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Open Water: A Journey Through Surfing and Autism Matthew Ellison
The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. -Jacques Cousteau I do not know Connor Ford, but I can see him. He is 5’9, 165 pounds and riddled with anxiety. He perseverates on small things: his daily schedule, the color of his clothes, and the amount of moisture in the air. I do not know Connor Ford, but I can hear him. He is with his mother, La Donna, driving through Northern California and toward bohemian idealism, toward oceanic bliss, toward Bolinas and Natalie Pepper’s Spectrum Surf Camp. The windows are slightly ajar, and the smell of salt water and pine gently roll through the car. The sound of the waves has yet to come into focus but the adrenaline builds, and the world feels quiet. I do not know Connor Ford, but I can sense him.
