MILESTONE ACHIEVED The number 13 may be unlucky in some respects, but for the editor of a monthly publication, it means the first anniversary issue has arrived! From humble beginnings last March, CURRENTS has come a long way in achieving the kind of publication I had envisioned way back then: great features with lots of photos, informative monthly columns about surfing, club contest report action and upcoming event dissemination. This month, Bobby Challenger Thomas joins the newsletter team with his new monthly column, "Legend's Corner." His first column is about paddling and how he plans to take the PBSC surf team back to the top in this very competitive Coalition contest heat. Dr. Derek Lodico returns after several months of absence with an important "Health Corner" article about skin cancer and the surfer. It's a subject we all need to pay better attention to. Jerome Lynn Hall shares more of the Duke's wisdom in his "Aloha Corner." The Duke's thoughts on wave selection may seem contrary to the way we often behave in the line up, but make perfect sense when you stop and reflect on them, especially for a club who believes in sharing the aloha spirit. Inge Morton stands in for Kathy Austin in the "Women's Forum" this month, noting that women who surf can be good sailors too. And finally, Dawn Moore reports briefly on the paddle out for Allie at Tourmaline in February. For those able to attend, it was a moving tribute to a much-loved member of our local surfing tribe. If you'd like to comment on anything you've read or seen in CURRENTS (or anything surfing related for that matter), send a Letter to the Editor and let us know how you feel about a subject from your point of view. You may just kick off an important debate, and I for my part would enjoy bringing back this woefully neglected section. Be sure to check out the new expanded "Upcoming Events" section to ensure you don't miss out on any of the event offerings this month. Just click on the blue links to learn more about each entry. See you in the water. Richard Steadham |
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PBSC GETTING A NEW PADDLE SURFBOARD By Bobby Challenger Thomas
While working, I found my thoughts taking me down memory lane. Remembering the good old days, the paddle races and shaping boards for SDSA and Windansea Surf Club. These two clubs had the best paddlers and I thought back again, what an honor it was then—and now—my own club has asked me. In my fifty years of surfing and shaping surfboards, the best surfers won the paddle races and their club the team trophy. This tradition goes all the way back to the beginning of modern day surfboarding. Did you know the Pacific Beach Surf Club is a living Legend? I have a newspaper article from the North Shore Sentinel dated August 3, 1961, about the Pacific Beach Surf Club winning San Diego's very first Surfboard paddle race. The race was sponsored by the San Diego Life Guards. Now the PBSC will have a better chance to reclaim their history of yesterday. Come and train with me. I challenge you. Beginning Sunday, March 25th, and continuing each Sunday until the next Coalition contest on Memorial Weekend, I will hold paddle team time trials near the Santa Clara Point Rec Center on Mission Bay. We'll begin at 8:00 a.m., with fresh citrus provided after each paddle. At 10:00 a.m, we'll go over to Tourmaline Surfing Park and I will coach on stategies in how to win your heat. Let's learn how to condition ourselves and reclaim our place in history. I'm getting stoked and excited! You should too! In the next issue, I'll share an original Pacific Beach Surf Club Member Card dated 1958. Photo courtesy of Bobby Challenger Thomas |
When
Team Captain Travis Long asked me to shape and build a paddle surfboard
for the club, I was stoked. This is the kind of stoke an old shaper
gets excited about. Travis
told me of the measurement requirements, so I got out my rocket
templates and went right to work building this racing machine. 
SKIN CANCER AND THE SURFER By Dr. Derek Lodico
Ok, so I know I need to use sun protection, but I surf and my options are more limited. What if I wear a tshirt while I am surfing during the summer? Clothing will protect me, right? Summer clothing usually provides limited protection because of the looseness of weave, ranging from 2 to 6.5 SPF (sun-protection factor). Remember it is the UVA/UVB (ultra violet light A and B) that cause damage to the genetic machinery in our skin cells that cause them to not behave as they should and grow out of control (cancer). Sun-protective clothing is now widely available and can be found at local stores or via the Internet. Coolibar, Sun Precautions, Nozone, and Solartex are some of the retailers that offer these garments for children and adults. The styles are practical and stylish and have become popular with children and adults worldwide. Laundry additives can enhance the sun protection afforded by garments by boosting the SPF in garments. Rit® Sun Guard™ is one commercially available additive available at local drugstore retailers or via the Internet.
The SPF, spectrum of protection, vehicle (what it is delivered in cream, liquid, spray), and substantivity (water resistance) should be considered when recommending a sunblock. Sun-protection factor is a concept that surfers must understand, because it is a measure of protection afforded by sunblocks against ultraviolet B (burning rays) only. The SPF rating is calculated based on the time it takes for the skin to develop minimal erythema (sunburn) with the application of 2 cc/cm2 of sunscreen. Minimal erythema or sunburn is the result of overexposure to UVB rays. SPF is not a measure of the potential damage from UVA rays and does not denote protection from the tanning rays. There is no official rating system for UVA protection at this time. A label that specifies broad-spectrum protection is the best indication of UVA protection.
So what is all this water-proof labeling about? Water resistant denotes a longer period of protection than water-proof. Waterproof claims indicate that a sunscreen maintains its SPF after two 20-minute water immersions or moderate physical activity. Water resistant claims indicate that a sunscreen maintains its SPF after 80 minutes of water immersion or extreme physical activity. I don't know about you, but I spend more that 20 minutes in the water when I surf. Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or Avobenzone, a PABA derivative, provide excellent broad-spectrum protection. Sunblocks should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied every two hours or after swimming or heavy perspiration. Although spray sunblocks are appealing due to the ease of application, their coverage is often inadequate due to difficultly of judging dosing and thickness of application and are not recommended. Because sunblocks/sunscreens work by reflecting or absorbing ultraviolet radiation, they are broken down or depleted more quickly on a high UV intensity day.
The only sun product ingredient that has shown a decreased risk of developing skin cancer, more specifically the big melanoma, is zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It is less cosmetically pleasing due to the hue left after applied and that it does not "rub in." New products out have micronized zinc in them and will have a more cosmetic effect for you gals and metro's out there. So to wrap it up, I wanted to get the following points across:
2. Not all sunscreens contain protection from UVA and B. 3. If you are going to use sunscreen, use it properly. Apply it 30 minutes to dry skin before entering the water and reapply it ever 30 minutes. For sunblock (Zinka, Headhunter), apply it 30 miutes before, and then every two hours after. 4. Use a product that has ZINC or TITANIUM DIOXIDE in it as it has been shown to reduce your risk of skin cancer. 5. Use water-resistent, not water-proof. 6. Use common sense by wearing sunglasses and protective clothing (hats, long sleeve shirts, etc.) when you are out of the water. Next issue I will go over what a surfer needs to look for on their skin as a warning sign of cancer and when you need to go see the doctor and get checked out, stay tuned. |
Skin cancer
is the most prevalent cancer in our society with over 1 million
new cases annually. Skin cancer is becoming more common in children
and accounts for approximately 4% of pediatric malignancies (cancers).
It is estimated that 90% of all skin cancers are preventable.
This is a staggering statistic when you consider that one American
dies every hour from skin cancer. There are three major types
of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma,
and melanoma. Anyone can get skin cancer but inherent risk factors
are very important. Skin color, eye color, freckling tendency,
nevi count (moles flat, or raised, number of moles), and family
history increase one's risk of developing skin cancer. However,
the individual's childhood sun-exposure history appears to significantly
influence the risk of skin cancer. Skin cancers are associated
with both intense, sporadic sun exposure (sunburn) and with chronic
sun exposure (tanning). One sunburn may double a child's risk
for developing melanoma. Parental attitudes that a child looks "healthier
with a tan" may be a contributing factor influencing sun
damage and skin cancer risk.
Studies indicate
that sun-protection measures are infrequently utilized to prevent
sun damage. Sunscreens, hats, sunglasses and avoiding midday
sun are routinely used by less than one-third of children. California
has led the way in this effort to encourage the use of sunprotective
items with the ratification of the Billy Bill (CA-SB 310). This
bill prevents schools from prohibiting children from wearing
sunglasses or hats on campus.
Now the big
question: does sunscreen and sun block prevent me from getting
skin cancer?
Proper sunscreen
application is the only way to achieve the SPF rating indicated
by the manufacturer. A consumer must apply one ounce of sunblock
per total body application (a handful) for an adult and half
ounce for the average child. A SPF 15 sunscreen rating indicates
that the protected skin is shielded from UVB radiation for 15
times longer than unprotected skin. On a day with high UV intensity
(>6) a person with pale skin would burn in an average of 10
minutes. Therefore, a SPF 15 sunscreen applied in the appropriate
dose would protect the individual for approximately 150 minutes,
provided there isn't any heavy perspiration or prolonged water
submersion. However, because most consumers apply a sub-therapeutic
dose of sunblock (too little) there is a resulting relative lowering
of the sun-protection factor. For example, when a surfer applies
25% of the recommended dose of a SPF 15 sunblock instead of the
correct dose, the sunblock protection approximates a SPF 4.
Sunscreens
alter the wavelenght of UV radiation by chemically absorbing
it and transforming it to a less harmful form. Sunblock does
not alter the UV wavelength of light but blocks its absorption.
Many sun products were inapproprrately using the term sunblock
on their packages when indeed they were actually sunscreens.
Research has been mixed in the past regarding the effectiveness
of sunscreen and its prevention of skin cancer. UVB caused our
skin to burn, UVA does not cause redness or burn of the skin.
It was initially thought that UVB was the sole cancer-causing
wavelength of light. Studies since then have shown that not only
is UVA radiation composed of greater than 90% of the UV rays
that we are exposed to, but that it also causes skin cancer.
Some studies have shown that the use of sunscreen puts people
at risk for skin cancer. People who use sunscreen stay out in
the sun longer because they are not burning, but still absorbing
harmful UVA radiation. SPF rates the effectiveness of UVB radiation.
So be cautious about feeling comfort with a high SPF number.
The more appropriate shopping questions for a surfer should be, "does
it cover UVA and UVB" and "is it water-proof or water-resistent." 
1. Sunscreen
use has not been proven to reduced the incidence of skin cancer,
just burns.
TAKE YOUR TIME—THE WAVE COMES! By Jerome Lynn Hall “ I
think we have to teach a lot of these kids to first be gentlemen… Duke Paoa Kahanamoku My friend and membership sponsor in the Hawaiian Surf Club, William Baptiste, shared a story from his youth that I have oft repeated to friends and students. William grew up surfing at Malibu where, as a young boy, he spent countless hours watching Miklos (“Miki”) Sandor Dora glide effortlessly across the waves. Just like every other youngster in the water, William wanted to be like Dora; William wanted to be Dora! In fact, he would position himself in the lineup in hopes that “Da Cat” would notice him and maybe, just maybe, speak to him. One day the “stylemaster” slid gracefully down a wave and began a long, smooth trajectory that would bring him just about to the point where William was sitting. As he watched, mesmerized, William noticed a grom—completely oblivious that someone was already riding the wave—“drop in” on Dora. The young surfer managed to get a fairly lengthy ride before he paddled back out, still unaware that he had stolen someone else’s wave. Dora, in his inimitable fashion, managed to make something out of the botched ride and before too long, he, too, returned to the lineup. But as he passed alongside the less-experienced surfer who had dropped in on him just minutes before, Dora reached out and overturned the young man’s board, all without ever saying a word or missing a paddle stroke. For young William, who wanted to be Dora, this made a remarkable impression. It wasn’t long until William became a proficient—if not good—surfer. Along with his newly found mastery of the Malibu breaks came his confidence to emulate Dora’s “style”: when someone dropped in on him, they paid the price. William perfected overturning boards on his reentry to the lineup, all without missing a paddle stroke, and his “I’m better than you attitude” served him well—or so it seemed—for decades. As surfers, we decide what is acceptable and what is not. We share these values and beliefs with members in our tribe and, at some time, they become normative; and when the time comes, we pass them on to the next generation. This is the nature (and definition) of culture. Today, William is in his early 60s. It wasn’t until just a few years ago, when he became part of the Hawaiian Surf Club in San Onofre, that he learned—again by example—that there is another way to relate to one’s self and to others in the lineup. It’s called aloha spirit. What William had to do was “unlearn” one set of values in order to adopt another, emphasizing what cultural anthropologists around the world spend their professional lives studying: culture is not only shared, it is dynamic; and it is learned. When asked if he had any tips that he’d like to pass to the next generation of surfers, Paoa Kahanamoku said that we must teach them to be gentle men and women. We must encourage them to be helpful to each other, to avoid selfishness, and to behave courteously. It was the Duke’s way. And, if it was good enough for Duke, it’s good enough for you and me. “Take your time…..wave comes.” Each time you put your board in the water, you make choices. Chances are, someone—perhaps someone young and impressionable—is watching you. What will you teach? What “style” will you pass to the next generation? The next time you sit in the lineup, ask yourself: will I honor or dishonor the sport of kings? |
WOMEN SURF—AND SAIL By Kathy Austin I was going through a box of PBSC memorabilia given to my by Don Wright recently and came across a beautiful picture of long-time club member, Inge Morton, "The Girl From Ipenema," and some early club newsletter articles she had written. I asked her if she would consider writing the "Women's Forum" this month. Here is what she wrote:
So there is Mary Helen, who is very strong and never misses a race; Marieke who is a problem solver and the first to volunteer to fix a problem; Pat who has years of experience having grown up sailing in England; Jan who lived most of her years in Hawaii surfing and sailing and finally Michelle, who raises two teenagers while holding a full time job and still manages to surf and sail. What do you have? A great team, which above all, brings the Aloha spirit of surfers to the sailboat. Am I lucky or what? |
“I
am a surfer,” that
is the immediate answer when someone asks me what I do in my
spare time. And for many of us
out at Tourmaline, that is how we think of ourselves. Surfers.
However, it is also true, although not apparent, that many of
us have other passions that come secondary to surfing, but rank
as passions nevertheless. Some like to golf, play tennis, do
needlepoint or dance. In my case, racing sailboats is my secondary
passion. And where would I find women willing to crew, who love
the ocean and get a kick out of hearing the ocean swoosh by the
hull of a race boat? Of course, right here at Tourmaline. All
have the strength of great paddlers, knowledge of the wind, feel
of the waves and are limber as great swimmers.
Photos courtesy of Inge Morton |
PADDLE OUT FOR ALLIE
Allie’s Paddle Out was held on February 16, 2007 at Tourmaline Surfing Park. It was a beautiful day, and as luck would have it, Allie and/or the big guy upstairs arranged for us to have some waves. It was amazing how many people were able to come on a Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. with relatively short notice. The paddle out was not planned or organized like most events. News spread like wild fire, and the aloha was everywhere. There was a lot of socializing in the parking lot beforehand, and then we all gathered on the beach for inspiration, remembrance and prayer. Pastor Evan Lauer from the Coastlands Church was kind enough to lead the ceremony for us. Allie’s brother, Brent Takao and Andrea Holeman (Allie’s friend) shared their thoughts with us. Allie’s father, George Takao, Auntie Shirley, and other family members were in attendance. We are so thankful they were able to join us. We were so lucky to have Allie as our friend, and I know my life has been enriched because of her friendship. Mahalo everyone for coming and making Allie’s day special. Dawn Moore
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Please welcome new member Pete Robson into the club. Be sure to show him the PBSC aloha spirit when you see him at future club meetings and events. |
Click on the blue links below to learn more about each event. Or simply click here to go to the "Upcoming Events" page. Scroll down to see all listings. Mar 10: New Exhibit, “The Wave” at CenterLight Gallery of La Jolla Mar 22: Paul Strauch, the "Gentleman Surfer" at USD for One Evening Mar 23: Josh Hall Sponsored Event Mar 24: The Duo-Tones at the La Jolla Brew House Mar 25: Bobby Challenger's Paddle Clinic |
This month's lead photo is by Ron Greene.
For more, visit the PB Surf Club website at: http://www.pbsurfclub.org
Copyright
© 2007, Pacific Beach Surf Club, San Diego, California
Editor & Designer: Richard Steadham
Got news? Send it to rlsteadham@mac.com
