November 5, 2008 Wednesday

Laird Hamilton

“What’s it like to look over the edge of a thirty foot wave?” I asked Laird Hamilton as he signed my copy of his book, Force of Nature, Mind, Body, Soul and of Course Surfing, at Book Passage in San Francisco.

“I was just asked that the other day,” he replied, then paused and thought about it. “It’s like looking out the window of a ten story building, only you are going to jump and you’re looking for a place to land.”

I quickly told him I was a regular at Bolinas and asked if he had ever been there. I remember that John, one of the partners of the 2-Mile Surf Shop in Bolinas, had mentioned that Laird and friends came out to Bolinas one day with their stand-up boards.

“Yes I was there this last summer,” he stated. This surfing legend and my surf hero knew of my local spot.

The woman behind me asked what he thought about women surfers. “There are lots of women surfers in Hawaii,” he replied. “It’s not a man or woman thing. Surfing is a form of art and each individual develops their own flow or art.”

At a book signing, one has thirty seconds or a minute to ask a question. What one question would you ask of a surf legend? Afterwards I thought about what I could have asked, there was so much more I wish to know.

What was going through his head when he went down the face of that monstrous, bone-crushing wave at Teahupoo, Tahiti in August 2001? Laird successfully towed into and made one of the biggest, most dangerous waves ever recorded. His ride is now legendary in surfing history, comparable to Duke Kanahamoku’s mile long ride at a Waikiki during huge storm surf in the 1920s and Greg Noll’s dropping into the biggest paddle-in wave ever ridden at Makaha during the storm of the century in 1969.

What about the innovations that Laird has contributed to the sport of surfing? I would love to hear about his pioneering of tow-in surfing, development of foil surfing and evolution of stand-up surfing. Laird has been the force behind all three of these movements.

What was it like to star in the movie North Shore, a Hollywood film on surfing that used real surfers as actors? Laird played the villain, Lance Burkhart, the self-center, arrogant pro-surfer who would do anything to win the contest, including cheating. My kids loved this movie. We own it and I have seen it numerous times.

Of course there are the standard, classic questions: Biggest wave ever ridden? Worst wipeout? Who is the surfer you most admire? Etc.

Laird Hamilton is the epitome of health: 6’ 3”, 215 pounds (I’m quoting the book jacket), forty-four years old, solid, not one once of fat, big shoulders and neck, bright eyes, quick movements and an alert mind. He was wearing an orange collar shirt, not tucked in, faded blue jeans, sandals with no socks, and blond hair that flopped over his forehead. He was gracious, friendly and focused. He looked each individual in the eye and said, “Aloha.” He concentrated on each person and paid careful attention to what he as writing, making sure he got it correct. He cordially posed for pictures. In the era of small digital cameras and cell phones, everyone wanted to get a picture of him, including me.

The book signing was scheduled for 1:00 pm. At 12:45 pm twenty people were lined up to greet Laird. In one hour the line turned over at least two times. I estimate sixty to eighty people came by. For Gerry Lopez’s talk last May, Book Passage was overwhelmed by the attendance and ran out of books before the talk began. I was prepared; I came early and immediately purchase the book. The woman behind me was not familiar with Laird Hamilton. She was visiting from Michigan and came to purchase a book for her son in law, a surfer in Half Moon Bay. Just like last May, the store ran out of books before the book signing began. “How could they run out of books?” she grumbled. A store employee walked down the line informing everyone they were out of books and offered a bookplate that Laird could sign and they could paste into the book when they purchased it.

The woman proceeded to ask me questions about Laird. The athletic tall guy in front of me climed in that Laird was one of the best athletes in the world, more than just surfing. “Like what?” she asked.

“All water sports, wind surfing, swimming, skin diving, and long distance paddle boarding,” he replied.

He looked at me and stated, “I thought there would just be surfers and fifteen year old girls here.” He was commenting on the mix of people standing in line. All types were there: old, young, surfers, businessmen in suits, tourists and college students.

“Are you a surfer?” He asked me.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Where do you surf?”

“Bolinas and Stinson Beach. I live in Mill Valley and those are my local breaks.”

“I too live in Mill Valley and have often seen the surfers at Bolinas.”

“Are you familiar with Laird Hamilton?” I asked.

“Yes. I have seen him in numerous videos.”

“Are you familiar with the movie, Riding Giants, which features Laird?”

“Oh, yes. I have seen it many times. In fact I watch it at least once a month,” he proudly stated. I was impressed.

“I think the incredible story is Laird choosing his step father as a little kid,” I said referring to the tale that introduces Laird in the Riding Giants movie.

“Yes, it’s the classic tale of heroes. Like Moses coming down the Nile in a basket.”

I agreed and added like the virgin birth or Merlin transforming Uther to the likeness of Lord Cornwall so Uther could make love to Igraine to conceive King Arthur. Laird Hamilton has the roots and the story of a 21st century classic hero. Laird’s mother separated from his biological father when Laird was a small child and moved to the North Shore of Oahu. On a beach, young Laird crossed paths with Billy Hamilton, the noted big wave surfer and board shaper. Boy and man instantly bonded and went body surfing with Laird hanging onto Billy’s back. Afterwards, Laird grabbed Billy’s hand and dragged him to meet his mother. They fell in love, married and Billy adopted Laird as his son. It’s a wonderful story.

All great athletes have their injuries. In the book, Laird’s “Injury Map” pictures him with arrows pointing to his numerous wounds. It reminded me of years ago seeing a life size photo of Jim Otto at his Burger King restaurant in Auburn, CA. Jim was the NFL hall of fame center of the Oakland Raiders during their glory days under coach John Madden. The photo had Jim in only his hip pads and a hundred or more arrows pointing out his scars and wounds. Laird has a few also:

134 stitches in the forehead; surfboard through the cheek; first degree shoulder separation; herniated disk; crushed vertebrae; Skilsaw through the thigh; torn and reconstructed ACL; crushed top of foot; broken toes; broken arches; broken left ankle (six times); broken eardrum; broken and misplaced ribs; ton of stitches, at least 1000, he has stopped counting them.

I have one more question to ask. I would love to hear Laird’s present day response to that pointed question that John McEnroe asked during Laird’s appearance on John’s talk show. McEnroe had a late night show for a short period a couple of years ago. It didn’t last long. But Laird made an appearance to promote the movie, Riding Giants, and they showed a clip of Laird riding that wave in Teahupoo. John and Laird are close friends. Apparently Laird introduced John to the real Hawaii and took him and his kids surfing. They had a great respect for each other. John asked Laird that cutting question:

“Laird, you are in your forties, happily married, have young children, how long can you keep this up?” Implied in the question is the element of death. Laird risks his life with every one of his exploits. I can’t remember his exact words, but he stated that as long as he can physically do it, he would continue doing it.

Let’s pray that Laird Hamilton continues his adventures for years and years to come.