26 Dec Surfing: Learning Life’s Lessons On and Off the Water

My Impossible Dream

When I was 14, I saw an IMAX showcasing the world’s big wave surfriders. From then on I harbored an intense and secret desire to be a surfer girl. Growing up in Upstate New York my surfing dream was a little misplaced but I hung onto it anyway. Fast forward to the age of twenty-four and I am living in Hibberdene, the South Coast of South Africa, as a volunteer art teacher. On weekends I watched the surfers with envy and awe. Eventually, I convinced a friend to trade me his old single fin shortboard for a plate of double fudge American brownies. To be fair, he tried to do the right thing and talk me out of learning on an antiquated shortboard. Sugar won.

I hit the water with sheer enthusiasm – and the water hit me back. The Indian Ocean ate me up and spat me out in mother nature’s super-size washing machine. Over, and over, and over. I kept at it, some days just sitting on my board, way too far out to sea to catch a wave, blissfully unaware of the poor conditions and the wind shifting directions. On other days I was simply annihilated by violent surf – my skinny arms more like desperate strands of spaghetti, paddling in futility. Experienced South African surfer friends laughed and warned me that I would never get up on a shortboard… the efforts of a headstrong American girl particularly amusing to them. After spectacular and repeated failure, I resigned myself to being worthless at surfing and instead coveted it from afar.

Another Chance

Only several years later, when I started dating a surfer possessing a saintly amount of patience and teaching skill, did I succeed in standing up… on a veryyy longboard. A SUP, actually. With his guidance, I quickly progressed, and eventually (and stubbornly) got onto a shortboard. It wasn’t easy. I suffered more physically than I ever have in any sport. I was tossed around and held down by waves that were too big for me. I was smacked in the head by my board. I ruptured my eardrum twice. Wipeout after wipeout, my sessions often ended by being bowled over by shore break. But for every few failed takeoffs, was a blissful cruise down a sparkling wave. I loved it. After several years I was just beginning to bottom turn… when I had to move.  

It’s now been a couple of years since I’ve surfed. But it crosses my mind almost daily. The solitude, the camaraderie. The painfully early mornings and meditative sunrises. The sun setting slowly as I bob blissfully on my board. Romance, adventure, and physical fortitude. Mental relief. The moods of mother nature. I look very forward to living somewhere I can surf again. In the meantime, I’m amazed at how many times I defer to surfing, metaphorically, when I’m experiencing life’s challenges. Here are some surfing lessons that I still carry with me:

Roll with It

It hurts less. When you fall, give in to the experience. Flow. It will be a lot less painful than resisting.

Persevere

Persistence can usually make up for a lack of skill. Keep going. You’ll get past the whitewash eventually and be stronger for it. Failure is temporary – try again!

Find Another Way

If you’re really getting pummeled, get out of the water, catch your breath, look around. Find another channel to get out past the break.

Rest, Don’t Give Up

You don’t need to catch every wave. Rest when you need to. You’ll get a second wind.

Wait for the Good Ones

Don’t waste your precious energy trying to catch bad waves. Feel, anticipate, be present. Go!

Mind Your Manners

Take turns. Don’t cut off other surfers. Be nice to beginners 😉

Find a Good Teacher

Your surfing success depends upon learning from someone with patience, skill, and experience.

Life is a series of waves. You can learn how to flow with them, or you can fight against a force that is much bigger than you are. Let go. Don’t resist change or challenge, respect yourself and others, and trust that you will find your waves. Be present, get stronger, enjoy the ride!