#13 The Glass

I had planned on getting up at 5:15am this morning for a dawn patrol but my daughter decided that 5:00 would be more appropriate so she got me up a little than expected. After coaxing her back to sleep I was able to be out of the house by 5:30. The weather was clear by my house but as I headed west the fog got so thick I needed the wipers. Even now as I look off my back porch I can see blue skies every directions except west. During the summer the fog enjoys lounging on the coast.

Western fog....

I met my friend at the beach. From the parking lot the ocean was invisible. We decided to go with the odds as far as where to paddle out. There was one spot where 2 dudes and a woman were suiting up. That’s about as good of an assessment as one could wish for given the circumstances. We were not disappointed.

Okay, granted I have had many a session in weak choppy lifeless surf this summer so my wave-o-meter not calibrated. The waves were fun. It’s not so much that they were even that fun because, truth be told, they were backing off quite a bit and had no juice but they were GLASSY!

Oohhhhh, the glass! Paddling out when the ocean is shiny and smooth is a treat regardless of the wave quality. There is something magical about seeing such a huge body of water so well groomed. I imagine myself skimming effortlessly across the surface leaving to trace. And then when the waves came through they were gorgeous. I smile with the thought of it.

Glassy days are rare around here. There is joy in knowing that so many elements had to come together to create those special conditions. It feels like a honor to be able to share in the experience. This morning I celebrated with a few surfers, a curious sea lion pup and a playful dolphin. I still have fond images of exceptionally glassy days from my childhood burned into my memory.

I had planned on getting up at 5:15am this morning for a dawn patrol but my daughter decided that 5:00 would be more appropriate so she got me up a little than expected. After coaxing her back to sleep I was able to be out of the house by 5:30. The weather was clear by my house but as I headed west the fog got so thick I needed the wipers. Even now as I look off my back porch I can see blue skies every directions except west. During the summer the fog enjoys lounging on the coast.

I met my friend at the beach. From the parking lot the ocean was invisible. We decided to go with the odds as far as where to paddle out. There was one spot where 2 dudes and a woman were suiting up. That’s about as good of an assessment as one could wish for given the circumstances. We were not disappointed.

Okay, granted I have had many a session in weak choppy lifeless surf this summer so my wave-o-meter not calibrated. The waves were fun. It’s not so much that they were even that fun because, truth be told, they were backing off quite a bit and had no juice but they were GLASSY!

Oohhhhh, the glass! Paddling out when the ocean is shiny and smooth is a treat regardless of the wave quality. There is something magical about seeing such a huge body of water so well groomed. I imagine myself skimming effortlessly across the surface leaving to trace. And then when the waves came through they were gorgeous. I smile with the thought of it.

Glassy days are rare around here. There is joy in knowing that so many elements had to come together to create those special conditions. It feels like a honor to be able to share in the experience. This morning I celebrated with a few surfers, a curious sea lion pup and a playful dolphin. I still have fond images of exceptionally glassy days from my childhood burned into my memory.

#12 Enjoyment

There is that famous quote that I’ve heard many times and in many places that goes something like: The best surfer is the one who is having the most fun. I’m not sure who said it but I’m glad they did. This idea has been on my mind a lot recently as I’ve found myself losing some of the pure enjoyment of surfing.

I have been putting a lot of thought and energy into improving my game in the water. Outside the water I have been developing the ‘perfect’ workout routine to maximize my strength and flexibility and balance in the water. There is the stuff from the last entry but that is only the beginning. I am constantly finding excuses to squat down so that low center of balance position becomes 2nd nature. It is a big deal for me at 6’2” and all the height coming from my legs. My wife likes to enjoy the fact that when we sit down she looks down on me.

And then there are the thoughts of surfing. All day long I am daydreaming and analyzing and plotting surf related ideas. I do take breaks to accomplish needed tasks but those are like commercial breaks from the 24~hour marathon. The other day I was telling my wife about a wave I had gotten and midway through I let out this big grunt as I simulated a turn. She laughed and said, “wow, you don’t make noises like that when we make love!” I laughed because I knew she was right and said, “well, yeah! I’ve been in love with you for 8 years but I’ve been in love with surfing for my whole life.” Fortunately, she finds understanding through her lifelong love affair with dance.

When I get in the water it’s time to apply and experiment. I paddle out with a mission. I have specific things I want to try. Each wave is a chance to improve upon the last. After a wave I analyze. What happened? What did I learn? How can I do it better? I am constantly watching other surfers to glean anything I can from there style. I am watching the ocean to see what gems of knowledge I can gather from her movement. I am obsessed to this pursuit of improvement.

I actually don’t mind a little obsession but when it starts to remove the enjoyment things are going to far. I’ve been reading this book called ‘flow’ which talks about achieving happiness. According to them one of the main ingredients to happiness is attaining enjoyment. Enjoyment is achieved through effort towards some goal. Enjoyment is achieved using some level of skill. Enjoyment isn’t always ‘fun’ at the time but when reflected on is looked at as an ‘enjoyed’ experience. Hmmmm….

The more I write about this the more I realize I don’t need to write about it. Surfing absolutely gives me enjoyment! My hang up is a tendency to want instant results. And this expectation leads to a diminished sense of enjoyment. The true lesson here is to develop compassion & patience with myself as I paddle down this lifelong watery path….