Time’s Betrayal

Fair Warning:

One day you’re waxing up your first board, and the next day your doctor is telling you that you have 70% closure in both ears and you need your pterygiums scraped.

One day you’re learning how to hit the lip, and the next day you realize that it’s physically impossible to hit the lip without pulling something or throwing something out of joint.

One day you’re bummed because your best friend surfs better than you, and the next day you’re bummed because your kid surfs better than you.

One day you’re using your age as an excuse for not paddling out when it’s huge, and the next day you’re using your age as an excuse for not paddling out when it’s huge.

One day you’re riding your first wave, and the next day you’re riding your ninety thousandth.

One day you’re young and hopeful and stoked and full of dreams, and the next day you’re old and broke and jaded….and yet…strangely satisfied…and wouldn’t trade your lifetime of surfing memories for all the money in the world.

If time flies when you’re having fun, then time hauls ass when you’re surfing—just ask some of the surfers pictured below…

Robert “Kelly” Slater, age 18, at Herbie Fletcher’s Los Cabos Classic, just prior to signing with Quiksilver. Photo: Gilley

I found this photo in a file labeled “Grommets”. I’m pretty sure it’s a young Pat O’Connell with a relatively undeveloped Salt Creek in the background. Photo: Gilley

I think Nathan Fletcher was 12 when we went down to Cabo with his dad, Dino Andino, Jonathan Paskowitz, and the late Anthony Cappa. Photo: Gilley

Cory Lopez in full grom summer recharge mode with sunburned nose as evidence. Photo: Gilley

T.J. Barron, age 6, already looking for the barrel at V-Land. Photo: Gilley

Matt Archbold in the Salt Creek parking lot with his Richo channel bottoms and Continental pride and joy. Photo: Gilley