Pulled up to Mama C’s tuesday morning to find glassy waves rolling off the point. The sun beamed down as two stand up paddle surfers and one longboarder took turns sliding to the left and right. Janice was out with them earlier but came in after getting washed into the reef. The incident left her with a deep dime sized gash on the meaty portion of her shin. It looked painful, but Mama is one tough cookie. She took a moment to clean and wrap the wound like a pro while I mind surfed a bit through the backdoor.
A light offshore breeze tickled the beach grass growing in the dunes between Mama’s porch and the beach. A blue sky gave way to some haze and a mostly clear shot of the island. Small waves rolled in from a few angles offering up some tempting shapes. I thought about swim fins. Wondered how bodysurfing these waves could be as they peeled perfectly down the reef.
After loading up our vehicles with art we began the trek to Newport. Before Janice even pulled out of her driveway, a local surfer drove by in a ford truck. He smiled and pointed at Mama saying, “I’ll see you this Thursday,” referring to her upcoming art show Aug. 11th at Endlesswave Surf Shop.
Down the road we stopped at Just D’s to pick up a couple iced coffees. $2 for a small iced! Where else but Matunuck can you find an iced coffee for $2? Right next door we dropped by Matunuck Surf Shop to say hello to Bob and drop off a few more flyers. Wandering around I spied two beautifully crafted wood keel fins on the tail of a magnificent 6’2” fish. The details in the fins were classic. Dark and light wood tones met fine lines that blended into the burgundy belly of the board. The color wrapped around the rail meeting the white deck with a laser sharp lap lay. Picking it up was dangerous. It felt like my board. The logo on the deck read “Matunuck Surfboards” and had Bob’s trademark silhouette of a surfer carrying a board underarm, but for the slim price of 600 some odd dollars, it could have been my board. Luck for me there wasn’t surf sufficient enough for a board like that, and none predicted for the near future making it relatively easy to release the board from my grasp.
Mama C and I continued our caravan to 148 Bellevue Ave. Looking at my phone I noticed a missed call from Jonny B. Returning his call led me to some interesting news. The roof of the old restaurant at the Point Judith lighthouse has begun to collapse. In turn, the parking lot has been closed off until further notice. It seems that the family who owns the property would like to sell, but due to huge liability and what I’m sure is a hefty price tag, no one, including the town of Narragansett wants to buy. Many outcomes are possible, and now the habits of many surfers hang within the whims of a delicate situation.
From what Jon told me, people had busted trough the makeshift parking block, and it had been rebuilt once already. “This has the potential to stir up some controversy if we get a good storm rolling up the coast this fall and that lot is closed,” John said. Meter maids worked in the surrounding neighborhoods ticketing cars that would have normally been parked in the lot as their owners tried to get a peek at the swell coming in this past weekend.
Is it terrible that one of our most popular breaks just had its parking blockaded, or could it be a blessing for those with a whole hearted love of that spot who have local knowledge and will be willing to do whatever it takes to paddle out there and score on a big swell? I drove slowly to keep Mama C in my sights as answers to that question rolled around in my head. Visions of overhead walls and an empty parking lot made me smile.
The bridge was cut down to one lane after the Jamestown tolls and I was well ahead of a big truck carrying fuel that had to climb the steep grade at a snails pace. With no one but the truck behind me I was able to cruise over the bridge at 15mph taking in all the intricacies of the Newport Harbor. It truly is a beautiful sight with all the small islands, nooks, coves, and boats.
At the shop, Sara, Slater, Janice, Jonny and myself spent a few hours decorating Endlesswave with Mama C’s artwork. Thanks to John, I finally figured out why every piece of art I hung had dropped below the level I had intended it to be seen at. I’d love to tell you how, but as a true art hanger, I am now reluctant to let go of my secrets. You also probably know how to do it properly, it just so happens I can be an idiot when it comes to those kinds of things.
So the shop looks great, the show this Thursday is definitely the place to be, plenty of art, music, food, wine, and good times to go around. Mama has 14 pieces total to show, seven large, and seven smaller pieces, with tons of prints, all for sale. Definitely come by Endlesswave Surf Shop 148 Bellevue Ave. Newport Thursday August. 11th, from 6-9p.m.
