I water skied ten years and the feeling was always the same the first run of the season. We awake muscles that we seldom use. After three days surfing those same muscles are burning. No real pain but absolute fatigue. Not me but parts of me.
So after three days I will take a break. When I watch other people surf I can see what they are doing. There really isn't so much to do. The green waves don't catch you. It is gravity that propels you. The white waves they catch you and take them with you.
You can be the hunter or the hunted. I see many hunters around. I am content now to be hunted. I find my place and wait for the waves. As each one comes I decide yes or no. The hunters the seek the waves. Maybe one day, but my soft top is heavy and buoyant at the same time. When I catch the wave it feels like standing on a pier.
I fight the ocean too much. I fight out and I fight back. I am constantly trying to do something. I am reminded that in the ocean I am prey. Something bit my foot today on the top. Not quite sure what it was, but I have this feeling. It seemed to be a crab's claw. As it closed on my foot I got a mental image of what was biting me. I have been bit by humans in my life, i have three sister, always 3 against 1. I got those same mental pictures. I have never been bitten by a crab before, but on the plus side no stinger.
Not sure what all might like to take a bite out of me in the ocean, but I am here on the internet and honestly don't really want to know. It is a long list to be sure. So your a surfer you can be the hunter, but you are still prey.
I feel I am making progress letting the board and the ocean work. No one wins fight the ocean. I have my emergency escape so well named. Intuition does not help on the board. To me it is like a big ski. The rails are just so nice to grab, but you lose all control. Trim turn one way fine, back the other and you lose control. The trim turn puts a rail down, back the other way both rails down nothing good will happen.
You have to trim and carve. Shift your weight those soft tops are heavy. I am getting there. I can see now what all the surfers are doing which is probably the biggest sense of accomplishment. I know what they are trying to do. Today I saw this amazing surfer really incredible, but i know something more. Time and again she tried to catch a green wave and she forgot those last three powerful paddles The words of my instructor resound in my mind, I want to yell to her.
Sergio, my instructor, good times, i can remember everything he said. My favorite was it is like driving a Ferrari, little adjustments make big differences. Something perhaps like my old MG. Some times it took the corners itself. That feeling is what I am hunting as I am hunted on the board. Good energy Sergio who was married five days ago after knowing his wife 4 months. Between waves there is plenty to talk about.
It is a fifteen walk from the surf shop to the beach. Sergio has carried the soft top 5 out of 6 earning every cent of a gratuity and wedding present. Not that I can't do, but he didn't have to ask twice. Those soft tops are heavy.
Now when they said we were going to walk through the crocodile swamp I actually thought they were joking. One year a guest stepped on a small croc and got a bit out of his calf. No joke, there are bridges built for the rainy season which just started. The night I arrived it rained the first time since October. A storm moving in tomorrow another reason to take a break, but even the nicest day I would be resting.
Two more lessons, each one learned so much I wonder if there is much left. I will be in a new place Monday, but the surf school has a location there and a shuttle to come back here for two more lessons. The new place some say here too many hippies. Well maybe I will find some vegan food.
Mexico first impression is everybody hustling. The airport was hell until I realized all airports are hell. If someone came to Cleveland and wanted a ride to the hotel someone was going to pay a bunch of money. Well I thought if this is the worst part of the trip I will give someone a blessing. Nice young kid ended up driving me very fast and very well, the best taxi drivers in Mexico heading for their next fare.
People love their meat here. Couple restaurants I could fins only guacamole to eat. Bit intimidating because they give you so many thing to eat with it, Not sure what everything is for xD. But I found some humus with vegetables today. You might that would be veggies to dip. Nope some nice big veggies on top and tortillas and bread. Some yummy jar of something. There was a truly sublime pepper in there I kind of wish were more. Biggest number was eggplant, seems we were half way to half way to baba ganoush.
So a weekend of rest ahead. I don't remember when I last needed this type of rest. Perhaps last time I went water skiing first time in the season. One other thing I am not from here. I see why cold blooded is such a good strategy here. My body is adjusting. At times however sweat is just running off my head like a faucet. On the plus side not up as much at night with so many fluids passing in alternative routes. I brought two things in case there was a cold nigh, won't need them, live learn.
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