August 31, 2004 "Heaven's Break"

Hal:
Good morning, welcome to Surfer Craig's Tuesday edition of the Surfer Craig
Show. Hi Surfer Craig, guess who our first caller is, and I know you'll remember
the great-grand nephew of the first surfboarder to navigate San Onofre's
inaugural surf way back in '28, Bernie Friedman who is standing at 94 years young.
Mr.Friedman, can you hear me?

Bernie:
Eh, what say. How'd you get this number?

Surfer Craig:
Good morning Mr.Friedman can you hear me?

Bernie:
Darn toot'en I can. What do you fellows want from me?

Surfer Craig:
Well sir, our engineer Officer Krupke said you were part of a tragedy
down at 'Nofre in earlier times, like 1932 can you elaborate?

Bernie:
Yeah, it was like yesterday. The boys name was Harry Thorten, first
lad killed at Ol é 'Nofre, I witnessed the whole gruesome incident, it was
awful. Harry was always inventing something, that summer he had
a brainchild, the first leash used on a surfboard, but in this case it
was an 11' paddleboard weighing 110 pounds made from Indonesian
Monkey wood. His board was painted white with a red cross design on the
deck, looking like a surfing ambulance.

Surfer Craig:
Oh my God, Bernie, this is terrible. Out of what was the leash made, and
how was it anchored to the paddleboard.

Bernie:
Harry screwed an eyelet screw into the tailblock, threaded through 25 ' of
clothesline, tied in a sheepshead knot around his right ankle, and paddled
to the Heaven's Break, sat there waiting for the wave of waves, which today
would be 15' top to bottom. I was on shore when the first wave of a 12
wave set hit.

Surfer Craig:
Let's get this straight, Bernie. It's summer of '32, surf is 15', Harry's
on his giant kook box, here comes a 12 wave set, Harry paddles, gets to his feet,
goes straight off a half mile from shore. Oh Lord, Bernie, what happens next?

Bernie:
You must remember in '32 they hadn't invented wax as of yet. Harry valiantly
tries to retain his balance on the water slicked deck, flailed his arms, and, kerplunk,
falls off the board into the water, waiting for the board to come back to him. No luck.
The 110 pound board is sucked into the wave's 15' trough, leash extended 25' drags him
a half mile to his watery grave. Harry was dead when the giant kook box hit shore.

Surfer Craig:
Thanks for sharing that shocking story with us, Bernie. Stay on the line,
Officer Krupki has a parting gift for you. That's right, Bernie, a comlimentary
Surf More leash 25 feet in length just like Harry's.

Written by Von Morang, Produced and Directed by NeoN D. Surfer.
BRUCE SAVAGE AND ASSOCIATES