Another Andy Kessler Quote
I grew up surfing in California. It's hard as fuck to learn, even when you're a hell bent little kid. I can't imagine how frustrating the learning process must be for an adult. Hence I give Andy a lot of respect for getting his old, battered body into the water as often as he did.
The weekend before he passed, we surfed a bunch together out in Montauk. One afternoon was particularly good; clean and consistent with overhead sets. We walked east from the dirt lot at Ditch Plains and decided to paddle out by the big rock. Kessy hopped in first and I knew immediately that we'd misjudged the current and that he was fucked. As he got sucked closer and closer to the rock, I adjusted my entry accordingly and managed to make the lineup fairly easily. Poor ol' Kess was getting his head beat in. I turned to see him on the verge of making it out, only to be annihilated by a set wave. I could hear him screaming in frustration while I laughed my ass off and paddled into a good right hander. I swear he paddled for 40 minutes straight before giving up. He was literally beaten back to the shore. I remember thinking, "Oh well, it's too big for him." I was bummed cos the waves were really good and it would've been fun to surf together. However, an hour or so later he came paddling up to me with a big smile on his face. Said he'd sat on the beach, caught his breath and thought, "Fuck you Farmer, you're not getting all those waves without me!" Classic Kess determination. Definitely a favorite memory of mine, trading waves in front of the flag pole after seeing him take that beating.
-Tony Farmer
The weekend before he passed, we surfed a bunch together out in Montauk. One afternoon was particularly good; clean and consistent with overhead sets. We walked east from the dirt lot at Ditch Plains and decided to paddle out by the big rock. Kessy hopped in first and I knew immediately that we'd misjudged the current and that he was fucked. As he got sucked closer and closer to the rock, I adjusted my entry accordingly and managed to make the lineup fairly easily. Poor ol' Kess was getting his head beat in. I turned to see him on the verge of making it out, only to be annihilated by a set wave. I could hear him screaming in frustration while I laughed my ass off and paddled into a good right hander. I swear he paddled for 40 minutes straight before giving up. He was literally beaten back to the shore. I remember thinking, "Oh well, it's too big for him." I was bummed cos the waves were really good and it would've been fun to surf together. However, an hour or so later he came paddling up to me with a big smile on his face. Said he'd sat on the beach, caught his breath and thought, "Fuck you Farmer, you're not getting all those waves without me!" Classic Kess determination. Definitely a favorite memory of mine, trading waves in front of the flag pole after seeing him take that beating.
-Tony Farmer
