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Wave Breaker-Way Maker
This is something I wrote after my first experience learning to surf.
Crash into me.
The ocean is a cliché for teaching you all sorts of things about yourself and for good reason. Today, I watched, hesitant from the day before, wondering if it was safe for me to surf. Wondering if I could handle it or if I was going to get taken out and taken under again.
Race me 8 ) - a challenge from the beach.
Beyond the seaweed, to the clean open ocean. Where you move with the waves, jump with the waves.
My competitive side says yes.
Ready set go.
Early into the weeds, you fall over and swim fast, working to get out of the seaweed yet the screams and the giggles on the way down greet the water with an open mouth and saltwater makes it go down something rough. Salad of the ocean. Nutritious ;) Ha ha <3
Reaching the open water, an abundance of energy is wrapped around you and moves around you with a knowing-ness. A secret almost. And, pay attention because the gentle embrace also has a fierce motion. The rolls and motion when they break, the white rumble, you can’t always anticipate it or stand up to it.
Here’s the thing. It is relentless. It doesn’t let up. You learn to stand up and punch through it but remember there is another one coming. The sunshine, the smiles, the laughter, the body surfing <3 The not getting pummeled by a strong undercurrent all good things.
Learning to surf
Finding out which way you are going to stand up on the board, which leg you were going to tie your leash on. Are you goofy? Which hand do you write with? If you would focus on the little things a little longer because then I don’t have to get on the board. I am nervous and excited.
Easy enough to hop on. Turn the board around facing the beach. My friend was holding the board. The key was to be back far enough but not to far up on the board. Up front, if you were too far forward, the nose was tipped down, the water hit the board differently. As soon as you shifted back, there was less resistance, the movement of the water would hit the base of the board with a steady slapping sound.
He would watch the waves, they were close together. Looking for the right one. Watch. Flow, flow, flow, wait. Bobbing up and down on the water. Wondering what was going on. Wondering what he sees. Then he warns me, brace yourself, the break is coming. Bamm. Bash. He took the biggest hit Next, flow flow. What are you looking for?
I’ll know when I see it….I don’t know how I know. Just years of seeing the waves. flow flow flow, ok paddle
What?
Paddle!
So I start paddling not really sure why. And then the pull and push of the wave. I am floating on this beautiful board with the ocean. Talk about speaking a different language. The first run was the feeling, the speed, seeing where it would pick up and where I would eventually stand up. Exhilarating. I can stay on!
Now to see if I can stand up <3
Ride it out and float it back. Don’t let the board get caught or you get caught is what he told me. Grab the front of the board and when the wave comes, you punch it. Punch through it. Make your way back, and get on again, like a kid on a slide 8 ) slide down and run back up the stairs for more. I was determined to learn and enjoy. The waves were nice, they weren’t scary.
The next runs came with the hesitations/tweaks and programs after the first experience ha ha. So excited you forget everything you were taught. Scoot back on the board, let the tip raise up a touch but not so far back you don’t catch speed. The trick is to be far back enough so you don’t nose dive and not to far back so your weight keeps the board from being propelled forward.
Also, when you paddle you’re down and paddling but when you catch it, you arch your back up, hands on either side of the board, you have to come up or you nose dive. Guess how I learned that? <3 8 ) Nose dive. The board looks so pretty under the water. Ha, as you follow it down and crash and burn.
Back up the slide, let’s go again? When you do catch it, the speed or the momentum when to stand up took longer than I thought. Overtime, you just stand up right away. It was fun to experience the whole thing. Almost silly how you ride it all the way in and then come all the way back. And, I would have done it for hours. My belly was red from crawling on, definitely took a few hard falls but nothing like water skiing 60mph slaps or water wedgies ha ha. I imagine further out, higher waves, create the same smacks.
The times I stood up were wobbletastic, sideways trying to catch my balance. At least twice. By the time I got up the ride was almost over. And, I still made it to that point. It was incredible. I felt really good about sticking with it. and man just getting out there in the first place, the water, the unknown of that is not scary but its kinda scary and I was kinda scared from getting pummeled.
The surf though. Learning something that I have always wanted to with exceptional people was good stuff.
The patient, the persistence, and the vision.
Like he could tell when my board was in the wrong place and knew which waves would create the best outcome. Steady and certain.
If how you do anything is how you do everything oh boy.
The first time standing up was so funny. Like I actually did it, felt it and stayed on for like 2 seconds ha ha. Interestingly enough I thought my other friend had done it more. It was cool to see her take it on. Ride it in and stay standing. She speaks water. Speaks nature. Like the energy flows and connects with her system and you can feel it move within her.
The one of the times she held the board for me, she asked, what are you bringing to this moment. Fun! first response! Second response was to Lean In. <3 It’s funny because when you get up, its about the getting up quickly. You’re moving forward, but you want to keep your weight back. You lean in, you have to. The urge is to pull back, and that will tip you over. Your momentum forward, you right balance and not too far or you will nose dive. Luckily the leash and the board were kind to me and I didn’t get hit and I didn’t get whipped in those waves. Guess that happens though. 8 ) Next level.
The ocean will rock you. Will tumble you, will exfoliate you. It will also gently hold you. Once again, amazing cliches because they are true.