Where am I Now, In Surfing?

Chatting with surfers over the last year-a-half I have, a few times, been told of 'the plateau'. A place where you feel you're not really improving. Somewhere you reach as an 'intermediate' surfer.

I think I'm somewhere like that. My surfing seems to have improved little over the last couple of months. Improvement has, at least, become more incremental. It's a little frustrating after having seen rapid advances at first. However, actually it's a beautiful place... wherever I am. I can finally see more of the expanse of surfing. I have surfing experiences, tastes and knowledge stored up. I can see for miles and I know that building off this expansive plateau of averageness rise the goals of hang-tens and tube rides.

Many of my goals I've already achieved: standing up, green waves, head-high waves, duck-dives, hang-fives, shorter boards, longer boards, icy days and dawnys. (In fact I've already had better rides than I ever thought I'd have when I took up surfing at the ripe old age of forty.)

My immediate goals: consistency (stop falling off when popping up for chrissake!!!), get good enough to surf with style and poise. Get more into those turns. Do a roundhouse cutback.

My long term aims: hang-tens, get barrelled and create some good surf influenced art to try and give something back.

When I started surfing it was just a foamball of blinding fun. Now I can see all the way from Eddie Aikau to Miki Dora to Archy to Richard Kenvin and Tyler Warren. From the ancient Hawaiian Olo's & Alaias to Bob Simmons, Dale Velzy, Bob McTavish, Tom Wegener etc etc etc... Pipeline, Hossegor, Teahupoo, Santa Cruz, Noosa, Thurso - all mean something (I never realised you could actually recognise waves!). I've got an idea what logging's all about and where the techniques draw themselves from, ideas about smooth fishy fun and the momentum of thruster ripping. Knowledge and experience have finally fueled me to a great place. I feel like a pianist who's learned to play Chopsticks and can now see how much it's gonna take to play the Goldberg Variations.

Basically... stoked to be on the plateau! (If that is where I am, that is.)

Looks like there's a little swell coming. Better get on it...