Surfer's are Canaries in the Coal Mine

If the new U.S. administration is not going to do anything -- or worse -- about climate change and our environment, surfers around the world will and are. They are the ones in the ocean on a regular basis and the first to witness rising sea levels, huge water runoffs from weird storms and other changes to offshore sea life.

The following piece does a good job of telling us what's going on with our precious oceans.

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/surfing-climate-change-donald-trump_us_58c05f3be4b0d1078ca38474

Log and Two Landmarks

50-foot log wedged into corner of Mitchell's Cove from winter storm run-off down San Lorenzo River

Steamer Lane Supply snack shack

Surfing Museum inside the lighthouse

Story Behind the Story

My new longboard arrived and this is how she looked before I rubbed three coats of wax on her deck. The artistic concept, as I envisioned it, was a blue sky above a sandy colored beach with two reddish-brown stripes representing redwoods from the winter storms that now lay on so many of our beaches and in the crannies of small coves. The board was shaped by Bob Pearson of Arrow Surf in Santa Cruz and in size and shape it is a replica of the board I had been riding for the past ten years that finally reached a tipping point with a de-laminating deck that had become as soft as a cushion on your couch.

It took way too long to make -- nearly three months -- and near the end of that period Bob did call me and leave an apologetic message on my voicemail. He had told me three-four weeks to begin with... but hey, it's a beautiful 10'2" board perfect for small to medium-sized waves that roll through Cowells where I will be riding it. I have two other smaller longboards, one for travel and one that is stashed in Manhattan Beach for beach-break surfing down there.

Stealth Trip South

I drove south to MB a couple of weeks ago not to surf -- and that was good because the waves weren't that good anyway -- but for professional reasons related to golf. It was a stealth attack on the southland that I tried to keep on the QT. And I knew it would keep me from angsting over when my board would be ready. I had received a call from the publisher of a lifestyle magazine in San Jose that I have been contributing to for the past 15 years or more, mostly golf features. About a year ago I had pitched a profile of super-star golfer Juli Inkster for the magazine. The hook was that Juli lived in the area served by the magazine and in August of 2017 she would be the captain of the U.S. women's team for the prestigious Solheim Cup in which the world's best female golfers from the United States face off against Europe's best in a three-day tournament. It is the female version of the men's Ryder Cup which receives a ton of publicity. The publisher now wanted that profile of Inkster and gave me a three-week deadline.

Women athletes in all sports do not receive the recognition that is given to men. I recently read a piece in the Surfers Journal about Lisa Anderson, once a surfing icon and female role model who is now living a chill life in Carlsbad, hardly heard of anymore yet arguably once the equal of her male counterpart Kelly Slater who is still competing and making good money doing it. The SJ piece was written by Chas Smith, a gonzo-style surf writer who likes to put himself into the story as a semi-crazed alcohol-driven observer-participant. I was looking for a concept that I might work into my piece on Juli Inkster other than the Solheim Cup and her personality. And I found it: That would be the discrepancies between elite male and female athletes, how they are perceived by media, the money they make and more. The alcohol-driven madness that fueled Smith's writing about Lisa was not something I wanted to get into. Although I did find myself immersed in a queer madness of my own on my road-trip home.

I had reached Juli initially by phone, or I should say she reached me. I had found a contact at a local golf course who was an associate of hers. I explained by purpose and he said Juli would contact me. I was lying around chilling on a Sunday afternoon when she called. We chatted briefly as I introduced myself. Luckily I had a pad and pen nearby. I scribbled notes as fast as I could. I asked if we could set up a time to meet for an in-person interview and she said she was in Palm Springs until March. We talked a little more and I asked if I could call her back with some prepared questions. She was amenable and I found her casual and friendly over the phone.

Path to my Interiew

That night I woke up from a dead sleep with the idea that I could drive to Palm Springs for the interview. I could stay at my mother-in-law's place in Manhattan Beach, if she agreed of course, and if I could score passes I could take a day or more to watch the professional men golfers play in the Los Angeles Open (new corporate sponsor Genesis) at the super cool, exclusive Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades. This PGA tournament was happening the same week. It is the only opportunity for us heathens to walk this storied golf course that the legendary Ben Hogan called his favorite. It would be a two-for-one trip plus I could be company for my 91-year-old mother-in-law, who is a real firecracker and runs the show at her Manhattan Beach compound.

I was making big plans to see the men's best golfers in action on one of the most intimate courses. I'll admit generally prefer watching elite male athletes over women. But then I have never attended an LPGA (women's pro golf tournament). Meeting Juli in the desert would begin to change my mind.

She agreed to meet me for an in-person interview at a golf course in La Quinta, which is near Palm Springs in the beautiful Coachella Valley. I drove from Santa Cruz to Manhattan Beach the day before, noting the rolling, newly green hills of central California from all the rain. My only lengthly stop was at Refugio Beach State Park about 15 miles north of Santa Barbara. The campground was closed and I was allowed free access to the beach and restrooms by walking into the state park. There was one surfer out at the point with an occasional small wave rolling through. Signs of the recent storms were evident throughout the park.

Refugio Point

Flooded campground at Refugio

Thanks to my gracious mother-in-law Bettelu, I spent the night in MB and drove to La Quinta the next day. The air temp was a comfortable 82-degrees in the desert, a far cry from the wind and rain that was pelting Santa Cruz. This is why Juli spends wintertime here in La Quinta so that she can work on her game. At 56-years-of-age, she is still an elite athlete. She competes in about a dozen LPGA Tour events a year. She was born and raised in Santa Cruz and her list of awards is staggering, from three-time All American at San Jose State to the World Golf Hall of Fame. As a pro golfer she has won seven majors, including two U.S. Open titles. In August she will captain the U.S. Solheim Cup team against the Europeans. She coached them to victory in 2015, when the Cup was held in Germany. She doesn't like to lose.

Meeting Juli

I arrived at Tradition early, sent her a text that I was there. She told me to meet her at the club house. She wanted to clean up after her workout. "I'll meet you on the patio. Get yourself a drink," she said. I was obviously out of my element at this exclusive, members-only golf course. I was asked to tuck in my shirt (at least I was wearing a golf shirt). Entering the patio I was told that I would have to remove my cap. I found a table, ordered an iced tea and made myself comfortable, going over my notes and questions for Juli.

"Hi, I'm Juli," I heard her voice. I stood and she offered her hand to shake. This was not a dainty woman's hand. Her grip was firm and her palm was that of a working woman, someone who spends time outside. She is a nice looking woman who appears younger than her age. She moves with a lose, graceful, confident manner. She's trim and obviously in great physical shape. She's neither tall nor short and I would later describe her appearance as the "mom next door."

"Don't let her casual manner fool you," I was told by an associate of hers. "She is out to kick your butt."

We chatted for about an hour and following are some of my impressions of Juli Inkster and I believe others who dominate their sport:

There are elite athletes and then there are elite athletes who rise above skill and talent. They possess a competitive quality that enables them to be consistent winners. She told me she was "a grinder."

They work exceptionally hard to keep fit mentally and physically.

They don't give up. They perform their best under pressure.

There is a no-nonsense quality about them. They don't like to waste time, which in their mind means just hanging around and not working to improve.

Because of their attitude and achievements, they possess "street cred" that makes them excellent leaders. This may not always be the case, but it's true for Juli who has proved herself a tremendous motivator for the 2015 Solheim team when they came from behind to claim victory.

We spent about an hour chatting. Juli was very accommodating. I liked her. Driving back to the beach afterward, it gave me time to think about our conversation. What stuck out? Did I have an opening for my story? How do you begin writing about someone who has already received a ton of accolades and attention?

On a personal level I had been moved. After hearing her answers to my questions and her comments about her life and career, I felt as though I simply hadn't tried hard enough during my life. If I had her will and determination, I would have had a much better chance of achieving my potential, whatever that is. I'm pretty laid back and have always felt comfortable with that. I had asked Juli if she had any regrets or disappointments and she thought for a split-second and replied, "No. It was tough at times being a mother and a pro golfer at the same time, but no regrets."

In my next blog post I will reveal a tale of the biggest storm to hit California with fallen trees, collapsed hillsides and torrents of water on the famed El Camino Real.