I just typed up this comment on Third Coast Surf Shop's blog this morning and wanted to share it with the SAMA community. This time of year can be hard on surfers around here, it's hot and waveless often. The warm weather urges us to the beach and we seem to find all too often waveless beaches. It can be enough to make even the most optimistic of lake surfers want to sell the house and pack up for a life on the east or west coast where surf is more prevalent.
Here is Ryan's post, titled "Rainy Day."
Sometimes I think about moving to the ocean so I can surf every day. How realistic that is, or likely, I'm not sure...but I think about it. I was born in South Bend, Indiana, but could have just as easily been born in California. How would things have been different?
I learned how to surf on Lake Michigan and I am still surfing with the guys who taught me 12 years later. I now own a surf shop. I get to talk and think about surfing every day, but I don't get to surf every day. I am a surfer living in what most believe to be a surfless place.
My wife and I could sell all of our stuff and move to the small lot we have on the ocean. On another continent. I would be able to surf every day. But what would I be leaving behind?
Those things keep me here - including the surf. I may not get to surf every day, but when I do, it is often special. We travel to other places to surf, stay connected via friends and connections on the coasts, and surf our brains out when there are waves.
But I do think about it, especially when in the midst of a two week flat spell. Not surfing for two weeks can be hard...but, maybe the "grass is always greener"?
For now, we'll watch the maps and models for the next blip of swell, and hope that it happens. When it does, it can make waiting two weeks totally worth it. And suddenly, thoughts of moving to the coast to surf every day wash away with that last wave.
Shoot...we need waves.
Here was my comment:
I just returned from a month long surf and kite trip on the Pacific Northwest Coast. I surfed as much as possible. I discovered great waves, and new friends. I also found something I knew was there all along. My love for the lakes, no matter how much I get sick of the fickle wind swell got stronger. Sounds weird, but I realized again that we have such diversity in our coasts, warm beaches, rugged cold coast lines, you just have to be willing to travel a little bit, but the journey is part of the experience that makes is so special. And I firmly believe that once you have been a part of this surf community it never leaves you. You are drawn back to the quality experience of surfing fun waves in a sharkless ocean with old and new friends. Not saying I don't love a trip to a wave washed coast during the doldrums of summer or iced up season of winter, but every time I go I am even more thankful for my home. Sure we would all be better surfers if we lived somewhere else and got to surf more often, but I will argue that our love surfing might diminish a bit. I could go on and on about how special our waves are but in reality, they are just waves and that is what keeps us here. That experience of surfing at home, and as we all know there's no place like home Dorthy. See all you hogs in freshies soon. Ryan's photo sums it up.
