It’s not over till it’s over.

An Easter surf trip and the first camping weekend of the year.

The forecast called for small, 2-5ft waves all weekend. I’m learning that this is the kind of forecast I should look forward to, not the 6-10ft forecasts that get 5 magicseaweed stars. At least not yet.

And the weekend started sunny…

…it didn’t stay sunny but we had two days beautiful enough to provide internal warmth that lasted the whole weekend.

Camp fires helped too. Jaime and Chelsea, bacon enthusiasts, taught me the many different ways you can roast bacon over an open fire.

The surfosaurus came out of its hibernation in the camping bin and taught us that peeps can be roasted over a fire too. Peep s’mores were not that bad but yes, we did feel a little cruel and empty inside when a peep fell into the fire and we saw this bright symbol of spring, youth and sugar burn into a blistery Krueger-mess.

I had told myself that this trip, I would need to let go of some caution. Aside from keeping in check with landmarks, covering my head after a wipe out and staying out of the way of another surfer’s ride, I had to let go and let the waves do what they do even if it meant occasionally losing familiar touch and control.

On the third day we were on the inside for a while, catching smaller waves coming in and marvelling the occasional sets of 5 or 6 ft waves that would stand ahead of us as beautiful smooth and curved walls before peeling into rushing white foam. When a break in the bigger sets came Kim paddled out further and I followed.

Just a few moments later a 5ft or 6ft (that’s my guess but no one’s ever out there with a ruler) wave came along. Normally I’d duck out but I saw Kim turn and start paddling and after a quick “well if she can, I can” I went for it too. The moment I started to paddle it occurred to me that the wave would eat me and it did, it ate both of us. But this time I tried to relax my body and pay attention to the sensation of going through a wash cycle as something that is part of surfing, not to be avoided entirely, and even possibly enjoyable. The wash cycle was followed by a rinse cycle and then I came up from the water.

OhmygodIhavetodothatagain.

The difference letting go made was incredible. From then on, I tried catching waves begging to be beaten, letting them come up behind me steep instead of going for ones already mostly broken or still rolling hills. Then one wave came, I caught it, dropped down and to the right. It felt different. Fast, smooth, stronger and when I looked at the water under me I saw this wonderful light inside. Heh, “I saw the light!” *fluttery hands*. But yes, the water was glowing with light and in a hold-my-breath moment I realized I was moving across the wave’s face and looking at the light it captured as it rose from the ocean to mingle with the air.

That was a first, I’m 10% embarrassed but 90% ecstatic to say.