What's bound to happen will happen.

General Discussion
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On June 12, 2004, I joined Swaylock’s for the first time. Since my first post was in the “hookup” column, maybe not many of you saw my first post. here it is:

“Hi, everybody. I just signed up to Swaylock’s. I am French, living, surfing and shaping in Guéthary -about 3 miles south of Biarritz- I’d be glad to exchange ideas about design and shape, especially longboards and guns. I am almost 50, 'been surfing since 1966, shaped my very first board in ‘69, and never quit since… I’m a carpenter and I’m really hooked up on chambered balsa boards. Unfortunately, balsa is pretty hard to find here in France, at least in lengths over 5’. If any of you has plans about a trip to France, maybe I can help. Meanwhile, please forgive my bad English and let’s talk so I hopefully will improve. By the way, we have a similar web-site over here that’s called Shaperoom. Mainly in French, of course, but a few people do understand English, so if you feel like giving it a try, don’t let the weird French language bother you: I, for one, may answer. Just allow a few days to look up my words in the dictionnary… Just kidding…”

The very first answer to this first post came almost immediately from a Kauai resident named “Ambrose”. I couldn’t believe my eyes… All this web-surfing was new for me and I was not used (to say the least) to be actually talking with a guy in Hawaii… We talked a bit about wooden boards, then Doc came in with interesting things to say -as usual- and then I thanked them all and ended my post like this:

“Thanks a lot for your answer, Ambrose. See you someday, be it in Hawaii or in France or somewhere else. Just like you said, politics won’t keep good people apart. All of us surfers just want a better world for our kids to live in.”

Believe it or not, but today is September 8, 2008 and I picked up Ambrose and his wife at Biarritz’ railway station for a 3-day stay here in Guéthary. We just had lunch together, overlooking the spot at Parlementia and we enjoyed talking for real after four years of virtual talking. It just felt like meeting a very old friend that you haven’t seen for long…

Life never ceases to surprise me…

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This is just another example why this site is the best! Invaluable information from the best people in the world!

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WHAT!!! ambrose m. curry III could make it to France, but he couldn’t make it to BigSur… Ha!

That is so freakin’ sweet! ambrose was the first guy I met from Sways, after “Uncle Dale.”

If he’s still around, tell him the Oregon contingent is stoked to hear he finally got further out of Waipouli than HomeDepot!

This is the kind of thing that keeps me around here…

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Aloha Balsa:

I hope that one of these days to pick you up from your hotel in Waikiki and go for a surf session and a plate lunch at L&L drive in. Your work does inspire me!

Mahalo,

D

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where’s the “travel board” when you need it?

What kind of nafariouse adventures is good ol Ambrose up to?

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Not quite up to meeting Ambrose but similar coolness. Couple days ago at local ran into guy I was surf buddys w/ in high school had not seen since; 40 years! He recognized me because he lurks/doesn’t post here and new I was in area and rode a mat. Not any others around I’ve seen. He has made his own boards since high school. His 20 year old makes his own as well… That was great fun. I liked him then and again all over again! Talking story in the parking lot, me coming in him going out. Board he had looked professional quality for sure!

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I saw something recently, can’t remember where, but it had a photo of you from way back when shaping boards, and some stuff from nowadays. I was amazed when I realized it was “Balsa” from Swaylocks.

Maybe I can join Uncle D if you ever get out here.

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Thanks UncleD and SharkCountry (and all of you, BTW).

Time passes by too fast… Ambrose is going back today, we couldn’t meet yesterday as I had plenty of work and now he’s leaving…

I think I’m gonna have to plan a trip to the Islands someday… not easy with the wife and kids ($$$$$) but i would feel very selfish to do it alone… But who knows?

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Howzit balsa, Were Ambrose and Marta on vacation or was it a business trip for Marta's shop? Aloha,Kokua
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Aloha Kokua, I just can’t answer this one… I guess vacation but Ambrose will tell you soon: I drove him and Marta back to the train station this morning, headed for Paris then New York and then back home. I already miss him… Too bad they couldn’t stay any longer and no real swell while he was here. I wish he would have seen Guéthary breaking “classic” at 10’+…

Anyway, he said he would write a report when he’s back. So be prepared for Ambrose’s french adventures!!! Coming soon at a Swaylock’s post near you!!! Don’t miss it!!!

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Hi Guilhem -

Please say hi to Ambrose!

You guys are both tops in my book. If I really wanted to experience a “Sacred Craft” seminar, I’d head to Hawaii or France to watch a couple of real soul shapers at work.

Mike Paler deserves so much more credit than he gets for setting up and maintaining this site. It has allowed many of us from all parts of the globe to make contact and share friendships.

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Hi John,

just before he left, Ambrose reminded me of this underwater photo of you and him taken at Big Sur, I think… You see, we, too, were thinking about you…

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Hey John - I was just thinking along the same lines about ambrose. I have been blessed to stand near the master’s flying dust, heck he even put the power planer spell on via his “lesson” style - demo, hands on. And those experiences were major milestones in my life.

Gonna post my thought - Question on the sacred craft thread.

I’ll miss you guys this fall, but am planning on next year for sure… Gonna try to help bribe ambrose with transpo from the bay and back… and maybe even Dale from here and back

Ok - more waves…

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So Marta is Working and Ambrose is on vacation. But then Ambroses life is all vacation! Maybe we will see ambrose on the cover of ROLLING STONE or at least National Enquirer. Red shoes , some kine hat, maybe WW 1 trench coat with board shorts under and a Sway Tee shirt !! Any way travlin is way kool !! Have a nice day!! Ahui hou - Wood_Ogre PS : Ambrose was sent to France to smuggle back some secret info about SUP boards built out of Tessellated balsa and woven bamboo shoots covered with shrink wrap toilet paper and epoxy !!!

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Maybe not the cover of Rolling Stone but at least a mention in National Geographic Adventure magazine. Here is an article referencing the Nat Geo article along with the experience of two students with Ambrose.

http://www.cs.unm.edu/…vel/kauai/index.html

“He said that catching a wave was like taking the bus. If you knew the schedule, you could go where you wanted; If you didn’t, your life was all pain.”

What else do you need to know?

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With the ever increasing costs of airlines surfboard transportation, not many people will bring an alaia board from Kauai to France as a gift to a fellow swaylockian…

Ambrose did it.

This board is going on the wall of my shaping room. Thank you so much again, Ambrose.

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What sort of people travel across the world to talk about surfboard design and maybe their new pink manicure set.

Ding!!! I knew we had forgotten to talk about something…

Surfboard design.

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Howzit balsa, Probably a business trip to New York and then a hop to France, I’ll find out when I get back to Kauai and go see him. I return next Thursday after 6 weeks on the mainland. Kind of funny how he’s so revered here on Sways and yet he’s just a regular guy and a good friend of mine on Kauai after knowing him for 35 years. I try to stop by and see what kind of projects he’s working on when I do town (Lihue) runs.Aloha,Kokua

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Pandanus, I’m so sorry: I wanted to quote your post and I hit the “edit” button instead… Could you please post again as I can’t bring your post back?

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Quote:

I think I’m gonna have to plan a trip to the Islands someday… not easy with the wife and kids ($$$$$) but i would feel very selfish to do it alone… But who knows?

Hi Balsa,

I think that kind of ‘surf pilgrimage’ would be well worth the money (if if it is alot of $$$$$) and a great experience for the wife and kids as well…

regards,

Håvard