Jack Johnson-Walks the walk on his "All at once" tour

This past Tuesday I was privileged to have manned the Surfrider Foundation booth along with fellow activist Patrick Snyder at Jack Johnson's "All At Once" tour concert at the St Augustine Amphitheatre in St Augustine Beach. Jack had invited six environmental non-profit groups to have booths at the concert.
Before getting into the heart of my subject matter I want to say that the concert itself was awesome and had a laid-back feel to it. Jack mixed in both old and new tunes and delivered them seemingly at the top of his game. The crowd quickly got into the feel of it all and were up on their feet for most of the show. Jack's music seems to hit a chord with a wide group of all ages and backgrounds.
What makes his concerts different from many is Jack and his band and colleagues. There was no big pyrotechnic display, no ego's brought to the stage and I and I'm sure many others came away feeling like a friend of theirs was playing for them.
Now to the heart of my story. Unlike a lot of other performers Jack walks the walk and is true to his beliefs. He and his crew are diligent in making sure his concerts have a very low environmental impact and indeed actually benefits the local environment. (See his web-site for specifics)
Jack also backs it up by donating all of the profits from his tour to environmental and other worthy causes. I'm sure it would be hard to name too many groups and entertainers who back it up to that level.
Jack is from Hawaii and has a deep surfing background that not only weaves it's way into his music but also his psyche. He has a deep love and respect for the environment and the oceans in particular and wants to help protect them.
I suppose I shouldn't have been by I was both surprised and elated that Jack took the time to visit with all of the volunteers and non-profit participants to discuss his mission and to find out more about ours. He even sat for group pictures ( I was lucky enough to sit beside his for them).
Being an environmental activist and volunteer is not an easy thing especially these days and at time can be very demanding and frustrating when you don't feel you are making a big enough impact. Thankfully the Jack Johnson's of the world are here to spread the word and make us feel like we can make a difference.
I know it inspired me to keep up the good fight and continue to do the little bit I do to help the cause. And in the end whether we are a celebrity or just an average Joe/Joelle isn't that all we can do and if so that's good enough to make a big difference.
So thanks once again Jack for what you do and keep up the good work.

What surfing means to me and how it chaged my life

Well here goes my first installment of my weekly surfing blog. Before I get started, as an update things are progressing well with the upcoming release of my novel "The Nonconformist". My friend and photographer Jed Waldo took photo's for the cover which I sent to my publisher. It also seems very likely now that my screenplay adaption of the book will become a movie. More to come later.

My life's journey especially when surfing is involved has been a long and interesting one to say the least (learn more from my personal story "Chicken of the Sea"). In that book I say that surfing saved my life and I still feel that way. After almost drowning at a young age in Atlantic City I became extremely afraid of the ocean and despite becoming a competitive swimmer and sailor I didn't dare venture into the ocean off of Long Island where I live. That fear coupled with a very low degree of self-confidence made surfing an activity I never dreamed of pursuing.

That all changed however when our Science teacher Kevin Kelly who was part owner in Bunger Surfboards started a surf club at Bay Shore High School where I attended in the 60's. Due to constant prodding from my friends I joined the club, bought a used board and one day finally got up the courage to paddle out. I only caught a few waves that I rode prone that day but the feeling I got from it, though not removing the fears I had, instilled a stoke in me that has lasted to this day.

I firmly believe now that God gave me surfing to give me the strength and confidence I needed then and now that has gotten me through all the trials and tribulations of my life and has led me to the point of being able to even write about it with so much passion. Besides God and family it is the glue that helps bind me together. It is truly a dance for me and helps me to express myself in ways I can't fully explain or understand.

Though now in my sixties I still am a grom at heart. I approach every session like it was my first and am still trying to learn new things. I own five boards between a 5'11" modified twin fin (my primary board), a 6'2" thruster I shaped myself, a 6'4" hybrid thruster, a 6'8" thruster and a 9' longboard.

I am extremely blessed to be able to ride all of those boards, teach surfing to others and enjoy the sport. I know that one day the wheels will fall off so to speak and I hope at that time I will accept it and be content to live off of the many fond memories I have of the sport. But until that day comes I will continue to make the most of the gift of surfing that has been given to me.

I hope that the sport has meant as much to you as it has me and if you do surf I hope you continue to enjoy it for as long as you can. If you've given it up and miss it or feel you're too old to start up again then give it another shot. And if you never have surfed for whatever reason (maybe too scared like me) but wanted to then give it a shot. It might just change your life.

Until next week take care. Aloha, Paul

Surfing blog, what's to come

As a surfer of over forty years I have a lot of stories to tell and observations about the sport of surfing that has had such a profound impact on my life. Some of them are in my personal story "Chicken of the Sea' and my soon to be released novel "The Nonconformist' but many just roll around in my mind from time-to-time that I would like to share. As a bit of a story teller and writer I like to challenge the reader and elicit feelings and strike nerves. In the future I plan on a regular basis (hopefully weekly as long I remember to) to write about the sport of surfing, the environment that surrounds it and ways I have kept myself even at such an advanced age (I'm in my sixties) relevant. Hopefully some of my posts and questions, stories and ideas will challenge the reader and elicit a response or strike that nerve. It's how I learned from my predecessors and helped me grow in the sport. To me there is so much more to surfing than simply riding waves. It's a feeling, a dance, a way of life and much, much more. My first ride literally changed my life and in a way saved it. As such I feel I owe a lot to the sport and want to share that stoke and feeling with others. It's probably why I'm such a Pied Piper when it comes to teaching it to others and seeing their broad smiles after their first ride gives me a high no drug can provide. So if you surf on into my blog I hope you enjoy what you read and that it strikes a positive nerve in you. Mahalo, Paul