‘Salty Dog’ Label Doesn’t Fit ‘Dr. Ding’

When I read Jeff Brown’s letter to the editor (“Not All Surfers Over 40 Are Silly ‘Salty Dogs,’ ” Sept. 8), my first reaction was anger. This feeling, however, gave in to pity for a man who doesn’t understand someone else’s lifestyle so he feels he must criticize.

I don’t consider myself a salty dog even though I am 68 years old and was on a surfboard long before Jeff Brown first saw the light of day. I have been fortunate in my time to survive quadruple heart bypass surgery, prostate cancer and a fall off a roof that left me minus a knee cap and with an arthritic-riddled body. I still surf as often as I can, and I do consider myself damn lucky.

I have been retired for almost nine years, and I repair surfboards to keep me active when I’m not surfing, thus the nickname “Doctor Ding.” That doesn’t sound silly to me.

We have a pretty fair cross-cut of the surfing community at the Second Outhouse. From small children to old “kooks” like myself, we enjoy our time together and we really don’t care what surfers are doing elsewhere.

BOB CARBONELL

Huntington Beach