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Surfing Montauk
By Debra Rose
Who says surfers don’t share? Surfing, even in all its simplicity, can be an expensive sport. Boards are as pricey as they are precious, and most surfers would rather bruise their own body than ding their favorite board. While summer limits the gear needed for riding waves, winter is another animal.
Wetsuits that accommodate any condition and water temperature, such as spring wetsuits (short arms and legs) for middle of the summer, 3/2mm for post Labor Day and pre-Halloween, 4/3mm until December, and then its no-holds-barred 5mm wetsuit with a hood, 7mm boots and gloves. Therefore, you may imagine the frustration of acquiring, keeping track and then losing one or more of these items may bring. Moreover, in one of the most foolish ways possible.
My luggage wasn’t lost on a flight to surf the cold waters off the Canary Islands, nor did I forget to pack my stuff while riding waves in Chile. My things weren’t stolen while they were unattended on some exotic beach in the Galapagos, or washed away on the shores of one of South Africa’s many surf breaks. I left my gloves on the roof of the Jeep as I was changing in the parking lot after a fun session, and then drove off with out putting them in the car.
As soon as I realized what I had done (when I pulled into the driveway) we made a quick turn around in no less than ten minutes, and the gloves were nowhere to be found. Searching fruitlessly by going to the lot in periodic intervals, I held out hope that someone had found them and left them on a bench nearby. I do not know if I was more annoyed with myself for being so careless, or for not being able to surf until I replaced a nearly new pair of 5mm gloves immediately.
To make me feel hopeful or to cease my endless whining, my boyfriend, Chris, suggested posting something on www.nysurf.com, and even offered to do it himself if it meant that I would move on, albeit temporary, from my preoccupation with my foolishness. Back in the city on Monday, Chris posted the inquiry for the lost gloves, and we were shocked to hear a response within hours of the posting! My gloves were found! A couple driving behind us had seen the gloves fall off the jeep and had sounded their horn to alert us. We failed to hear their signal and just kept driving.
Chris was emailing and exchanging information with the considerate and honest person, Adrienne, that had not only been holding my gloves for me, but washed them out in fresh water and hung them to dry! We made plans to meet Adrienne and her boyfriend Jim, both surfers that truly embodied what it means to be a part of the surfing community in Montauk (no matter how crowded it may be or how many times one is dropped-in on).
The following Saturday Chris and I spoke with Adrienne about going to pick up the gloves, all of us wondering and sure we had seen each other on the beach or in the water before. Warm and friendly, Adrienne and Jim looked familiar but were two surfers we did not yet know, and we left their home in Montauk feeling a little more connected to our village on the east end. We were surprised and delighted that things like this really do happen, and sometimes, silly mistakes have lucky outcomes.
While we may scramble for the closest parking spots, paddle for the best peak of the wave, and stand our ground with those jumping the line for food at The Ditch Witch, local surfers look out for one another and demonstrate what it means to share. I hope through our good luck and timing, we have made two new friends to share the beach with, and can pass on the random act of kindness to someone else.
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