Aloha Caroline

Caroline returned to Hawaii after visiting daughter Stacey and her family in Italy and Shea and Ann and their kids in San Clemente. We spent time at the shop going through old photos and recalling the past. I value our friendship greatly. I've made contact with Sonny Vardeman and Jackie Baxter and a recent visit with Guy Motil was excellent. We are at the half-way point of the research and I appreciate the support I am getting from so many people. (Original art by Joel Morrison)

The Legacy Lives

It was good to see Caroline, and Shea and Ann Weber and current team members have a chance to visit with some people who were on the team in the early 1960s at El Patio Cafe. Mike Tabeling, the Florida stand-out who helped establish Dewey Weber Surfboards on the east coast dropped in, as did Guy Motil, the acclaimed publisher/photographer, and Lonnie Argabright, Tim Tuthill, Frank Addleman, and John Bernards. A special treat was seeing Eve Fletcher who brought a photo album with her containing lots of pictures taken in 1956 on Oahu during Dewey's first trip to the Hawaiian Islands where he raised the bar on big wave performance surfing. Eve and Marge Calhoun were on the own surf safari to the islands confirming their place in history as early female pioneers. Eve, from Laguna Beach, still surfs San Onofre which is probably while she wears a permanent smile on her beautiful face. There was a buzz in the place about the new Dewey Weber Planer shape, which has just been released and team riders, and a few of us who've taken it out, are hugely impressed with it. Stay tuned. Mahalo. (Photo by Melody Derloshon)

Drop in on Dewey Event April 25

Several 22nd St. friends of Dewey are gathering in Capo Beach April 25 to remember and share stories. Caroline Weber and Shea Weber will be on hand with Tubesteak and his wife, Phyllis, and Guy Motil and other former team members. Many thanks to Don Craig, Tom Craig, Butch Linden, Hap Jacobs, Henry Ford and Peff Eick for their recent interviews.

History Lives

Many thanks to Mickey Munoz, Tubesteak, Tim Kit Tuthill, Bob Purvey, Ricky Grigg and other legendary figures previously noted in this blog who have been generous with their time. My files on Dewey Weber are growing and becoming richer. I learned recently about a 16' Velzy board that Dewey helped christen at Malibu along with Tubesteak, Mike Doyle, Mickey Munoz, and others who climbed aboard the beast in the mid to late 1950s and rode in twos, threes and fours. Wonder whatever happened to it. If you find this blog by some cyber space surfing miracle, and have a Dewey Weber recollection to share, please e-mail me: deweyweberbiography@yahoo.com Mahalo

Bruce Brown, Hobie Alter, and Mickey Munoz Share Stories

A growing number of surf legends including Greg Noll, Bruce Brown, Linda Benson, Hobie Alter, Mickey Munoz, Mike Tabeling, and Corky Carroll have taken the time to share stories and recollections of Dewey. We thank them for that. These and other eye-witnesses to Dewey's surfing abilities and his life story have been a tremendous help while research continues. Here's an image of the Hermosa Beach Surfing Legends Memorial project that's been approved by the city (visit: www.hbsurflegends.org/) Want to share a Dewey Weber story: e-mail deweyweberbiography@yahoo.com. Mahalo

Greg Noll Shares Dewey Stories at ASR

Greg Noll shared many stories of his life-long friend Dewey Weber at ASR Friday. Surrounded by several beautiful, one-of-a-kind hardwood boards shaped by his own hand, Greg's stories went back an astonishing 60 years to when Dewey and Greg were cub scouts together. Our book in progress has been aided by input from a growing list of legendary surfers, photographers and filmmakers which now includes: Denny Aaberg, Kemp Aaberg, John Baker, Linda Benson, Bruce Brown, Lance Carson, Mike Doyle, Jared Eaton, Skip Frye, Leroy Grannis, Drew Kampion, Tom Morey, Jim Noll, Rosemari Reimers-Rice, John Severson, Harold Walker, and Nat Young. Mahalo to them all! PS: Please be sure to check out news pertaining to the Hermosa Beach Surf Fountain project honoring Dewey Weber. Visit: http://www.hbsurflegends.org/

Research and reporting well underway

Thank you:

Denny Aaberg, Kemp Aaberg, Linda Benson, Lance Carson, Skip Frye, John Baker, Mike Doyle, Leroy Grannis, Drew Kampion, Jim Noll, and Harold Walker for sharing stories about Dewey. Many more interviews with many more folks to go . . .and your support is much appreciated. I'm still trying to get contact info on some surfing greats and icons. Welcome any and all input.

Mahalo.

January 2009.