So I packed up my
5'6" fish and my wetsuit and cruised down to the pier. I decided to go out
on the south side; a little more of a drift to paddle against, but a little
less crowded and a little more bowly. I caught a couple of fun ones and was
pleasantly surprised. A towheaded, brace-faced kid looked over at me and
complimented my last wave. I smiled. It feels good to get a compliment, even if
it is from a pre-pubescent grom. After exchanging words, we noticed a group of
people at the end of the pier shouting, pointing and snapping pictures and
videos with their iPhones. We concluded that it was probably a shark... most
likely due to Jacksonville Beach's recent house guest, Mary Lee, a 16-foot
Great White that had frequented the area only weeks before. We both were a
little spooked, but curious at the same time.
The crowd at the end of
the pier let out a unanimous gasp. The gasp was followed by screams. OK. Now, I
was getting a little freaked. Should I get out? Just as I was starting to
contemplate catching my last wave in, a giant tail rose from the sea. Falling as
quickly as it appeared, the massive flipper slammed back down sending waves of
whitewater across the glassy ocean. The screams got louder and the people
scrambled to get the shot. My jaw dropped. The whale's back looked like a large
submarine emerging from the depths. Whitewater was swirling and bubbling around
the mass of an animal. “That f***er’s big!” shouted a fellow wave rider. It was
the first time I had ever seen a whale in Florida, and it was definitely the
first time I had ever seen a whale that close. It was breathtaking. I was in
awe. I felt so blessed. And it felt good to really be present, like really
present, during that short, but oh-so-special moment.
This moment reminded me
of a short story I recently read by Gerry Lopez in his book, Surf is
Where You Find It. The book, a collection of stories written by the
Pipe Master himself, includes accounts of Lopez's childhood, his first
time surfing Pipe and his early yogic experiences. Anyways, in the story,
"When in doubt, paddle out,” Gerry talks about surfing his local break
during his early surfing years. An empty lineup across the channel intrigued Gerry and a friend to take the leap of faith to paddle over and check out this "no man's land." The wave was a little more challenging than what they were used to, a
steeper take-off with a shallower inside, but the reward proved to be worth the
risk. The experience opened Gerry's eyes to the ideas of exploration, and the
concept of just "going for it." Because of this, he was able to
conquer waves that no one had ever ridden before. Gerry concludes his story
saying:
"This story happened so long ago that I really can't remember
whether or not he actually said the words. I like to think the saying came out
of that first adventure. The profound simplicity of the expression has helped
me many times over the years in situations other than just surfing. Somehow we
all discover that surfing lessons often have a lot more to do with life than
they do with surfing. When you're wondering about that step you're about to
take but haven't yet, remember what Herbie said to me that day so long ago,
'When in doubt, paddle out (Lopez 28).'"
And that’s so true. Surfing
teaches us so much about life. About letting go of fear and worry. About going
for it. About having fun along the way.
Although my story may be
minor to the one told by Lopez, I can relate. If I hadn't just gone for it
today then I would have missed seeing that beautiful, majestic creature out in
the ocean. And no matter how crappy the waves are, getting out in the water is
the only way to improve your surfing. That “go for it” mentality is the only
way to grow and progress in life too. It's scary at times, just like paddling
out at a new break can be intimidating, but it's always easier, and usually way
more fun than it seemed!
I need to remember this
motto and keep it with me in those sticky situations when I let that fear and
doubtfulness take charge, in surfing, in yoga, and in life. So from now on, no
more excuses! The times I want to doubt myself are the times when I actually
need to push myself. That's when the breakthroughs will happen. That's when I
will notice the transformation.
Here are some of my
goals that I have set for myself:
1. Write more and read
more.
2. Surf whenever I can. “When
in doubt, paddle out!”
3. Continue deepening my
yoga and meditation practices.
4. Get my jewelry and artwork
business going.
5. Continue to let love
flow.
6. Fight fear with
courage.
What are some things
that you want to improve on? What are some goals?
*Surf is Where You Find It by Gerry Lopez.
If you haven't read it yet, I highly suggest you do!
*Sunday evening beach cruise with my girlfriends.
About an hour after I saw the whale. So blessed!
*Me "going for it" last winter in Puerto Rico. Ready to keep pushing myself this year!
PC: RinconSurfReport.com
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