How I fell in love with surfing…….
I’m not really sure how something so frustrating, so fleeting in it’s moments of success can become somewhat of an obsession. Surfing, its elusiveness I guess is part of its allure. It all started on a family holiday to Cornwall. We made the decision to reduce our carbon footprint and spend our time off in the UK. Aware that the weather may have plans other than glorious sunshine we figured it would be sensible to plan activities to entertain the kids when lounging by a pool wasn't going to be an option.
My beloved Firewire Gem Surfboard. Photo Isla Kammerling
My dog Liquorice had a cough. So instead of of joining the crowds of North London kids on their foam rafts I ducked out to pay a visit to a local vet. I’m not a big fan of cold water, organised fun and group lessons so thought I’d leave it to the teenagers (and my fair game husband). I joined them on the edge of the whitewash at the end of their lesson to observe their progress and felt a pang of FOMO! It may have been the fact that in the lesson was none other than a member of Take That and his son, that got me reaching for my wetsuit but the next morning I was raring to go.
Upward Dog….Arm strengthening and increased back flexibility. Photo Arif Merali
It is now two and a half years on I am the proud owner of not one but two surfboards, a wetsuit thick enough for Icelandic temperatures and a travel bill that is mounting with each spontaneous trip to the nearest waves! Surfing has taken me to Devon, Cornwall, Portugal, Sri Lanka and India. Roof bars have been installed on the car and yoga retreats planned close to surf breaks!
Finding balance! Photo Katie Rae
My only regret is that I didn’t discover surfing earlier. I am however grateful for my yoga practice for having at least taught me to stay calm during moments of fear, hold my breath for prolonged periods of time, balance, a respect for the environment around me and fairly strong arms for all that paddling out past waves that relentlessly break on my head.
Surfing has taught me patience, resilience, determination and has also made me so many amazing new friends. The people I have met surfing are some of the most friendly, open and enthusiastic people I have come across. They are ‘stoked’ that you are enjoying their passion as much as they are and so encouraging when I have found myself at the rough end of a particularly gnarly wave. Surfing is hard. But when you eventually feel the glide of your board cutting through glassy water, locked into the waves pulsing energy and for a brief moment everything flows and becomes effortless there really is no better feeling.
Just like yoga sometimes we have to struggle to find ease and balance. A microcosm of our lives demonstrating that occasionally we have to fall off the path to transform and discover a better path.
