Page 22 - mcdanielfreepress2010-11

_~.'l',,~~o.iI~~:::I::I:J~~~1.":".J~'~':::I~.':.'~~"• Hurricane Earl Kicks Up Waves of the Year in Ocean City CULtEN MURRAY-KEMP rain locals knew about. SlaffReporler Upon reaching one of the "secret spars" I witnessed an exhibition of the area's best surfers conrrolling the waters. They were dropping into 12 foot waves with ease, or so it W'hen a hurricane or tropical srorm rides up the eastern coast, seemed until a colossal wall of water swallowed one surfer the mundane Ocean city-ires prepare themselves forrhe worst- for what seemed like eternity. Finally, he washed up onro the stock up on water and supplies, board up the house etc. Jason beach with his surfboard snapped cleanly ill two pieces. Chancier, Thomas Vieth, and the rest of the surf maniacs have Every ounce of my heart told me I should be surfing a completely different mindser. They suap up their board this swell, yet everything between my ears was [ellillg me ro shorts and wet suits; they grab their surfboards, lock the leash not even consider lr. The summer, and my surf buddies had to their ankles, and race for the ocean. When they hit the grown on me rhough, and their inRuencewould nor let me sit beach, sand between their roes, nothing else matters. on me beach, take pictures, and be a journalist while Earl was t;::,;,/.~ _ ",,-, PHOTOS ~~,~~ "Irs JUSt you and rhe ocean, it's calming," Anchony War- kicking up the strongest waves of the year. I headed for the field, an O.c. loca! told me. Yet, personally I JUSt can't see the ocean, swirling white foam and powerful rip currents making ABOVE: Jason Chancier (Ocean City local Surfer) ieh along Ihewhilewaler .. calming factor in being dragged under water by thousands of me doubt my every step into rhe cool dark waters. Icharged, Below: A DC broken bood pounds of salty ocean. Maybe ies JUSt not my cup of tea. and ducked rhe first wave. Within ten seconds of enrenng r- Hurricane Earl was recorded as a category 3/4 Hur- rhe ocean 1 was on the verge of drowning, had lost both of ricane sustaining winds up to 140 mph as ir ravished wa- my Rippers, and was srruggltog with every ounce of energy I ters up the eastern seaboard. Ocean City itself was nor too had len to escape the sea's gra'ip. Finally, I made ir out. I sat pleased with Earl's timing, since he (Hurricane Earl) conflict- on the beach in asronishmenr, slightly ccncussed and with a ed with Labor Day weekend, causing many of the city's ex- chesrfull of ocean. pected 250,000 guestS to vacation elsewhere. Luckily for us McDaniel students, if you do nothing else this fall, next non-surfers, Earl kepr his distance as it paralleled 200 miles time a hurricane kicks up some massive waves, be safe, but off the Ocean City coast 10 a.m. Friday. Still, the waves were get to the beach. Warch these SUffers rip swells. Watch An- monstrous- over [en feer. All beaches were closed to rhe pub- thony, Jason, Thomas, and rhe rest of (he surf crew do what lic, yet having lived in the area all summer, I picked up on a they do as rhey rake down the power of the hurricane. It's few hints about surf spots rhar were unguarded ~d only cer- truly awesome. The rise of the states' rights conservatives that the Tea-Party are the most radi- migration bill passed earlier this year. sian that they really are for limited The most interesting thing cal people from the conservative spec- Conservatives think [hat it's a better government. They have rold people about all of this is how the conserve- rrum and that rhey represent a change approach ifme stares are allowed to rbar they are against government in- rives and Republicans have been able from past Republican parry politics. rake marters in rheir own hands. :~r;;:;:o:g!~n:;:o:~:I~=y,~:dt::;~ to rell everyone that they're for small I contend that this is not the case, Elsewhere in the USA. accord- and that the people in the Tea-Parry ing to a pOSI on rhymeswithwhite. of the matter is mat the Republican =~~r~h:;narr:o;o:: l~::es':'~~;h:~ :;~ arerhesamepeoplethatu:ncirovore com, 22 states are suing over Obama- parry supports government interven- Republfcan. care. These conservatives are rallying tion bur at more of a Stat" level rather. proach (that states should be sever- The Tea-Party movement started against federal governmem programs than a national level. In re