vintage bodysurf – Swell Lines

How to Body Surf by Nelson Dewey

In 1970 the second piece of literature focused on bodysurfing was published. In contrast to the first publication 39 years prior, How to Body Surf is an illustrated pamphlet by a prolific artist and novice bodysurfer. The pamphlet was not widely popular at the time and Dewey himself doesn’t have a copy of it, but the artwork and commentary are unique and creative among bodysurfing’s early culture. Nelson Dewey has a long career of producing surf art and our sub-culture finds a hidden gem in his early effort to re-introduce the world to bodysurfing.

The nineteen page pamphlet starts with beginner information like where to bodysurf and who can bodysurf. In the almost fifty years since publication, there are many bodysurfers who would disagree that “…a hollow, tubular type (wave)… isn’t a good wave…” for bodysurfing. There are a few such claims throughout this publication where the athletic progression of bodysurfing is clear, but the visualizations of bodysurfing for beginners stand the test of time.

As shown above, Dewey provides interesting and technically-sound illustrations. The top, demonstrating how to predict sets and the bottom showing the proper technique for diving under surf. It is a delightful experience to see an artist’s vision of the bodysurfing experience. I’ve often wished for the skill to communicate the technical aspects of our sport which become so cumbersome in word form.

I particularly enjoyed Dewey’s visual of the most common experience to all bodysurfers, the wipeout (above left).

In the age of digital resource Nelson Dewey’s “How to Body Surf” holds up as a creative and light-hearted journey into the world of bodysurfers. Given the absolute rarity of this work, it could easily be very valuable to the right collector. It should be noted that no previous sale of this pamphlet could be found, so an exact price is anyone’s guess. Should you stumble across a copy, I think you would find joy in the sandy pages.

Special thanks to Nelson Dewey for providing additional information on his production of the pamphlet. You can check out more of his work here.

Ron “Canoe” Drummond was an author and surf pioneer whose massive 6’6 frame was eclipsed only by his passion for the Ocean. Drummond self-published The Art of Wave Riding at 24 years young. The year was 1931. The book was one of the first ever books written about riding waves and definitely the first written about bodysurfing. Drummond published a mere 200 copies of the 26-page artistic work. When you read Drummond’s work you may notice he fails to mention swimming fins, but that is because Owen Churchill wouldn’t submit his patent for another 9 years. By Drummond’s own admission, most wave riders of the time were athletically inclined and paid the price of time for their knowledge. He wanted to “increase a thousand fold the pleasure derived from surf bathing,” by providing hints at the best way to ride waves with your body.

If you can get your hands on a copy, one of the first observations that will blow you away is the fact that there are actual photographs from Drummond’s time of himself and others bodysurfing. The primitive photographic technology coupled with the difficulty modern-day photographers have with capturing bodysurfing is enough to merit a long look from all bodysurfing enthusiasts.

Drummond does his best to offer information to the casual surf bather and the seasoned surf swimmer alike. He describes two means of riding waves. The first is the position involving both hands out in front of your body with your head down in the water. The second and more advanced was to keep your hands at your side in what we call the “Prone” position. This matches all of the documentation we have of bodysurfers in Ron’s day riding prone to the beach. Drummond artfully guides the reader through bodysurfing small and large surf using the swimming terminology of the day and soulful delivery. He goes on to detail all the little tips he’s collected like stiffening one’s body, no hesitation, and taking a deep breath both for comfort and added buoyancy.

The Art of Wave Riding also catalogues the progressive tricks of Drummond’s day such as riding on your back, spinning and a front flip. It is striking to see the slow progression of our sport. The expert riders of 85 years ago were working on the same maneuvers as our comrades today. In perfect irony, Ronald B. Drummond’s mission was “that publishing this information now, all those interested in the sport can make faster strides while learning the fundamentals of wave riding and so have more time to help develop the intricate phases of this superb sport which in my opinion is still in the initial stages of development.”

This book is the one of the rarest books in the surfing genre and therefore very expensive. In recent years they have sold within the range of $1200-$4200. To find one you’ll have to scour auction sites or get lucky in other used book marketplaces. Ron passed away in 1996, but he left bodysurfers with the most exquisite link to their heritage within the 26 pages of Ocean joy, The Art of Wave Riding.

Current Auctions/For Sale:

https://www.abaa.org/book/928743696

https://www.alcuinbooks.com/pages/books/025047/ronald-blake-drummond/the-art-of-wave-riding

Previous auctions:

http://thevintagesurfauction.auctionserver.net/view-auctions/catalog/id/1/lot/21/

http://www.usvsa.com/Auction/APViewItem.asp?ID=130

http://www.pbagalleries.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/348/lot/106798/The-Art-of-Wave-Riding