Surf's up baby!!

I finally learnt to surf! This has been a long time coming and a dream of mine for ages! It all goes back to the days of the Gunston 500, Kelly Slater, Seth Hulley and Sunny Garcia. I used to watch surfing whenever it was on TV and had posters up in my room.

In 1996, while visiting my bestie Thelma in Sodwana, I tried my hand at surfing. Because if Thelma could do it, I could do it! I couldn’t. I ran in with the board and somehow got a teeny cut on my pinky finger from the leash. That was that, I threw in the towel and decided to rather sit on the beach and watch with a drink in hand. 

Fast forward to 2012… On Christmas day, my parents gave me the most amazing present of a trip to Hawaii!! My aunt lives there and they were there a few years back and mumsy decided that it is the most perfect place in the world for me. As I am the most financially challenged member of the family, they decided to send me this year. So once the tears (of shock, love and excitement) had cleared I started thinking…. H-A-W-A-I-I… WOOOHOOOO!!! And what is one thing Hawaii is famous for? SURFING!! *Insert butt wiggle dance of joy*

At first I thought I should just take a lesson or two when I arrived. Daddles suggested I ask my uncle to teach me. And then it hit me… I was about to go to Cape Town and stay with Thelma, in Muizenberg, right near the beach. So, I asked Thel to teach me since she is patient (partly due to the fact that she's a mom), would know the tricks and the simple way to explain it. I was SO right. Turns out all the practicing the learner surfers were doing on the beach is a waste of time. According to Thelma, the only rule is this… "when you get into the water, just keep paddling until you get to back line." And for extra emphasis, she screamed "JUST KEEP PADDLING!!"

So we walked down to the beach in our wetsuits (because the water is a bit chilly) and boards under our arms, feeling like we was in a 70's surf movie. To be honest, I don't think Thel was feeling that but I was, as a surfing virgin with a sometimes overactive imagination. The walk wasn’t as awesome as it sounds, I had a long board and it was a bit windy so I was trying not to get blown over.

Anyway, we got to the beach, (wet)suited up and I was good to go. After wading into the water to about waist level, I vaulted onto the board and got ready to paddle. Now, I train at gym almost every day but it means nothing since I don’t paddle at the gym. It was exhausting and I was stiff for days afterwards! Anyway, I eventually got myself out to back line and sat myself astride the board. It was everything I imagined it would be! That’s what I actually wanted to do, rather than learn any fancy moves. It was peaceful and quiet and awesome! Well worth the paddle!

But what goes out must come back in and I was there to surf! So, I tried… I first caught a wave like a body boarder (I used to body board so it came naturally), then paddled out again (but not all the way out) and kept catching waves and just generally having a fun time on the board (that I must mention really IS your best friend out there!). I laughed at myself when I face planted off the board when I stood too far forward. I accepted the knowing looks from seasoned surfers (the one's that said, "Oh bless! She's a surfing virgin!"). I also watched some of the learner surfers and stole some ideas from them. And it almost happened that day… I almost stood all the way up! I got onto my haunches and wobbled up into a half stand. Then I fell off. But it was great! And Thelma cheered me on, so it felt event better than I'm sure it looked.

The next day I could hardly move my arms, my abs were stiff and I had bruises on my front hip bones (I keep forgetting they stick out now!) from lying on the board. I quite enjoy saying I'm stiff and bruised from surfing rather than gym or cleaning the house. It sounds SO much cooler!

On my last day, actually the day I left Cape Town to fly home to Joburg, we got another quick surf in, just to cement the muscle memory. So we went with Thel's husband and hit the waves. It was a bit choppier than the first time and I must admit I was a little nervous. But we got out and I sat on that board taking it all in… the swells were very soothing that day! After a wave, Thel screamed at me to catch a wave and eventually I did (she is almost as scary as a Great White sometimes!). She had warned me that it's hard to get back out if you go too shallow and I found this out the hard way. So I decided to stay where I could stand and just perfect the craft there.

I splashed around in the waves, regularly flung myself onto the board (causing new bruises) and just had so much fun! But then, IT HAPPENED!!! I stood all the way up! It was amazing! I really don’t remember when I was that excited to stand! But stand I did! And I woohoo'ed and I wooohoo'ed loud and proud!! And I'm sure there was a crowd cheering behind me, but I can’t be sure… I was also privileged to see Thelma catch and ride an awesome wave… made me so proud to be her friend!

And so, I can surf. I won't be winning any competitions, unless there's a participation/sympathy prize, but I have done it and I can keep on doing it. When I'm at the coast, obviously. I can now hit the Hawaiian waves and tell them that "Yes, I have surfed before."

So in about 4 months, bring it!! And bring it hard!! But not too big, I'm still scared of big waves and head injuries…