Will Wonders Never Cease?

Somehow, in the midst of epic "Victory at Sea" conditions, I managed to survive my first session on the 7'0" single fin board. It wasn't pretty. That I'm sure of. The one thing I can say for myself is that when I'm flailing around on a new board, I tend to get a bad case of the giggles. This is both good and bad. It's good because I forget to be self-conscious about regressing to kook status and the people around me seem to enjoy my good cheer. The bad thing about all that giggling is that I can't giggle and paddle at the same time. I don't know when I would have finally gotten that board in the water. I had to be coaxed into it today. The friend who's looking into buying a shorter board—and I've got to give her a nickname so I can stop referring to her as "my friend"—was dying to try my board. It was decided we'd take it out today. She'd bring her 9'0". I'd bring the 7'0". Once in the water, we'd take turns switching boards. Upon arriving at the beach, I saw the sight that I hate: the crew standing on the wall looking at the water. Once I took a look, I understood why they were all simply standing there. But then my friend arrived and she was determined to go in. She wanted to try the board. That meant I was going in too since it was the board's first time in the water. I couldn't see me not being present for that. My plan, when I got the board, was to take it out on a day when no one was around. I didn't want the crew to see me, the board, and the flailing. Let's just say the best laid plans of mice and Surfsister came to naught. As soon as I took the board out of the car, people started yelling, wondering which board this was. I tried to walk toward the water in a different direction, but Sensei Greg motioned to me to come to him. And when one of our senseis beckons, you do what he says. So, there I was standing in the middle of the crew, being clowned about having yet another board. See, all of you who read the blog know about me and my boards. The folks at the beach only have an inkling of my addiction. So I had to head out to the water knowing I was being watched. Had the conditions in the water been better, I wouldn't have done as much giggling and probably would have done a little better. However, I can actually brag that I got two rides on the board today. I hadn't expected that at all! I probably would have gotten four rides, but on two occasions it felt as if the rubber at the knees of my wetsuit was Crazy Glued to the board; I couldn't stand up. For the first forty minutes in the water, I simply flailed, now quite knowing what to do on the board. Then, I announced I was ready to switch boards. I wanted to at least catch one wave today!!! My friend wanted to try the board but was worried about being the first one to catch a wave on it. I told her to take it. A board is made to be ridden. It's not like someone else catching the first wave on it is going to ruin the karma you have with a board. Once we traded, I had a little time to rest. I swear, paddling a 7 foot board is no joke! My shoulders were extraordinarily fatigued. I caught a few waves on her board and watched her flail on my board. Eventually, she gave up. Then, I got serious. Someone was going to catch a damn wave on that board before we left! I don't even know what I did. But somehow the board stayed level (i.e., I didn't pearl) and I managed to pop up. The feeling was quite a bit different from my longboards. I can't even imagine what a true shortboard must feel like. I got one more ride before calling it a day. Now I'm glad my friend pushed the issue about the board and made me take it out. I'm no longer scared of it. Going out on it in the horrible conditions we had today makes me more confident about taking the board out on a day with better conditions.