I Prefer To Surf Alone

Surfing alone. Dangerous, maybe. Lonely, no. Engaged, yes!!!

I know the thing to do is call all of your buddies and pick a time and place to meet in the parking lot of the local surf break and all paddle out together. There you can tell stories of the sick turn you just pulled or the declare how you are gonna try for airs today. You can hoot and holler when a big set shows on the horizon or howl at your friend as he drops in on a gnarly left. What better way to spend your day than with friends in the water! Maybe you can even talk about work.

I guess I’m a lone wolf because all of this seems disturbing to me. I don’t want to paddle out with a group of people. When I am out in the lineup and I see 8 dudes walk down to the beach together I want to throw up in my mouth. Great, now it just got crowded is all I can ponder. This is even more disturbing when you travel and disrespect the local lineup with these antics.

Next, I like the silence of being in the ocean. I hear people talk all day, including myself. I like the sound of waves and moving water, maybe a little wind mixed in as well. Then comes the real killer for me. You are trying to pretend you care what the person next to you is talking about, maybe you do. Then a wave comes and you are out of position or you feel it would be rude to paddle away mid-story to catch this gem of a wave. So you miss it and continue to listen about how many beers your bro drank last night. YAY!

So for me, I surf alone. I am always in the right position because I am in tune with the ocean and not floating around talking shop. I am engaged with the waves, as I have no distractions and stay fully concentrated on my next move. I have more fun, as I am there to surf and that is what I am doing. You may see me out there. I’ll give a friendly wave if we lock eyes, but if you try to start conversation, I will kindly catch a wave and paddle out down the beach a bit.

If things go bad out there all alone, that is something I will have to deal with alone. One thing is for certain, I will have maximized my wave count and escaped the real world for a bit. I will definitely be much more welcomed by the locals when I am traveling and paddle out alone, I’ll just be sure to give a few extra hellos to the crew.