Author Topic: Nothing bad can ever come from being in the water  (Read 3731 times)

iwaterman

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Nothing bad can ever come from being in the water
« on: August 11, 2007, 10:01:29 PM »
Nothing bad can ever come from being in the water.

Sometimes when the waves are crud you just have to push yourself to go out, and that's what I did this afternoon.  It was 6pm, and the wind was still blowing with no chance of an evening glass off.  I went for it anyway, even knowing that the parking lots would probably still be full. When I pulled into the Shores, I immediately got a rock-star space and proceeded to unstrap my board and get in the water, even without a wave check.   There were a few people out in the 2' slop, and it looked like the main peak still had some workable rights and lefts.  I paddled out into the usual stares, not so much the stink-eye that I usually get at the Shores when it's good, but more looks of amazment as I paddled out - standing up.   I surfed for about an hour, weaving my way through the crowd, which was obviously mostly weekend surfers and beginners trying to catch the whitewater.  I caught a few rights and lefts, did a few cross steps and evenbroke the fin loose once for some tail first surfing.  Just another ordinary session in the waves.

The point of this story isn't about how I forced myself to go out in crap, or how I caught some decent waves even though it was crap, but about what happened when I got out of the water.  I shouldered my board and was walking back up towards the parking lot when a lady ran up to me from down the beach, just about where I was poaching.  The first words out of her mouth were spoken in amazement..."HOW DID YOU DO THAT!!!!......THAT WAS THE MOST REMARKABLE THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!"  I answered her with a smile and a chuckle, "lot's of practice".  Sue was so excited and said that she and her family had been watching me for the entire time I had been in the water, and that this was the BEST entertainment that they had seen all day in the water.  We chatted about SUP surfing and its roots, and about our real jobs and she turned out to be a really nice person, one of those people that you know if you made friends with that they'd be someone you would know for a lifetime.

Now, can you imagine if a group of us was out SUP surfing in good waves what the entertainment value would have been for this family (and probably the majority of the people on the beach)?  Meeting this nice lady and knowing that she had more fun watching than I actually did doing it.......priceless.  I've been approached at least a dozen times upon leaving the water, where people are in utter amazement at what we're doing out there.  SUP surfing has the unique aspect of intrigue that I've never experienced before in all the years that I've been in the water.    Its a good feeling to know that the aloha that's inherent to SUP surfing is enjoyed by everyone around us, even people on the beach who don't have a clue about surfing.

Nothing bad can ever come from being in the water.

Aloha!

HaleiwaBill

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Re: Nothing bad can ever come from being in the water
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2007, 10:37:51 PM »
How cool! I am stoked you had such a great day! This is yet another aspect of our new sport that I absolutely love. That junk conditions are still a blast and the positive reactions of people to it.

I had a similar experience last week in Haleiwa harbor. I paddled from around the whole harbor for several hours. I had everyone from fishermen to divers to locals to tourists on the beach approach me and ask all about it. A couple guys on jet skis even came over to see what the heck I was doing.

I told my wife I felt like an ambassador for SUP. This must be what early surfers felt like when approached people who had never seen it before. Isn't that the BEST feeling ever!!

This sport truly has something special going on!!
« Last Edit: August 11, 2007, 10:41:51 PM by HaleiwaBill »

Blane Chambers

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Re: Nothing bad can ever come from being in the water
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2007, 04:34:23 AM »
iwaterman,
True, true, true...   From a shapers view a similar  phrase I was thinking about just the other day is, "Something good can always come from being in the water"....   

I remember last year before I started Paddle Surf Hawaii, I was on Kauai with Terry Chung and our friend Tuba at Terry's house...   We jumped in Terry's truck and went down to a spot then proceeded out into typical East side, trade wind slop.    First time for me in bumped out conditions.    Conditions I wouldn't think of surfing at home.     I watched in amazement as Terry surfed effortlessly going in circles the whole time...     I didn't see him fall and he was doing stand up how I dreamed of doing it at the time AND it was in tough conditions.      As a SUP board shaper, I'm always working on design and practical application.         Terry blew my mind!   After we were done, I didn't look at his board, I looked at mine.    Why didn't my board allow me to do what he was doing?    Part of it was, Terry is just freaking good at it!!!   The other parts were my skill level at the time and my old school board.         I learned volumes that day.

Fast forward to last week.   A typical trade wind swell hit and a friend invited me to surf in front of his house.    It looked like victory at sea but you could identify a few peeling, well overhead rights in the chaos of wind and never ending, onshore slop...    I got kinda excited.    I really wanted to see how a certain 10 footer was going to work and feel in disgusting conditions....    Well, that session was a very nice surprise.    It was one of the most fun ones I've had this summer.   The board paddled and surfed freaking insane.      There was a cool feeling of accomplishment to be able to paddle around without falling in the relentless waist deep moguls that were coming from all angles.    Throw in the strong current , way overhead sets and it was by far the most challenging conditions I've done stand up in.        Again I learned volumes on a day I wouldn't normally go out.     As far as the board goes, it just became one of my favorites.

Everytime I go out its plugging information into the shaping side of things.     Every single time....      So yeah, you're title is spot on....    "Nothing bad can ever come from being in the water"    Especially on the shaping side of things...

Aloha,
Blane




www.paddlesurfhawaii.com



gjbstandup

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Re: Nothing bad can ever come from being in the water
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2007, 07:27:53 AM »
 
 Yes, last night I had the same issues with strong onshore winds, sloppy surf but I managed to paddle anyway dispite my realistic reasoning. The learning experience on the 1-3 foot chop paddling against wind, tide and sloppy surf was the best thing I could of done to improve my balance, timing and paddle ability. I managed to catch several waves dispite the next to lousy conditions and went  home w/ a smile.
  This morning was clean 2 foot rollers that were just perfect for SUP boarding. What I learned last night was put to use this morning and I had an awsome session. I must of caught 40 plus waves, turned around in the soup inside with ease. I felt stronger stroking into the waves.  "" Priceless"" session.  I will never view crappy onshore conditions the same again.     
              In the words of my 5 year old nephew, "" Uncle Glen, You get what you get and dont get upset. ''''    The outlook on life through a 5 year old.. Amazing.....      Mahalo   
   
« Last Edit: August 12, 2007, 07:29:41 AM by gjbsup »
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