I met Kathy Greer out in the Westport lineup last November.
A small, clean west swell -- one of the last of the fall -- was unrolling out at Westhaven State Park, and quite a few surfers were out savoring the glassy, waist-high waves. Kathy had a great eye for the right wave, and she gracefully paddled into some long, beautiful rides.
You could see Greer's big smile from 100 feet away as she paddled back into the lineup after a nice ride.
Kathy Greer's shot of a Westport surfer heading out for some sunset waves.
We talked in the parking lot, and it turned out that she knew me from my columns in The Olympian. Kathy mentioned that she was finishing up her degree at The Evergreen State College, was a photographer and did some work for the Surfrider Foundation.
Well, Kathy's pretty low-key and modest. She actually does a lot for the Surfrider Foundation -- she is now the Washington Pacific Coast Coordinator -- and she's a terrific photographer. Greer has also just finished her degree.
Kathy surfs with uncommon grace -- and brings a sense of pure joy to the lineup.
Kathy's shots tell stories -- stories of surfers ripping in cold water, how a small, obscure fishing and surfing town -- Westport -- is transforming by fits and starts into a tourist destination, and of friends who have made surfing the Northwest their passion.
Greer's shot of Westport surfer Annie Atkinson captures power and grace on a cold Westport wave.
Northwest surfers are a passionate bunch -- you have to be to pull on neoprene from head to toe and paddle out into swells that never get much warmer than 52 degrees or so. But the rewards -- beautiful waves in beautiful scenery -- are so great.
Kathy knows all this, and her photos tell those stories as well.
Kathy's portfolio is at her website: KathyGreer.net, and the images are addictive. This is one of my favorites:
A photograph such as this doesn't need any more words from me. Check out Kathy's photos....
