Here at SM headquarters, we often have some interesting flotsam, (in this case ambergris), that crosses our bow. A few years ago, we received a large beat-up cardboard box containing the original, handwritten letters from the “Ask the surf Docs” column of Surfermagazine circa 1989, edited by our own Mark Renneker, MD. Some of the better letters and their responses were then, along with the Dr. Geoff columns in Tracksmagazine compiled into the seminal surfing medicine book Sick Surfers ask the Surf Docs and Dr. Geoff, (Bull publishing, 1993).
After the box had been opened and contents fully examined, it was dutifully taped closed and sent to its rightful owner, Dr Renneker, mostly intact. Mostly intact, because we could not help ourselves from keeping a gem of a letter on a topic that is both universally relatable to surfers, yet little talked about. Like all good thieves we rationalized our behavior, figuring we were just extracting “taxes” to cover our shipping costs, and furthermore we’d be sharing this delightful nugget with our readership. After reading the letter below, we hope you agree.
Excerpted from Surfer Magazine, circa 1989
Dear Surf Docs,
Why is it that every time I get to the surf, while waxing up my stick and admiring the surge upon the reef, the one feeling that always comes over me is the urge to pinch a loaf?
Rasclott “the baker”, Virgin Islands
Dear Rasclott,
At a recent Surfer’s Medicine Conference on Tavarua, Fiji, our group awoke to humongous, life-threatening looking surf, and before the sun had even risen, all of the toilets were stopped up. And that wasn’t even the end of it. Out in the water, after the first set steam-rolled our whole group, one guy paddled quite a lot further outside than anyone else, rolled off his board, and acted like he was checking out his leash. But we all knew what was going on – that expression “shitting bricks” had come home to roost.
Part of the fight or flight response in all animals (including us) is that there is a massive outpouring of adrenaline, which hops up all body processes: heart rate, breathing, thinking, and shitting to name a few. It’s reasoned that to fully be able to fight (or escape), your body needs to be lightened of its’ load, so out it comes.Perfectly natural Rasclott. Try frequenting your toilet before heading down to the beach, unless you kind of enjoy feeling your animal instincts.