Surf Points 45

Drove to Halifax(2.5 hrs) one way to meet Kevin& Kathleen Dolan.Kevin is the son of a woodie club member who contacted me after reading the article in the local Halifax newspaper.They have a beautiful 47 Ford.We met at Lawrencetown Beach for a planned surf contest;unfortunately the waves did not cooperate.Kevin was very generous with his time and knowledge.We had lunch and he showed all the ins and outs of the local Halifax surf breaks.The potential is just breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly diverse in the way the local points and reef/shelves set up.In all my years of wave addiction I have never seen anything close to compare it to.I am discovering,as usual,that the real joy of Nova Scotia is not the waves but the people.If you want to experience the stoke of the 60's era of surfing again or for the first time;come spend some time with the surfers of Nova Scotia.These folks are truly welcoming in their approach both in and out of the water.KARMA travel is happening to me here.THANK YOU SO MUCH NOVA SCOTIANS!!!
Posted by Ralph at 6:47 PM 0 comments
Friday, August 29, 2008
FIRST WAVES

Surfed Western Head today from 11-1
Very pretty wave,not too challenging.Caught about 20-25.FUN Should be some pictures on site today from Foster's wife Lila. Nice to get wet!! White Point Resort where I get WiFi connection is covered with rabbits of all sizes and color.I'm looking at 7 on the lawn now.I wonder how they control the population.More later. Ralph
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Ralph Williams
404-374-5043


Posted by email from Surfer Ralph North to South (posterous)
Posted by Ralph at 5:22 PM 1 comments
Thursday, August 28, 2008
08/28/2008

Wanted to let you know all is well.Haven't had any waves of note yet;but on the fun scale I'm having as much fun as a monkey in a banana factory.People are really responding to the Shepherd Center Campaign.I am optimistic it will translate into contributions when I leave Canada.The Shepherd Center contribution links are now working on www.surferralph.com so feel free to help our brave warriors.I have been on the road 10 days with 8 of those days helping Foster & Lila Folsom remodel their 200 year old cottage near White Point,NS. We have done everything from wall demolishing to pulling wire yesterday.Now that Lila has arrived with her camera/video expertise I will start adding pics/vid to the site. Foster and I have been surfing buddies since 1968 at Folly Beach SC. I will add pictures of the remodel.We found leather baby shoes that probably date to near Colonial times,Very Cool!!! The article about the trip made the monday edition of the Halifax newspaper;Rick Minter of the AJC in Atlanta forwarded it. I,m very appreciative and humbled by his thoughtfulness.Well we are all praying for surf.Maybe all the tropical activity in the Atlantic will kick some waves our way. Thanks for following my dream. Ralph

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Ralph Williams
404-374-5043


Posted by email from Surfer Ralph North to South (posterous)
Posted by Ralph at 6:03 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
NC Coast

Hal.thanks for your response.I will be spending 3-4 weeks on Hatteras and appreciate your tips.My best friend from college,Jim"Biggy"Vaughan owns Whalebone Surf Shops at Nags Head And VA Bch and I look forward to the waves there. Ralph

On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 4:32 PM, wrote:

Ralph,
Read about your journey in the AJC last week. Wanted to contact mainly to let you know how much I respect and appreciate your efforts. My dad was a WWII vet recvd 2 Purple Hearts. I am currently in a career transition but will send something to Shepherd when I can.
I understand from the article that you are cruising east coast surf points along your route. I took a Harley trip a few years ago and discovered Topsail Island,NC and Ocracoke Island while enroute to Outer Banks. Topsail a good surfing point especially towards south end, and unless its changed you can drive your wagon out onto the beach. Ocracoke is a cool little village with some places to pull over and surf along the way to the ferry heading north on to Hattaras. If you go to Ocracoke, be sure to ask around about the secret Army base that was built during WWII. Difficult to find anything about it on the web. people there told me some residents worked on building the base and kept it secret so that that no one on the island even knew it existed until many years after WWII. I believe it was installed to sink possible German war boats approaching US shore. May be off some on the facts and timeline but its a damned fascinating story.
Have fun on the trip and be safe.

Regards,
Hal Whiteside

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocracoke_island
Get the MapQuest Toolbar. Directions, Traffic, Gas Prices & More!




--
Ralph Williams
404-374-5043


Posted by email from Surfer Ralph North to South (posterous)
Posted by Ralph at 6:56 PM 0 comments
SurferRalph.com
Ross,Dean,Let me know what I can do from this end.I am typing this at White Point Resort in their parking lot.Only place I can get access.Excellent beach break.Surfed a place called the Three Amigoes today.As unusual a setup for waves as I have ever experienced.A rock horse shoe reef 1/4 mile offshore in the middle of an pristine bay.Incredible view from the water.Yours with the Waves,DaDoo,Ralph

On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 11:31 AM, Ross Williams wrote:

Dean,

Thanks, I'll work on getting that up later today.

Cheers,

Ross

On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 10:28 AM, wrote:

Hi Ross,
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, I had to get the page going. Here's
how it works. We have an on-site hosted website, shepherd.org. On the
home page, there is a "Donate Now" Button. That will take you to the
Foundation's donation page:
http://www.shepherd.org/giving/ways/gift.asp

There, you will see a link to an off-site hosted webpage where people make
donations:
https://dnbweb1.blackbaud.com/OPXDONATE/donate.asp?cguid=2A71CDB2%2DAD49%2D4B0E%2D972D%2DA4D6D27AD0C1&dpid=12810

This is the site I operate from. I can add links to this, but to do so, I
will need a jpg image to use as the hot button.

Here is our logo. If you'd like to add info on our SHARE Initiavtie,
there's great detail at shepherd.org/share, which would also be a great
link. (See attached file: color_horizontal_with_address.jpg)

Thanks for doing all this Ross. Your Dad's a great guy, and it means a lot
to the Shepherds for him to dedicate his dream trip to support this
program. My numbers are below, please feel free to contact me when needed.
Thanks
Dean Melcher
Director of Annual Giving
Shepherd Center Foundation
404/350-7306 (direct)
678-613-3832 (cell)

www.shepherd.org (take the virtual tour!)
The Shepherd Center Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization
created to accepts gifts on behalf of Shepherd Center--the largest
freestanding hospital devoted to research, medical care, and rehabilitation
of people with spinal cord injury and disease, acquired brain injury,
multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and other neuromuscular problems.

Leave A Legacy! Please remember the Shepherd Center Foundation in your
estate plans.





--
Ralph Williams
404-374-5043


Posted by email from Surfer Ralph North to South (posterous)
Posted by Ralph at 6:33 PM 0 comments
Monday, August 25, 2008
hello



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ralph Henry Williams
Date: Mon, Aug 18, 2008 at 6:49 AM
Subject: Re: hello
To: james stitt


James,thanks for your kind thoughts.I'm writing this al 6:30am at the Kennebunkport rest station.Beautiful day!! Ralph

On Sun, Aug 17, 2008 at 1:15 PM, james stitt wrote:

Ralph,

It was nice to meet you, learn of your adventure, and see you wonderful vehicle. I hope the trip north is easy but fun.

NS is famous both for lobster and very good ale. May both be plentiful!

Best wishes to you for your mission and may you raise enough to help at least one injured vet.

JS