Spoke Too Soon (or Why It's No Longer Summer)

That is a picture of me kicking out. Period. That's about the most exciting thing that happened in my session.

The sun never did make an appearance. However, the rain did. The wind blew this way, that way and the other way, making for a somewhat chilly session as compared to the last few days of sun and glassy goodness. As you can see from the picture, it was gray and choppy, cool and stormy.

July Gloom has returned with a vengeance. (Sigh)

People continue to stare at me when I swim in for my board or as I walk, with my board, from the water back to the car. I've come to expect the stares now. The staring would unnerve me when I was a newbie surfer. Now, I tend to ignore the stares. In fact, I'm not proud to admit that I will sometimes gift those staring at me with stinkeye in return. Why? Well, I spent my first few years as a surfer having to constantly discuss my presence in the water with those who found it worthy of conversation. I've evolved. I don't want to waste my sessions talking to people who are intrigued by the presence of a black, particularly a black female, surfer. It's not an interesting topic of conversation for me. When I'm in the water, I don't want to spend much time talking about it or anything else. I just surf. If you find it interesting or inspiring, good for you. If you find it not worth thinking about, better for me. The stinkeye is reserved for those who feel compelled to engage me in a serious conversation about all of this during the middle of my session. Don't want to talk about it. I exchange quick pleasantries with strangers. I will spend a minute or two talking to a friend when he or she paddles by. Other than that, I wish to be left alone to surf in peace. So, people can continue to stare. I expect that and often wave to those who are obviously taken aback. I get it. If I weren't a surfer and I saw a black chick out in the water catching waves or carrying a surfboard or waxing a board, I'd stare too. Why do I bring this up? I have no idea. I guess I got stared at more than usual this week.

Pray for glassy surf with shape!