I’ve always wanted to surf. The thought of being in the midst of the sand, sea and waves brings out the adventurous side in me. My first time surfing was back at 2006 when I traveled to Australia. It felt like surfing was something I wanted to really get into but I didn’t have the opportunity (or didn’t make the opportunity) to pursue it.
I recently traveled to Hawaii for a short vacation and I was so excited to find out that Waikiki is one of the best places for surfing for beginners. My friend, Ava, and I enrolled in a surf school for 5 sessions and we definitely had a blast!
There’s just so much to surfing! Here are my personal insights on it:
Every single session is a unique experience in itself. Every surf session is filled with unpredictable factors. As advanced technology is now to predict weather conditions, it can never fully describe the actual surf environment you’ll be in. This, I believe, is a big part of the thrill behind this sport. You just need to hang loose (relax) and let the waves take you to a new adventure. For me, this is a great reminder that at times, we need to let go of control in our lives and trust God because most of the time we can never predict what will come our way.
It’s a total body workout. Carrying your surfboard, the current pounding your board, paddling to catch a wave, falling off and getting back again, maneuvering your board; takes a lot of muscle movement. Ava and I actually prepared for this trip by working on our core, shoulder and arm strength. We did Indo board, rowing machines and TRX. We also developed our endurance. Surfing is really tiring, our instructor even said that it’s like joining a marathon. So it would really be of great advantage if you prepare your body for it.
It gives you an opportunity to bask in the beauty of nature. I couldn’t stop thanking God for creating such amazing scenery in the middle of surfing. The feeling of just standing on your board and riding the waves while looking at God’s masterpiece is priceless. One of our most memorable experience was when a beautiful rainbow appeared in the midst of the sparkling sunlight above the crystal clear water with reefs and fish below.
It requires character. Again, like everything in life, character is important. Surfing requires a lot of disciple, most surfers wake up before dawn to train and to be able to catch good waves. Paddling to a spot where you wait for the waves takes effort. Waiting for a wave to catch requires patience. Perseverance is needed for you to get back up whenever you fall. It also requires confidence as you would need to take risks and go with your instincts.
Having said that, it would be a great experience to try surfing. There are a lot of local surf spots that you can check out. I guarantee you, you’ll be hooked!
