Having a swell time in Oregon

Sunrise. Friday. On the corner of Southwest 11th Drive and Southwest Coast Avenue.It looks like a small-scale military invasion is getting ready to launch.

Jet Skis are being unloaded from trailers onto rollers and moved toward the Pacific Ocean by groups of men snapped head-to-toe into black wet suits. They’re all running in tight, compact strides. Equipment is checked and rechecked. Someone’s having a problem with a battery. Everyone’s in a hurry.

To the east, a band of pink sky has stretched out along the coast range. To the west, there’s the entirety of the ocean, and it’s crashing loudly on itself.

The surf was up, which is why everyone was here.

 – Excerpt from The Oregonian, December 9, 2006