I think I'm finally getting the hang of this SUP surfing thing. Having exactly zero experience in watersports, I grew up in Iowa and lived in Colorado for 10 years, I'm learning quickly about swells, wind, tide and break direction. The ocean is much more complex than what you see on the surface. I've been spending time online looking at surf reports in an effort to learn more. It's not just about finding the best waves, it's about my safety as well. A few weeks back I got caught in windstorm on the water and barely made it back to shore, the experience was one of the scariest I've had in a long time. Out on the water there are few options, it's not like hiking, running or cycling where you can stop and call for help. Of course I knew that before hand, but when it's no longer a theoretical situation the point is driven home with a raised heart rate and awareness.
Even in "safe" conditions, the water can be dangerous. I've been caught in the whitewater, been tossed over the falls and had my fin take a gash of flesh from my shin. Getting pummeled and turned every which way is scary, especially with a pointy 11' board with three fins attached to your leg. It's also tiring as all hell. After a wipeout it's not easy to corral my 11' 1" board, get it pointed back out and get paddling out again. Too many times I'm caught in the crush zone, with waves pounding me backward.
Still, the thrill of catching waves is addictive. I am now able to pretty much catch waves at will, though I am VERY selective and have no ego pushing me to catch the biggest wave I can. Plus I've only ridden rights, I'm not ready to try going heel side just yet. My next move is to try and actually make some turns. As you can imagine, at 11' 1" my board isn't exactly snappy. I typically make one long, arcing turn and call it good.
Even with my rudimentary style, surfing is a rush I've not had elsewhere. I can still remember catching my first wave and realized just what surfers mean when they use the term "stoke", and believe me it's different than skiing stoke or mountain biking stoke. It's similar to skiing a great line, but the fluidity and fleeting nature of the wave make it more immediate. Plus, for someone like me who has to struggle to get the wave to begin with, it is imperative to make every wave count.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
SUP Haters
This morning I had my first run in with some surfers that were none to happy to see me on my SUP board. I knew it was bound to happen, but the circumstances were pretty odd to me. I jumped in at the harbor, saw two guys, paddled around the jetty to see what else was around and returned back to the harbor. At that point they vocalized their displeasure with my re-appearance.
First, the waves were small, I mean SMALL. Second, they were the only two guys out there, it wasn't like it was a super-crowded day and I was adding to the chaos. Third, I had tried to find another spot and when I made that point their response was, "well, you're here now". Brilliant.
One guy said I should "show some respect" while the other said "that's not even surfing, it's just lame". Well, both are great points. Except that when I came back to the I didn't take the first good wave, drop in, or snake a wave. A decent set rolled through and I made sure they got those waves. I made this point directly to the guy who yelled about respect, but it fell on water clogged ears. To the guy that made the comment about SUP being lame I said, "so, you get to decide what's cool in surfing and what isn't?" Without hesitating he said, "yep". Well, OK then. Arguing with that type of person is a dead-end encounter so I moved on. When I told them I'd been in line ups with 10 to 20 guys and no one else complained they replied those guys weren't "the right guys". I have no idea what the means. Of the 100's of surfers I've encountered these were the first two to take issue (at least audibly) with me being on the SUP board. The oddest thing is that these weren't some 20-something punks, these guys were probably in their late 30's or even early 40's. They were on boards almost as long as mine and were not quite shredding the water.
So rather than sit in a tenuous situation and fight for a few measly waves I paddled to the next jetty and caught a few decent waves. After sitting around and looking for more waves at other jetties I paddled back to the harbor. The two surfers were gone, so I got a few good waves and called it good.
It just takes a few guys to take something fun and make it more of an issue than it should ever be. However, rather than focus on two morons I'll remember the guy that approached me as I was putting my board on top of the car. He asked about the board and remarked that it looked like a lot of fun. He isn't the first guy to ask me about SUP, and he won't be the last I'm sure.
First, the waves were small, I mean SMALL. Second, they were the only two guys out there, it wasn't like it was a super-crowded day and I was adding to the chaos. Third, I had tried to find another spot and when I made that point their response was, "well, you're here now". Brilliant.
One guy said I should "show some respect" while the other said "that's not even surfing, it's just lame". Well, both are great points. Except that when I came back to the I didn't take the first good wave, drop in, or snake a wave. A decent set rolled through and I made sure they got those waves. I made this point directly to the guy who yelled about respect, but it fell on water clogged ears. To the guy that made the comment about SUP being lame I said, "so, you get to decide what's cool in surfing and what isn't?" Without hesitating he said, "yep". Well, OK then. Arguing with that type of person is a dead-end encounter so I moved on. When I told them I'd been in line ups with 10 to 20 guys and no one else complained they replied those guys weren't "the right guys". I have no idea what the means. Of the 100's of surfers I've encountered these were the first two to take issue (at least audibly) with me being on the SUP board. The oddest thing is that these weren't some 20-something punks, these guys were probably in their late 30's or even early 40's. They were on boards almost as long as mine and were not quite shredding the water.
So rather than sit in a tenuous situation and fight for a few measly waves I paddled to the next jetty and caught a few decent waves. After sitting around and looking for more waves at other jetties I paddled back to the harbor. The two surfers were gone, so I got a few good waves and called it good.
It just takes a few guys to take something fun and make it more of an issue than it should ever be. However, rather than focus on two morons I'll remember the guy that approached me as I was putting my board on top of the car. He asked about the board and remarked that it looked like a lot of fun. He isn't the first guy to ask me about SUP, and he won't be the last I'm sure.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Big Surf, Big Moment
We've finally settled into California life, and it has been a relatively easy adjustment. Though it is still weird to be in jeans and a T shirt at Thanksgiving and Christmas, it's not a bad thing. I've picked up stand up paddleboarding, or SUP and get in the water at every opportunity.
This morning the surf was big, or at least big to me. I usually surf 2-3 foot waves (trust me, that's bigger than it sounds) and when I saw 4 to 6 foot swells crashing on the shore I was hesitant to say the least. I paddled from the Ventura Marina north towards the pier, checking to see if the surf was smaller. It wasn't, so decided to give it a go near one of the jettys.
With no other surfers around to see my terrible skills, and just a few fishermen on shore to help me if I were to need any, I waited for a good wave. After letting a set of big waves crash through I picked what I thought was a smaller wave. It wasn't.
As the wave rolled beneath me as I paddles to catch it, my board, being 11'1" long, pearled, meaning the nose dug in and over I went. It's not a lot of fun when you are tossed in the water with an 11', 25 lb, pointed wooden object that also has three sharp fins on it chasing you over the falls. Instinctively I put my hands up near my face and just let the water rag doll me around. Thankfully I came up uninjured (last week my fin caught my shin and despite my 3mm wetsuit it took a nice chunk of flesh from my shin). I had to wait at least five minutes for the set to roll through before I could paddle back out.
After that not so fun experience, I headed back towards the marina, debating on trying to catch another wave or just head in. At the cove, where I surf often, the waves were still big, but I decided to try and catch a few waves on the shoulder, where it's not so steep.
I said to myself I'll just catch one wave and go in. I caught a wave and had a decent ride on it, making one nice long turn. Here's the catch; I had to catch another one. Whether it's the success and thrill of catching a wave, especially for an amateur like me, my desire to get better (I'll only do that by catching more waves) or the fact that it was a struggle just to get back out, I can't say. All I know is that I wanted to catch another one. Badly.
I stayed out, letting the bigger waves roll under me, though some I think I should have taken. Picking two more waves, I caught both and had pretty good rides. Even then, it was hard to point the board toward the marina and head back home.
I know there will be more waves and more opportunities, but when the current moment presents an opportunity, I find myself having to take it. Maybe that's because the first sentence in this paragraph is not a give. I don't know if I'll have those opportunities again; your life can change in an instant you never saw coming. Not that you should be fearful, but every time I leave my house for a bike ride, I am distinctly conscious of the fact that my safe return is not a given. Heck, even driving to work or going to the grocery store can have consequences.
The key is to know that those consequences exist and can come at any moment and still go out and do the things that need to be done, like getting milk, and that you like to do, like riding bikes or surfing. I think it's a balance, like a good surfer, to live in the moment but also responsibly. If you live everyday like it's your last, would you really go to work, write that email, or clean the garage? Of course not, yet those are parts of everyday life. For me, it's really about appreciating that moment for what it is, recognizing it, and remembering that you're not guaranteed this will ever happen again. That makes those moments worth remembering so memorable. It doesn't have to be a sport or even an outdoor activity. It can be dinner with your spouse or friends, a vacation get together or just a random event. Just be cognizant of the moment and you'll know it.
This morning the surf was big, or at least big to me. I usually surf 2-3 foot waves (trust me, that's bigger than it sounds) and when I saw 4 to 6 foot swells crashing on the shore I was hesitant to say the least. I paddled from the Ventura Marina north towards the pier, checking to see if the surf was smaller. It wasn't, so decided to give it a go near one of the jettys.With no other surfers around to see my terrible skills, and just a few fishermen on shore to help me if I were to need any, I waited for a good wave. After letting a set of big waves crash through I picked what I thought was a smaller wave. It wasn't.
As the wave rolled beneath me as I paddles to catch it, my board, being 11'1" long, pearled, meaning the nose dug in and over I went. It's not a lot of fun when you are tossed in the water with an 11', 25 lb, pointed wooden object that also has three sharp fins on it chasing you over the falls. Instinctively I put my hands up near my face and just let the water rag doll me around. Thankfully I came up uninjured (last week my fin caught my shin and despite my 3mm wetsuit it took a nice chunk of flesh from my shin). I had to wait at least five minutes for the set to roll through before I could paddle back out.
After that not so fun experience, I headed back towards the marina, debating on trying to catch another wave or just head in. At the cove, where I surf often, the waves were still big, but I decided to try and catch a few waves on the shoulder, where it's not so steep.
I said to myself I'll just catch one wave and go in. I caught a wave and had a decent ride on it, making one nice long turn. Here's the catch; I had to catch another one. Whether it's the success and thrill of catching a wave, especially for an amateur like me, my desire to get better (I'll only do that by catching more waves) or the fact that it was a struggle just to get back out, I can't say. All I know is that I wanted to catch another one. Badly.
I stayed out, letting the bigger waves roll under me, though some I think I should have taken. Picking two more waves, I caught both and had pretty good rides. Even then, it was hard to point the board toward the marina and head back home.
I know there will be more waves and more opportunities, but when the current moment presents an opportunity, I find myself having to take it. Maybe that's because the first sentence in this paragraph is not a give. I don't know if I'll have those opportunities again; your life can change in an instant you never saw coming. Not that you should be fearful, but every time I leave my house for a bike ride, I am distinctly conscious of the fact that my safe return is not a given. Heck, even driving to work or going to the grocery store can have consequences.
The key is to know that those consequences exist and can come at any moment and still go out and do the things that need to be done, like getting milk, and that you like to do, like riding bikes or surfing. I think it's a balance, like a good surfer, to live in the moment but also responsibly. If you live everyday like it's your last, would you really go to work, write that email, or clean the garage? Of course not, yet those are parts of everyday life. For me, it's really about appreciating that moment for what it is, recognizing it, and remembering that you're not guaranteed this will ever happen again. That makes those moments worth remembering so memorable. It doesn't have to be a sport or even an outdoor activity. It can be dinner with your spouse or friends, a vacation get together or just a random event. Just be cognizant of the moment and you'll know it.
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