Big Wave News

Shawn Alladio jumps into the excitement as winter stirs

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 January, 2009 : - - Every year, when the ocean comes alive on the Pacific California coast, a migration takes place. Big Wave surfers from around the world descend upon the Big Blue hunting the massive winter swells hoping to get their guns or towboards into the fray.  Our winter is the southern hemispheres summer, so when our summer hits, I head south, just like the birds in opposite directions.

Chris Bertish is a colleague, a friend and an instructor for K38 International.  We missed one another in Hawaii in December, but managed to catch up, between the opening ceremonies of the Mavericks Big Wave Contest, of which Chris is one of the world's elite 'chosen few' for the hit list.

I recceived the facebook message on my account..it had been posted for several hours:

"Huppi New Year sister..On the way down...How far, what turn off?? Should make it there by this evening.
Are you before L.A.?

"I know my cell phone # for him from last year isn't working, he must have changed numbers, and I am not sure he has mine. I quickly snap back a revelrie of snipped notes..I think perhaps his blueberry may not pick up the private messages...I realize he could be close and not know where he's heading.

I decided after severe hestiation to post my cell number and ask him to text me asap.  Somehow we will find one another.

I immediately begin to receive phone calls and texts from men who are leaving me naked snapshots of them, which is quite funny because they are all in bathrooms.  And not bad looking I might add....LOL  I don't take the bait, but I do get back on facebook and delete that post.

Jeff Harrison, another K38 alumni and big wave charger chimes in on facebook and adds:  "Hahahahha He was on fire the other night!!!!"

Oh yes I have seen our beloved Chris on Fire. I'm seen him on Fire in South Africa (repeatedly) and in the US, although he tames his nature drastically when in my presence, probably as he gets ready for the next swoop, a full battery reload.

Hours go by, I decide not to be concerned. Chris is a free spirit, he is the kind of a man who will put himself exactly where he wants to and when, and all I have to do is let him decide, so I enjoy a movie with my friend John and the kids.   Our house has had nonstop traffic since New Year's. The street is our parking lot and I'm sure my neighbors wonder what the hell is going on over there?

The phone rings, its a bit late and I hear my friends SA twang with the all familiar wild laughter...I know he's just had one of those days.  He rattles off the item list of mis adventures and I laugh, I have had those same days, different places rewound myself.  He says he'll call me in the morning.  I fall asleep late with a bad cold.

The phone rings. I'm in the most glorious deep sleep, I reach over on automatic pilot and the Bertish giggle wakes me into wake mode.  I'm on my way...'where are you, which sign do you see?" I ask.  'Ha ha, wake up, Wake UP! I think it is a Parkway'....he slowly reads as he passes in traffic up the 5 freeway. He ended in San Clement and back tracked. Chris has no problem lighting up the night wherever he travels, now the morning is going to be throttled with a Starbucks if I recall properly.

He arrives at the house, rental car packed full with towboard, stand up paddle board and surfboards, and a few empty starbucks cups.  Out comes the present, one for me and one for little Shaniah and all I can think of is I must give him very little becuase of the weigth for baggage on the plane, too bad too.  Shaniah loves her starfish, but she loves Chris more and the affair commences.  My kids Kyla and Ryan chime in, Chris is in a four way tug of war now, each of us has a limb and is pulling hard.

We hit a starbucks, breakfast, starbucks again, and head home.  The day goes something like this:  Starbucks, Shaniah climbing all over Chris, Kyla and Ryan asking a zillion Liquid Militia questions, me coughing, hacking, dinner at sushi, sushi house was full, went to a nice dinner restraunt for fish, hit Whole Foods for gelato, went to Best Buy and bought the worst movie of 2009. But that's not the bad part, we all actually SAT and watched this movie, stunned as the credits rolled, laughing at either ourselves or the movie itself, not sure.

Made Chris his bed, told everyone to leave him alone and off to La La Land I dove.  Woke up in the morning. Chris was knocking on my bedroom door, I crack the door and he sticks has hand in with a starbucks cup, my soy latte had arrived.  He wanted to get going and I was nowhere to be found with a throttle.

We head off to Mimi's Cafe for a breakfast and a business meeting, then head over to REI so I can show him some rigging ideas, then we, well I'm not sure if we hit another Starbucks, but I do recall driving by 4 of them.

Back to the house, burning DVD's for training, printing paperwork, sorting internet business for K38 South Africa, some coverage over new training standards out at the Jet Skis, the kids pimping him for LQM again....and it was past his surf time. I had to break him out of our grasp and get him back on the road.  A few long goodbyes, Shaniah very upset her boy was gone, and me back to work, coughing.

Every year we take the same photo. I recall he is always standing to my right.  Every single time.  Chris looks the same. Hes' wiry, exceptionally strong in his frame, cunning in the ocean and a free spirit that follows precisely the uneven textures of large wind drive masses of water.  He is perfectly in tune with wildness, and he definetly compliments that nature, becuase it is of his own as well.  He is quite good on the PWC's and besides Brad, Chris can keep up with me and I miss riding with him.  It's few and far between.

A few quick texts, another 'hello/bybye' on facebook and we're off and running in our own universes.  Friends for life, when you see them, nothing has changed in spirit, and the drive just gets stronger.  And I mean for Chris, he's packed in over 3,000 US miles already, so his 500 mile drive back to Mavericks will get him closer to the 4K run....wouldn't expect nothing less, that's exactly my own style.
Lekker Bru.

www.k38rescue.com
www.TheLivesYouSave.com

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