o-man, thanks for keeping this thread alive. It connects me to the activity that fed my soul during my childhood, but which has not been a part of my life for the last 25 years.
Session this morning revitalized my psyche, have not had so much fun on waves in a long time. From pig-dogging ankle biters to clean drops into head high peaks. I, and two buddies, had Peaks at Moss Landing pretty much to ourselves. Saw two whales, and surfed more waves than I could count, and had a blast, I realized that my passion for surfing relates to the way surfing calms me, relaxes me, and clears my mind.
I noticed sufers calling the kids (or anyone younger than you) "grommet" some time in the late 80s. Sometimes surfers with less status or seniority would try to assert this appellation on boogie boarders, even if the boogie boarders were older and more capable in the water, before the more universal slur of "sponger" came into vogue.
I assume it would be a reference to a ring fastener for ropes on the edge of a piece of fabric or sail, indicating a tiny "inconsequential" part of a bigger thing, intended to form a derogatory diminutive.
To maintain some pics and psych, here's a video of the place that was my home break when I was growing up (but I just stole this video). So many memories from a lifetime ago in this place:
I've been out there in every condition from crazy solid whitewater chop going in every direction, to 6am hot offshore winds spraying back the lip, to pure obsidian glassy clean. Powerful back-twisting waves in two feet of water, to 5 foot hollow close-outs that were weak enough to go over the falls on purpose doing 360s on our knees on boogie boards. Days when it would take 45 minutes of furious paddling to get outside, or jump off the pier, and other days where it was so flat we could only skim board with our boogie boards, or just paddle around to be doing something. Lazy crowded summer days with hoards of brown pelicans diving for anchovies and humpback whales breaching, to lonely winter days at sunset after the last of the other dudes went in, and maybe pulling into that thick-lipped black tube close-out wasn't such a good idea but I did it anyways. Ok back to work.
We lost another legend today, Donald Takayama has gone on to shape and surf perfect waves for eternity. Our thoughts go out to Donald's family and friends. photo: LeRoy Grannis Collection, LLC
According to Samuel Eliot Morison, who knew more about maritime history than any of us, gromet is a 15th or 16th century term for a ship's boy. Adapting the word for an apprentice surfer seems fairly consistent.
Columbus had several gromets on Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria on his voyages. All going well, with experience and training they'd become seamen, then able seamen.
Brandon that is very sad news to here that tribal member passed!
We have had two encounters in the past week here on the north shore of Maui at Kanaha Beach Park as well.
The odd thing is, I remember calling others grommets, and being called a grommet, in the 1970s. A sort of friendly insult, used at school or maybe scouts. I wonder where we got that? You'd say to someone "You grommet!" when they did something klutzy. The word's etymology is interesting.
Let us know!