A tale from the road, November 1995…
On Tour
With Dean Randazzo
I just came home from a month of surf competitions in Spain and Portugal. My results allowed me to qualify for the prestigious world tour also known as “the Dream Tour”. Only 16 people in the world can qualify per year. Mexico was a 2-star event (a low points event I wasn’t planning on going to), and I only needed another decent result in a bigger contest to qualify for the world tour. My focus was on Hawaii and events I had higher confidence in. I felt very confident surfing in Hawaii. It was very last minute, so I called the ASP (association of surfing professionals) and asked if I could enter the WQS Puerto Escondido “Mexican Pipeline” event.
This was a complete last-minute decision. My focus to qualify was solely on Hawaii. I did live there for one winter when I graduated Mainland High school, and I remember working at the Chevron and pumping gas for all the pro’s coming through like Dereck Ho, Hans Hedaman and many more. I always said to myself I’m coming for you while I pumped their gas and wiped their windshields! I did end up beating Dereck Ho who was a world champion years later while on tour, but that’s another story.
Puerto Escondido (the event in Mexico) was a 2-star event (5 star at the time was the top tier for points). Two-star events you really needed to make the final to gain any points towards qualification to the Dream Tour. This last-minute decision had me on a plane from Tijuana Mexico to Mexico City to Puerto Escondido, and off I went. So, this story of the 7th son of a 7th son really kicks in from Mexico City flight, but there is a bigger picture to my life (higher forces higher energy at play here).
After all I’ve been on a mission all year, I’ve slowly crept up the ranks traveling the was all over the planet, with all kinds of unbelievable things happening to get me through. I was always cash and carry, I didn’t have credit cards or a debit card back then, so I had to win money to get to the next contest and somehow that higher force got me there? I can’t explain it! It took a while to realize it, but I learned over time to accept the higher forces at play and feel the energy and go with it; don’t second guess it. I don’t know if other people feel the energy, but I’ve sure learned to let things go and have realized my life may be already played out for me, I just must follow the energy and flow.
Back to my flight from Mexico City. I was seated next to an interesting gentleman. He was an older gentleman, wearing a Texan top hat, steel tip boots, jeans, a leather tie, and a big confederate belt buckle. He looked like and oil icon. We chatted a little, small talk mostly, during the hour and a half flight from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido. When we landed in Puerto Escondido, people were trying to push ahead of each other to quickly leave the plane. Here’s where the magic happened.
We waited in our seats, both obvious experienced travelers, and we waited until the doors opened and those desperate people to got off, when we got up the gentleman said, “it was really nice to meet you.” He reached his hand out for a formal handshake. I extended my hand to shake his, he went on to continue to lock my hand and kept shaking my hand saying, “I’m the seventh son born from a seventh son on the seventh day.” I was trying to take my hand back, but he wouldn’t let me go! He looked me in the eyes gripping my hand firmly; remember this guy looked like an oil tycoon.
Meanwhile, we are blocking the exit, and he kept shaking my hand firmly looking me straight in the eyes and at that point I just kept letting him shake my hand…and he said, “You are going to win this contest!” “Yeah, whatever thanks,” I replied. That’s really when I was like this guy is nuts. I think he saw me roll my eyes, but he went on to say again, “I’m the 7th son born from a 7th son born on the 7th day of the 7th month in the 7th hour in the 7th moon cycle” and so on. He went on to say that he was the luckiest man on the planet. I became intrigued! I’ve traveled the planet many times over and have met many characters, but this was a new one! Did he really just put his lucky energy into me?!
Back to the contest. Puerto Escondido in 1995 was underdeveloped compared to today, but it’s a beautiful place with great healthy food and home of the Mexican Pipeline. Surfers from all over the world come for these magical waves along the beautiful coast. You can eat sushi on the dunes, watching the surf, or stay at a hotel just across from the sandy beach. I highly recommend going here!
The competition was fierce. Many Australians and international surfers were trying to gain points to qualify for the “Dream” as the tour was coming close to the end. The contest started on Thursday, and we all had to go through the rounds to advance. I had long forgot about my encounter on the plane. It was Saturday evening, and I had advanced through the rounds to Sunday’s quarter finals and the finals day. A winner would emerge on that day. I bought a six pack of beer for my victory; Mexico doesn’t serve alcohol on Sundays, so I had to plan ahead. It was finals day, and the waves were great (not huge but a bit over head and clean offshore conditions offering plenty of barrels). My goal was to win. I had 2 heats to advance to get me to the finals, and I excelled in each one.
The luck of the 7th Son served well, as I did win the event! And, winning this event actually secured my place on the prestigious world Dream Tour that only 16 surfers on the planet can obtain per year! My friend Paul Canning placed 2nd securing his place as well. We were staying together and about to enjoy our beers by the pool! I thought back in awe. This 7th son of a 7th son is some crazy stuff! I blew it off at the time as just another wacko and whatever. After all, I do travel the world and meet some characters along the way! Did he really put his energy and luck of the 7th son of a 7th son into me!? I should have had him on tour with me! Hindsight is 20/20.
Is this folklore myth of the 7th Son of the 7th son really real? You decide!
