, trimmed to keep the professional look monthly. Iwalani was an enigma of Big Island surfing. Old Kamaiina family, mom was a political genius-she was well known. A good friend to have. Currently, owner of world famous Puulani Hawaii

Bikinis-check it online. Still surfing and as athletic as ever.

The boys are not only jazzed to be watching Paul get married, but more so to be holding Iwalani in perfect pose!

Paul K-Hookipa. HI

Paul Wrote

Its late Sept , 1982. Typical NE swell at "Pavills"-Hookipa. PK , blue speedosand, setting up the turn.

Pavills was the trade wind/NE swell spot. Boil rock take off(note boil on wave), and on big NE swells, quite a long ride across the channel to inside Middles. When winter hit and swells turned more West, it was a washing Machine. Never fear, right across the channel had "Middle lefts", H-Pokos, "The Point" ,and finally one more channel over- THE LANE.

In later years, Hookipa was overrun with the windsurf craze and you could no longer find a spot to park as easy, and the drugs, even later, were making its scene at the Pavillion itself. Gone were the solitary days when you could leave your board by mistake and later have your friend pick it up for you-untouched! You had to contend with windsurfers flying over your head on the way out. Gone were the days of picking ticks off Huali in the shallows of the inner reef tide pools, or talking with the girls on the beach or your bros. The scene came to a head in 85 and a huge"meeting" was called for intervention. Mike Waltze and the boys versus the Surf Mafia!

None the less, Pavills had its moments, remained consistent, and provided lots of fun throughout the years. There was a fraternity of surfers who were there day in and day out. It was hotdogging at its best. And like this -no one out, the day was yours. Oh yeh, dont forget to go to work!

Tommy Burke Monahans

PK Wrote

Eddie Burke-"Throwing the Turn". Nov 1973.

This caption in SURFER was the first real legitimate  R.I. surf photo to hit the mag.The Newport boys would make the scene at Monohan's when all else failed across the Bridge.  I think in later years ,they realized that Ruggles and Tuckermans were still the best.

I can remember going to the Burkes house in Newport in the ROGER WILLIAMS days of 72 and bringing bagfuls of ludes, yellow jackets, tuinols and secanols.  Add some Columbian and Newport jungle juice and the party went into oblivion.

And finally, I remember sitting on the wall at RUGGLES alone , higher than a kite with "wild irsh rose"  pints as back up, no one out, and thinking about the GREAT GATSBY and JEFF HACKMAN all in one passing thought! Surfing 3-4 footers in January in this condition!

Whew! I was lucky to make it back to the shoreline and then back ROGER WILLIAMS in one piece !

PK Wrote

July 74.  Its the middle of summer, and we are into it full swing. It could be a drive through the Hill to get some Mattress pants, an ice cream cone at St. Claires, check out the girls or a sunset session at the Lighthouse.

You chose...maybe it was the Olympia Tea Room to see if Susie Cardinal was working. Either way, your driving by the bay and look out and see a quaint older couple, probably from Hartford, rowing through the sunset, somewhat hazy by the afternoon glass-off, with Stonington silhouetted in the background.. The question is what is the evening going to bring?? Watch Hill was cool , but you know it was back to Misquamicut at some point.Hey Paul,

Paul K in Tip Top Shape

On the verge of my 32nd b-day, oct of 1985.

 

A couple of key points to mention.  Ih the distance to the left is a patch of whitewater.  Affectionately known to  Tim, Matt, Curt, Dan ,Bill and me and the boys as "THE CHURCH".  This was "our spot" in the mid eighties, where few surfed, and we were basically alone. But it was as good a 2-5 ft. righthander as any, with a pretty much barrel off every bottom turn.

 I had the vantage point right from my yard. NE swells were golden.  I first discovered it in the latter 70's , turned on to me by the deceased Brad Lewis, who actually rarely showed up there.  By 79 it was prime, and when the Misquamicut boys finally came in the 80's, it became the "home break" with the correct conditions.  We had a few spots also in the immediate area of Waiehu , like "Middle off The Bay" - a large peak  just as described that really hit pretty fat. "Sand Piles", that really wasn't any sand but could turn out some large GLand lefts, and some fun rights and lefts on small days.

Then , a little drive out to Waihee, and there was "LOst My Slippers" or "Kapuna's".  Pretty knarly left in front of boulders and some outer lefts further out in the bay. I remember MAtt going it alone on a 5 foot day with no hope, and "Bali John" setting the tone on many other days.

Now, take a walk to the other side of my yard over to Lou's house and the whole coast to Hookipa was in full view.  More so, my favorite-PIER ONE .  By the early to mid eighties, John and I hit some classic days.

Now, if I was built like that today at 55,except maybe the legs, with the attitude, I would be a hero!

Thanks to Gary McNabb over those years for the multi yearly quivers.  Here is my favorite 7"6" Pier One special.

Chris at Burlingame State Park 74

AUG 1974.  Burlingame State Park.  Chris could do it everwhere in all mediums.  There was something about the park that had its moments.  You could camp, water ski(Wakeboard), and we even had a spot on the road we could skateboard.  It also became ajob. Wayne Weight was the official guard for the spot. He looked like Eric Estrada in his suit.  Gun and all!  He got me a job in the summer 76 on the graveyard shift during the weekends.  After lifeguarding I would rest for the 11 p.m shift.  There was a guard shack complete with a jail that if some drugged out -of -stater acted up, there was a holding place.  As the season ended, I was still there on the weekends into October.  Boy did it get cold with no heat.  I finally fell asleep on the job and they let me go in mid Oct.  Didn't matter.  I was heading to Hawaii.

 

This was probably the longest Chirs's hair got. This same day Meek Severns took to the rope and the archives have him in record, though that pic is not computer ready. I can't remember whose boat we had, and for all that matter, it may have not been Burlingame, but I think I got that right!  Chris, comments?!!!!

 

My best recollection is another day off the State Beach in front of Goose's stand, and we were just getting ready to go water skiing.  Chris is on the rope and T Wye is sitting next to me.  I believe Buddy was driving.  We took off 50 yards from the beach when the anchor, which was never brought in, started to fly and slingshot back into the boat, to hit me directly in the head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I got off the boat, swam to shore and the rezt of the day tried to recpoup my brain.  Boy it hit me so hard I saw stars!!!        An anchor to the head???!!!!

Mike Ryan and Buck with Kids Hattress

On a lighter note, attached is a photo from 2003 where Buck and I decided to take the next generation of Misquamicut surfers on a East Coast surf trip to Cape Hatteras.  Buck drove (the whole way of course) and here he is on the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel.  From the left we have Buck's son Josh boggie boarder and extraordinary golfer; chris ryan, who broke his ankle the day before we left playing hoops at Cimalore field now getting ready for six months on the Gold Coast in Australia; Neal anthes a friend of chris's who brought his electric guitar complete with amp on the trip; Andrew Barber who is the heir apparent to the Dickie's throne, and my cousin's son, Kyle, the token Narragansett representative and goofy foot ripper on the trip. 

 

Unlike my first trip to Cape Hatteras at age 15, these kids had adult supervision,and a  house on the beach instead of sleeping in the back of a station wagon.  The light house may have been moved but the whole area is still a destination for the young northeast surfer. On another trip, I rode all the way with Peter Pan in the car.  But that is another story.

 

Mike

Chris in a Costa Rica

 Picture of Chris in  the pool at Costa Rica with Scotty boy/ that's more like me!

Do you know that a friend of my son and his father who use to surf in the old days sold a Mickey Dora Cat at auction in Hawaii this year for the record sale of $20K The guys name was Blunt White who is a member of the Stonington lucky sperm club.

Do you remember the original Blunt from West Hartford?  

 

Paul K. wrote

I guess I was fortunate to spend lots of time in Newport. My Mom was from there and we would travel, which seemed like an eternity, there frequently when we were little kids to stay with the grandparents. Her father was a well known tailor in Newport and her brother was a heart surgeon equally known. This became the first connection. We traveled across the Jamestown bridge(completed in 1940) to the dock where the Ferry would take you across the bay to Newport. It was cool watching the water peeling along the side and when the waves hit the flat shore they would peel. The water was always gray -green and taking a car on a boat was the ultimate for a young boy! It was an hour one way.
Years later, the project began in 65/66 to connect Aquidneck Island by a large bridge. In 67, I was heading to the Newport Folk festival with Dave Napier to see Joni Mitchell, and the rest of the Folkies. We were awed by the half built project. I didn't realize that in a few years the Bridge would become my friend as I would travel weekly back and forth.
And it did become a friend. Ruggles and Little Compton became more realistic on June 28, 1969 when the Bridge finally opened. I traveled with Lynn the bikini surfer girl to one of my first, FIRST BEACH contest, that summer. We slept in the woods in an obscure area of Newport, getting ready for the red seaWEED DAWN PATROL AT First Beach. Will Jacobs had his third shop right there! Bill Bolender was king!
In the following years at Roger Williams, travel was never so easy with gas at 38 cents and a dorm room for play!
So youre driving home, its sunset and Rhode Islnad never felt so good!
Put this on your background and keep the faith!

Although Zeke rarely surfed, he sure was fun to be around. He was the most non surfing guy to be around regularly. The cool thing about this photo, is take a drive by my house now and note the changes. The car was my blue belvedere. The funny thing is I played in those woofds next door and to this day, that lot never sold!

Only one question remains,.....Where is ZEKE today????Can anyone answer that??????

Paul K. Wrote

For those of you who were old enough, many of you remember the Defreese brothers. I recently sent apic of Duane at the Elephant walk. I recently got in touch with him after searching.

One of the original Desano Drive boys in the heyday at URI and Monahans, roommates with Meek and PK and later George and Fox. Duane and I spent some great sessions together, whether skating or surfing.

Think back. ...I remember he was a perpetual Marine Biology student when I left for Hawaii. Well, boys , he made it!!! He is a well known Marine Biologist in the Brevard county area, now working at one of the colleges as a consultant but has written many papers relevant in that area. DUANE DEFREESE of course the guy on the right. All those years paid off!

Fox and Meek will appreciate this!