As of this writing I haven't heard anything about the memorial service which was to have been held for Miki Dora this past Saturday, January 26, at Huntington Beach. I would have gone but I hate driving through Los Angeles and Orange Counties - I have perfectly good cousins living in Huntington who I don't see nearly enough- and I've always kind of wanted to go the the U.S. Open of Surfing, or whatever it is they call that contest period in July or August. I just lack the moral conviction or sense of duty which bucks up other people and gets them to do things no person in their right mind would do otherwise.
My original editorial thought was to go to Malibu at 10:00 a.m. on the 26th and see what was happening there. I also wanted to get a falafel while I was in "town" - I've been eating them at this one place for about 25 years and they are still the best I've ever had. Then I read on Surfline that another memorial service was going to be held at that precise time for a recently departed 30 year old shortboarder whom I'd never heard of (he'd never heard of me, either; no disrespect meant either way).
Rather than bother that, and so I wouldn't be tempted to mess with the imagery of a service for Dora in Huntington while Malibu sees a service for a local shortboarder, I decided to stay home and finish building some raised garden beds. While digging around I decided to just run the shot you see above. It was a quick grab with a short lens taken just past sunrise the Monday following Dora's death.
The coming months are going to see, or at least should see, a lot of coverage of the life and passing of Miki Dora. My feeling is that this coverage, which is probably nearly complete and on it's way to the printers, is going to provide us with a snapshot of just where surfing as a culture is at this point. It's going to be Judgement Day for us. The same way the death of Duke Kahanamoku marked one era, the death of Miki Dora is going to mark another. It will be both sad and interesting to see what crawls from beneath rocks and swoops from the skies to commemorate this occasion.
But for now, until the circus arrives, vagabondsurf.com would like to offer up this little slice of the past, present, and hopefully future. What it's all about. Take some time and just zone on the photo, and see where it takes you. |
