Diary of a Learner
By Kylie McCorquodale (Central Coast surfing mums)
16th March 2007
Oh my god, that was excellent! I always joke with hubby John that I am going surfing while HE runs around on the beach with the kids waiting for me to come in, so today I DID IT! The initial sting of chilly water on sun-warmed skin is immediately disseminated when I dive over the white wash and start paddling John’s 6’2” Aloha out the back. Of course, there is a massive sandbank at Shelly’s (local break), so I am paddling in thigh high water, and there isn’t really an ‘out the back’, as there is no real swell (probably another reason John was so happy to sacrifice his surfing time to look after the kids!). So I turn around and wait for the white water, get taken with the flow and stand up instantly. I am so stoked, sure I look a bit stupid waving my arms around in excitement, with John and the kids sharing my enthusiasm clapping and jumping around, although John is wincing at the sight of his fins being ridden into the sand. The next hour was so much fun, just continually repeating this first glory and I vow that I am going to learn to surf properly.
17th March 2007
We are heading off the Port Macquarie for a ‘family’ holiday where we intend to do all family stuff together, so John has decided not to take his board in case the waves are awesome and he spends the majority of each day out surfing. So, he is very surprised when I beg him to take the board, so that I can continue learning. It turns out to be a bit of a blower; there was no surf anywhere in Port, not even some white water for me to have some fun in. The one day that there was a little swell, it was stormy, messy and dangerous, so I didn’t want to risk my new- found confidence.
21st March 2007
Port Macquarie was lovely, we all had a great time relaxing and doing little family outings, although the trip up and the first day there was horrific for me, as I was travelling with my first surfing injury! I think I must have scratched my eyeball with some sand while surfing on the day prior to leaving, as that afternoon I had shockingly sore eyes, even more so the next day. It was either that, or the sun exposure to my bung eye (long story, laser surgery gone wrong) that caused it. So today when I went out surfing I wore a surf hat that I had purchased to protect John’s baldy head. The hat performed well, it is a bucket style number with wetsuit fabric for the straps under the chin, very distinctive and very cool. Ok, Ok, so that’s what I tell myself, but I am not doing this for image I am doing it because I am truly enjoying the experience, and I love learning new skills, and I can go out with John, and we can do that surf holiday to Bali and Brazil, and the kids can learn, and I can cross it off the ‘list’ (the things to do before I die list), and…the reasons go on. The actual surfing today was more of the same, although the whitewash was not very powerful, so I stood with the board beside me and thrust my body onto the board at the appropriate time.
March 2007
For the next two weeks I tried to get out nearly every day. I was usually only out for about 30 minutes because I was so stuffed I had to come back in. I have really got the hang of standing up in the whitewash and John keeps suggesting that I should try to paddle out further and catch a wave when it is green. I attempt this and become really frustrated. Out of the all the times I tried, I think I only caught two waves that were slightly close to green. It was so exciting, that instant where the power of the wave takes over, so I go to stand up and fall straight off. What’s wrong? I know how to stand up, why can’t I do it when I actually catch a real wave??? I come back in and John establishes a set of sign language to help when I go out next. The main ones consist of “paddle hard”, “hold on, before standing up” and “move left/right”.
I decide to try my father-in-laws 7’ soft board, to see if this aids in my paddling and balance. I use it in the last few days of the month and love it. It is so much easier to paddle (although, I guess the catch is that I get washed back a fair bit if the waves are bigger than a ripple), but I feel more confident and stable. All is not smooth sailing though. It takes me forever to get out the back and then every time I paddle for a wave, it still passes perfectly underneath me, so I revert back to catching the whitewash. But now, something is different I am not satisfied with this, I want to feel that point when the wave picks me up, with one more strong paddle I would be on my way. I know I can do it.
April 2007
With Easter and lots of social engagements, this month saw very little progression in my surfing. I got out about twice a week, but it was just quickies. Getting in, getting wet, jumping up, all achieved in the frothy white stuff. Fun, but not fulfilling! (Sounds sexy though)
28th April 2007
Took Mum to the Beach today for a muck about surf. I think we have another surfing-mum convert. We took out the soft board just on the edge of the flags. There were no real waves for surfing, but mum took the board out and gave it her best shot. She had an absolute ball, and couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. Her vow is that she will continue to have a go, but will probably wait until next summer when the weather is warmer. We laughed constantly at both the experience and each other. I let her hog the board because she doesn’t live near the beach, nor does she get here very often, but the whole time I kept thinking, I want a go. I think I am becoming passionate about surfing, not just the process of learning.
7th May 2007
I went to the first surfing mums meeting today. I was really excited and have been inspired by Rachel (the organiser) to get out and have a go with the girls. Rachel is very positive and encouraging, so makes me feel instantly at ease. Unfortunately, Avoca was like a lake today so no surf, but I was kind of glad to get to meet everyone and see how I feel about leaving the kids with them while I go out surfing.
14th May 2007
I met a group of Rachel’s surf buddies today. They all have kids the same age as Hayden (my son, 14 months) so it is nice for him to have some friends to play with. Jasmine (my daughter) is the oldest of the group at 3.5years; while she is very good with the younger kids she does demand some adult company and attention. This concerns me a little, I don’t want to bother the other mums that have the younger kids. However, everyone seemed fine with her and her with them. It was really fun to get out in the water with some other girls; especially people more experienced then me. It makes a huge difference having someone there to indicate where to sit, when to paddle and what waves to catch. The waves seemed really difficult for me to catch, while others seemed to have a few strokes and they were up and away. After groaning and sighing with exasperation from dropping off the back of each wave I tried to catch, an old guy offered me some advice. He suggested I reduce my drag by putting my legs along the board (as opposed to hanging my feet off the sides-which I didn’t even realise I did until he pointed it out) and putting my chin down closer to the board when paddling (as opposed to my chest sticking up like a proud bird displaying its readiness for mating). It definitely helped. It is funny that you don’t realise what you are doing wrong until someone actually highlights it for you.
19th May 2007
We had our first communal family surfing day today, with Rachel (Central Coast surfing mum) her hubby Pete and their son Jacob. John is so pleased, this is one of his dreams that we all get out surfing together. I must admit, we look like one of those catalogue families where everyone is enjoying the experience, although it means something different for us all. Rachel and I headed out in nice shapely 3-foot waves, while the hubby’s and kids cheer from the beach. This was the biggest surf I had tackled so far and was confident, albeit having difficulties getting out the back. So I cut my losses and decided to go for the re-formers and had just as much fun standing up in the broken waves. The four of us swapped in and out like tag-team wrestlers, each time going out with a renewed vigour. The pristine day was the icing on the cake, perfect conditions for family and surfing. On reflecting the days surfing John suggested that I look like I am flailing in the water when I paddle. I felt really offended by this, because I try really hard, but as noted I don’t seem to get anywhere. When I actually got over myself (this took about 17seconds) we examined why I looked like a penguin covered in oil. I realised my arms were out really wide and it was pretty much only my hands that were paddling. So from now on, I will aim to keep my arms close to the board and strive for strong, deep strokes.
28th May 2007
I did the slackest motherly thing today! It was about 3pm on a Monday afternoon and I was pottering around the house thinking I had something that I needed to do. Because I couldn’t really put my finger on it, I called Rachel to see if she was keen for an arvo surf. A few girls headed to the beach, had a fantastic time for about an hour swapping in and out of the surf, with the kids playing harmoniously on the beach the whole time. Then as I strolled from the beach, entirely contented with my fulfilling afternoon, it hit me, like a massive dumper. It was my 3-year-old daughters dance lessons that I had completely forgotten about. I felt so guilty, I had forgone my daughters’ pleasure for my own, even though it wasn’t a deliberate choice, I was obviously preoccupied with getting out for a surf. How bad a mum am I?!? (As it turned out, she prefers the beach to dancing!)
4th June 2007
Another surf- desolate surfing mums meeting at Avoca with the placid conditions being great for a snorkel, but no signs of swell.
First 2 weeks of June 2007
Massive storms reap havoc on the coast. There is heaps of flooding; no electricity at home for 3 days and the swell is freakily enormous. Shelly’s has been gutted like the catch of the day. The massive sandbank that has been there all summer, now lies all across the car park and piled 2feet thick. John is excited for the swell to drop off and the messy waves to calm down. Previously I would have been intrigued by the change in the beach landscape but not that fussed by the consequences for the surf. This time, I share John’s excitement; I can’t wait to have a whole new break!
Last 2 weeks of June 2007
I worked teaching High School Science for the last 2 weeks of term. It was great to have that work experience, to remember that I am a person with skills, other than ‘just a mother’. I love being a mum and wouldn’t want to work too much of the time, guess I am one of the lucky ones that have the luxury to choose and enjoy the lifestyle I share with my kids. The one big thing I missed was surfing! By the time I got home from school, played with the kids, thought about dinner, it was too dark to even contemplate a surf. This made the weekends very precious, but unfortunately had been booked out with social events long prior to the arrangement of work. Again, frustration at not getting out for a surf. One selfish, evil thought on my part was that I was glad that it had poured with rain for most of the 2 weeks, with swell too big for me anyway.
2nd July 2007
Yeah, a successful surfing mums meeting at Avoca. We gave the corner a miss and headed for the Shark tower, where there were some meagre, inconsistent 1foot rollers for us to have some fun with. I have discovered that rips and channels are a great spot to paddle out. It is funny, how the dangerous part of the beach can actually be the most beneficial for a surfer (listen to me…calling myself a surfer!)
13th July 2007
It was an absolutely gorgeous winter day, the kids were rugged up and ready to play and we met friends Rachel and Pete (and Jacob) for a bit of family surf day. It was very gentle 1-foot waves rolling into Toowoon Bay. I went out very keen to catch waves properly (ie. when they are green) as I had seen Rachel have some awesome long rides. I wasn’t having much success at the first place I sat, where John had suggested it was good for me. I had caught a couple of broken waves, but wasn’t at all satisfied so I moved around a bit and asked a dad teaching his 10year old daughter (who was much more skilful) for some advice. He instructed me to follow him and then told me what waves to catch. This was great, I was very grateful that he let me catch a couple of waves (and he certainly did let them go for me). May good surf Karma come to him! Unfortunately for me, he and his daughter were like little whippets, they darted here and there to catch lots of little waves, and my fatigue had started to ambush my arms and my attitude. I still wasn’t fulfilled; people all around me were catching waves really easily, what was wrong with me? I decided to go in and reassess my efforts asking John some advice. He kindly offered to come out with me, even though the conditions didn’t really excite him (he is a short board, manoeuvre man). We went out to the spot he had first suggested and he started to explain the “use of landmarks to find a good spot and stick around that area” and then… he didn’t finish that “you also then had to follow the point where the wave is just starting to break and paddle over to that spot”, because he had taken off on a nice little ride himself. Well, for a girl that was ‘at that time of month’ and very frustrated with my surfing development, that was not the right thing to do! I had the biggest sook, telling him he was a bad teacher…expletive, expletive, and that his advice sucked…expletive, expletive, that he didn’t care about me improving…expletive, expletive, he was just selfish taking the beginner waves that should have been for me…tears. I cleared the tears, stomped back in to hear excited Rachel exclaiming, “that was awesome, you had some great little waves!” I explained that I just had the most humongous tanty at John and promptly apologized to my wonderful, still dumbfounded, hubby.
22nd July 2007
John and I have a kid-free weekend, a very rare event for us! (Good luck Grammy and Pop). So even though it was 13 degrees C, it was great to get out for a surf together. Shelly’s had some nice fat 3-4 foot waves, great for the longer boards. I had great difficulty getting out, constantly being washed back further than what I had gained, but I never once thought I wouldn’t eventually make it out, until John said “you’re never gonna get out in this”- thanks for the vote of confidence! So, I went back in, took another look from the beach and chose a different spot to paddle out, waited for the set to pass and ran in and started paddling for my life. After getting past the third lot of white water I had 10m to go until I was out the back. John was very encouraging (and quite surprised) that I had made it and kept wanting me to talk. I could barely get enough air to fill my lungs let alone respond with words. I was elated just to make it out the back, but even more ecstatic that I caught about 4 or 5 GREEN waves!!! Even though I had difficulty actually riding the waves (either fell straight off, or wobbled a fair bit before getting up completely and then the wave sort of died out). Having John there to instruct me where to sit and what waves to go for was definitely a major component of my success today. I feel like I have most of the necessary physical skills to become a competent surfer, it is just a matter of putting it all together for that one magical wave. I believe that the most difficult part of surfing is all in the timing. John keeps insisting that this comes with experience, but I want it NOW! Guess it just means that if I keep braving these icy winter conditions that I will benefit over summer.
24th July 2007
I was very keen to get out today, especially as I was still feeling the buzz from Sunday. The waves had dramatically dropped off and they were inconsistent, but who cares, I was happy to get out and try the ‘Sick Puppy’ 7’2” mini mal that John said was for him, but we both know it was an excuse to get me onto a real board. The board is great; it has the buoyancy of the soft board and seems easier to paddle. Either that, or I am actually starting to get a little bit of match fitness, who knows, soon I might have those sexy cut surfer-girl arms! I had a fantastic surf today, it is like something has clicked. I am starting to read the wave (despite the inconsistency), I am paddling with a little more purpose and most importantly I am not looking over my shoulder. I think that there is a big advantage in making the decision to go for the wave, turning and paddling my butt off, without distracting my conviction by looking back at the approaching wave. By focusing on paddling and moving forward I tend to catch more waves in the green zone, although I still get munched, I am getting the biggest thrill from the feeling of the wave picking me up. Guess I am doing enough flirting to get a decent pick-up!
And the wave of learning continues…
