It has been a year, almost to the day, since I began my surfing journey. I make no claim that I have mastered the skill. Certainly, I have hardly taken the first firm step on this wonderful adventure. I have some more time to live in the paradise of Oahu and new adventures to enjoy…
We got a rare strong south swell in Ewa last week, and I am blessed with a very cool pastor who wanted to head out and surf it with me. How he would tell this story might be somewhat different, but for me it was dreadfully discouraging – a white water nightmare and total failure…
I started my surfing journey with a guy I knew from work. We weren’t all that close to start, but we had just met, and we both wanted to learn. He loaned me a board and we walked barefoot from the cars parked in an old hotel in Waikiki to the beach there to hop…
As many of my surfing stories start, it was dark as I loaded my board into my car. Dark because to reach the waves at sunrise, I must be prepared in the dark. There is likely a principle in that as well, but I will skip it for now. I reached one of my favorite…
You have to lean a lot harder than you think to turn a surfboard, and in different ways. The more extreme the turn, the more extreme the lean and instability you are going to create. The amount of lean, direction, and placement will change from surfboard to surfboard, and from wave to wave. Keeping balance…
It was a stunning north shore morning. The waves were coming through in clean, predictable sets, powerful and brilliant. Looking down on Haleiwa from the road as I drove to my spot, I was getting excited even in the falselight of a barely risen sun. Despite it being Hawaii, the air was cool and…
Every muscle in my body ached, my head was splitting. My foot was healing from multiple cuts, from my own fins, and from coral and sea urchin barbs. Pain was a fundamental part of my existence. I breathed shallowly so as not to agitate my dislocated rib and send spidering liquid fire through my spine….
When you paint yourself head to toe in shiny silver metallic paint, put a swim cap on your head, some shades, board shorts, and a Hawaiian shirt, people tend to stare. While this isn’t technically about surfing, it is about being a surfer. I had the opportunity to attend San Diego Comic Con this weekend…
It was a beautiful new year morning on the North Shore. I got to the beach early, hoping to start this new year at sunrise with the waves. I had my longboard ready and paddled out from Pua’ena Point into the break. It was a beautiful day of smooth waves, though nothing huge. I made…
Arch your back in a banana shape, paddle smoothly, straight forward. Hold your hands just so. Don’t rock side to side. Use your body weight. Position correctly on the board, not too far forward or back. Paddle, paddle, paddle. See the wave, turn, paddle, paddle, paddle. Catch the wave, paddle, paddle, stand. Ride for some…
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