When Ships Were Made of Wood

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A reader-supported surf publication founded in 1992, The Surfer’s Journal is vivid, authoritative, and independent. The goal of each 132-page bimonthly edition? A completely resolved composition. Balance. Color. Story. And purist surf energy from Page One to close-of-book.

In addition to delivery direct to your door, you'll receive unlimited access to every article we've ever published and discounts on TSJ apparel, merchandise, accessories, and more.

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Ron Smith was a surfer who some might have described as a “parking lot surf hero.” Yet beneath the shell of his workaday surf routine in Southern California is the untold story of a dedicated life by the ocean. Scott Tinley recalls the quiet adventures of the special-ops-trained, surfer/triathlete, and Chart House overseer.