I made my first trip to WindanSea, La Jolla CA, today...actually I had made many trips here, before school at La Jolla Junior-Senior High - just to look at the waves - but, this was my first trip to actually surf here.

I was pretty excited about it, but also a little nervous, 'cause I had knew very well about its localism and its heavy waves.

I met my friends, Garth and Eric Murphy under The Shack.

They told me that they had a friend who would make sure that we would not get beaten-up by the old guys, and he would show us how, and where, to paddle-out.

Garth, Eric, and I waited for the Murphy's friend - he finally appeared - none other than Jimmy Tejada.

- Jimmy was (and still is) Rachel Tejada / Welch's brother -

Jimmy checked us out, and made sure our boards were waxed properly with ParoWax, and he said: "follow me!"

I had been surfing The Shores for a couple of years, so I had a bit of sense about paddling-out, and I knew that, at least at The Shores, we paddled around the waves, if at all possible.

It looked to me like there was a channel at WindanSea, to the left, and the right, of the main peak.

Jimmy led the way, kindda like Father Goose, with his Goslings following. We paddled-out directly in front of the shack.

The first wave hit us, and the Murphys and I lost our boards. Jimmy didn't lose his - but he was older, wiser, and much stronger than we.

My "Gooch Board" and the Murphys' boards hit the rocks in front of the shack, and we were almost in tears.

Jimmy turned around and came in.

He said, very loudly, and clearly:

"DON'T EVER PADDLE OUT THRU THE BREAK - ALWAYS PADDLE AROUND THE PEAK!!!"

"I hope you learned something today, you kooks didn't even make it through ONE inside wave here."

He continued his lecture:
"Maybe, just maybe, you - especially you Andrews, oughta stay at The Shores for a few more years!"

This lecture, given to me in about 1960, remains firmly embedded in my surf-psyche.

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