I’m stuck in front of a computer, but I just got through reading an incredible article about a guy I had never heard of before (yeah, it’s a slow day at the office). Woody “Spider” Brown. This guy lived an incredible life, from, as a kid, meeting and helping Charles Lindberg before his historic flight, to being a pioneer of California sufing in the 30’s, to setting distance and altitude records in a glider (over 22,000 feet high in a glider with no oxygen tank!), to being part of the hot curl movement in the islands, to being out with Dickie Cross when he died at Waimea, to being the skipper or captain of the first catamaran voyage from the islands to california, it goes on and on. If you like surf history I suggest you check it out. http://www.legendarysurfers.com/surf/legends/woody.shtml
I’m stuck in front of a computer, but I just got through reading an > incredible article about a guy I had never heard of before (yeah, it’s a > slow day at the office). Woody “Spider” Brown. This guy lived an > incredible life, from, as a kid, meeting and helping Charles Lindberg > before his historic flight, to being a pioneer of California sufing in the > 30’s, to setting distance and altitude records in a glider (over 22,000 > feet high in a glider with no oxygen tank!), to being part of the hot curl > movement in the islands, to being out with Dickie Cross when he died at > Waimea, to being the skipper or captain of the first catamaran voyage from > the islands to california, it goes on and on.>>> If you like surf history I suggest you check it out. PBS in San Diego ran a special “Surf For Life” with Woody Brown being the feature, it was awe inspiring.
PBS in San Diego ran a special “Surf For Life” with Woody Brown > being the feature, it was awe inspiring. I have to argee with you Jim, The film really gets to the heart of surfing. Best, Rich
I have to argee with you Jim, The film really gets to the heart of > surfing.>>> Best, Rich I’ve never met him but he seems like a warm and kind man. He’s also in part of the Liquid Stage.
I’ve never met him but he seems like a warm and kind man. He’s also in > part of the Liquid Stage. When shots and footage of the begining of recorded surfing are seen, one of the visuals is that the men are strong and healthy. The boards that they rode were heavy, kids couldn’t carry them or even control, there were no cords, swimming was the price for a mistake, no wet suits either, a fire on the beach after a couple of swim ins was the only way to warm back up or a swipe at the bottle of bootleg booze. We may have the modern equipment, but I’d take a crack at trying to be a surfer in the 40’s , maybe I’d puss out
AMEN, Jim! …amen to that!!!
Woody Brown - another legitimate HERO. IMO, his most valuable insights don’t involve surfing, board design, gliding or sailing… but relationships. When I read about his wife dying during childbirth while he was at a gliding competition, I nearly broke down. Easy to see how he cracked up after that. Watch him in “Surfing for Life.”
Longboard Magazine July 2001, what a great story about a man that did it all. Over 90 years old and still surfs in Maui. Drew Kampion did a great job writing the story.