Parents Crowd the Shore, 2012
[Click any image to see larger]
I remember the first East Coast Surfing Competition, which is
probably not something I should be bragging about since the 2o12 ECSC, as it’s
come to be known, is the fiftieth anniversary of this event. In its early days
the ECSC was mostly a local affair. There have been surfers in this area since
at least the 1940s, riding waves on what today would seem like monstrously
large and heavy wooden boards.
Surfing reached into the mainstream in summer of 1966 when the
movie “Endless Summer” was released. Surfboards were being made from fiberglass
by then, making them not only lighter and cheaper but also accessible to people
who lived far from the waves.
The thrill of surfing can
be hard to describe to someone who’s never done it. There you are, sitting out
just beyond the breakers with nothing but the swell and energy of the mighty ocean
underneath you. As you head out over the crest of the wave and down its front
you feel the rush of being simultaneously in and out of control.
Pre-Gaming, 2012
Over the decades, stymied only by the years when there were
no waves to speak of, the ECSC became a more meaningful competition and attracted
an increasingly national array of competitors.
The popularity of surfing goes up and down. But wherever
there are waves there are dedicated surfers of all ages who take to the water
whenever they can. They come from all walks of life, but all are equal when
they get out on the ocean. They pass their love of the waves along to their
children as soon as the little ones can swim. Women have become a much bigger part
of the surfing scene these days.
Adolescent Scrum, 2012
Surfing is still the center of the ECSC. But like a lot of festivals
and competitions these days, it’s become as much a business of retailing and
brand reinforcement as a celebration of wave riding. This past weekend the
crowds in the vendor area were, if anything, larger than the number of people
out on the beach watching the surfing. Middle schoolers lined up at retail
tents for free temporary tattoos, flavored water, t-shirts and hats adorned
with the names of popular surf-oriented brands. Corporate sponsors put on
competitions of BMX bikers and skaters. Bands played and beer tents opened at
night for aging Baby Boomers anxious to rekindle a few memories of those old
days in the sun of the endless summer.
Getting the Picture, 2012
My son and I rode from First Landing to Rudee and back on Friday. It was a great ride and a great day, with the highlight watching the BMX competition. I was transfixed.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! I have only been surfing a few times in my life, but I have to admit, it's exhilarating. And it gave me a healthy respect for the power of water and that infamous undertow.
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