I?d love to say the main reason I pick up at least two pieces of trash per surf session was that I care about the environment, but it?s not. The main reason I pick up deflated balloons in the lineup, cigarette butts on the beach, and floating candy wrappers is that I truly believe that the ocean will send me better waves if I perform this most basic task.
The great thing about this odd superstition is that while I?m feeding it, I?m actually doing a good deed, one that I ask of every one of you dozen or so people who read my blog.
Today?s lunchtime session was a great example of my superstition working. Casey Koteen and I surfed the south jetty in O?Side (save your ?Don?t exploit my spot? emails for someone who cares) and on the way out; I scooped up a plastic wrapper. I got caught inside, but got the wrapper into my pocket. Sure enough, five minutes later, in a sea of closeouts, a sweet head-high left popped up and I docked it.
So please, don?t be too cool, give back to the thing that gives you so much pleasure and pick up some f?ing garbage!