Pure ocean TV.com – A Great Place to Start!

Careful, Chip may hold you up for display.

This is my first installment on Pure Ocean TV. Things are finally coming together. I am excited by the possibilities. In life, I have traveled far enough down the road that I am slowing and getting beat down. I’ve had some injuries. I can’t do everything that I used to do. There was a time when I would be the only guy out on a gnarly, eight foot day at a certain, secret reef in the Caribbean. Now, I just hope I can see the Boyz from Pure Ocean TV.com get there on the right day. It’s their turn in the barrel.

I never made the great move to someplace where the waves are always good. I have no real regrets, though. A big, lonely day at the Light House, Ocean Isle, Pet Den, Monster Hole, or even Myrtle Beach State Park can be so special, that they can’t be surpassed by a crowded break, regardless of the size and quality of the waves. The hyped up contest and “industry” scene has changed surfing, but it has not changed surfers that much at all. Most do not make their living from the sport. They make the sport part of their living. It comes from a deep, abiding love of the creation, a desire to dance with the ocean and a quest to become one with the cosmos. At least that’s what they said in the surf magazines back in 1969. It was all about karma.

Chip (1973), driving hard into the inside bowl on the South side of Frisco pier in Cape Hatteras. He is the only one out on the first, cold, stormy day of the year. Note the track of the board. That’s almost impossible on a 6’8″ beach break single fin (Shrader Sunset!). Yes . . . he made it . . . learned how on “Man Head Key”. Spit out! That’s surfing!

My involvement with this group at Pure Ocean TV.com goes back to the days before they were born. I met Rodney Smith (guide, publisher, author, media personality, Dad) when I rented a shop next door to his landscaping business.  I sort of grew up in St. Pete. I lost my fishing mojo from watching the pristine sugar sand flats get filled over with ugly muck from dredging and development. Twenty years later, Rodney showed me the cure when he invited me to go snook fishing at Sebastian Inlet. I got my mojo working!

We have surfed, fished and fellowshipped through the years. Rodney and Karen Smith started up a guide business. They took the idea of a company newsletter to a new level by starting Coastal Angler Magazine. They franchised the concept across the country and now it is one of the most widely circulated magazines of it­s sort.

One of our most meaningful experiences, through the years, was our involvement in a grass roots movement to ban gill nets from Florida Waters. We learned that we have more than just a voice. Fishing in the state of Florida is not what it used to be. Shoreline development, environmental degradation  and destructive fishing practices are the main culprits. We decided to do something about it. We joined groups, went to meetings, collected signatures and made it illegal to use gill nets in Florida. It is not illegal to fish commercially, but the methods and catch are limited. Fish are a valuable commodity. We believe they are most valuable when swimming in their healthy native habitat in great numbers. Why do we need to turn every resource into a product for the mass market?

We are happy about the size. They lifted the ban . . . there’s a new slot limit. Finally, dinner!

Anyway, we learned the power of the American promise. It can only be government by the people if the people are willing to govern their own lives. It is usually hard work, and slow going, but a good cause always has a fighting chance. I am glad to see the cause being taken up by the next generation. Pure Ocean TV.com is devoted to a Pure Ocean and a pure life. Like many of their peers, they are looking for ways to maintain independence and eke out a living. Times are a little rough around here right now and Floridians have had to be creative to keep work coming in.  If attitude is everything, then they are well on their way to success. They have already pulled anchor and embarked on their voyage of discovery.

James bought a classic sailboat. He and Jake did most of the restoration. Their good friend Luke pitched in and made a commitment to the effort. These guys stay busy. You can’t keep up with them. They log hours and hours of studio time working on music and video production. Computer technology has streamlined editing, but it is still a tremendous amount of work to put together an accomplished piece. They are busy in the studio, because they have a warehouse full of useful footage. They are continually shooting more video and laying down sound tracks. There are several world class projects just sitting there waiting for a couple of weeks of effort to turn them into classic, in step, offbeat, documentaries. There is oil spill, shrimping, beach re-nourishment, food, survival, fish farming, solar, scuba, surfing, fishing, human interest, environment, sky diving . . . adventure . . . and so on footage . They have serious footage. There is no shortage of material, but time is at a premium.  Life is short . . . let’s shoot some more!

Chip has some fun with the logo in Photoshop. The possibilities are endless!

One of the possibilities that I see in all of this is the building of a network and community of people who understand the importance of a pure ocean and a pure life. The sky, the earth, water, and  all life rise out of, and inevitably flow into the ocean. There is more than enough of everything, so there is plenty to go around. How much should we take? Let’s keep the best of what we have for the future.  You are welcome to  join Pure Ocean TV.com . . . come along. I hope you do. Lets work together!

If you would like to read more from Chip Curry, he is also published on HubPages where he writes essays, articles and short stories:

click this link : http://wdcurry111.hubpages.com/ 

Stop by and take a read sometime. Please, bring your sense of humor.

I’ll see you next week. Feel free to leave a comment or expand on the subject. We care a lot!