Transformed lives.
Quit-Lit has been my favorite recent development at BeachGrit. Who knew that hidden in the seams of surf journalism’s simple tunic was a whole sub-genre filled with passion, insight, truth and black depression? Longtom, Matt Warshaw, JP Currie and a host of fantastic comments have all contributed to this richest vein of literature but while we wrestle with when to stop surfing, a group of super adult-learners are opening mocking our weakness and let us turn to France’s Riviera Radio for more:
Surfing for the elderly – Several women at a retirement home in Saint Malo northwestern France have taken part in “surf therapy” sessions. The method according to the home’s management is transforming the lives of many elderly people who say they no longer “feel their aches and pains as they are focusing on something else” and it’s also an activity which, for many has “brought them closer to their grandchildren as they now have something in common”. While participants ride real waves, they are not required to stand on the board but lie on it.
Do you feel bad? Like a little piggy at the trough turning up your snout and morsels that others would find incredibly delicious?
Well you should.
Especially you, Matt Warshaw.
Also, maybe the secret, at the end, is embracing the boogie.
Have you ever embraced the boogie?
I’d hit that… I mean ride that board. The young quitters ought not mock their elders….. Not sure why but it sounds right. Apparently this story was embellished a bit and the truth isn’t as awesome but these are post-truth times anyways…..
https://www.thrillist.com/n…
I think people like the idea of quitting surfing because they couldn’t be bothered with the hassles.
The older you get the less tolerant you become of the fuckwits in a crowded lineup
Life’s too short to put all your eggs in one basket so to speak, especially if your sacrificing time with family
If you can get a few with no one around that never gets old but sometimes you gotta learn to walk away if you roll up to surf and it’s a fucken shit show
That photo turns me on. No, not the elderly vixen, but the narrow blue lap on the board with that lovely nose shape and rocker – a ringer for the 7’2 Steve Rex Hanalei Special that might’ve been my fave board evah. Alas, lost in a sea cave on the Na Pali during an ill-advised strike to Hanakapiai on a rising west. Ah, the reminisces of young lust.
Once you really understand and internalize the idea that no one outside of yourself gives a single solitary fuck about your ability it gets pretty easy to just do what you want. All the fretting and hand wringing about quitting or not, how can I show my face now that my ability is declining, I’m too old etc is pretty weak. In the last month I had one surf friend fall to a massive stroke that then left him a drooling husk in a bed for two weeks before he was mercifully unplugged. Another surf friend is starting heavy chemo and has had major reconstructive surgery to fix the stuff around the tumor that was cut out. The first guy is done surfing obviously, the second is living for the day he can just get in the ocean again in any capacity. We just get old, break down and die eventually.
I live in a place with many surfing orthodontists and general fifty ear old trust funders/”luck of the draw” family money people who are above average in ability and lifetime surfers and are also insufferable cunts in conversation. Totally self-serious and unenviable people, can’t take banter without getting rankled. I’m fine with my declining surfing abilities and a bit of graceful aging.
Quit or don’t. Just don’t be a pussy about it. Life is short.
https://youtu.be/U4Hz2pg4sdU
This scene inspired me to throw all caution to the wind for over 20 years ….
Today at Ocean Beach I tried to convince the elderly VAL SUP’er in the Gath helmet who posted up right outside of me to hang it up. Or else bring me a helmet as well for protection from him. They guy ate shit on 110% of his waves.
I’m with Abe!
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Can’t blame it on the sunshine,
Can’t blame it on the moonlight,
Can’t blame it on the good times.
I live an hour away from the surf, so I only go on the bigger days in order to try and not get skunked.
Was out on the biggest day of the year on a soft mal wave ( because I’m soft and ride a mal sometimes)
Was a guy on a SUP that had to be at least in his 70’s getting rag dolled, and popping right back up for more.
He was definitely experienced, but I wondered if his kids knew where he was.
I’m sure anybody who knew him would be in awe of what he was doing if they had seen it.
Would expect to see him at the lawn balls for sure.
I hope his kids would prefer him to die surfing then have him hooked up to life sustaining / agony prolonging equipment just before he shuffles off this mortal coil ….to sleep perchance to dream ?
For sure.
Not mention they could move into the house he bought in Mornington 50 years ago for loose change.
I have a European VAL girlfriend who hosts Surf Therapy lessons.
At times as a Grumpy old local it feels like my personal purgatory but being beaten with the shame stick for quitting such a mentally, physically and dare I say it spirituality beneficial activity does stop me from quitting altogether.
You’re not going to start chanting or anything, are you?
It’s moved on from chanting silly, just surrendering and feeling the pulses of the Ocean is enough.
Good for you NEGATRON! Do you think you’ll be penning “The NZ Surfing Plumber’s Guide to the Galaxy” anytime soon ?
Derek’s age question the other day can be filed with the quitting library that is building.
The real deal is hunger. If you can keep weight off and limit injuries, practice yin yoga to restore connective tissues and maintain range of movement, the only real threat to enjoying surfing at age is hunger.
JP and Warshaw are not hungry anymore. Simple as that.
At 50, I began to chase perfection and accept nothing less and that was very destructive. I figured quality over quantity was the fountain of youth. Of course that is not sustainable strategy in lower California, so I spend massive amounts of money traveling for waves. Not everyone can swing that. Trips with bad wind or some unforeseen challenge and I fly home devastated to even shittier waves. The cycle was not healthy.
To keep my ball rolling, I had to find hunger is very shitty conditions. No choice really because long absences will bury you. Nothing like feeling like you have to learn the sport over again in poor surf.
And the voices of freedom, they are hard to muffle. By that I refer to the wind. I can’t fucking concentrate on life if the wind dies, switches or is slack. On work trips, it’s so refreshing to not give one shit about the fucking wind. Freedom is not caring and I’m free as a bird in Miami, Chicago, etc… It’s like I gain 6 hours to each day. Employees or friends want to go do something, I can commit. At home, I’m always walking the fence about whether I am available or not.
I’d eat you for breakfast you daft old cunt.
Never eat breakie before a surf, but since you quit it doesn’t matter…. freedom man, you got it.
And apparently you’ve got an endless supply of surf-virtue signalling comments!
Are you sure freedom wouldn’t be a kindly pillow over your face?
It would be JP. And quiet.
If only you could surf La Graviere , a beachbreak, like a girl ? Courtney Conlogue just put on tube riding master class …… unfucking believable !
That left was insane. Would have liked to see a water angle.
Nail on the head there. The first time I surfed Grajagan, (my only obsessive white whale of the bucket list),I was struck by two things. The first was where do you go from here? The second being the South African dude who complained “I thought the wave would be more perfect”.
My question was answered by the ability to feel more comfortable in solid waves at other places and a greater appreciation of the ‘moments’ that approached those at Grajagan, top turns that arc without having to pull the nose down, little checks to adjust to the oncoming section, etc.
The last year or two have felt like the body is slowing down, harder to get to my feet, board feels stiffer, not making as many lip smacks. But then I figure early onset arthritis and lower back twinges are only going to get worse, so get what you can. I love the feel of a board carving back around on a glassy day at Ti-Tree but unless it’s after coming out of a 4′ barrel, get pretty bored watching the pros do it.
I wonder if my South African friend even surfs anymore.
Hi Pie , I have to agree with you . If one is getting old and still wants to surf then , for the love of Huey , one has got to imagine that the glass is still half full and lower expectations. ( wave quality and personal performance)
I used to be annoyed about one bad wave in a session ,but now I am frothing when / if it all comes together on a wave .
Well, at least the downslopes have started, instead of the horrid SW’s Its been really nice in the mornings in SB. Now we need waves….ha right
My wind anxiety while living in San Francisco was so acute that I’d stress even when it was offshore, just from thinking it was about to turn. Which it usually was.
You should get a WaveStorm. There’s something magical about the way it says “this is all just for fun.”
How does “SEVERAL women at a retirement home…” turn into “for MANY has “brought them closer to their grandchildren as they now have something in common”.”???
I thought “several” means more than some but less than “many”. So how could many exist in a group of only several?
#FakeNews
St Malo is a very chic coastal resort about 3 hours from Paris . The Grandkids didn’t come to surf with Granny but to make sure she wasn’t blowing their inheritance before they could get their greedy hands on it ……
Hahaha!
Thee girlz from The ’80’s are now elderly women, all ’round thee world:
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Who cares though?
Live, Love, Laugh, + Surf!
And cashed up .Money Changes Everything ?