Why we stand-up surf

[abmatt]

So, days before heading to Nicaragua, a trip-mate, now chilling in the NC mountains, sends me this. Said the first line just came to him and he just kept writing. As if we could get any more stoked!

'It starts with standing up, on water.

Everything that follows is secondary and ultimately lesser.  And everything that follows is also unbelievably fantastic so that will put into perspective just how essential the standing on water part is. 

In the end, we surfers are drawn to the wave, the ride, the rush.  We find that we can catch the waves in a position we used to only dream of.  For those of us who are slow getting to our feet that hurdle is gone – we’re already up.  We see what is coming from a longer way off and we can establish position to make the best of the possibilities.  And then we ride.  And ride.  And ride. 

If you measure in smiles it wins the grand prize.  If you measure in terms of conditioning it will hold its own against virtually anything out there without the typically commensurate risk of damage-doing. 

And so we like it.  A lot.  And we do it, a lot.  Our friends and family suffer our incessant chatter about how amazing the last session was.  They barely tolerate our eyes on the ocean at all times attitude.  They recognize that they have lost a part of us.  We are comforted by the truth that they are also gaining more of us in so many other ways.

So we must ask some forgiveness for our excessiveness.  There is probably a word beyond exuberance – whatever that word is we are guilty of it.

Some would take issue with the fact that we feel like gods out there, walking on the water.  It’s an obvious conceit and a connection that any observer would easily make.  We don’t mean to say we think we are God, but we are clearly doing something outside our previous experience and we know it is special.  Earth and water beneath our feet, heavens above, and we exist between – connected, aligned, blessed. 

It starts with standing up, on water.'

[jdmotes]

 LOVE IT... Thanks; and YES, we do  .....          Paddle on,                  JD

[soulpaddler]

That was a great piece.  Thanks.

[RyanSurfNTurf]

Awesome! That's a great summary! 
After the second time I broke my back, my pop-up has only been good for an hour of surfing. But with SUSing, I can go all day, every  day. So what can I say but I'm in love with the sport and how we play on water.

[SUPerstitious]

Couldn't have said it any better...

[surfinJ]

ya know, I always felt it a privilege to be able to surf.  To get to partake in such
coolness and fun;  at times felt as if you were getting away with something.

This morning I surfed at very locally populated spot X.  My strategy was to paddle out
in the dark, hoping the maximum high tide would keep the boys in bed a bit. 

For the first hour I remained alone, 5-7', calm wind,  sunset beach like set-up.  Paddle, catch
a wave, and again........ regular surfing boosted by the paddle. The overload of joy making
my head feel explosive.   Crowd started to arrive by nine and by ten it was over for me.

I'll mean it when I say that was the best surf of my life,  and I know I'll say it again.

[Aves]

Very cool, thX.

[raf]

Thats great!  Can I get permission to put it up on my website? (with acknowledgement)

[abmatt]

Hey raf, that would be great. Thanks for asking. You can just acknowledge my buddy as a stoked East Coaster! Probably even more stoked after we get back from the trip ...

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

'It starts with standing up, on water.



In the end, we surfers are drawn to the wave, the ride, the rush.  We find that we can catch the waves in a position we used to only dream of.  For those of us who are slow getting to our feet that hurdle is gone – we’re already up.  We see what is coming from a longer way off and we can establish position to make the best of the possibilities.  And then we ride.  And ride.  And ride. 

so true  I am slow getting up so slow in fact I can no longer prone, but as you said stand up takes this away and now I surf again.  but even more  just paddling over cool clear water looking down and reminds me on one of my very first waves  at the  san o  campground

[PaddleCrazy]

Wow, that's outstanding!!

I think it's amazing how so many can feel the same emotions and share a common bond, doing something that only they in the moment get to experience.

It's like that special thrill of the moment at a sporting event when something unusual happens, or that concert where everyone in the audience moves and dances as one; that magical moment that when you try to tell family and friends about it the next day, you just can't find the words to describe the almost spiritual connection you shared with thousands of other unknown participants for those few short hours. 

And besides being indescribable, those in attendance of such a special event, carry a life long "bond" with them forever. 

You've had it happen, you go to a gathering of some kind where you might know just a couple other people in attendance (wedding reception, office party of a spouse.....), that during the course of casual conversation, a total stranger happens to mention being at the same epic show or event that you were at, and you are suddenly/instantly connected with that one person you've never met in your life!!

You both go on and on about how great, how special, how magical it was.....recalling even the minutest of details of the happenings, and for a brief moment in time, all of those around you, seem to fade out of your surroundings, as the rest in your group look at the two of you as if you were crazy?

Yep, been there with SUSing.  Those that have done it understand, as they struggle to explain it to those who have not; yet put two SUSers that have never met in the same room, and they instantly share a common bond of that feeling of "walking on water"

"Abmatt", thanks for sharing, I'm copying and pasting the above to hand to family and friends who shake their heads now, when all I seem to ever want to talk about is my last session on my board, paddle in hand. 

With what your friend wrote so exquisitely, I'm hoping by reading it they'll now understand.   But then again, maybe what he wrote, is just another example of what all of us from all over the world share and understand as our common bond, that those who have not, will only read as words on a piece of paper........

Heck, my poor wife still asks, "why do you keep using the word "stoked", that word makes now sense, can't you come up with something better to describe it?"    HELL NO!!!   

[Mr.413]

Bravo, bravo, bravo!!!! (Standing (up on water) Ovation) 

[Boludo]

Thanks for sharing.  Nicely said.   That hits deep!

[hbsteve]

PaddleCrazy you got that right. 

[endlessfight]

abmatt, where did you go to in nicaragua to SUP and how was it?

very nicely written piece and describes my drive exactly.