The essence of surfers worldwide

[deaddreamer]

brothas and sitas,

had a thought the other day.... personally i find surfing as a free form of expression and enjoyment, n i sez to maself what do other people feel.... do they share tha same freedom and joy as i do from surfing.... let me kno if u do or dont k

[BoarderDave]

To be honest.. to me the ocean itself is something special to me.. and to be in it's hands (by way of surfboard or bodyboard) I can truly feel something special. It's a form of entertainment for me. It clears my head.. it gets me off the couch, it makes me feel alive. That's MY essence of surf.

Not sure what everyone else feels.. but it truly is all based on how each individual takes it. Different people, Im sure, feel differently about their surfing.

[Hang11]

I just like dressing up in rubber and hopping around a car park half naked.

[pkbum]

god gave us the gift of sex and surf, use it wisely.

[Otter]

Indescribable

I'm not eloquent enough to put it on paper, or virtual paper...

[billie_morini]

Agree with deaddreamer. Also agree with BoarderDave.

[alimac2411]

Every wave is unique, and you own that wave u rode on and nailed!!!
Nothing beats the feeling of a great session when you truely don't want to come out of the water!

[The Fafanator]

^ You don't "own" anything.
I feel this great awe when I surf, you can truly feel the greatness of God, that he made this wounderfull planet, and we should use it to it's fullest, otherwise we are ignoring His greatness. I just wish people would stop ruining the planet, and just enjoy it.

[Johno]

Its the source, my life has totaly changed since i started surfing 2 years ago! av become a eco warrior recycling everything i can av got a lot more respect for the ocean and country side and i love the way of life and the places you get to see with surfing

Surfing Rocks

[ANZAC]

Ive done a lot in the past, and had many highs, but there is nothing like the pure buzz of surfing.
Im amped 24hours a day sometimes and feel about 20years younger than I am.
My wife gets the shits cause I want to go to bed early at night so I can get an early surf in or start the next day early so I can surf after work. Surfing is the ultimate.

[Jonah_Fro]

Surfing saved my marriage. I've always had an affinity with water and started surfing when I was 18. For somereason, life/work got in the way and I didn't surf or really think about sufing for close to 10 years.

Last year, things were baaaad and it was looking like me & the missus woud split up. A friend of mine called me up one night and invited me on a surfing trip the next day. I went and it literally turned my life around. Just the feeling of being in the ocean put everything in perspective.

One year on I'm a lot more chilled out, have a far more healthy outlook on life, the environment, work.

Someone else mentioned god, and I'm not a religious type, but I kind of think of the ocean as my church. At night, I'll sit in the sand dunes just listening to the roar and it is a spiritual thing. Or it could just be the case of Stella sitting next to me

[Bub]

There are certain places on Earth that are spiritual to us humans. The ocean is definitely one of them. Like many, being at the beach or on the ocean is a therapeutic experience for the body and soul. Whether its sitting outback beyond the breakers on my board, resting on the beach studying the patterns of waves and breaks, catching a wave and feeling the sensation of conquest and being on top of the world, or drifting along with ocean/wind currents in a small boat....its all wonderful!

[CHarvey]

Since I can't express how surfing and the ocean make me feel, I will agree with the lot of you. Even though everyone perceives it differently it's all a piece of the same overall picture. Not surfing is like not breathing. It's the other women.

[jethrodog]

I like the feeling of scaring the p1ss out of myself doing a drop that is probably beyond my ability.

And even sometimes making it isn't too bad either.

[Otter]

Jonah Fro,
There are lots of names in the surf vernacular to describe the tube, one of my favorites is "The Green Cathedral."

I'm also fond of "The Church of the Open Sky."

I'm not particularly religious either, I belive in a great creator of being, and they are the one that I thank every time I get a chance to surf. We are the fortunate few, the ones who ride the waves.

[Otter]

About twice a year I post this for the newer folks. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do...

Ken Strayhorn Jr. accurately adds:

Your friend you must choose carefully. He will become your brah, and over time will mean more than anyone else on this planet. Besides surfing, you will drink copious amounts of beer, smoke pounds of pot, and chase boxcar loads of women together. You will lend each other money when times are tight. You will never ask each other for gas cash. You will inform him when his ass crack is showing over his pants. If he doesn't like the woman you are seeing you will drop her like a hot rock. Conversely, if your new woman thinks your brah is a jerk, that's a sign that she's a bozo and should be avoided.

Boards and wetsuits will be shared. You will hoot for each other on fine days. You will badmouth anyone who drops in on him. People will come to view you as a team. Surf nazis will avoid you because they know that to fight one of you is to fight both of you.

And, years later when you are 40 years old and you and your brah are sitting on a break somewhere listening to the younger guys yacking it up, you will smile and know deep in your soul that there is nothing finer than surfing and the people you do it with.

Sheet... 40... That was 12 years ago...

[justloafing]

Otter we are lucky if we can hear the young guns yacking it up.

[justloafing]

Surfing to me is peaceful, a rush, challenging and a way to just "take it all in".

I have talked with many people (non surfers) my age 40ish - 50ish and tell them they should give it a go. The excuses I hear are amazing why they wont try. I just say to them "you don't know what your missing".

[Hang11]

About twice a year I post this for the newer folks. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do...

Ken Strayhorn Jr. accurately adds:

Your friend you must choose carefully. He will become your brah, and over time will mean more than anyone else on this planet. Besides surfing, you will drink copious amounts of beer, smoke pounds of pot, and chase boxcar loads of women together. You will lend each other money when times are tight. You will never ask each other for gas cash. You will inform him when his ass crack is showing over his pants. If he doesn't like the woman you are seeing you will drop her like a hot rock. Conversely, if your new woman thinks your brah is a jerk, that's a sign that she's a bozo and should be avoided.

Boards and wetsuits will be shared. You will hoot for each other on fine days. You will badmouth anyone who drops in on him. People will come to view you as a team. Surf nazis will avoid you because they know that to fight one of you is to fight both of you.

And, years later when you are 40 years old and you and your brah are sitting on a break somewhere listening to the younger guys yacking it up, you will smile and know deep in your soul that there is nothing finer than surfing and the people you do it with.

Sheet... 40... That was 12 years ago...

Mate, I punched out a security guard tonight who had a go at my mate...your post says it all. And being 38 and having to run like f**k from the cops was damn funny too. Thought those days had passed me by.

[isaluteyou]

i surf to maintain sanity pretty serious on that one