So I started in 1958 on a 9'6" balsa pig board, aged 9 my father made me swim a mile before I was allowed to have the board!
Let's run the gross statistics of it and consider I am only an average surfer of average ability and commitment, my mother was always hoping I would grow out of it,sadly she has gone and she would have never achieve her wish.
1958; 54 years surfing averaging 3 days per week gives me 8,424 days of surfing and I usually surf for 3 hours 25,272 hours up by now.
Guessing about 15 waves per session averaged out as I get older and slow up 379,080 waves.
I have had 32 boards I can remember, 42 wetsuits they were not available in Australia until sometime in the sixties and they were divers beaver tail type.
Outside Australia I have surfed in Hawaii 1969, New Zealand north and south island on separate trips.
Papua New Guinea Lord Howe Island, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Bali 15 trips, Nusa Lembogan, Lombok and most recently the Mentawais
I haven't been able the calculate the miles traveled.
Surfed in Australia ,all of New South Wales coast Bryon bay to Eden, strangely never surfed in Victoria or Queensland or Western Australia, surfed in South Australia and Tasmania
All good ( maybe)
The negative statistics;
Injuries
broken nose x 5 knees into face in strong turns, plastic surgery to rebuild nose as the bend was making chronic sinus problems.
Torn plantar fascia causing foot to ball up.
Skin cancers x 2 but not the worst type!
Smashed teeth, have dentures.
Broken relationships due to surfing about 6
Divorce due to surfing x1
High school graduation delayed by one year due to failing necessary subject,
University courses failed or dropped out of 5
Loss of social respectability due to post surf nasal drains, multiple.
Loss of social respectability due to being a surfer, multiple, but who cares
Loss of job due to surfing about 5.
Life decision statistics
Train and do University course to enable surfing lifestyle x 1 SUCCESS.
30 + years at that profession.
Marry again to wife who appreciates surfing lifestyle x 1 SUCCESS
30+ years married.
gain three sons from marriage( part of the package deal)
gain three sons to surf and travel with
gain three sons who understand post surf nasal drain
I look at my contemporaries they seem older, less fit less adaptable and slower of reflex
they talk sadder and have more psychological issues, less surf post nasal drain, they seem to be having more heart and health problems.
So I guess the real point of this little rave is to suggest to all you late comers your late entry may mean that the negative statistic area of surfing may be in the formative years and since you are more mature only the benefits now remain for you to enjoy
AND I BLOODY WELL HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM AS MUCH AS I'M SHOUTING ABOUT THEM
Having the work has got me five minutes away by bicycle from a world class surf spot and so I can choose (surf willing) to re-enter that Oceanic re-juvenation cycle and when the blessings are really great it's with my sons and now my grandsons.
At least 5 lives in my family have been enriched by surfing and the surf travel to out of the way places, if you can pass on as a love to your children, little corners of the world will be that much better.
