"It got to the point where I almost didn’t recognize my own reflection in the bathroom mirror..."
Surf guru Sam George and The Inertia is the happiest pairing since green eggs and ham. The silver hair’d kahuna having a place to share his all-important insights. The David Lynch-esque surf website positively glowing from the power of unfettered wisdom. It is a beautiful thing and, so, you can understand the mortification readers had today when they learned that George had once gone 14 days without surfing.
“As a younger man, I once went 14 days without surfing,” the master began. Having just returned home from a trip to Puerto Rico, where I enjoyed a fine run of swell, glorious mid-winter weather and a full dose of spicy Caribbean culture, I found myself decidedly uninterested in suiting up for a session in three-foot, chilly Upper Trestles crumblers.
George went on to recount how the days passed, his board unwaxed even though he was the editor of a surf magazine and had ocean views from his home, him not recognizing his reflection in the mirror anymore. Then, on the 14th night of not surfing, 11:30 pm to be exact, he wondered if he was even a surfer anymore. The thought troubled him so much that pulled on his wetsuit and peddled on his bike to Uppers wherein he surfed under a pale moonlight.
Readers finally able to breathe again but a plurality was left unsettled as to how a man as exceptional, talented, skilled… as perfect as Sam George could go 14 days without surfing.
14 days.
Even though he had everything.
The most enviable job in the world, an oceanfront home, a face impossibly handsome, style, hair, one earring.
If surfing’s Grand Poobah could go 14 days without surfing what does that mean for the muck like you, like me?
Us dirty plebes?
A haunting notion.
Dare I ask how long you’ve gone without surfing?
We’ll be here for each other.
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Whining about not surfing for a couple of weeks is a symptom of still being a boy and not being a man yet.
Coupla years in my twenties. Party Party Party, plus a non-existent eardrum = persistent ear infections made me say fuck it for a bit. Quit partying, had the ear fixed and never looked back. But also never was so self-involved that I was shaken to the core and needed to midnight sesh to find myself again though. George.. Wanker.
Is “spicy Caribbean culture” code for great blow and hookers? It can’t be the cuisine because Rican food, while delicious, is anything but spicy.
Charlie don’t surf. When was the last time you rode a surfboard? It’s got to be months now.
I’m on day 253 since I ordered my custom surfboard… I got got.
Never been in the ocean, but went without wave ki for a month and felt a distinct lack of namaste.
Mmmm…. I think it’s easily 4 years plus for me.
Dunnno lost count. the froth has crusted and flaked off.
I can’t be arsed actually paddling out and waiting for waves.
I’m currently doing early morning cold water splashing-about and attempted body-surfing in 14.5C water for my mental health. Does that count?
It does count!!
Probably more!
Xox
very ent-icing CB…
Absolutely fucking counts! Splish splash 😘
I quit cigarettes recently. 6 weeks in. I feel fucken miserable. Don’t do it. It’s fucked.
Literally can’t remember my last good wave down here. I just surf to keep strong.
Did a 4km paddle tonight on the gun.
Sobriety is all absolutely fucked.
Xox
Nicotine is fucked, Most useless thing ever.
Keep up the strength my brother.
I only had it in coordination with THC, so eventually gave up both and never looked back.
… except for the THC on occasion.
Cheers mate. I wish I could smoke weed again. I just seem to lament my life decisions on it!
I feel amazing the next day, a kind of purge of the ego perhaps.
Xox
Hang in there.
Quitting cigs, drugs, and alcohol is one of the best things a person can do for themselves. I’ve been sober for over thirty years. Living the dream.
I’ll regularly go a month or two. Good swells not common here, young children demand time and attention. I keep up the fitness with swimming, keep up the balance on my surfskate, hit the water not too rusty.
Wow no-one’s abused me yet for admitting to surfskating
BG’s goin soft…
Fucken Surf Skate!!!???
There ya go.
Thas better
18 month deployment.
painting green coloured tanks brown because we’re in the desert.
didn’t miss or think about surfing at all.
Sounds gay as. Is there gayness in the army? Like the navy is gay as hey? Like jail but sexier?
Xox
Giving up surfeing was easy at times. It’s giving up BEACHGRIT that’s hard
Preach 🙌
Close to two years for me. Did a 4 month stint at Lakey Peak (off the back of 5 years of revolving my life around surfing) at the end I was so over talking about Surfing, living with surfers, looking at surfing, meeting surfers, did I say talking about surfing?
After that flew into London and basically just started a new life, free from those intrusive ocean thoughts.
Closest I got to surfing was buying a Surfer magazine from a random newsagent I found once every couple of months. Reading that while having a couple of quiet pints in a quiet corner of a quiet pub filled the cup.
get fat?
The cheap speed and the dancing had me looking like a short Nick Cave at his worst.
In my experience The UK can go two ways for a long term visitors physique. A rapid plumpening from lager and kebabs. Or a rake thin physique accompanied by a disco tan and a deep mid week despair.
I’d hate to see some of the Lads I used to work with now, if they didn’t drop dead at 55? Greasy full English breakfasts at 10, boozy lunches and an early finish to the pub followed by some shite takeaway on the way home. On that program on the daily.
yeah, that’s how my brother came back.
Most come back from that London pub scene pale and pasty and flabby.
The Heathrow injection it was called in some circles. Luckily I fell into the underworld of squatting and squat parties far removed from said circle singing songs from home at pubs full of Australasians.
That squat scene sounds grim.
Rather read Irvine Welch than experience it personally .
The parties were pretty grim when the sun rose. But on the home front we were sorted. Sparkies, plumber even a mate who was a repo man who scored furniture and three of every kitchen appliance you never needed.
So you constructed the bongs and unobstructed the shitter?
Xox
I once went to an extraordinary art show in a museum by Nick Cave. It took me all the way to the end to realize it wasn’t Bad Seeds Nick. The whole time I was thinking he was hands down the most talented man on earth.
He’s very much the civilized gentleman these days! I get a nice email from him every couple of weeks, worth subscribing to if you haven’t already.
https://www.theredhandfiles…
https://www.theredhandfiles.com/what-makes-you-happy/
He’s got the qote wrong for Rodger Deakin:
It’s “whistling idiot” but yes fucking spot-on.
I had the cheap speed on the Goldy with the first couple of years of South Straddy and Kirra in it’s prime.
Lots of sessions wandering out of surfers paradise nightclubs and wandering home as the sun came up.
Haha mate farrrrrrk. That’s crook. How’d ya teeth pull up?
Xox
Ah, amphetamine sulphate, how I don’t miss you…
Yeah true, but a little sprinkle sure would help that book write itself.