Zen and the Art of Skipping Stones

Kurt Steiner is the Roger Federer of skipping stones, an elegant, thoughtful artist. Russ Byars is the Rafael Nadal of the discipline, a physical force who blends technical mastery with brute strength. And this Outside Magazine article by Sean Williams about their pursuit of quirky perfection is one of the best things I've read recently. 

To hear Steiner tell it, stone-skipping (which is not at all the same thing as stone-skimming, you heretics) represents “undeveloped natural purity, a refuge against the consumerist, plutocratic, kleptocratic, fucking destroy-and-build-up-everything mentality.” He's nearly single-minded in his pursuit, telling Williams, “October through March is pretty much my psychic recovery phase. I will spend most of the next six months in super-isolation—no power, no heat, no water, no phone … getting high, maybe drunk … watching video, reading, writing, taking hikes … and crapping everyday in a bucket in the basement. All just trying to get myself centered for the next year."

Steiner holds the world record for the most stone skips with 88. (Englishman Dougie Isaacs holds the current skimming mark, the difference being that skipping focuses on the number of times the stone hits the water and skimming on distance. Isaacs' top skim spanned 399 feet - nearly a quarter of a mile.) Here's Sasquatch-quality video of Steiner's record-setter:

You might guess that a man with a nearly-singular focus on skipping stones would have taken an unconventional path through life, and Williams' story makes Steiner's eccentricities clear. But there's a purity to Steiner's intent and a clarity to his existence. I couldn't follow his footsteps, but I'm glad I know a little bit about him now. 

I'm fascinated with obsession, in particular with pursuits that offer far more psychic than financial gain. Kurt Steiner is damn near one of a kind. Hope you dig his story.