Oh the joys of learning how to surf…It’s not always easy. Any surfer who started as an adult surely remembers the times when you were fighting your way to the line-up and think you made it, only to be sent back to the beach again by the odd big set. By the time you’ve made it out there again, your arms are actually too tired to paddle for a wave. Or you’ve just spent two hours in the water not catching a single wave, above all you are freezing your butt off and the only wave you were about to catch was snatched away by the guy who’s been catching 300 waves already.
Yes, sometimes it sucks and there’s no denying that surfing is probably the toughest thing to learn. You are struggling to sit on a board, whilst a grommet is flying past you making surfing look like a walk in the park. How often did I wish I grew up surfing (without being ungrateful, considering I was at least lucky enough to grow up skiing) which would have made things so much easier. I know some people who actually always wanted to start surfing but they think it’s all too hard and too late. But it’s never too late!!! A little bit of determination and passion for waves goes a long way. I’m living proof!
I’ve started learning when I was 25. I cracked up laughing when I found a video of my first surfing attempts and I thought I share it with you:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMwejroz7mA]
And this is me now just 5 years later:
Mmmh ok, maybe not quite, I wish…that’s actually Sofia Mulanovich…that’s me:
Either way, my message to the learning gidgets: There will be moments when you are wondering why you are doing this to yourself or even doubt if that surfing thing is going to work out for you at all. And I’m not saying it’s easy and all (well most) beginnings are difficult. Especially with surfing, you’ll never stop learning. But you’ll never stop smiling either. No matter if you’ve just started surfing and have just caught your first 1ft whitewash wave or if you are a seasoned surfer, you’ll never get over that rush of catching a wave. You will never regret it. You go gidgets! You can do it.
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