Dru Harrison was 19 when he wrote "Limbo," a short 1969 SURFER Magazine essay on how to compete in surf contests and not hate yourself in the morning. Harrison's words are nearly 50 years old, but sound as fresh—well, except for maybe the part about being "hung up between two bags"—as they did in '69.

Hey Dru, talk to yourself. Go ahead, everyone does it. Just don’t move your lips. ’Cause if you move your lips, you’re crazy. Okay, so what’s the subject? Well, how about answering the question, “How do you surf in a contest?’’ Are you kidding? How the heck should I know? I’m in limbo. Hung up between two bags.

To my left is the Contest Bag. It’s chock-full of surfing goodies. Bottom turns, each one identical. Backside turns, all guaranteed to look alike. Re-entries, all the same. A wave positioning chart to solve the question of where your board should be at all times and eliminate completely the need for reflex action. Also—and this is essential to contest surfing—there are a number of body positioning diagrams. These show you the various contortions to use along with the aforementioned turns. Check these arm-flailing illustrations which really help when properly applied to your maneuvers. Makes your turns look more difficult. Included too is a certificate which guarantees success in contests. The Contest Bag really works too. I’ve got the trophies to prove it. Of course I haven’t gotten many lately. And for a very good reason . . . the bag on my right.

The first time I reached into the Free Expression Bag I thought it was empty. Then way at the bottom I felt a scrap of paper. On it was printed the words, “DO YOUR THING.” That's it. I dug the message but I gotta admit, it really screwed up my contest surfing. And then Oceanside. Third place. Stoked! And I did it all with Free Expression. Well almost all. Actually I swiped a little from the Contest Bag. Not much really. Just some minor contortions and a little arm-flailing. But it worked. Maybe that’s the answer. Cheat.

But maybe not. Not since Malibu, anyway. Fourth place! And I did it with Free Expression. Completely! That other bag? Buried in the sand. Deep! I tell you, folks, it’s a new era in competitive surfing. A guy can do his thing and score. It’s how you relate to the wave that counts. Deception is out. No more phony maneuvers. No more meaningless motion. No more gymnastics. No more . . . Hey Dru, your lips are moving.

"LIMBO," BY DRU HARRISON (1969)

Subscribe or Login

Subscribe or Login

Encyclopedia of Surfing

History of Surfing

Interviews

Features

The Sunday Joint

Videos

Contests