Surfing Dream Begun
12/01/12 - Went to north Houston a few months back to pick up a trailer for my 28' Bayliner. This is the boat that I live on at the end of pier 6 at the South Shore Harbor in New Orleans, La. That's right, world famous NOLA. Lucky me, land of drive by bullets and all. My boat needs to come out of the water as the gimbels are busted and other stuff including a much needed bottom cleaning as Lake Pontchartrain is a somewhat dirty lake. Well, come to find out, the trailer was 'stolen'. Rather than get upset, not so much by the unfortunate event - moreso by the ramblings of a man promising something he did not deliver, I looked at the map and had a life defining thought. I was on 59N which heads smack dab down south through Houston and becomes 45S that T -bones Galveston. Immediately I looked up surf cams of the area and lo and behold - the surf was up - not by much - beginners waves at 2-3' with a not too strong off shore wind. After a good night's rest and an hour and a half drive, I was at a surf shop renting my first board!!!
That afternoon, foolishly, I took my board out (even rented, still excites me to say 'my board') over the sea wall, and jumped over the bolder sized rocks and paddled out. I wasn't even thinking of trying to surf. I just wanted to get some paddle action in and get a feel of the ocean. It was intoxicating. So glad no one saw me trying to get back over the rocks to get back on shore. Stepped in a large hole, got my first injury, still shit grinning all the way back to my hotel across the street. When I say all the way, you have to go down some major steps to get to the beach and there was a strong wind that day. Got a bit of an idea of how strong you have to be and how precarious just getting to a surf can be. All the more reason to do something everyday to get in shape for such a sport.
Next day I got myself a lesson as I realized I was way over my head for inexperience. If I would have read some comments on line about the dude that gave me lessons, I would have probably tried to find someone else, but for what it was, the experience was alright. Everything I learned from on line how-to-surf videos including the forever young great late surfer Andy Iron's instruction video was covered and got a chance to get pushed into some waves and even did a bit of a turn right thing. Reminded me of AI's quote saying how he remembered his first wave, how he went right, then left, then right again. Being 60 (as in years old), going right just a bit was satisfing enough.
Went out the last day and caught some waves in prone and almost stood up. Did enough to satisfy my soul to say to the least. Got another injury - a pulled glut muscle. Seems I did not know that some beginner surf boards do not need to be waxed but others do. Even though I told the guy I was a beginner, I got rented a needs to be waxed board and did not a. wax it and b. wouldn't have known how to wax it anyway. Have since learned all of that anyway. It took a couple of months for that pain in the ass to get streatched out healed. At least I know now.
A few weeks later, went on my Honda Shadow Spirit '03 (my only ride) with my rescue dog Sweet P - terrier mix on back (special dog carrier), to Gulf Shores, Al. Found a pet friendly hotel, a surf shop with a surfer friendly guy that hooked me up with an 8' board, gave me a lump of wax and told me where the locals caught waves - Terry Cove in Orange Beach - right down the way. At Galveston I had surfed alone twice and know better to surf with others around. Had to catch a cab back and forth. Watched the locals first - always important - making sure what was what and where I could go in and try try try. Yes that is 3 tries for all the effort it took just to get the nerve to paddle in. Strong winds coming north, north east, 3-4' sometimes higher surf. Gulf surf seems is almost always choppy and this makes sections of waves. Seems each surfer chose a spot so I eventually found a spot away from the guys and gals that obviously had been doing the thing much longer than me. I was the older sportser in the mix that day and didn't want to hurt anyone with my big ass old board and old ass me much less get hurt getting in the way of anyone. Did catch some waves riding in prone and realized I should have gotten a board 9+ or more. Mostly got a feel for how powerful the ocean is and how hard paddling is, how much you have to paddle and how you have to know what is and what isn't a wave. My whole body felt younger, stronger. I wish I could live by the ocean. I would do this every day - all seasons - all weather. The muse has me strong.
As I am pretty much poor - and am currently on hiatus from a job that wasn't working out at the time - I've been living on what is left of my retirement fund (cut in half after 2001). So getting back and forth to a beach often is out of the question for the most part. But as also I am not a rational person and never have been, come November 15th - the day I turned 61 (love the magic of odd numbers -whatever that means) I became determined to go to the east coast. Sure enough, the surf cams showed 4-5' surf at St. Augustine, so I rented an economy car, loaded the pup and took a right onto I-10E till I hit the coast. On down a bit to a great condo that owners rent out at great prices. It wasn't a beach front suite but affordable and from the side window I could sit and see a piece of the surf and hear it for sure. The whole weekend there was a strong north north east wind. My window even opened up so the smell of it all was enjoyed as well. Unfortunately I got sick and maintained a fever so that the chill of the wind got me down to the bone.
Here it should be said tht I have a chronic positive spirit that rises in spite of most of the hardships that have rolled my way: nearly lost my son a few years back, near death experience for me, lost my nursing career, both my kids in recovery and all that goes with such an experience. So, there was no pity party - instead, I went walking along the beach watching waves, looking for rip currents (high risk that weekend), looking for places a surfer would paddle in. I took a ride both up and down the coast and found a surf contest to go and watch and truthfully - it was fantastic. On the first day I was there (Tommy Tant Surf Contest, Flagler Beach), there were a number of surfers out. The surf was real choppy and grown men were getting slapped backwards even trying to get out. I saw one surfer getting waves, charging and all. When that person finally got out and was coming back to the pier to start once again, imagine my suprise to see it was a young girl. Girl as in maybe 10-12 years old. That was amazing to me and I was proud to be in her gender. There was some good surfing to be seen throughout both days by all - women, girls, boys, and men. My favorite was the children surfing with an adult guardian assisting. There was one really young boy with a mentor pushing him to his limits yet at times the adult could hardly keep up. To witness the shining star in the midst of good surfers was essentially observing history in the making. Here was another pro surfer in the making. Thrilllng for me who has never caught a wave standing up alone as of yet - inspiring me to know I will one day accomplish this feat - and of course want more.
So here I am now - trying every day to do something to get this older body in shape for the next surf adventure. Got really stoked today. I had given Nathan Fletcher a comment on his face book page and he posted a like on my comment and said 'Thank YOU'. You in capital letters!!! I had let him know how his great big wave ride in Tahiti had jump started me to get the courage to begin this dream plus he is so humble in his approach to surfing and states anyone who even tries to surf is a part of the scene - he lets me in. Thank YOU Nate. Plus I got my conceal to carry permit in the mail today. Warrior day for sure.
I mix any type of exercise, a bit of Pilates, a spit of Yoga, walking - of course as a terrier could walk to the ends of the earth if you let it, dancing, and want to get back into swimming and do some dumb bell stuff as well. Probably should join a gym but my money is running out. Am an American Heart CPR / Instructor. So if any of you are in town, for a great rate I can give you a 20 minute lesson in Hands on CPR. You don't have to put your mouth on a stranger to save a life - yoo hoo. ]
Here on out - will blog what I'm doing to my body to strengthen for the surf including pop up's and all. Until then - surf's up somewhere and till I can see it and surf it - I live where light sparkles on the water all the time - keeping my spirit up no matter what. Later...
