Was writing this for a newsblog but got shot down.. SO you get to read the update as it took me hours to write the sumbitch...
enjoy:
The Texas coast is finallly warming up from the dead of winter, the wind patterns have started to change and life is emerging again from a winter slumber into the tropical riviera sun. With epic conditions closing out the week of April and systems setting up for a good spring, sunburns littered the beaches and Texans come out to lend a hand and catch a few good waves.
It seems the whole coast is full of the giving spirit and many are eagar to get out splash around and help clean up the fodder on the beaches that winter had left behind. April 24th saw the Surfside beaches have a cleanup day with local shop Soundwaves hooking up some giveaways and the State providing some food as the Dolphin Cover Beach cleanup in the SPI area held their own clean up along with meeting about important beach acces/ Adopt a beach programs.
Tears and hugs were shed as a memorial OSS spring surf classic benefiting the Ashlyn Would Go foundation contest went off without a hitch and families galore attended in the marginal surf. The Ashlyn Shoemaker Memorial Scholarship is an effort to help other young adults reach their full potential in life and is awarded to graduating seniors at Ball Highs Schools graduating class. http://www.ashlynwouldgo.org
May 1st will see pro Surfer Tim Curran visit with his band and touring movie just in time for the TGSA (Texas Gulf Surfing Association BBQ bash fundraiser at Packery Channel in Corpus Christi TX and beach clean up with yep, you guessed it, BBQ, sausage wraps and cold Lone Stars'. The JohnnyKicksCancer Foundation dedicated to Johnny Romano, is making its second grant of $30,000 to the Texas Childrens Leukemia Reasearch Team. Johnny was a talented surfer and skater which Galvestons' skate park now bears his name and has a contest every year The Ohana Jonny Kicks C ancer Longboard Classic and the Rock the Cradle for Johnny Kicks Cancer Worldcup of Skateboarding event at the Houston Skate park saw yet another great turnout for an amazing cause.
Rightfully so that Gabe Prusmack local shredder of the water, skatepark and graffiti world would take it upon himself and others after MSNBC named Corpus Christi one of the Fattest cities in the nation to Make the Movement day Wens. May 5th first of its kind, natioanl social movement for healthy loving. Make the Movement day is a national initiative degisnged to encourage everyone to create thier Moments of phyciscal activity, heatly eating, evniromental cleanup to denomstarate thier commitement to a heatlthier America.
"http://www.makethemovementday.org" Make the Movement Day”
The riviera coast is anticipating the new magazine release of the up and coming surf magazine rigthfully named Texas Gulf Surfing Magazine and website keep an eye out for more information about everything surfing in Texas.
Still bored, not enough fishing, well the Leo Garza Memorial Disabled Surf Camp "Making Promises Happen" surf camp in Port Aransas is right around the corner scheduled for June 27th an 28th. This gathering is anticipating a great turnout as the talk has already been big .With Texas' own golden boy, Nate Lytle who was once never thought to walk or talk again leading the charge to get stoke outta kids who might never have the opportunity to touch the water. Where an expected 20 Disabled individuals from a camp in Oklahoma and some local share in the sixth year! All Volunteers welcomed.
If your not exhausted from all the activities in the sun the anticipation of the new Texas Surf Museum exhibit opening "Fifty Years of Stoke - Surfing the Coastal Bend" , opens June 4th with focus entirely on the history of surfing the Corpus Christi and Port Aransas areas.
The emporer has no clothes! A controversial icon of Texas, love him or hate him, it was all about the surf, Wes Beck Sr. is rumored to have passed away in a hospital down in Mexico. The source of the information is a tad sketchy as would any passing in Mexico could have imagine but sources seem to be getting crossed up of it he truly did pass or if its yet another elaborate hussle of Mr. Becks. Regardless, cold and blusterly, small and onshore, a hoot and a holler would come outta the fog just when you were calling it a day and grumbling about the surf. Wes Beck a 5ft man with stringy long blong hair to his mid back and large beard would be paddling out as fast as possible. Trunks, booties a blue and pink Total Control hybrid fish (I haven't known him to ride another board in the 20 years that I have known him) and a smile bigger than the mighty Guadelupe river !! "Isn't this GREAT!?" he would yell! The man loved to surf and loved the surfing lifestyle. WIth his ventures in putting on contests, building skateparks ( I still owe ya for a free session) and general love for the sport this very controversial Texas icon has passed away. Now after many good things have been said since the news of his passing, it comes to surface in a true Tall Tale Texas fashion that Mr. Beck Sr. might not even have passed. It might be some shady, south of the boarder live forever and surf your life away type ending. God Bless the man for it..