I'll Take What I Can Get

The session wasn't that good. And it wasn't that bad either. I caught waves when I first paddled out. Then I did a lot of sitting or paddling for mushy waves that I couldn't catch. I don't know if anyone in the water ever notices that when I get mad at the waves, I turn my back on them and refuse to paddle, saying I don't trust them to break. I did that today. The waves were confounding me and another woman who was out in the water. A couple of the guys could catch this waves, but most of the guys weren't . . . and neither were we. I steadily got colder and colder. As usual, I was waiting for a wave in. It took forever to come. Guess what happened when it did come? I rode it and paddled right back out. Thank goodness I did! There was a small window of well-shaped, somewhat powerful waves. I got some of those. Then I got out.

Okay, I've now been surfing about five years. I know I'm much better than I used to be. But how much better? I still think I've got a long way to go (and I do). I was a little confused by the partner of one of the women at our home break. This woman and her partner were there when I started. Today, the partner gushed over how well I surf now. I don't think I surf well, but I'll take what I can get in the way of compliments. I try to make some little improvement on my surfing every time I go out. Sometimes it's something others can't see. Sometimes it's something that I know will make me look like a kook until I learn to do it right. Today, I watched closely as a few of our guys, on both longboards and shortboards, did cutbacks. This maneuver is the one I that gives me the most trouble. I'm not trying to do some beautiful cutback with spray flying. For me, it's a matter of changing direction. I can do it (i.e., change direction) going frontside. Backside? Not so much. Well, today I watched closely and when I got a good frontside wave, I managed a small cutback when the wave closed out in front of me. It's a matter of giving yourself over to your abilities. Of course, that's what much of sport is about. You've got to believe and then know you can do something. I'm now beginning to believe I can do a cutback. (Note I said "beginning to".)