That very moment in Bali, Indonesia, I became aware of the beauty of surfing. The sunset, the water is quiet behind the reef break and I lay down on my surfboard. I wanted this to become my life passion! The sun in your face, the sound of the waves and the rhythm of the ocean. I don't know whether this corresponds to you, but I believe wave surfing shouldn't stay a dream.. it should become a reality! What you need to know about wave surfing and why I believe you shouldn't miss this experience in life? Read my three parts about wave surfing on why, how and where to surf!
To start.. did you know surfing comes from the 15th century in Hawaii?
The first signs of wave surfing date from the 15th century in Hawaii. The high elite, kings, queens and people of the Sandwich Isles used to do "he'enalu" or wave-sliding, in old Hawaiian. People where highly respected based on their wave surf skills. Surfing was integrated into their culture but surfing was more of an art than anything else. In 1885, three teenage Hawaiian princes came to Santa Cruz in Califoria. In 1907, George Freeth was brought to California from Hawaii. He went up and down the coast to demonstrate surfboard riding.
Picture: painting of the early wave surfing history in Hawaii (source: click here)
Why YOU should try wave surfing?
1. Feel Alive!
Being in the sea is where you'll be free! Being out there, in the water made me feel so alive. It's so energizing to be out there in the water, with the sun in your face and the water around you. It's amazing, refreshing and makes you feel healthy!
2. Perfect Workout
Surfing unconsciously is a perfect workout. Paddling your way to the waves is exhausting and balancing your board will require quite some effort. It will make you focused and fit as taking the right wave and standing up at the right moment requires focus and a lot of energy!
3. A Way Of Life
Some people call surfing a way of life! "There's just things in life only surfers will understand" a professional surfer told me during my travels in Indonesia. To me it felt like missing a certain way of thinking, something I just don't understand, the real feeling of freedom.
4. The Best Way To Forget Daily Problems
When surfing, you have to patiently wait for your turn to take the right wave. That's the only thing you actually have to think about. The best way to forget your daily problems is to face bigger challenges. You have to feel the rhythm of the ocean because waves won't continually come!
5. Exciting and satisfying it is!
Adrenaline injections pump your heart and blood. Like with most extreme sports, you have to take the risk. It's actually what makes surfing so exciting. You have to be aware of the wave's strength, avoid hitting the reef and avoid hitting other surfers around you. To stand up on your board and successfully take a wave, the feeling... it's undescribable, it's freedom and so satisfying!
6. Fun
It's so much fun to surf. It's amazing to watch other surfers as it's such an intriguing sport (the picture above says enough). It's difficult to learn surfing but so much fun to see yourself and other people succeed. It will inspire and motivate you to get better in surfing (and other things in life too!).
7. Get your tan
The water reflects sunlight which doubles your tanning speed. Being in the water also cools you off so it's not too difficult to stay in the sun for a longer while. But believe me, be careful and do not underestimate the sun..
8. Cheap
Lessons might not be cheap, but surfing itself definitely costs nothing. Of course, you might have to purchase a surfboard, but once you've got the gear... it costs nothing.
During holidays, hiring a surf board will cost you some money but it shouldn't be too expensive. Lessons might be expensive but I still believe the best way to learn is to just watch others, go surf and learn from your mistakes.
9. Takes you places
You might think that you can't surf because of the limits of the place where you live. Yeah, in many cases it's true, but also in many cases people forget that surfing can be done almost anywhere near the sea. It's mainly dependent on the circumstances. On www.magicseaweed.com you can check the surf forecast on beaches worldwide and you will notice that surfing is possible anywhere. So once you get better and get friends whom surf, surfing will take you places as you have a good reason to go anywhere... TO SURF!
10. Meet people
Crowds in the water, surf camps, surf yoga and bonfires on the beach? Surfing might be an individual sport but a social sport it is! You meet loads of new people and you share the same interest... SURFING :-)!
I assume that right now you're convinced that you should start surfing as soon as possible and you probably wonder how and where? In my next parts about wave surfing, I'll write about how I believe you can start surfing and make that dream become a reality!
Next parts of wave surfing
Wave Surfing part 2 (08/09/2016): How to start surfing?
Wave Surfing part 3 (09/09/2016): Where to surf?
Follow @chrisadventures for more exciting and inspirational stories!