Memoir Body

As i made my way back to the truck to grab my 6'10" Rusty Pirhana i started to feel the nerves in my stomach, you know the ones that are more out of anticipation rather than fear. Nonetheless i was ready to go out and catch some waves it had been a month since the last time i attempted the feat and i was ready to face the challenge head on, again. I got back to the truck and with my left hand grabbed my featherlight board out of the back of the truck, after that i picked up our blue and white hawaiian flower patterned beach bag (normally it houses our cell phones and wax for the boards). Now the treck back through the sea oat forest began again, we headed to the beach over the sandy plancks of the boardwalk to the spot i had scouted mere minutes before. As we got to the edge of the pearly white sand i kicked off my tan Rainbow sandals and picked them up with my empty right hand and headed to that sacred spot. The sand was searing hot on my unacustomed feet so for every step i buried my feet down under the surface where the temperature was much cooler and made my way over to the part of the beach in front of the break we were about to conquer. My calves were already aching from walking through the sand but just as i thought i could go no further we had arrived at our destination, i set down my board that was safely encased in its silver padded bag and put down the beach bag next to it, my father did the same except he set down our blue cooler next to his board. I proceeded to remove my board from its bag careful not to get any sand in the already present wax from the last time we had ventured to the east coast and then sat it down on top of my board bag. After getting my board out and placing it on my bag i grabbed a bar of sex wax from out of the hawaiian flowered bag and began waxing my board. I covered the board in a figure eight pattern to make sure i got every part of the board i would need to grip when out in the clear blue water. I checked with my dad to make sure i had enough wax on my board and after getting the okay i began to stretch out my muscles so as to not pull anything or get hurt when surfing. I began by stretching out my legs, simple stuff just bending over and grabbing my ankles to stratch out my achilles tendon, then i did some butterflies. After stretching out my legs I began stretching out my arms and chest, I put one arm across my chest and held it with the other and stratched it in the opposite direction then i would switch and do the other arm, after that i put my arms behind my back and grabbed each hand and stretched my chest out.



Once all the preparations were done I was ready to go out into the big blue ocean. The last step before the run into the sea was to attach my clear leash that connects me to my surfboard and now I am ready to go. For a minute or two I stood down where the water meets the sand just letting it lap against my side, waiting for that opportunistic moment in between sets when I can jump onto my board and start paddling out beyond the break. Then it came one set of three waves had just ended and I could see another building in the distance this was my chance, I jumped onto my glowing white board, flat on my stomach I plunged my right arm into the ocean and pushed back with all my strength. I was moving with every paddle of my arms left then right then left, with every fiber of strength I was paddling harder and harder I had to get out past the break or suffer the consequnce of having a wave crash down like an anvil on top of my head. It was going to be close, the wave was building right on top of me I paddled like there was no tomorow. I climbed to the top of the waves crest, I had made it over before it broke. Once at the top as I was about to make my descent i put my arms out in front of me on the board and pushed my chest away, so as not to hit my chin on the board once it made contact with the water again.

Now that I was safely beyond the breaking waves I could relax and wait for that choice wave that I wanted to pluck from the ocean and ride into shore. I sat up on my board but only for a little while because out of the vast blue came my set the one I had been waiting for. I would not take the first wave because generally its not the best out of the bunch so i waited on the second and when it came I got back down on my stomach lying flat. While the wave was a few feet still behind me I began to padddle, out in front of the wave I began to gain momentum i felt the wave began to take me, I was in its grasp under the waves complete control, I paddled one more time with each arm. At this point instinct took over I knew it was time, I pulled my arms out of the water and put them on either side of the board and pushed up, at the same time i pulled my legs up from underneath me, I let go of the board and at that moment I was standing I was riding. It was maybe a minute of complete ecstasy and it was over, I was back almost at the shore and the wave had died out underneath me.

Once the sheer euphoria and massive amounts of adrenaline had faded away I was the happiest person on the planet. I had done it, I had caught and ridden a wave, I had beaten mother nature at her own game and I felt great about it. The rest of the day went much like the beginning i would paddle out catch a wave and ride it in to shore. That was almost nine years ago now i frequently surf the east coast and much better I must say then I did before.