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Newsgroups: alt.surfing
Subject: Barneyhood
From: "Bonzer" <dew@znet.com>
Date: 7 Oct 1996 04:12:49 GMT

I gotta tell ya. When it comes to surfing, every one went through the
evolutionary measurement stick of development. Be it a barney, a grom (if
you're young), or a kook. It is a necessary step in the evolution of
surfing. You can't skip these steps. Some may claim they have, but they are
kooks.

I believe that groms have the cleaner end if the stick. They are known as
the up and coming youthful surfers. They are watched in the shore break,
white water, whatever, and smiled upon, as long as they stay out of the
way.

Barney's have it second best. They are probably older when they start and
generally have difficulty in the surf. Why, because, they think they have
confidence, but it is not often commensurate with their skill. They don't
think they have to surf inside with the kids. As a result, they run over
people, take off on people, get pounded, get in trouble, get yelled at,
make a general fool of themselves, and sometimes even kook out, but are
smart enough to surf at breaks like "Barney's".  I believe I fit into the
Barney's category when I started.  I will say though, I spent many days in
the white water. In March. 56 degrees, in storm surge white water, with no
wetsuit (I was too broke), on a 8 1/2' bonzer board (aha now you know!)
Sometime though, I may tell you of my absolute first surfing experience.

Kooks though are insufferable. They may even surf well, but are rarely
reformed. They are kooks. They can't be explained, but you know them when
you see them.

I had (hopefully) passed the stage of barneyhood and was surfing warm
waters one day. The swell was pumping. It's a fickle break. You have to
watch for it. I do. Anyway, this day some of the local hot shots
had come out. One in particular had been a moderately successful pro, and
had made a local name for himself in surf boards. I didn't know him at all.
Most of the surfers were taking the rights so I was concentrating on the
lefts that were lined up rather nicely (even though I'm regular). He
paddled out and came right up to me and said, "don't take any wave I want".
I said excuse me? He repeated it. I wasn't sure if I was even hearing
correctly, so I just smiled. Frankly, I couldn't believe a surfer would say
that to another surfer (still had my rose colored glasses on). A set rolled
through and he paddled for the first wave (inside of me). I let it go and
it washed out under him and he missed it.  I went for the second. I had
priority and I caught it. I started down the line and this guy took off on
me on the inside. He went up for a floater on one section, saw me below
him, and floated out the back. I made the section and worked it all the way
inside. I paddled back out and he yelled at me for stealing his wave. I
just smiled at him. 

He can really surf. No doubt about it, but he's a kook. Kookness can't be
explained, but you know it when you see it.
-- 
See you out there,

Bonzer  -  http://sd.znet.com/~dew/images.htm -- for when the surf is flat

       -----the best surfer is the one having the most fun-----