Surf and the ageing process

Getting older really sucks sometimes. I noticed this so clearly this holiday. the first REAL holiday I've had in 6 yeaqrs. After grovelling in bushibans and taking ignorant Chinese parents' money I finally have a real job where I actually have to teach. Properly.

The upside of this is (apart from professional fulfilment, vastly improved job satisfaction and better pay)is that I get two months holiday over June July. This is heaven on a stick for a Saffa surfer. It gets better, they pay to fly me home AND pay me when I'm on holiday too. Not bad.

Relishing the prospect of waves I got fit for it by swimming as much as I could in the school pool.1km a day and then some with fartlek sessions (yes, that is the name for fast / slow swimming) Hah. As I type this I am writhing on the floor in derisive fits of laughter at myself. First session, after 10 minutes I was completely shagged. I had great time though. Surfing is like riding a bicycle they say. I don't know who 'they' are but it is nothing like riding a bicycle at all, so they are full of shit imho.

The really scary thing was how much faster all those younger ou's are. I don't stand a chance, they would motor past me as I was wheezing up the point, stopping every 30 meteres to catch my breath. One wave to their five.

Getting up on my feet was really hard too. After a year in a desert, my reflexes are not as honed as I would like. It took me a week before I was surfing properly again.Even then the pain was gratifyingly intense. Some mornings I was so stiff I could hardly pull my wettie on. But I did. Got dawnies in every day there was surf and got some classic waves all to myself.

The point? Surfing is still as much stoke for me now as when I started. I love doing it and will never stop unless i am simply too old. I will definitely get a LOT fitter before I venture into the water again though.

Seals is still the mellowsoc porsie of note. Smiles and laughter in the water. Supers has just been crucified by big business and crowds. Inevitable but sad. I doubt I will ever surf that wave again, simply not fit enough or hungry enough.