27 April 2010

I Keep Waking Up Thinking I'm Dale Webster

I don't want to swim. I don't want to lift. I don't particularly want to skate.

I just want to surf.

Shitty conditions? I still paddle out.

Flatness? I grab the biggest board in my quiver.

Cold water? I shiver and sit with my hands tucked into my armpits, complaining all the while about how black people don't like the cold.

It's all about surfing. All surf, all the time.

Wanna know why Dale stopped?

But it's just becoming some kind of a target that people have to compare themselves to or be better than or get more waves. It's just ridiculous how I can be treated sometimes by these people who seem like they're trying to give me lessons on how not to surf. I'm sure you've seen the same phenomena that I have. The last few years there've been more and more of these molded, third world boards, and people just leaping lizard, splash dancing, whoopdy-whoo, surfing. And they can catch anything but they can't finish a wave. And I have to surf against all these people that are just splashdancing kooks. And I have to share waves with people who won't share waves with me. I have to keep away from people who won't keep away from me. They paddle right up next to you and catch the wave you were waiting for. It's just no rules, no respect, free-for-all surfing. And that to me is the biggest reason why I'm quitting.

I used to think we should ask ourselves "What Would Duke Do?" when surfing in a crowd. Now, I believe it should be "What Would Dale Do?"

Will I paddle out tomorrow? Probably not. Then again, that's what I said last night.

By 8 a.m. today, I was sitting out in the water (hands firmly tucked in my armpits, of course) thinking the conditions weren't half bad.

Navigating the home break closeouts without a leash. (Sigh) Yeah, I went swimming a couple of times.

4 Comments:

At 4/27/10, 3:42 PM, Blogger Growling Gecko said...

I empathise with Dale.
In the past, my should I go surf decision included a consideration of wind direction, swell direction, wave size and whether there was a viable bank.
I have added a new element and will I be by myself! That opportunity to be further enhanced with the recent order of a mat.

 
At 4/27/10, 3:48 PM, Blogger Surfsister said...

I think you make a good point. Because the conditions have not been stellar of late, the crowd has been minimal. While I still can't get a peak to myself, I can get some space and share a peak with two or three other surfers . . . as opposed to 15 other surfers.

 
At 4/27/10, 4:53 PM, Blogger Travel / Surf Guy said...

Hi Sis,

I can empathise with you having to share waves - down this end of the world we are spoiled with great waves and not too many crowds. The main spots that "go off" always seem to have people out but it would be a sad day that you couldn't find a beach to yourself. Sometimes I will actually wait for another person to paddle out - crazy huh??

Nice wave by the way

 
At 4/29/10, 6:42 PM, Anonymous reverb said...

...Is like Dale said...sadly
in my case, I surf in a place that there re kids that surf pretty good, plus rookies
all in the same line up
and also, as a shaper, I need to "fight" with all these to MAINTAIN my place in the line up (the respect)
so, is like a perpetual race or trial
if not, you (the crowd somewhat force you) are lowering in your place for obtain the good waves.

Here, we have good waves, normally, not as good as I see in Bells or other world class breaks
more like couple Santa Cruz breaks or Lowers

 

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