Greetings Surf Station Followers/Enthusiasts!
This is my first blog here on the Surf Station website and I look forward to many more! Some of you may know me already; but for those who don’t, a little background:
Disclaimer: I tend to be a bit long winded and can go off on tangents at times, but I’ll do my best to keep it to a minimum, ha!
I began my somewhat unhealthy addiction to surfing and all that it entails during the summer of 1989, right here in Crescent Beach. I was not a resident of this great city at the time, but fate works in mysterious ways, doesn’t it?! I happened to be here on vacation from the uber-flat August Gulf of Mexico and already being proficient at standing on a bodyboard, I decided to rent a surfboard. Just so happens that Surf Station II (The Deuce, Version 1.0) was just up the street from Beacher’s Lodge. I bought a flouro yellow O’Neill rashie & rented a 5’2″ Nat Art twinnie, stood up for a grand total of 5 seconds & the rest is history. It took me 6 years to make it back here for another visit, but all it took was one session each at Vilano & Middles to help me decide that I wanted to move here to attend Flagler the next year.
Upon arriving in July of ’96, I was introduced to the Surf Station through mutual friends of longtime employee Brian “Toofy” Hornung and immediately became a “shop hang-out guy”(proof-positive that if you stick around & get in the way long enough, they’ll hire anybody!) After 2 years of hangin’ out, I was hired to work at the now defunct Salt Run Outpost camp store my senior year at Flagler. Coincidence that they hired me, but put me waaayyy out in the boonies to get me outta the shop?! I didn’t mind as I could study a lot out there and then come back to the shop in the evening to flap my gums to make up for the entire day of minimal human interaction (I used to talk to the raccoons, squirrels & herons quite often, though!). The high points were when then-grom Zander & his buddies would stop in after a session of ruling the Park Entrance peak for some ice cream sandwiches & soda and tell me all about their waves they caught. Definitely helped to keep the stoke alive on those long shifts! Needless to say, I eventually worked my way into the shop where I was able to flex my surf knowledge muscles & customer service skills a bit and convince Tory & my fellow employees that I wasn’t a complete loon, just a moderate one! Eventually, I worked my way up to the manager position for about 3 years before I decided to go back to Flagler for my teacher certification and went to part time in ’04. Since then, I’ve done many a surf report & floor shift at all of our locations and gotten to know many great people; customers, sales reps & employees alike! Heck, I even met my wife through former employees! I owe a lot to my time spent at The Surf Station, even those instances where I’ve wanted to scream and/or pull my hair out!
Thus, we arrive here at present day, where I am now a Stay-At-Home Dad to my 3.5 month old daughter Teagan and part time Jack of all trades at the shop. I can now update my blog during the day while Teagan is napping (like now!) and provide you all with some interesting reading, links, videos, vlogs, rants, raves, etc. I work in the shop on evenings & weekends, so feel free to come on by & introduce yourself or poke me in the snoot, depending on how you like my blogs! I look forward to keeping you all entertained, so stay tuned for more!
Sincerely,
“Talkin’ Tom” Kiernan (evidently “Typin’ Tom”, too. Just be glad I gave you all the abridged version of my last 2 decades, ha!)
Me gusta correr la nariz!
great story, love the pic