"County Recurrent" Presents: A Mixed Bag

Dateline: Friday, October 23, 2009

So much has happened over the course of the past two weeks that the only way we could even approach it all is to simply throw it up here on the Blog and let it ride ! "County Recurrent" took a trip to Southern Section earlier this week, and frankly, it was such a beautiful day in Manhattan Beach that this life long Central Section recurrent paused and said to himself, "Wow ! Why am I not working here !?"... You can see for yourself in the two photos above from this past Tuesday, Oct. 20 at noon..... The reason for the trip was a business lunch scheduled at LACo Recurrent, Chris Bredesen's Manhattan Beach Restaurant, "Memphis At The Beach." Which is highly recommended ! Just check out the special Calamari Salad and the Bison Burger (as opposed to Moose, no relation to Jay Butki...).



So, take a breath and have a seat.... Here goes:

1. We recently heard from LACo Recurrent (ret.), Bradd Schwichtenberg, who was just posted permanently to Wash. D.C. with the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers, which prompted "County Recurrent" to ask when his outfit was going to make good on its decades old promise of rebuilding the Santa Monica Breakwater. The Jury and the Corp are still out on that one ! Woo Hoo ! In any event, here is what Bradd has to report about this recent move from the shores of Jacksonville, Florida to our Nation's Capital:

"Will,

By the way, don't know if I told you I am working permanently here in Washington DC at Army Corps HQ (todays my first day on new job). My new job is to help coordinate coastal, navigation, and flood control projects in the southeast US between the folks doing the work at the state level, our Division office in Atlanta, and folks here at HQ where the decisions are made. Got some interesting studies I am helping with including Savannah Harbor (big harbor deepening study), ACT/ACF (involves 3 states sharing water), Florida beaches and harbors, etc.

It's a big move for the family from Florida I can assure you. We are busy settling in, kids in their new school, moving our stuff to DC, fixing up our Florida house, etc. Taking the subway to work is a change - do miss the beach - a lot. Nice hiking and kayaking, here. Nice to be back in a big city except for the housing expense and commute. All trade offs!

Hope you are doing well - keep sending the lifeguard related emails - I love em!"

Take care,


Bradd R. Schwichtenberg, P.E.
CECW-SAD
441 G Street NW, 3H81
Washington, DC 20314

desk (202) 761-4552
cell (904) 910-4068
email bradd.r.schwichtenberg@usace.army.mil

2. Cal Porter reports that there are a couple of new stories he's written on his blog. Per Cal, the best way to find him online is to google his name. Strange thing is when I try that with the name "Phil Topar" all I find are references to "Vegetarian" restaurants and "Skin Moisturizers"... but that's another story. In any case, go see Cal's blog !

3. Arthur Verge, Phd, a Central Section recurrent now working southern section.....sent us the following b/w photo of a group of paddleboard water polo players back in the day, which according to Arthur's dad, Art, was a big time sport amongst the beach lifeguards in the 40's and 50's.


4. Kip Jerger has sent us some more great recent surf shots from Bali. Just check out this sequence of photos showing Kip rippin' it up!








It's not all good news from Kip in Bali, though, as he shows us what happened when a friend borrowed his board on a Big Day recently...

(Photo above Courtesy of Kip. "Troy borrowed my board on the big day and broke it. Cost to fix it $ 60.00. Kip")


5. Bob Burnside has a short monoski video that features some great footage of Utah powder. Contact Bob at: monoskibob@earthlink.net to see this video.

6. LACo Capt. Angus Alexander gave us a heads up of an online YouTube video of "Jack The Rescue Dog", wherein a very talented Lab rescues a guy who should not be in the ocean... woo hoo ! You can see this video by searching "Jack the Rescue Dog" at www.YouTube.com.

7. Joel Gitelson recently reported the profits earned at the recent Manhattan Beach Home Town Fair from the South Bay Surf Club's annual "Fish Taco Booth", which "County Recurrent" recently blogged about.


According to Joel:

FISH TACO BOOTH 2009 RESULTS

WE TOOK IN $6,501.00 FOR BOTH DAYS

WE SPENT $1,817.77 ON:
BOOTH FEE, FISH, SMART & FINAL, PROPANE, VONS, ICE

THANKS TO CHRIS BENNETT OF GOOD STUFF RESTAURANTS FOR ONCE AGAIN DONATING 2500 CORN TORTILLAS! CHRIS, YOU’RE AWESOME! OUR TAKE TO THE CLUB WAS $4,683.23 !!!

ENORMOUS THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED."

*** Congratulations to Joel and the whole crew who worked so hard toward yet another successful mission accomplished ! ***


8. File under "On the Verge of Another Coincidence. The undersigned Editor of County Recurrent bumped into Art Verge, Ph.d (Senior), Prof. Emeritus, History, Santa Monica College and former Santa Monica City beach lifeguard yesterday morning at Callahan's Restaurant on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. As the photo below shows, Art stopped by for his morning breakfast routine of a bagel, cream cheese and coffee and had in his possession a b/w reprint of the Naval Ship he served on during WWII, which he is going to use as a prop in an upcoming Kiwanis Club presentation. (Caveat: We think Nick Steers goes to these 'boondoggle' drink fests too).


And then this breakfast of yesterday takes another coincidental turn. The guy at the next booth sees the photo of the ship and takes some interest in it and mentions that he was in the Merchant Marine. I think, "Dennis Wells", the former S.M. City and LACo Recurrent, Class of 1974, who left lifeguarding to pursue a career in the Merchant Marine. Turns out this gentleman diner, Achim Huber, knows Dennis Wells, and furthermore, Achim's stepfather was our own Wally Reeves, (R.I.P.), the famed L.A. City and LACo Boat Captain for many years. Wally has since passed away and Achim is hoping that we all can locate any photos any of us may have of Wally so that Achim can give them to his mom who still misses her husband Wally very much.

9. The Professional Lifeguard Foundation (aka, PLF), has just announced its annual Donor Recognition Event, set for Thursday, November 12, 2009, as follows:

Please join us for the 2009 Professional Lifeguard Foundation Donor Recognition event. We welcome all previous and future donors.

Thursday November 12th 6 pm to 9pm at:

Santa Monica Windjammers Yacht Club
13589 Mindanao Way
Marina Del Rey, CA
90292
Please RSVP with Ms. Elizabeth Glick at: prolifeguardfoundation@gmail.com

10. And Last But Certainly Not Least, in a new segment we present to you: "Lifeguards: Missing In Action" (aka, LG:MIA). In this sequence, you will see shocking and dated photos of Lifeguards who are missing in action and otherwise unaccounted for, or for that matter, acknowledged. If you know the whereabouts of any of these recurrent lifeguards, please contact the authorities...

Until next time.....


Will Maguire
"County Recurrent" News

http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

Service • Training • Commitment

*** Keeping the County Recurrent "in the loop"..... whether he/she likes it or NOT ! ***

DISCLAIMER: County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACOLA or LACoFD.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Part 2: The 1967 USA Tour "Down Under" Featuring Spike Beck

(Photo of USA Team "Down Under" in 1967. Photo courtesy of Bob Burnside.)

( Continued from our earlier Blog Post entitled, "The 1967 Australian National Lifesaving Championships", by Bob Burnside, which can be read at:
http://countyrecurrent.blogspot.com/2009/10/1967-australian-national-lifesaving.html )

(Photo of USA Team "Down Under" in 1967. Photo courtesy of Bob Burnside.)

Part 2: "The 1967 Australian National Lifesaving Championships", by Bob Burnside:

"The final story of interest and of Historical fact was during the National /International Championship finale. Although the boys were doing quite well in open water ocean swims, they were getting beaten repeatedly in the belt race. The belt race included one swimmer putting on a belt, attached to 300 yards of cotton line...he would then swim to a buoy, with the assistance of three other team members on the beach. They would feed the line out carefully to their swimmer as he raced seaward. The First swimmer to his buoy would raise his hand...declaring his win. I had two outstanding junior swimmers… Spike Beck and Bi Gerold. Rudy had alternated between each...with no success from either of them.


(Photo shows the 1967 USA Belt Race Team with Spike Beck, second from left. Photo courtesy of Bob Burnside.)

A week before the Championships, we were in Queensland. An old Lifesaver approached me on the beach as we were training for the belt race. He looked at the reel and belt...fingered the line and said, ”Mate, you Yanks have been had! Your line has never been waxed, no wonder you’ve lost every race” He then explained that lines needed to be stretched and waxed so as to better float with ease. Salt water soaking into the cotton line made it sink and become very heavy to swim with. He also informed me, if not stretched...the line would bow in the current while racing. He then made an offer to me saying... “If you’ll trust me with the entire reel, I will have it properly stretched and waxed and have it ready for the Championships for you.” I accepted his kind offer.....and it was ready for us just before the final championship in South Australia.

Rudy and I discussed which of our juniors would race in the Championships...Bi was fast, but I argued, ”Spike is all upper body strength and is a fighter...and he’ll give his all to beat these Aussies”.
Rudy agreed...and we went with Spike Beck in the finals.

As we strained our eyes to see his lane and if his hand would rise first...a roar from our team went up... Spike Beck had won the National Australian Junior Belt Race... Something no foreigner had ever done...and to this day that feat has never been duplicated.

(Photo above shows Spike Beck at far right after his victory in the Belt Race. Photo courtesy of Bob Burnside.)

Below are three photos of Spike's First Place Medal in the Belt Race, courtesy of Bob Burnside:





And below, Spike at left, with Central Section Chief, Micky Gallagher, in August 2008 at Jim "Jake" Jacobson's Retirement Party.


---

While being hosted by The Victorian State in Melbourne, we met a wonderful man who spearheaded the states lifesaving movement. His name was George Nutbeam. He was a self-made millionaire, which loved his early lifesaver association and continued to support its movement. With a sense of humor, unequaled by none...They called him the “Silver Fox”...for his shiny white hair and keen insight. George was not fond of the aristocratic National Body, calling them “The Old Farts.”

George loved his Victorian State Lifesavers...and one evening after dinner, Bud Stevenson and I listened to the Silver Fox propose an exchange competition between our “Los Angeles County Lifeguard Association” and his Victorian State All Star Team. He stated, ”If we stay away from each of our National Boards, it is acceptable that separate exchanges can be formulated between individual Lifeguard associations.” Bud and I agreed that this could easily be accomplished. We would set up a Race similar to that which the County of Los Angeles put on annually called “The Taplin Bell"... a relay of four swimmers, four paddlers and finally four dory teams.

Our Taplin Race had been named after a Hermosa Beach Judge “Judge Taplin”, so “The Silver Fox” said, ”Great mates! Let’s call this event between our two Associations “The Weiland Shield”, after the Australian Ambassador to the USA...a close friend of Nutbean. We would drop the dory segment of the race and in its place put the Australian Surf Ski...It was perfect and today “The Weiland Shield” is hotly contested every two years...either here on the California Coast or in Victoria, Australia.

The next year, the first Victorian Team arrived in California and was hosted by us. Since then every other year...an L.A. County all-star team journeys to Victoria, Australia, and they...every other year come to the United States. Today this exchange remains the highlight of competition between the two countries. "The Silver Fox” has since passed on, but he left behind a legacy and an exchange program, for “His beloved lifeguards...both Aussies and Yanks", who will enjoy it for centuries to come. Hopefully, he and I will again tip a “Schooner” of beer together...on yet another beach somewhere beyond...and discuss other exciting projects.

We had had a tremendous tour...and cemented a lasting friendship with our “Down Under Counterparts.” In the years to follow, many tours have been exchanged, to the benefit of all the past, present and future young men and women now part of the International Family of Lifeguards.

“The 1967 American Lifesaving Team”



We had been gone for over two months! Visiting, Auckland New Zealand, and all the States in Australia: New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania and now were on our way to Hawaii for a short relaxing vacation before returning home to California."

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Burnside


*** *** ***

On behalf of "County Recurrent" and its readership, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and thanks to Bob Burnside for sharing these great lifesaving competition stories and photos with us !

Until next time.....


Will Maguire, Editor
"County Recurrent" News
email: will.maguire@verizon.net
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

Service • Training • Commitment

*** Keeping the County Recurrent "in the loop"..... whether he/she likes it or NOT ! ***

DISCLAIMER: County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACOLA or LACoFD.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

County Recurrent: Gone Fishing, we mean, Skiing...

Friday, Oct. 16, 2009

"County Recurrent" heard Mammoth Mtn. (MM) was opening early on Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 with MM promoting a day of free skiing and snowboarding..... and well, we just had to cover this event. So we've in effect gone fishing, er, skiing, so y'all will just have to hold your breath waiting for Part 2 of the 1967 USA Lifeguard Tour of Australia till next week.

And we weren't alone. In fact, it was the Road Trip Of The Year for nearly every Southern Californian tween snowboarder and his and her friends. It was Madness ! It was Out of Control ! Just check out these photos !

(Photo above by Tim Gallagher. Chair #1 at MM at 9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 16, 2009.)


(Photo above by Will Maguire. Chair #1 at 1 pm, Fri., Oct. 16, 2009.)



"Hoffa Disappearance Solved?..." Just this morning on I 395 the County Recurrent news team suv passed a pickup truck towing a cement mixer and which had both a USLA and ZUMA sticker on the back window of its camper shell... We don't make this stuff up ! See for yourself below!

(Photo shows Tom Doman. Photo by Will Maguire. Oct. 17, 2009.)

And after seeing Tom Doman and then skiing we figured we would check on Mammoth Local and Retired LACo Zuma S.O.L., Bill Powers, who is still on duty (see photo below) but he was somewhere else out and about in Mammoth, no doubt with his two Golden Retrievers.


Until next time.....

Will Maguire,
"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

*** Send us your photos so we can share them with other Recurrents. ***

The 1967 Australian National Lifesaving Championships, by Bob Burnside

(Photo above shows the '67 USA Team. Photo courtesy of Bob Burnside.)

("County Recurrent" is pleased to present to you, in two separate blog posts, the article written by Retired LACo Chief, Bob Burnside, with respect to the 1967 LACo Lifeguard Team that competed in New Zealand and Australia for several months. Reprinted here with permission. Photos courtesy of Bob Burnside.)






(Three photos above from '67 Tour Down Under, all Courtesy of Bob Burnside.)

THE 1967 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL LIFESAVING CHAMPIONSHIP, by Bob Burnside.

As President of the USLA, I received an Invitation from the Australian National Assn. inviting their United States counterparts, to consider sending a 15 man American Team to tour Australia and participate in their 1967 National Championships. If we accepted, the New Zealand Assn. had expressed a desire for us to stop for a week in Auckland and partake in a similar schedule, while in route to Australia. There was a lot of excitement at our next board meeting and after lengthy discussion; it was voted that we accept the invitation. The months following were to determine where and how we would pick the team…it became a major focus of our weekly meetings. Finally, it was decided as to the composition of the team, and that a vote by all of the Board members, as to who would become the manager and the coach of the team, representing our National Association.

The delegates voted that I would head the Team as Manager and Rudy Kroon, a swimming coach at El Camino Junior College and a Santa Monica City seasonal beach lifeguard, would be the coach. I recommended to the Board of Directors that Chiefs Bud Stevenson of L.A.County, and Myron Cox of LA City, be invited to join the team as special emissaries, as a tribute to their many years of contribution to lifesaving…The motion was passed and they accepted. Australia was happy to add the additional bodies, with our acceptance of their Invitation. The California Lifeguards all competed for spots on the team…and after those that had qualified; all went into stringent training for the up coming two month tour.

It was a great experience and as Team Manager. I was giving speeches every day at every function, which seemed to never end. Fortunately, my classes in public speaking helped me fulfill these obligations when required. Our guests were always eager to hear from “The Yanks”... and I soon learned that they loved a joke or two and greatly appreciated recognition and praise about their Association and its outstanding public service.

When we left New Zealand, one of the “Kiwis” that we had competed against was in the finals, with another New Zealander, competing to see who would represent New Zealand in the upcoming Championships. They were racing in the belt race and the swimmer that was behind said...”I looked up to see where the buoy was and saw a huge fin moving directly toward my mate. I heard a horrible scream, the water became turbulent, and then there was frothy blood everywhere in the water... and my mate was gone !” A great white shark had attacked the lead swimmer and when they pulled the belt line in he was not attached and never recovered.

We had no knowledge of this until we arrived in Sydney. As we got off the plane the reporters were asking us about the incident and our thoughts. I responded with “a deep sorrow we felt for our “Kiwi” friends...but recognized that our line of work had many great dangers in it” That was all fine and dandy...but all of my swimmers were now scared to death, as shark attacks in California were unheard of. That night two of my swimmers approached me and stated that they had discussed the attack and the possible dangers...and they wanted their passports back so they could immediately fly home. I talked with our coach Rudy Kroon, and he was devastated...as the two were our best swimmers and the best chance we would have to make a strong finish in the upcoming events.

The prior years of “Politics now came to my needs”… I called them all back to hopefully change their minds. “Look guys!” I said… ”You know Rudy and I have been around the ocean for many years. The fact of an attack like this comes about when a white shark is stalking seals or other prey. It will always go for the weakest, which is the one that is generally trailing the others. In your swim events, there will be over twenty swimmers racing…and even if a shark is lurking in the water during the race…it will circle and attack the slowest swimmer in the rear of the group”… ”All you have to do is stay in the front of the group, all the way and never fall behind." They looked at me… and bought the whole story ……”sink, line, bait and hook!”.... Strangely enough, they went undefeated for the entire two months of the tour... They always were… ”OUT IN FRONT”

Rudy and I would laugh before the start of each ocean swim… ”Put your Jesus shoes on guys and rip”…

There are many stories about this trip that are just too numerous to tell… but here are a few quick ones…


We were at Kiama Beach, south of Sydney for an event. The surf was 15 ft. Ampol Oil Company, as a promotional stunt, had us tow an Aluminum Australian Surf Boat everywhere we went. We never raced it, as we didn’t row these crafts in the states. But there were a few of us that had many years of rowing experience in the American dory. An Aussie came up to me and asked if we were going to enter the surf boat race, noticing the 26 ft. Australian surf boat we had been towing... I told him “no way... that we really didn’t have a sweep oars man on our team …just some American dory men. Then, with a smile, he said… ”Mate, My name is “SPAZ”… and there ain’t no better sweep in Australia than I am, I’ll sweep for you if you want to enter.”… I called Rudy over, who was an excellent dory man himself to discuss the possibilities presented by the Aussie to me. Paul Mathies, who was traveling unofficially with the team… and who I had appointed as the teams equipment man to help us out and Jim Richardson, who also happened to be traveling with us unofficially was a dory man… and, of course, myself. We all agreed to jump in the Australian Surf Boat and give it a try. “Spaz”…said…“Go and advise the officials that you would like to enter…”BUT” ask them to seed you to the finals…”AND” tell them that you do not want to interfere with the other finalist boats at the start…so ask for the south start position near the rocks”… “Ok”, I said… and we were granted all of my requests. The Aussies were, of course, delighted to have the American Team seeded directly to the finals …recognizing that it would be a big crowd pleaser...particularly since the surf boat race was the most exciting and most popular event in Australia. Furthermore, they were pretty sure that we would come to a crashing end at the very start of the race… ”That never happened !”

The gun went off… and the other 6 boats launched as “Spaz” held us in the shallow water…Then he shouted …”now Yankees go like hell!” We rowed out along side the cliffs away from the on coming shore break, which was pounding the other 6 boats badly…out we went!… around the half way buoy far ahead of the closest boat… I thought to myself....”Christ… we’re going to win this race. In this Australian boat”...…I remember the rules that required all members of the boat as well as the boat itself “must arrive at the beach “all together” to win… So I am yelling at our Aussie Sweep… ”We got it won… lets play it cool and carefully row to victory”...But he had other ideas… and that’s why they called him “Spaz”… ”No way Yanks...we're going to catch this “Big Shelia” that’s coming at us and ride her right up their bloody asses. (Sheila referring to a big big female wave that was approaching … and “up their Bloody asses”…… referring to the officials on the beach that he disliked.”)

On his command to row… row we did!… and as we caught the huge wave… There were four “yanks” cowering around his legs, as he swept the craft perfectly toward the beach to a sandy first place finish.

We had stunned everyone… even our own Team. After that race… I refused to race again in the Australian Craft. It was to our advantage to leave Australia undefeated in their highlighted event… We had become the only non Australian surfboat crew to ever beat an Australian Team… and I was happy as hell to leave it that way !

(Photo above per Bob shows: “The Start of the Kiama Victory, with ‘Spaz” as the sweep”. Photo courtesy of Bob Burnside.)

( Cross-reference: Contemporary Kiama Surfboat photo and article on web:
http://bit.ly/S4mZr )

--- --- ---

The final story of interest and of Historical fact was during the National /International Championship finale.... and featured LACo Recurrent Spike Beck in a race with a result that has to date never been duplicated by another American !

*** TO BE CONTINUED ***


*** *** *** *** ***
Many Thanks To Bob Burnside for sharing with us his story of the 1967 American Tour Down Under and for his spectacular photos !


(Photo above shows Bob gracing the cover of the USLA's magazine, American Lifeguard.)

(Photo above features Bob showing us how the dory is done in the American Ironman at a recent USLA Nationals.)

------------------

"Bali Surf Report", by Bayard "By" Cartmell

"County Recurrent" is thrilled to have come across a classic and contemporary surf story brought to us by LACo veteran recurrent lifeguard, Kip Jerger. The following story is by one of Kip's surf dog protege's, Bayard "By" Cartmell and it is a treasure ! So sit back and enjoy! By has kindly given us permission to reprint his story here. Copyright Bayward Cartmell 2009. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission.


(Source: gonewalkabout.com)

*** Handy Web Map Link to Bali Surf Spots:
http://www.prosurfschool.com/bali-surf-maps.htm


(Photo above shows "Desert Point" (Desert island2, day boat trip east of Bali). Photo courtesy of Kip Jerger.)


("Padang, Padang". Photo above courtesy of Kip Jerger. Per Kip, "They named it twice because it is so gnarly. From left to right, By Cartmell from Santa Monica, Erich Hottentoth formerly from Hermosa, now lives in Mexico for the last 18 years- great tube rider. Troy Campbell, 40 year veteran surfer, and worked at the Kanoa Surf Shop in Palos Verdes, and Manhattan beach in 1976. My right hand man, Director of my Manhattan Beach Surf Camp, and old friend." And Kip at far right.


"BALI SURF REPORT", by Bayard "By" Cartmell.


(Photo above shows the author, By Cartmell, at left, hangin' with some locals. Photo courtesy of Kip Jerger.)

What follows is another chronicle of my never ending attempt to slow down the aging process by a combination of acting as childish as possible combined with over doses of fear based adrenaline.

This is my third trip to Bali, Indonesia but it is the first time I used up enough miles to fly first class in a 777. Wow, what a way to travel! It was 14 hours to Hong Kong and I did not want to get off the plane when it landed. A friend of mine, Kip Jerger, has been coming over here for over 10 years and has the place really wired. Kip has the added advantage of being a 20+ year LA County lifeguard and he keeps my natural self destructive tendencies in check.

(Photo shows Kip Jerger doing his own Indo send up of "Angel Wings" in country in Bali. Photo courtesy of Kip.)

Basically I believe that I am a much better surfer than I actually am. Kip has a good friend, John, who lives here full time and he knows where to go every day depending upon tide, the wind and the swell direction. As a result we get great surf every day.

(Photo above shows Kip in native Hindu ceremonial garb. Photo courtesy of Kip.)

We are staying in a wonderful villa in the part of Bali called Uluwatu which is the southern most point of Bali and it picks up Indian Ocean swell from just about any direction.

(Photo above per Kip, "This is the Villa I rent every year for the last 10 years above Padang Padang. Maybe some of you lifeguards might want to join us next year. We still have room for 3 more this year until December.")




(Re: photo above, per Kip: "And view. Why are you guys still looking at these pictures. Get you asses over here. A trip of a life time awaits you.")

If you draw a straight line from here south the first piece of land you hit is Antarctica, All those huge swell generating storms down there keep pushing waves up to Bali with nothing to stop them until they hit the reefs here and your feeble author tries to ride them without getting his head handed to him.


("Secret Spot". Per Kip, On the far east side of the island of Bali. Photo courtesy of Kip.)

I have been here for a week now and there have been waves every day. Luckily for me the first five days the waves were only 5 – 6 feet so I had time to get my island feet under me. Even small waves like these are very different than CA waves. They come out of deep water, hit a shallow reef and jack up much quicker than CA beach break waves. If you hang out in the top 1/3 of the wave you run the risk of being catapulted forward, somewhat like shooting a stone with a spoon, and are then rewarded for your improper technique by having the lip of the wave crash on your now submerged head. I have personally perfected this technique.

Yesterday, John took us on a 2 ½ drive to the west to a river mouth spot called Balian. The last hour was out of this world beautiful, terraced rice fields and brilliant green jungle. The first 1 ½ hours were pure Indo hell. Driving in Indonesia for 2 ½ hours is a rather unique experience. What would get your driver’s license suspended for 5 years in CA is perfectly normal driving technique here. In addition to narrow, winding roads with uncertain surface conditions are speeding trucks of all sizes, buses spewing vision blocking clouds of diesel exhaust, private car drivers in a race to see who can get reincarnated next, 5 MPH farm vehicles, hand pulled rickshaws, cows wandering wherever they please and all encased by a never ending swarm of suicidal motorcycle drivers who view traffic signals, lane dividers and any and all signs as decorative at best. I nearly freaked when a bus passed us going around a near blind curve.

You cannot imagine what these people put on a motor scooter. It is totally normal to see a family of five on one bike, an entire restaurant that is seven feet wide and six feet high or one loaded down with 10 five gallon water jugs that are now carrying gasoline (we give those the right of way). Anyone can drive a motorcycle here so it is quite common to see a ten year old in nothing but shorts and flip flops weaving at high speed through traffic, with the obligatory cigarette hanging out of his mouth, of course. The recommended driving position as a passenger is to sit in the back with your eyes closed and your seat belt cinched very tight. Praying helps. Particularly if Kip’s friend John is the driver. John is a very aggressive short boarder and perfects his skills at dropping in by driving like a possessed mad man. He views it as personal affront to his manhood and national honor if an Indo driver passes him. Motorcycles are kooks in need of a lesson, slow moving cars are sections to be pumped around, buses are close outs perfect for floaters and blind curves are potential tube rides.

("Native Driver". Photo courtesy of Kip.)

The reason John took us on this adventure was that a new swell was beginning to show and he wanted us to get to a certain river mouth break called Balian on the west coast. After five days of super steep reef break I was looking out on beautiful sloping A frames designed by the wave gods for long boards. My 8’ fish was perfect for these, Kip grabbed my long board and we rode 6 – 8 foot waves until our shoulders couldn’t get us back out. As in normal in Bali , everywhere there is a surf break there is an ex-pat who has set up a beautiful restaurant, hotel complex with a great view of the waves. So after lunch we piled into the van and headed further west to a beach called Medewi with a wave very like Rincon only it’s a left. The swell continued to pick up and by the time we digested lunch, the waves were 8 – 10 feet and a good 150 yards wide. 8 – 10 foot here is very different than CA, waves are much, much thicker here. Really head spinning to see these perfectly straight, 150 yard mountains of water charging in. You think no way I can make a wave that long and straight it is going to close out, grind me into the reef and use me for shark bait, but when it hit the point it would start to peel and if you kept your foot on the gas and pumped like a lunatic you could make it all the way. Best way back out was to go into the beach and walk all the way back to the take off spot. Another 2 ½ hour drive back, talk about a buzz kill, and we were dead asleep by 8:30. Party guys we are not.

This AM we went to a beach called Serangan. Swell was now 15+ feet and your author felt like he had eaten a live squirrel. I was more than ready to swallow my oversized pride and take a firm seat on the beach but Kip told me I could handle it so I put on my booties, walked out to edge of the reef, waited for a lull in the waves and paddled out like there was a great white shark on my ass. There is no more wonderful feeling than when you finally get out through the death zone and out past where the waves are breaking. Luckily I went to the bathroom earlier in the morning otherwise I would have left a trail behind me as I sprinted for the horizon. Since I left my pride on the beach I decided the wisest course for me was to hang out on the shoulder and settle for the ten footers. Even those involved a near elevator drop to get into them followed by a quick pump into the hook and intense pumping to stay ahead of the beast that sounded like a freight train trying to swallow me. I gradually worked my way over from the bunny slope and got some of the best rides of my life, in addition to a couple of mega poundings when I was caught inside waiting for smaller waves more to my level of courage. Kip, of course, was carving up the biggest beasts like they were child’s play.

That is it for now, this afternoon I am going to watch Kip take on Outside Corners at Uluwatu which only breaks when it is close to 20 feet. This will be done from a cliff 60 feet above the water level with a very cold beer in my hand. I am not totally insane.

By

***** ***** *****

*Author Bio:

I am not a professional writer but a 30+ year commercial mortgage banker with 58 years under my belt but with 80 year old shoulders based upon the wear and tear I have put them through the last nine years of learning to surf. I have been a life long lover of the ocean but was unable to take up surfing due to extreme near sightedness which was corrected by lasers about 9 years ago. A friend introduced me to Kip Jerger and he has become much more than my surf coach over that time. He is a great friend who is a blast and a half to hang with. He is constantly pushing me to improve my surfing in ways that have yet to get me killed. The Bail trips he organizes are beyond belief. Not only am I living the life of luxury for next to nothing but he knows the swell and wind conditions so well that I am in near perfect surf every day.

I am married with one 24 year old son. I have a home on the beach in Santa Monica and the French West Indies where I spend most of the winter in wonderfully warm Caribbean water enjoying quite consistent head high surf.

Bayard Cartmell
Principal
George Elkins Mortgage Banking Company
12100 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 520
LA, CA 90025

310-979-5752 direct dial
213-716-3203 cell
CA real estate license #01095078

***** ***** *****

"County Recurrent" Courtesy Reference Resources:

*** First and Foremost, Kudos and Thanks to Kip Jerger for introducing us to By Cartmell and his epic story telling ! Hands down the first reference to Bali Surf Adventures must go to Kip !

(Photo shows Kip Jerger at Scott Davey's Retirement party this past summer. Photo by Will Maguire.)

Kip can be reached at:

Kip Jerger
Kanoa Aquatics
P.O. Box 3582
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310.308.7264
www.kanoaaquatics.com

(Photo above shows Kip crouching and milking even the smallest of waves true to form and tradition of never letting one get by that could be ridden. It also validates the value of doing yoga... Oct. 9, 2009, Bali. Photo courtesy of Kip.)

2. Bali; Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali

3. Surfing Bali: http://www.surfingbali.com

4. Google "Bali Surf" Videos: http://bit.ly/4A4bfY

5. "Wannasurf" Bali Surf Spots: http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Asia/Indonesia/Bali