SurfWatch Surfer Series: Aquadoc

SurfWatch recently had a chance to speak with Aquadoc, Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) Hall of Famer, Great Lakes Legend Surfer and Second Life (SL) competition surfer, at the beautiful Bundy Beach.

SurfWatch (SW): You came into Second Life (SL) in 2011.  Have you been here this whole time?  Or like me, have you taken a break and returned?
 Aquadoc (A): Yes, I have, averaging about 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, but I will be cutting back soon.  I just bought a farm in Real Life (RL) and need to get that set up.

SW: You have one of the more unique avatars - you didn't go for the typical.  Tell me how that came about.
A: Well, actually this is an avi [avitar] that started out as an alt [alternate avitar] and became my main avi.  When I bought my sim some years ago, I set it up as my home town in the year 2034.  So I created an alt that would look like me when that year arrives.  Also, my original young dude alt became too attractive to women and I could not get anything done, because of a bunch of gals pestering me.

SW: (Laughs)  Okay, I don't know if you're kidding me about the last part, but I love the idea of having a future alt - how creative!  So what brought you into SL originally?
A: I was invited to a wedding in SL back in 2010.  It took me 3 days to get to that wedding, and I managed to stumble in just before the ceremony wearing only boxer shorts and one shoe.  By the way, that is true about the younger, sexier alt (smiles).

SW: (Laughs) So where does the name Aquadoc come from?
A: Well, early in life my friends called me 'Doc' which is typical for those who are the sons of doctors.  When I lived and surfed in Mexico during the 1970s, the Mexicans added the 'Aqua' part on, and I became Aquadoc.

SW:  You're an RL surfer?
A: Oh yes!!  A Great Lakes surf legend!!  Started in 1963! 
http://www.sandhillcity.com/sb_eh_i_4.htm#Grand%20Haven%20%20Surf%20City

SW: Wow - surfed the Great Lakes in RL???
A: Oh yes!  The water can get up to 80 in the summer and usually holds above 60 into November.  I do have a very special shot of me that won the Eastman Kodak Sports Picture of the Year Award  shot in a contest in 1968:

That is also me reading Surf mag in a 1959 VW delivery van.  Drove it out to North Carolina on a surfing safari,   Parked it and camped right on the beach.

SW:  So from that background, you come into SL.  Did you find SL surfing right away?
A: Not right away, and it took awhile to figure it out.  My first 3 months in SL, I just sat in one spot and looked out over the ocean.

SW:  That sounds like me (laughs).  So what happened - you started wandering around or you deliberately sought out a beach?
A: My first day in SL, I was kidnapped by vampires and held prisoner on their island.
SW: Oh my gawd (laughing).
A:  Oh yeah, I think I found surfing by just searching around.  Then I got a beach bungalow at Monkey (Cove).
SW: Oh, yeah, in 2011, Monkey was still hopping, wasn't it?  The Aussie team still stayed there?
A:  Yeah, and I loved the Aussies.  I learned to like the Aussies in Mexico when I surfed there.

SW:  Did you see people surfing or you just grabbed a board and...
A: Petra (Xaris) was the one who really got me into surfing and the SLSA (Second Life Surfing Association).  I met her more though horse racing, though.
SW:  You met Petra and she got you started in competition surfing?
A: Yes, Petra did that.  But I was racing horses with her before that.  She kept telling me about it.

SW:  About when was it that you started competition surfing?
A:  Maybe about 3 years ago.  I had done some competitive surfing in RL with the GLSA  (Great Lakes Surfing Association).  I am the present director of the GLSA.
SW:   I love these classic pictures so much.
A: Yeah, that is 'old school'.
SW: Definitely but they rawwwwk!
A:  (Laughs).

SW:  What kind of board do you prefer to ride in SL nowadays?
A: I love that HP board from the rezzer and wish I could get one of those rezzers for my sim.  Too bad I can't.
SW:  I know, right?  Everyone wants one.
A: I'd pay to rent one.

SW: What about your wave preference?  Did you ever ride an SL Epic?  Or do you prefer the Maoli waves?  Or pipes...flufflies...
A: I love that wave at Solace now and the HP board, that is my favorite setup and most like real surfing.

SW:  Who if anyone in SL has had an influence on your surf style?
A: Hmmmm, well, you may notice that I do not like flips and all that crazy acrobatic gymnastic stuff. I want to keep it real.  So, I am not sure anyone has influenced me, but a number of the better surfers have helped me.
SW: Yeah, there's always been that tug of war between the SL surfers that want to keep it real and the ones that surf like a video game.
A: Yeah, it seems a bit insulting to surfing to have the flips and crazy stuff.  Surfing is an art form, almost a religion to some.

SW:  Do you knew where you are in the standings right now?
A: Well, my goal was to some day make the HoF (Hall of Fame), and I did that, so now I just cruise and stick with it.  I guess I might be 7-10 in standings.  Don't ever check that.

SW: Tell me about making the H0F.
A: I got it for my overall dedication to SL surfing, and how I treat the people around me.
SW: Congratulations, Aquadoc!  (Fist pump!)
A: Thank you!!  It was a huge honor for me!

SW: So do you have a goal with SL surfing?  I ask because it's fun when we follow up with surfers years later and see if they accomplished what they set out to do.  I know the HoF was a goal but you still surf, so maybe you have a secondary.
A: I would love to get my fellow Great Lakes surfers into SL.  I also want to make more surf movies!
SW: SL surf movies?
A: Yes.  This is one that I made a few years ago.  It is very crude, but a fun start and I have been in a famous RL surf movie "Step Into Liquid"





SW:  Is this filmed at your sim?
A: Yes.  Grand Haven Futuresurf.  Grand Haven, Michigan, is my home town.
SW:  Is your sim open to the public or is it private surfing?
A:  All are welcome at my sim.  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Grand%20Haven%20Futuresurf/247/141/22

Hopefully that is not to my daughter's skybox home!  (Laughs).  She asked me "Daddy, can I build a skybox home?"  2500 prims later she had her home.  Kids!!!!
SW:  (Laughs).  Who is your daughter?  Let's give her a shout out.


A:: Her name is Naomi Aquadoc and she is my SL daughter.  She is a UK/German living in Germany
SW: well honorable mention to your SL daughter!
A:  Wonderful person.


SW: You mentioned a shop - tell us about that.
A: Oh!  ha-ha! Aquadoc Waterbeds  established 1987on my 40th birthday.
SW:  There are waterbeds in SL?

A: No, in RL.  I did set up an SL shop once.  But I just bought a 40 acre arm in RL so now I'm focused on that.


SW: So besides surfing, you breed SL horses?  Anything else you do besides surfing and horses in SL?
A:  In SL I am a champion jockey, but in real life I'm kinda scared of horses.  I do bet horse races in RL.  That's pretty much it in SL.  That's enough.  I do some Civil War RP, and I race chariots at Roma



SW: (Laughs) You seem like your RL and SL mingle a little bit.
A:  Hard to tel the difference.  For many of us, RL is SL
SW:  That's true, especially if you spend significant time in here.  There's always that cross-over.


Is there something you would tell your 2011 self that you know today and you wish you knew then?
A: Yes, in fact I wish I could tell myself stuff only a few days ago (laughs).
SW: (Laughs).  Like what?
A: I've made mistakes in SL.  Well, occasionally you run into the wrong type of people in SL and I wish I would have handled that better
SW:  Give me an example - you might be helping someone else avoid a mistake.
A: Well, never be too quick to respond and keep your emotions in check.  Oh, best, too, not to drink while on the computer.

SW:  Anything else you want to mention?
A:  Yeah, avoid drama at all costs.
SW:  Thank you for your time, it's been a great pleasure to get to know you.  I hope we can collaborate on some future projects.  Want to go hit some waves?

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