Early Seventies Session
Dangers in the murky depths
Deep inside the memory cells of untold numbers of surfers from the late
sixties-early seventies reside images of the unforgettable beauty of surfing.This
appreciation of the pristine, inexhaustible purity of surfing was enhanced
for so many of this generation of surfers through the use of consciousness
altering psychedelics. At times in the water in many spots on the eastern
seaboard of Australia it seemed like just about everyone surfing was either
just launching into, fully immersed in or coming down off some form of
sacred plant.
These were early days and we were naive. There were many dangerous rock
bottoms awaiting us all. The few who werent using these plants were busy
appearing hugely hypocritical as they mindlessly obliterated themselves
and their health on the legal and equally as dangerous substances of alcohol
and tobacco.
Unfortunately the reality of the situation was to become much more gnarly
and deeper than any of us could have imagined at that time.
The "Authorities" were busy telling us Indian hemp was a dangerous and
addictive drug. It didnt take long for most to realise this was simply
untrue and perhaps even propaganda as it didn't appear to be having a negative
affect on most surfers ability to lead healthy surf oriented lives.
Unfortunately many surmised that if this were untrue so must the alleged
dangers of the other class of "drugs" be!
As increasingly larger quantities of heroin began to spread through
the surfing communities of the planet during the seventies, things within
the surf communities began to change rapidly.
It is always offshore on heroin - the problem many surfers began to
face was when they began to realise they had underestimated the size of
the swell and the shallowness of the rock bottom.
Far to many talented and beautiful souls with almost limitless potential
lost their way with this drug and never survived this session.
I personally have lost enough good friends to the dangers of this path.
As surfers I believe one of the best spokespersons on the dangers of
the harder drugs would have to be Geoff Hackman. He has surfed as awesomely
as anyone else on the planet and was no doubt one of the greatest surfers
of this dangerous period in modern surfing's short history. Geoff has visited
and survived these dark and dangerous places.
The words at the beginning of the book on his life to date are apt.
"I would like to explain that in no way, shape or form am I condoning
or promoting the use of drugs. I am a product of the surfing culture of
California and Hawaii in the 1960s, a generation of people who experimented
with new drugs with almost religious intensity. The youth of today are
much better educated about the affects of drug use, and if as much had
been known years ago about the disease of addiction and the 12 step program
to control it, my wife's brother John and many of my friends might still
be alive"
As surfers we are one relatively small tribe on this planet and Jeff
Hackman definitely rates as one of our wiser elders. We would all do well
to listen with respect to these words of his. Thank you.
This painting is
available as a poster.
Purchasing
Information
