Windsurfing doesn't do well in most newspaper headlines. Either the headline is about someone being rescued (and it's usually a kiter being rescued but the reporter screwed it up) or it's someone making windsurfers out to be crazy or extreme or whatever (not that these contingents aren't well represented in our community.) When a local Long Island newspaper chose to put a great photo of me (thank you thank you thank you!) on their front page, captioned with neither bad news nor hyperbole, Frank approved, and commented thus:
"Michael, I just saw the cover photo of you on the Riverhead Newspaper from your site. Great photo. It’s so nice to see news coverage of our sport with out the superlatives; extreme, or rescue."
I'm with you, Frank, particularly re windsurfing photos captioned "rescue".
Even more particularly, photos of ME windsurfing, captioned "rescue."
But that would be better than a photo of me windsurfing, captioned "his remains were found..."
Which I suppose would still beat a photo of me windsurfing, captioned "he was last seen being dragged below the surface by huge sharks."
That would really suck.
(photo: The cover of the Riverhead News-Review. Click and squint to read the perfectly reasonable caption.)
(Additional note: Frank Messina played a small but important role in my windsurfing past: He is the first windsurfer I ever saw do a planing jibe. I'd been windsurfing for two years with people who either did not care about jibing or who did not plane through their jibes, and while I'd heard of the thing, seeing it happen was a revelation. Frank carved beautiful jibes. I immediately moved from the "I don't care" contingent to the lowest ranks of the "I must jibe" crew.)
awesome photo...I miss the bay....and you numero uno puffin!
Posted by: Geniusofdespair | December 10, 2007 at 10:03 AM
Much much MUCH better than THIS.
Not good. Not good at all. Lady, leave us frostbite-frolickin' fools to make our own choices.
Good thing is most of the comments are saying the same thing (you'll like Greg Despin's, I think he was #21. I'm #28, right before the anonymous jerk (whose comment will hopefully be pulled as inappropriate & dumb before too long).
Posted by: bonnie | December 10, 2007 at 05:09 PM
Awesome shot, btw!
Posted by: bonnie | December 10, 2007 at 06:04 PM
re the photo, once again I thank photographer Barbaraellen Koch, for both the great photo and the non-sensationalist caption.
Re the lawsuit...I've got to think some ambulance chaser is responsible for trying to make this a public safey issue. It's ridiculous.
My new drysuit arrives in a few weeks. For now I'm in 5/3 neoprene (which worked clear through last winter.)
Posted by: Michael | December 10, 2007 at 09:07 PM
Hey GeniusofDespair...my response to you didn't stick to the blog! We are thrilled to have an original Peconic Puffin posting comments! The bay misses you (and Bob) too!
Posted by: Michael | December 14, 2007 at 07:46 PM
This is actually the 3rd time in the past 5 or so years that the Riverhead News-Review has displayed a windsurfer on the front page. The two previous issues featured guys in their 50's & 60's, and at least one, that I can remember, was at the Iron Pier Beach.
Posted by: Jeff | December 18, 2007 at 04:03 PM
Just browsing, top quality shot. Colour coordinated superfreak and board is a great idea. IMHO, jibing is more than just turning around.
Posted by: speshal k | December 11, 2010 at 06:30 PM