FOR THE LOVE OF SURF

Florida’s four-foot waves weren’t enough for Adam Steckley. He moved to California’s Surf City (a/k/a “Santa Cruz”) three years ago. When he’s not working (the former Miamian is a marine educator at the O’Neil Foundation), he’s riding the perfect waves of Monterey Bay.

Last month was an exception, Three weeks ago his longboard and his left knee tried to go in different directions. He’s been on crutches ever since.

We visited him a few days ago, just a few hours after his knee operation.

I don’t know if it was the drugs, his effervescent personality, or his temporary therapy dog (“Pi”) but Adam seemed glad to see us.

What a life he has, living in a beautiful surfer bungalow three blocks from roaring Pacific. For fun he and his friends throw movie parties in his yard showing flicks like “The Big Lebowski” on a sail hung from a tree. We missed that one last March.

After we bid Adam goodbye we stopped by the Surfer Dude Memorial that stands above Santa Cruz harbor and its eternally perfect waves.

We stepped out of the van to let Pi see

surfers in action but today there

were no waves. Surfers sat on their little submerged boards doing what they rarely have

to do here,

wait.

Baby Miami waves passed by, distant sea lions barked, and finally we left. As we drove off Francesca looked back to see a young woman hot dogging on her board. A decent wave had jumped up to tell us goodbye.