21 Days of Joy: Learning to Surf! Part I

Day #13: Learning to Surf! Pt I

"You can gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face... You must do the thing which you cannot do." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

I don't know a lot about the way of life of a surfer. What I do know is that I have always been drawn to their way of life that seemed so far from where I was in mine. Growing up in the pineywoods of East Texas gave me zero chance of taking up surfing. My family moved to Texas from San Diego when I was 10 years old. So, while I actually never went surfing as a child, I knew about it. Every now and then I would come across a surfing publication. I would buy it and dream about what it would be like to have the life of a surfer girl. What was it about surfing that held such mystery to it? I got older, graduated from college and decided to move back out to San Diego. Let me back track for a moment. I would travel to SD after we had moved away to visit my cousin, Christine. I went back, maybe 3 - 4 times, and always had the feeling of "coming home" each time the plane landed at the airport. I was always such a mess everytime I left. It was never just a tear or two. I'm talking a full on crying session complete with those gasps of air one has to take from crying too much. What a mess I must've looked to the person sitting next to me on the plane!

Okay. So, getting back to what I was saying earlier that I moved to San Diego... I was in my late 20's and it was the PERFECT time for me to go back. I remember those four years spent in San Diego as if it were yesterday. The surfer's life intrigued me still, and yet, I didn't take the time to learn to surf because I was just too busy working as a retail manager. Actually, I was too busy working full time, going to fashion design school full time AND keeping up a social life full time. Ugh, right?! There are those excuses again. If I really wanted it... I would've made time. Then again, I have to wonder if I didn't learn to surf back then because, maybe, I somehow knew I wouldn't have held the right attitude towards all of it. I used to love hanging out at the beach in PB or La Jolla and watching the surfers ride the waves. I remember I could see them from the balcony during Sunday Brunches at The Beach House in Cardiff. I also remember my vacation to Hawaii sitting on the beach at North Shore and watching the surfers... wishing I could be out there with them. It was like being in heaven that day. Then there's the funny story of my cousin who was visiting SD. We were hanging out at the coast of Del Mar. She spotted a few surfers way in the distance and asked me, "Wow! Look at that! Are those dolphins?" I got a pretty good chuckle out of that question! I loved driving down PCH and passing surfers one after another ~ carrying their boards or doing a quick change underneath their beach towel. It's strange. As I'm typing this and remembering I can see how it all seemed to pass by me as if I was watching a movie. I didn't have a part in it. I was a bystander who, at that point in life, could only daydream about it. I find it even more interesting that even though my spirit was connecting to surfing, I was not inviting it into my life. In my 4 years I lived in San Diego I can count on one hand the amount of friends I knew that actually surfed. I even used to work for a surf & skate company as a junior buyer. I was meeting all kinds of reps that either surfed, skated, and/or snowboarded. It was ALL AROUND ME and I still didn't take the initiative to get on board with the lives they enjoyed. My life was so different then. I was a completely different person then, too. I see it is certainly true that we draw into our lives those that match the vibration of who we are in that moment. Of course, I met some amazingly wonderful friends. I cannot go on without putting that out there. Looking back, what it says to me is that my spirit was trying to connect to something but I wasn't paying attention. And back then, I know I had a huge disconnect to my true Self. So, what I told myself, as I think so many of us do, is "Someday. Someday I'll learn." As the years passed I started to believe that "someday" had come and gone. After all, I was back in the pineywoods of East Texas. No surfing around that's for sure! After moving to Wilmington and living, once again, in a coastal city my interest in surfing was coming back to me. But I honestly thought that my someday was gone. There must have been a little piece in me knowing a different truth. I created a treasure map one day... just about 5 months ago. I included a picture of a woman surfing (that's the photo to the right), expressing to myself, "You never know. There still may come a day when you will learn to surf. Why not?" I would come back to the picture every now and then... not often, mind you. I would even play make believe and envision myself surfing when I would look at the photo. I found myself letting it go. Well, you put the desire out there and the Universe will answer! I thought someday was long gone, but guess what? My "someday" finally came thanks to Rick Civelli at WB Surf Camp!!

The Invitation. I have been on what can be called nothing less than a journey during this practice of 21 Days of Joy. I'm learning... A LOT! With about a week left I can already tell I've changed and I have been given the gift of seeing the power of my thoughts, my words, my actions. Everything is energy and life moves in the direction of the energy we put out there ~ positive or negative... we make the CHOICE. Tuesday of last week was a very busy day for me. I remember coming home exhausted. I walked into my office and flipped on my computer to check my emails one last time for the day. There was the usual junk mail, a few yoga-related emails, and then, there it was! A bright light at the end of a full day that removed any exhaustion I was feeling. After having read my blog, it was an email from Rick inviting me for a surfing lesson!!! I actually had to stop and re-read the email because I thought it was a mistake. Sure enough it was meant for me and it was for a surfing lesson!! So freaking cool!! I can't even tell you how completely excited I was when I read the email. I wrote back with an ecstatic, "Hell yeah! I'd LOVE to give surfing a try!" Oh, man... I LOVE surprises, don't you?!

A couple of days later I received a phone call from a reservation agent to set up a day and time for the lesson. I can tell you one day is enough for me to start playing out all kinds of scenarios in my head of what might happen when I hit the water. I have a very active imagination ~ sometimes it's great and sometimes I wish I had an off button for it. Well, actually, I guess I do. It's called... Yoga. :-) I remember asking the reservation agent, Emily, in a rather timid voice, "Do you think I'll be okay? I'm not exactly skinny." I don't remember her exact words, but I do remember that they were very reassuring and put me at ease. I was once again on my happy train and ready to give this new adventure a go! As Yoda says, "Do or do not. There is no try."

My OH-SO-RAD Instructor, Chris Powell. I remember pulling into Lot #4 at Wrightsville Beach thinking, "What the hell are you doing?! Are you really ready for this? You aren't a pup in her 20's anymore." Then I thought, "Yeah, well, I ain't dead yet either!! I'm here and I'm gonna do this. I totally kick butt in my 30's... I just do it in more expensive shoes!" As Emerson says, "He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear." Permit me a moment to say that I am not a thrill seeker. There are those who may assume that what I do is for the pleasure of reaching some sort of adrenaline rush. Should that be the case, it may do one well to read more of my blog, or better yet, just get to know me. I come from a knowing that life is about experiencing new things and reaching for our dreams... whatever they may be. I choose to no longer allow my fears to keep me in the passenger seat. I CHOOSE to take part in my life, to be an active participant... to, and I've said this before, slide into eternity and not go tip-toeing my way through this adventure we call life. But enough about me, let's get back to my surf instructor, Chris! I firmly believe that the people we meet along the path are by design and NEVER by accident. Our paths cross at the exact moment they are meant to. With that said, I just have to say I found Chris to be an inspiring treasure of knowledge and adventure.

I came to my lesson with a certain amount of fears as a 1st timer. After saying our hello's, Chris and I sat down and one of the first questions he asked of me was what were my concerns about surfing. What a huge relief to be able to address those things I was fearing right up front! I had worries of falling in and getting hit on the head with the surfboard. No worries, Chris explained fully how to protect myself and how to fall correctly. What about marine life? Any concerns? Umm... okay, yeah... sharks? Here's the deal, people. Forget about Jaws and Shark Week! Sharks are cool and not so frightening as the media makes them out to be. They don't make plans to go hunting for us. We're not even on the menu! Of course, this doesn't mean to be unaware when you're out there surfing. Keep your wits about you, is all. So, it was pretty cool because I felt like I got my own mini lesson about marine life ~ sharks, jellyfish, dolphins, etc. Wouldn't it be great if all educational type classes could always be taught at the beach? Well, I think it would. I felt like what I learned was just the tip of the iceberg. I wanted Chris to keep talking and telling me about the ocean and the life of it and in it. We discussed rip currents and what to do if you get caught in one. Relax, people, and don't panic. If you're out swimming, the rip current is not going to drag your butt out into the seemingly unending horizon. So, relax, calmly tread water or float along and enjoy the ride then swim back to shore or swim parallel to the shore to get out of the rip current. There you have it. Be smart and educate yourself before you hit the water.

In speaking with Chris, I realized the best thing we, as humans, can do is to no longer be ignorant but do our part to educate ourselves about the ocean and its environment. The ocean and all its living creatures are simply being what they were created for. We are stepping into their environment, and as visitors, we should know about the place we are spending time in. Wouldn't you do the same if you were traveling to another country? I think this Ancient Indian Proverb says it best, "Treat the Earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children."

Once again, I was thoroughly impressed with the caliber of instructor before me. I think it amazing how in tune with nature Chris is that he has a depth of understanding of the wind and the ocean that I hope to develop one day. He's been surfing for 10 years (I hope I have that right) and it shows through in his knowledge, his support and the character of person that he is. His experience has taught him well and he openly shares his wisdom with you. Again, totally digging the laid back vibe which works well for me when in a learning situation. It gives me the time I need to process incoming information and decide if I have any questions or not. If my learning has to be done at a rapid pace, well, I feel like my eyes glaze over and I zone out into la la land. So, yes, I definitely whole-heartedly appreciate an easy-going manner. Once "lecture class" was over it was time to learn surfing etiquette, the different parts of the surfboard and the pop-up. I was soaking up every second of my lesson! I'm not sure if it was evident to Chris (I hope it was), but I was thoroughly enjoying my immediate experience! The nerd in me was wishing I had a pad and paper so I could take notes of all that Chris was sharing with me. Alas, I had to commit what I could to memory. So, memory, don't fail me now!! :-)

My Surfing Lesson. To practice the pop-up one has to determine if their stance is regular or goofy. Typical for me, I could not immediately decide which one felt more natural. We tried both and I went with regular. So, you might be asking what does it mean when I use the term goofy? Well, let me impart my newly learned wisdom on you! Goofy foot was supposedly coined in the fifties from a Walt Disney film featuring Goofy surfing with his right foot forward. So, there you have it! If you lead with your right foot you're a Goofy foot and if you lead with your left foot then you're a regular foot. With that figured out it was time to practice the pop-up. I have to be honest. I knew it was coming but I was really dreading this part of it. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to do it... and when I say that what I mean is that I wasn't sure if I would be able to do the pop-up looking graceful (ego) and executing it perfectly (ego)... on my first try (ego). What an expectation to place on myself!! It took some practice, but I started to get it. Talk about a lesson in humility! Chris was very supportive, patient and kept telling me how great I was doing. I appreciated the constructive criticism he gave each time I practiced my pop-up. I do have to say this. Thank goodness for my yoga practice because I know it really, really, really helped in my ability to do the pop-up. I felt like I got to a point that I did it rather well... on the surfboard... on the sand. Getting out on the water... well, that was a bit of a different story. And here is where things get a little scary and a lot of fun!!

When teacher says it's time to go... it's time to go! We each took hold of one end of the surfboard, I the nose and Chris the tail, and we headed down the beach. Walking with surfboard in hand, I have to say, I was thinking in my head, "Look how fabulously cool I am!" Little did I know what was in store for me because walking with a surfboard down the beach does not a surfer make! ;-) Chris, who was behind me, spun me towards the ocean. And there it was... the ocean, that which I have always considered "home," staring at me in waiting and ready for me to come on in. As we walked into the cool waters of the Atlantic I said to Chris, "I'm totally excited, nervous and scared... all at the same time! But I'm ready, let's do this!" And further in we went. Let me take a moment now to say that the ocean, that day, was in my 1st-time-out-as-a-surfer's-opinion... not the easiest of circumstances. The current was strong and, to tell it plainly, the water was pretty rough! Sure, I could've told Chris that I wasn't going to do it, but there was a knowing within me that I was going to be alright. Now let me also express that Chris gave me every opportunity to say, "No. I'm not ready to go out." Just as Chris is so in tune with nature, I am in tune with when I need to say "No" and when I know it's fine for me to go on. I knew I would be okay and I had complete trust in Chris that he would keep me safe. So, let's continue with my surfing adventure!

As we moved further into the water I couldn't help but be impressed with the magnificent power of the ocean. At the same time, I was thinking, "C'mon! Can you please give me a break so I can catch a breath?!" Waves were about 3 seconds apart and just when I thought I had caught my breath another wave was upon us. Chris decided it was a good time for me to get on the surfboard. When he told me to climb on I hope I didn't look at him too funny because I was trying to figure out in my head how I was going to make that happen when another wave was coming our way. I'm kind of thinking the waves really weren't that bad, they probably just felt that way to me because it was my first time out. I mean, there were other surfers out on the water that day. I know it wasn't ideal conditions but they seemed to all be doing alright. And a couple of them were girls so that helped give me some incentive to press on. So, one more time I told myself, "Okay, let's do this!" I took hold of the board and managed to get myself on it. Wahoo! Success! It was of great comfort to me to know that as I was laying on my surfboard, looking in front of me and focused on the shore, Chris was standing behind me with a strong hold of the tail end of the board. Before I go on, I just have to say that if you're thinking about learning to surf... go for the private session!! It's well worth the 1 on 1 time with your instructor! As for the attempt to catch my first wave, here is how the rest of it unfolds...

(So, you have to imagine the power of our voices as we were talking to each other because we had to talk over the roar of the ocean.)

Chris: Are you ready?

Me: YES!

Chris: Okay, hang on (wave came down on us)! Hang on, again (another wave)! Okay, paddle, paddle, paddle!

Me: *paddling my little heart out and trying to remember what the freaking hell I'm supposed to do when he yells Pop-Up, and at the same time, amazed at that feeling of being carried along... by water!! As Chris calls it, "Riding energy."*

Chris: Yelling, "Pop-Up!!"

Me: *oh, okay... 1 put my hands on the deck, 2 come into that cobra looking thingy, 3 lunge my oh crap what foot is it again... oh yeah, left foot forward* (it's impressive how quickly our thoughts process, isn't it?)

Me: *Okay, done! Where am I? What just happened? I'm not on my feet! I'm on my knees! What?! Awww, man!!*

I roll off my board and kind of dunk myself into the ocean, get up and head back towards Chris who meets me with a "Great Job!" and a high five! Such positivity! Thanks for making a girl feel good about what she's doing!! I'll admit it. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get up on my first try. We all put that expectation on ourselves, don't we? Thankfully, I came into my lesson knowing that surfing was so completely different than anything I had ever done before so whatever happened out there, I was going to consider it a successful day! And it was! After awhile we took a break upon Chris's suggestion and with me in complete agreement. I needed to catch my breath and get rid of that salt water up my nose feeling if even for a moment. As were walking to shore I thought, "Man, I've got snotty nose." And then I realized, "Oh jeez, no, don't tell me I just said that out loud. Please tell me that was only in my head or at least tell me Chris didn't hear me say that." No such luck 'cause I'm pretty sure I remember him responding to the statement. Oh well... it is what it is, you know?

We took our break and chatted for awhile. Chris asked me if I was up to going out again or if I was done. I didn't have to think about it and I responded by telling him, "I want to go back out." So out we went. Can I express how thankful I was to have Chris there with me out in the water. His support and positive attitude really helped with my determination to keep on going, plus the fact that I was enjoying every minute of it. Yes, EVERY minute of it! I was going to do, do, do until Chris said it was time to go. So, to answer the question that everyone keeps asking me, "Did I get up?" On my feet? No. On my knees? Yes. I was aiming to get up on my feet, but for some reason, each time I went for it I landed on my knees. It's a great place to start, right? I have something to work towards now for next season when the weather warms up and Chris is back to teach!! Look at that, I'll have ALL winter to practice my pop-up! ;-)

Overall Experience. Unforgettable. Life-fulfilling. I highly recommend WB Surf Camp if you're looking for the right way to begin your surfing journey. My instructor, Chris Powell, gets top marks for his knowledge, his positive support and his ability to make it all fun! Owner/Founder, Rick Civelli, has created a company that, in my honest opinion, takes an experience which is somewhat scary into one that is educational and empowers his students to come back to believing in themselves and proclaiming, "Yes I can!"

My only "That sucks!" moment of this entire experience is that the lesson ended and I have to now wait until next season to get back out on the water. I'm so ready for more... and more... and more! Hurry back, teacher!! :-)

Life is an adventure... get out there and LIVE IT!!

Click HERE for Part II.