I Can Haz Surfbored?

Yesterday, after two weeks out of the water, I left whiny voice mail messages on Tracy’s phone, and just called Nancy about three times, without leaving a message.  (I figured that she would be able to tell what I wanted–to know if she could predict the future enough to know if I could go out for a lesson today.  She called me back about two minutes after my last call.)  While out of town for family issues, and waiting out Hurricane Bill, I’ve been reading surf books–reviews to come soon!–and I had the itch, BAD, to get out in the water.

The TEENSY little problem was that Hurricane Bill had been churning offshore for two days, and the waves were “double-overhead,” or approximately 10-12 feet tall.  NOT so great for a beginner.  My husband and I went out to watch the surfers on Saturday night.

I don’t know if you can tell from the above picture, but the waves were LARGE.  Nancy called and said I could probably have a lesson at nine the next morning.  I said I hoped things calmed down by then.

I thought the surfers lined up on the beach looked like seagulls, all standing in the same direction, their boards like wings, facing into the wind, sizing up the situation.

The Chicks of Chicks on Sticks

I went out this morning to watch Nancy and Tracy surf.  They were out in the big waves, ripping it up!

Tracy surfing

Nancy Surfing

Nancy's board has a mind of its own

It was great to stand on the shore, watching them, trying to figure out when the “magic moment” of standing up is.

A Marvelous Day for a Beginner Lesson

My friend Susan’s mom Loretta has been looking forward to a surfing lesson for several weeks.  She was crushed when we couldn’t go out on Friday morning.  By this morning, things had calmed down enough to try it.  Loretta is a YOGA INSTRUCTOR, so she is awfully strong and fearless!

Molly, another student, went out with Loretta, Tracy, Nancy and me.  Molly was standing up and looking great!  It was too bad that today there were hurricane swells, because she was ready to paddle out to the lineup.  Additionally, she’s moving to Colorado, so she really wanted out.  However, the Chicks are VERY safety conscious, so we stayed on the inside and rode the whitewater, practicing our popups, or, in my case, kneeups.

Nancy (left) teaching Loretta how to pop up and stand on the board

Loretta looking good during her first lesson!

But I Want my OWN Board

Tracy told me that she was going to allow me to BREAK HER CARDINAL RULE OF SURFING by going to my knees first and then putting a foot up.  She wants me to stand up.  Well, so do I, and that sounded good.  However, I enjoy riding the waves however I can, so I have been unconcerned with my progress.   Tracy followed her demonstration of my new approach by saying “BUT if you are still going to your knees in six months, I’m going to have to BREAK YOUR KNEECAPS.”  Sweet, no?  I said I would do my very best not to make it a habit.

For my lesson today, I tried her husband’s new board.  (THANK YOU TRACY’S HUSBAND!)  He had only had it for a week, so that was MIGHTY generous of him.  The goal of this was to see if I liked the board and wanted to buy one for myself.  After five minutes in the water, I LOVED the board and started asking “Should I get myself one?”  “When can I get one?”  “I really want my own!!!” like a really annoying two year old.  I wore them down, and Tracy and I stopped at the surf shop after the lesson.

I CAN Haz Surfboard

Ta-Da:  Behold “Fatboard” (as I’ve named it), a 9’4″ fiberglass longboard that is my very own.

FATBOARD, my new surfboard!

Tracy says it is “floaty” because it has a thick middle.  (As do I, and I do float well.)  I think it is wonderful.  I got some bubblegum wax and have been waxing the crap out of the deck.  I can’t wait to take it for its maiden voyage!  If you see a lone surfer covered in Bubblegum wax,  paddling in Banks Channel, it might be me, practicing my technique and getting stronger.  There’s no turning back now. . . only more waves to catch.

P.S. In case you did not get the title reference, and you like cats, check out the real Cheeseburger website here:  I Can Has Cheezeburger?

———-

Katie Elzer-Peters is a freelance writer living in Wilmington, NC. Her writing and PR business, The Garden of Words, L.L.C. serves clients all over the world. She’s learning to surf this summer, and blogging about her experiences for Chicks on Sticks.