This Post Marks a New Path

I began this blog last year with no grand plan – just with the little idea of beginning it on the day I bought my first surfboard.

I did think it might be of interest to fellow new surfers - kooks - and people thinking of coming to Devon and having a crack at it. I thought it might me a nice idea to help people get into it by posting what I learn and the mistakes I make along the way.

This has all floated off with my other preconceptions. Like many people I now realise I had a very stereotypical view of surfing. I thought:

• Longboards are for learners
• The aim of surfing progression is to surf performance shortboards
• Surfers are cool
• Surfing is for a certain kind of person
• Surfing is all about dropping into as big a wave as possible and shredding it
• We should encourage people to surf
• Bodyboards are for kids, tourists and those of a nervous disposition

I now realise how far from the board I was paddling. There's no surfing type. Surfing is for everybody: but, we don't want everybody surfing.

You don't even need a board to surf. I thought my title "A Board, Some Wax and a Leash" was reductive but you don't need any of those things. Just you and a wave. My favourite surfers to watch out for now are whoever's in the water with me (oh and - for various reasons - Richard Kenvin, Joel Tudor, Dave Rastovich, Alex Knost,  etc etc). But there's no greater experience than surfing yourself and watching a passionate surfer glide by. Sharing the local stoke. My addiction's running deep. Can't stop thinking about shapes, waves, surfers, head spinning like in the whitewater.

And the main thing I find now is that the addiction is simply to be back in the water, with your craft. It's not even all about actually surfing.

My only advice that I'd ever attempt to give to anyone now is: don't be arrogant, do yoga and enjoy the water. And that's it. That's why this marks a new path. I no longer have any designs on walking people towards the water or being in some way educational. This blog is from now on just going to be an aesthetic response to the rest of my life with a surfboard.

I just feel like a wet dog treasuring his stick.