There’s nothing quite like the calm feeling I have when leaving the water after a nice, relaxing surf session. The smell of the salt on my skin mixed with the unmistakable scent of surf wax is like a soothing balm that wipes away any tensions or worries.
After an absence of almost a year and a half, it was really nice to get back into the ocean this morning. That marathon last year, with all the training time and recovery period, seriously took a toll on my desire and ability to go out and get wet on a regular basis. Not quite sure what it was that clicked in my head, but I suddenly got the craving this week, so instead of sleeping in on a Saturday morning, I woke up with my alarm just as if it were a normal workday. After pulling on my shorts and filling a travel mug with fresh coffee, I was out the door. When I got to Tourmaline, it was going on 6:30, and the parking lot was already about half full (you just can’t beat some of those crusty old guys no matter how early you *think* you’re getting up). I saw a lot of familiar faces, and it was almost as if I hadn’t been absent for so long. The Saturday morning dawn patrol was in full swing.
I had a couple of nice wipe outs, as can be expected on my first time back out, but I also managed to catch a handful of really decent rides too. The surf was so-so, but for me at least, it never really matters. Don’t get me wrong, I love a perfectly formed wave as much as the next surfer, but just being out there is typically all it takes to put me in a better frame of mind.
