And is it possible to ever break through and
become… a good surfer? If so, how?
Many years ago, the pioneering pro surfer Mark
Warren admitted that he was “a kook forever.” He wasn’t
even close to being a kook, at least beyond his teenage years,
but his admission revealed the fear that stalks us all.
I know it and it tears me in two.
Despite everything, despite years of pouring blood and tears
into the game, despite the best surfboards, front-row seats to the
best surfing and endless counsel I have never been able to progress
beyond “intermediate” surfer.
I can fake it a little.
I know how to make a photo work. Arms in the air, twisting of
torso etc. But I ain’t no better than “intermediate.”
The truth is, unless you hit contests early, or grew up by the
beach, you never developed the muscle memory that shows in the
good, instinctive surfer.
A kick in the head? Yeah it is.
The whole you’ll-never-be-better-than-an-intermediate-surfer
theory comes from Chas Smith and David Lee Scales’ podcast series
on Surf Splendor’s The Weekly Grit, and which was
posted here under the headline “I’m Having An Existential
Crisis!”
I didn’t listen to the damn thing until yesterday and my blood
ran cold. Chas spoke about a depression that came from the futility
of persisting with a sport he’ll never get any better at.
Should a man continue to waste his time operating at such an
emotionally ruinous level?
Then came the question, Is it better to look good on a wave or
feel good on a wave?
Who even needs to think about such a thing? Of course, you want
to look good. Feeling good, while looking horrible, is a night
terror.
Questions: Do you agree with the hypothesis? Are
we, as average men, doomed to be “intermediates” forever?
And what range of “intermediate” surfers are there? Low-level
intermediate, good-intermediate, advanced-intermediate, and what
separates us?
I think,
Low-level: can paddle into a wave, race along, do a
cutback, maybe stay on his board during a floater and a close-out
re-entry.
Good: The above, with the added bonus of frontside
tubes, floaters made, with the occasional lip hit.
Advanced: The above, but has landed a few airs, ridden
out of a reverse, can backside tube ride.
And tell me: is it possible to ever break through and
become… good?
If so, how?
