DATELINE 6/19/2004 SPECIAL FROM LA OPINION SJC CA
NOT ONLY DID 'NOFRE SMELL FISHY, BUT IT LOOKED FISHY.
Its beach was empty at 6:00 AM, no long line and
everywhere to park. The ocean's surface was like,
glass, the morning, still blocked by a rising sun,
cast shadows on the damp sand. What few gulls there were,
scurried on the beach, searching for a tasty morsel or
two. Maybe, this is how it may have looked to the Pioneers
of San Onofre in 1926, 78 years back. A single white van,
emblazoned with orange and red scallops, bearing the
inscription in huge black letters, "The California Kid".
I don't know why, but that white van, longboard secured
to the roof, wet trunks hanging from the mirror, and tires
balder than bald, sure looked familiar. "The Kid" stepped
from the van sporting DKNY designer jeans, white 'Nofre
50th bulky tee, clutching a 50th 'Nofre coffee mug, and
a "Go Home Kook" terry-cloth beach towel. After a
quick change into a set of lavender an lime green
Speedos, no wetsuit, the "Kid" paddles out, using
a Finger Mill as his land mark. He's 110 yards offshore
when he sees movement on the horizen, a set approaches.
He wheels his board 11' in length, taking the second of
four with a single stroke, draws his left leg forward
from a prone paddle,lifts himself smoothly to his feet,
cranks a right slide easy-turn, heading toward the
power plant. He's getting maximum speed on the limousine
when he cranks a gigantic sweeping drop-knee back
left in dramatic fashion. It was a comber at least 6'
high. Now, "The Kid" is riding high on the crest when,
he's joined by a group of playful dolphins, "The Kid"
and dolphins, riding side by side across the third
reef, was a "King Neptune" moment. "The Kid"
straightened out leaving his new found friends with a
farewell salute, and rode it to the beach, stepped
off, heading for "The Great White Van" and silently
drove away. Maybe it was coincidental, but "The
California Kid" sure looked familiar.
TUBESTEAK/BELIEVER