I paddled out at Robert Moses Field Three yesterday.

I paddled out at Robert Moses Field Three yesterday.

The swell was big; but rideable. Though not much, for me. I have not surfed since the Spring with Mustang. I first did a drive by at 12:30, and it looked clean and perfect. But no one was surfing there at all. So I re-checked Gilgo [a crowded kook zoo], RM 4; & RM 5, [3 guys out: but the water was this brown foam, and it was breaking haphazardly].

I settled back on RM 3. The waves were breaking cleanly and consistently, about a quarter mile south of the pencil. It's a bit of a walk and a lot of paddling for me.

The water was crystal clear, but you could feel some tiny jellyfish chunks that had been broken up by the churning shore break.

The worst part was exiting the shore break. So once out you; just stayed out. It is the best place I have found when the wave period is 12 seconds or greater. Best time is an hour before, to an hour after low tide. Yesterday "Magic Seaweed" had RM as 5 feet @ 14 seconds. Low tide was 11:00.

Last year during hurricane Bill, I had the best surfing of my life there. It was one of those days you keep re-living over and over in your head. One of those days, like my first Demo session in a Nor Easter:… I will spend the rest of my life trying to recreate those moments.

Lauralee got to get some sun on a warm empty beach. I got some needed IN the water time. I surfed from 1:00 to 4:00. [I think we both overdid it a bit.] The first hour was great clean one and one half overhead size swell on the outside. It was jacking up for about 30 seconds or so. Dropping in was so much fun! But the swell just disappears; no impact zone to contend with. Unlike the inner bars that were just closing out, churning sand, and crushing everything. After 3 hours, we called it a day, and headed back to the parking lot.

On my dashboard I had my Fishing Permit, and the letter from George Gorman to Surfrider dated 2006, that states we can use the 4X4 Fishing Permit, or can purchase a Fall Fishing Permit for $15. And that this allows surfers to use the "closed parking lots" at RM 3 & RM 4 from September 15th to January 1st to park for surfing.

But of course when I arrived back at my truck I found State Police Sergeant "B" trying to ticket me. "What kind of permit do you have there son?", "The right kind Sir, Why do you ask?". "Well we got a phone call from a fisherman about someone illegally surfing Field 3”.

The entire time I was at field 3 there were only 4 cars in the entire lot. Three fishermen and one surfer: myself. One of these three fishermen had actually taken the time to call the Cops! I was nowhere near them. We were separated by a quarter mile of Ocean. I pulled out my copies of my documentation. [I never give the officers my originals; I’ve been harassed before.] I then explained how the “off season” parking works; showed him the letter and the maps.

“Well I’m the officer in charge of these here parts. How come I’ve never heard about this?”, “I couldn’t tell you that Sir. My name is Frank*********** by the way Sir; I work with Surfrider, if you would like to call Ron Foley, or Betsy Winterberger, they know who I am. I’m sure they could vouch for me.”,” You’re right Sergeant, if you ask about the Fall Surfing Permit at the office over there at Robert Moses they won’t know what you are talking about. You have to talk to Belmont. These are copies, so if you would like you can keep them.”

“No, no, I’ll check Monday. Personally, I have no problem with you surfers; it’s the kids who come down here and drink. You know the fishermen are just worried about your safety…If you get hit with one of their 8 ounce casts…” I interrupted, and pointed to my LIBBA plates. “Look I am a member of both LIBBA and Surfrider. I know the whole line of B.S. that Willy Young and Chuck Hollins are feeding you. My wife has only been surfcasting 10 years, and she could hit that sign 50 feet over there. If a fisherman hits a surfer with a treble hook, they are either incompetent, or it’s intentional.” “Let me ask you something; here is mine, and my wife’s fishing licenses. When you are done with me are you going to check those guys for NYS Fishing Licenses and beer?”

“No we were told that we don’t need to check for that”…”your paperwork seems to be in order. But I still have never heard anything about this Fall Surfing Permit”.

So I asked politely” Look Officer, I understand you are just doing your job. And you have no idea how much I appreciate how difficult your job is. But could you do me a favor, and not write me the ticket; It would mean I’d have to miss a whole day of work, to go to court, show the Judge the same documents I just showed you, so he could dismiss the charges”. Thank you Sergeant “B”.

Now this is the second time in three weeks that the NYS Police force have overstepped their authority. In the last case, after legitimately ejecting Surfers who drove their trucks to Democrat Point from the water: the Police continued to eject surfers from the water who had walked the mile and one half each way. Surfing is legal at Demo, so long as you walk in.

This is getting out of hand.