SURFING!!!

The ocean was relatively calm today. It gave me the chance to paddle out from the shore further than I usually would. (sometimes the on coming waves and wind are so strong I could be paddling on the spot for 15 mins, and would still be so near the shore, it's embarrassing.) Being further out in the ocean was pretty cool. The ocean felt so big and vast. I could see flocks of pelicans diving in and out of the water. I would have paddled towards them, but I thought... I had a wave to catch ;p Too bad I can never be able to take a picture of that sight.

While the ocean calmer today, there would be intermittent series of little waves (as a teaser) and then an occasional big wave. For a beginner like me, there were 2 possible outcomes of experiencing such a wave.

1. NOSE DIVE - I do catch the wave beneath my board and I would be elevated with the height of the wave. However, by the time the wave breaks, the distance between my board and the surface of the water would be large enough to cause my board to drop head-down and get tossed into the water, with me tumbling right after it (think washing machine :p)

2. BIG MISS - I would still be paddling out to the ocean and then the big wave would come. I would be caught off guard, and even if I saw it coming, I would be defenseless against that formidable force and get washed back to shore. All my time and effort attempting to paddle out into the open would then be wasted.

Still, I did catch a few decent rides :) I rented a shorter foam board today and did not really have the control to actually stand up, but I was balancing a bit on the board in the knelt down position. It is such an exhilarating feeling when the wave propels your board forward and you feel that stability in your board for you to be in a position other than lying flat on your tummy. Makes me happy :)

anyway... like I said I haven't been taking photos. But I did find some photos my surfing classmate took for us. :) from April. Thank you Y. :D because I don't look very good in most of the ones with the board, I 'give you' a photo of a surf board similar to what I used, along with my 2 instructors :p

And this is one of my and Y. with our hair in a mess after surfing. man... I have lately tried to tie my hair in a manner such that my hair does not get in my view when I catch a wave. It never works. :( My hair still gets messed up so much and the worse thing is that my hair bands come loose and get lost in the ocean. I have lost so many of my hair bands that I only have one left for daily use. Something to add to my list of things to replenish. sigh...