Catching Waves

I have found a new sport to love, and it is called surfing.

Arcadia took us out to Sumner beach (That's the main beach in ChCh) for a afternoon of surfing.
This was supposed to happen last weekend, but due to poor weather it got moved to this weekend.
This is an activity that I've been looking forward to ever since I saw it on Arcadia's calender of events last summer.

Kasey, Katelyn and I left early so that we could enjoy lunch on the beach. However, a chilly wind and a bit of cloud cover kept us from throughly enjoying ourselves. Thankfully, by the time our surf lesson came around the sun was starting to shine through.

Donning wet suits, we went through a crash course in surfing. First a quick discussion on reading the waves, the wind, and what makes ideal surfing conditions. We had decent waves, through with a wind coming on shore, it made them a little rough. Then with a little on shore practice of standing up, we grabbed our boards and waded out.

The water was freezing, I have never been so thankful for a wet suit in my life.  As we waded further and further out, the incoming waves splashed higher and higher on us until we were completely soaked. Phewda, well at least that terrible initial  cold shock is over. Now for some fun!

With my red surfboard bobbing next to me, I struggled, and fought against the waves; searching for the perfect time to leap on to my board and make my first attempt. Waves shoved salt water into my mouth, up my nose, and burned in my eyes. I had to stop getting tossed around and actually try this crazy thing called surfing. So I jumped, slid on to my surfboard stomach first.. and promptly slide off again as the wave I was attempting to catch rolled over me.

I came up gasping, laughing and already addicted to this wild endeavor. Again, and again I tried. Sometimes falling off as soon as I got on, and sometimes standing up as far as my knees before toppling off. Every attempt brought more laughter. At one point I started to try to catch the next wave, I paddled furiously, was completely balanced on my board, felt the dip, and then the speed as the wave caught me, pushed myself up moved my feet in to position...and stood! It was glorious for all of the 5 seconds it lasted!

By this time I was completely gone, I had to keep trying, over and over again. I knew what it felt like, I knew I could do it. Kasey and I stayed out longer than everyone else, practicing, learning, and improving. I stood up on my board a total of three times. It was enough to get me completely addicted to surfing.