Today I caught my first wave!
I woke up in the sunrise to go for a helicopter tour, and took a one hour bus ride to Lihue. Since I don't have a drivinglicence I have to get around in other ways, but taking a bus in the US is kind of a big deal - you're either too poor to have a car / an outlaw / baglady / kid / something-else-not-being-a-normal-grown-up. Anyway, that was a sweet experience. I didn't have the change I was supposed to, so this kind hippie woman gave me 2 $. She didn't want them back, so I promised to do a good deed myself soon. And I will! Doesn't that give us hope about humanity?
The next bad thing that turned into something great, was that the helicopter ride was canceled because of bad weather conditions until later in the afternoon - or even the next day. I was really dissapointed and decided to wait on the beach in Lihue until the afternoon.
When I saw the waves my eyes almost popped out! It was the perfect beginner swell, breaking in the middle of a bay with no reef only sof sand. I ran off and hired a board. I thought for myself it's now or it's never going to happen. I paddled out and was kind of scared since I was alone.
The waves were bigger than I thought they would be. After watching some guys for surely half an hour I tried to catch a wave. I paddled like crazy and just when I felt the swell and tried to get on my feet I knew it was to late. I tumbled over and was smashed by the wave. It's like going through a washing machine of the size of a waterfall. Water in my nose my ears my eyes my throat my head. Just when I got up the next wave flushed over me. Catching my breath again and again. After a few more I managed to get up on the board and paddle faaaast back to the surf spot.
An old Hawaiian man on a paddle surfboard had spotted me, totally exhausted, and told me to come with him. He took me to the perfect spot and told me to wait. And wait. And wait. All of a sudden he told me to paddle. I felt the power of the wave behind me and he shouted 'Stand up!' I did. And all of a sudden I was surfing. I couldn't believe it! It was so fast and so powerful and so scary and fun at the same time that I lost track of time and space. I was in the wave. It was pushing me on the board and I was flying on the water. When it finally drizzled down to white water, closing the beach, I jumped off and laughed out loud. I'm hooked! :D
And yes - I did catch the helicopter in the afternoon, but I have to go to bed now so more about that tomorrow. I've learned the phrase to use a moment like this; 'I'm totally surfed out.'
Friday, August 21
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9 comments:
It sounds amazing!
That sounds so great! I would have loved to see that - you should have a person filming you every second of every day..
It's all about surfing!
Good work Åsa!
I caught my first wave in Wales after renting a board at the gas station ... However my experience wasn't that great. At first it all went really good in the beach break. So I decided to go out to the big waves, two breaks out. After a while out there my shoulder got dislocated! I couldn't do anything, just follow the sea current and get washed by the waves. I was laying there at least for ten long minutes before a big wave washed me real hard and my shoulder got back in the right position. After that I succeed to get up on the board in laying position and take myself to the beach. I was pretty relieved when I hit the beach.
This was about 10 years ago. I haven't surfed since then.
/pelle
I still haven't tried surfing, and would love to, so I am so happy you had a great experience!
I WILL get to Hawaii and surf- soon I hope!!
Dawn
x
wow, that shoulder out experience was a tough first lesson! hey, you should try to get out there again - it's never ever too late to learn.
my tip to people who'd like to try it is to not do what I did (go alone). get a local or a surf instructor to help you to get the hang of it in the beginning. they know all about it and since it's all about timing you'll have a much better chance to actually catch a wave the first time you're out. once you taste it you're hooked...!
Underbart!!
Thanks for the tip Asa- I know there is good surfing to be had here in the UK-in Cornwall, for me to get a taste of it- i may look into seeing if there are surfing lessons there.
Dawn
x
For sure you should go for it! I have friends who're surfing in Cornwall, it's also really good in Biarritz, check my friend Lena and Karin's surfcamp in Hossegor: http://www.koala-surf.com
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