It was in the early 1980s when I first met Ozstar De Jourday. He was and still is a nuggety, determined goofy foot, capable of sliding into the meanest barrels the local reefs could throw at him.
One day I was passing the surf, and happened to look out just as he was taking off, a little too deep this time, as it turned out. The wave sucked out onto dry reef, and he fell, feet first, still holding his clean style on the way down.
Since then, Ozstar has become a force in the Windansea area, looking out for the kids there, fighting good causes and riding waves whenever they occur.
He served several terms as Windansea’s president and competitively was always a presence in and out of the water. In the water, he surfed better than most kids a third his age. Out of the water, he coached, or narrated the action over a hot mic.
Last Saturday was Windansea’s annual “Fall Classic,” a surf fest where club members compete in their home break. There was ample swell in the water, with sets reaching the overhead mark, but the swell direction was slightly off, causing the waves to be a bit mushier than they had been the previous day. Such is surfing. Still, there were enough good waves to prove who was the best surfer that day.
Mike Myers had some strong heats in longboard and shortboard. Richard Kenvin’s jackhammer turns were felt clear into the lot as he continually buried the rail of his ever popular mini Simmons’ design.
Famed surfboard maker/artist Tim Bessell was standing near me when I commented on Ozstar’s brilliant surfing. “He still rips,” replied Bessell as one of Windansea’s favorite sons carved his initials on a set wave.
Local legend Brew Briggs was contemplating whether to surf the event when he noticed his decades-long friend hit the lip like a fired-up teenager. According to Briggs, who has long been among Windansea’s top surfers, “I think he’s one of the best surfers his age in the world.”
Strong statement, but hard to argue as De Jourday rode into the shorebreak and hammered a few insurance hits off the top.
Back on the beach, Ozstar made himself busy helping to get others ready for their heats and making sure the Fall Classic lived up to its name.
Windansea’s first woman president, Marnie Cheney, pulled up to watch the action. She was splitting her duties by also driving up the street to help decorate floats for the La Jolla Christmas Parade. She knew she could count on Ozstar to be there, boosting the club’s spirits with his perpetual stoke and life-affirming mantras, one of which is, “What a beautiful life.”
Thanks for helping make it that way, my friend. You bring a lot to an already beautiful world.
