Montauk Surfing

Surf's Up!

Aloha! Another magical week of surfing here in Montauk was punctuated Sunday with 4 to 6 foot surf and slow left hand rollers at Ditch Plains. These waves allowed a young 16-year-old visitor from Italy to experience the ride of his life, standing for the very first time and while gliding high and tight upon a 5' bomb by Hawaiian measuring standards.

You can't teach bravery in surfing, and every ten years or so there's that one special kid with keen senses, ironclad nerves and intestines the length of the Great Wall of China that stands out and perhaps is the next surfing legend.

During the past two weeks, I've been in the middle of changing many lives through the surfing experience with six students surpassing the other as "my finest ever" during a decade of teaching surfing here on Long Island. Yesterday's experience (mentioned above) will surely bring about a river of tears when I revisit the experience in detail.

The euphoria extracted from Montauk surfing this summer has been like no other and so many emotions uplifted through the "simple act of walking on water."

These experiences were not spawned through I and the student alone. With the assistance of so many of you in the Montauk Soul Surfers Network, allowing many newcomers space to experience that very special, first magical surfing moment all surfers memorialize.

Mr. Jeff Esposito, owner of Espo's Surf & Sport located on the Napeague stretch, continues to support youth surfing through his generous contributions sponsoring the annual ESA Surfing Contest at Ditch Plains.

I met Donavon Frankenreiter about 4 years ago at Mercury Lounge during his NYC debut and thereafter as a VIP guest at Summer Stage in NYC's Central Park with G-Love and Jack Johnson. Donavon is a dynamic individual like many in the Montauk Soul Surfer's Network and I encourage you to come welcome him to Montauk as a soul surfing brother foremost and to celebrate through his artistry this Sunday at 6:00 p.m. at the "Surf Lodge" lounge.

No other Hampton establishment has done for surfing what the ownership of the "Surf Lodge" has done in only a single season for us and the inclusion of Donavon Frankenreiter in this years format is the exact medicine we needed to punctuate the finest summer Montauk has experienced to date and put our scene over the top.

To the ownership and staff at the East Deck Motel, Gig Shack and Village Pizza we thank you for supporting Montauk and visiting surfers while granting those many favors we ask for from time to time. Whether it be ice, a cool shower, discounted foods or the use of your facilities, we thank you for all that you do for us because without it, we'd be hanging in the wind; Mahalo's.

The Labor Day Weekend celebration is one that we spend with family and friends. I am hoping that this year's celebration amongst surfers and their loved ones will be held by day at "Ditch" and throughout the night with an old fashion surfer style Surf Bash at "The Lodge," while pulling all of the stop's, designating each Labor Day weekend hereafter as "Montauk Surfer's Week," coming together as one keeping our biases and hard feelings at the house.

Quote of the Week: The man/woman who doesn't relax and hoot a few hoots voluntarily now and then is in great danger of hooting hoots and standing on his/her head for the edification of the pathologist and trained nurse, a little later on. ~Elbert Hubbard

See You in the Water!

Happy Labor Day!
With Warm Regards,
Hawaiian Ed

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