Stoked and Choked

It's been quite a week.

Yesterday I noticed that I've got to one of the places I dreamed of being in surfing.

Stoked:

Paddling out into crisp little waves yesterday in the sparkly summer sun I bumped into CP (Adventures in Trim). It's just over two short years since we first met with me wading around with my 7'6 Mini Mal. I was on my 6' Hydrodynamica Simster and he with his 5'2 Tyler Warren 'Bar of Soap'. We swapped boards briefly. A 5'2!? But I caught the first wave I went for, dropped into it nicely, squatting low bottom turned to a cutback off the whitewater and scooted round into the foamball to paddle back out. I couldn't believe it: firstly that I managed to surf it and secondly that I fell in love with that board after one little wave. CP has expounded it's charms and boy does it have a juicy feel under your feet. It just feels right. A perfect balance of foam, width and keel fins: twitchy-scooty. Just really playful. I want one desperately! Rats. Thanks CP... and no thanks!

Being able to surf whatever board I'd like to surf. That was one of my main desires and somewhere I've managed to get to. Now to focus on spending more time on waves and more time in the critical part of the wave. I've also come to realise that good surfing is more about position and style than moves. It's all very well to rush to the nose or try a slash on the face, but if you're waving your arms like a madman on the safety of the shoulder it's little compared with maintaining balance and style right there in the pocket.

Choked:

My father died last weekend, after a long decline due to a neurological condition he finally suffered a stroke and heart failure. It puts surfing into perspective, but not because it makes it seem less important, but conversely: more important. After he died the first thing I thought to do, after the tears and family hugs, was that I wanted to go for a surf. To have passions and intense joys that revel in what's beautiful about our short time on earth are one of the things that life is all about.

Life's short, so let RIP...

Comments

  1. Hey Tom was great to see you. Sorry for your loss! Glad it's not just my puppy like enthusiasm loving the soap! Didn't look like a struggle for you at all. Just wait til u get it in a nice chest high wall!

    You're right.......style is everything!

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  2. I'm sorry to hear about your dad. Keep on surfing. You're right in saying that passions and intense joys are what it's all about. That is exactly what it's all about!

    Surfsis

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