Nuns to host annual surfing contest

NUNS from a Pennsylvania convent are preparing to host an annual surfing contest in Stone Harbor, New Jersey.

The Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary will launch the 15th Nun’s Beach Surf Invitational with proceeds going to the maintenance of its 150-bedroom beachfront retreat on the harbor, the New York Post reports.

The pact between surfer and nun in Stone Harbor was forged more than 60 years ago when local surfers approached the retreat asking if they could ride its waves. The nuns own the pristine, block-long strand.

The nuns warmly greeted the beach bums, and the swath of surf was soon dubbed "Nun’s Beach."

The sisters often sit on the beach and even draw spiritual inspiration watching the wave-riders.

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"It’s very peaceful," stated Sister James Dolores, 73, the retreat’s property manager. "You see how the water holds them up, balances them and if you ride with the water, it will get you where you want to go. That’s how it is with the grace of God."

Bill Deger, now 64, and his surfing buddies once coaxed an 83-year-old nun onto a surfboard.

"One of her life’s dreams was to be able to surf," Deger, 64, stated of the late Sister Loyola. "So we got her out in knee-deep water and held her on. She loved it. It was an incredible experience."

In 1996, a small group of surfers led by Larry Gehrke and Deger decided it was time to give back to the nuns – by running a contest to help fund the retreat’s upkeep.

The event has gotten so popular that the staff capped the number of contestants at about 100, though hundreds of spectators attend.

Read more about the surfing contest at the New York Post.

More source:

Nuns To Host Annual NJ Surfing Contest
16th Annual Nuns' Beach Surf Contest to Take Place Sept. 17 ...
Nuns to Host Surfing Contest in NJ - The Feed - National Review ...
Nuns host gnarly surfing contest in NJ - NYPOST.com

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Submited at Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 8:00 am on Uncategorized by danis
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