Surfing Waves

when I was younger I was mindful of peer group attitudes and things were the way they were,,,just because,,,,,

But about 12 years ago I took up to wearing a helmut. I priginally took it on because I was making one of my so called efforts to get back into surfing and I was serious to surf some rocky places and a mate of mine, who was an excellent surfer, suffered a brain injury after taking a heavy wipe out at Winky in Sydney some years ago,,,,

he recovered after heavy and sustained rehabilitation....but it was very heavy....

As an older person I started to think more deeply about why I still wanted to surf and how I was going about it and the more I thought about things and sought out information from other surfers my surfing took on a whole new approach and in a way that has given me a deepening sense of commitment,,,,

I am a creature of habit and once I started wearing this so called helmut I started to get over being self concious about what other people may have thought and more about what I thought...

I recently experienced a really snapping lip crack on the back of my neck as I just managed to get under an incoming wave and I fely, wow, good okd helmut took the whole impact....

I also learned that it floats....it is easy to see in a distance so I am more visible if I end up face down or need to be rescued....

It keeps my head warm....It keeps the wind out of my ears, and it it gives me some protection in event my own board or anyone elses for that matter ends up hitting me in the head...

I am in control of my own board most of the time, but i do some times go for ridiculouse things sometimes, like I got snotted by a lip the other day in the only way I could but in spite of that I still pushed a point with the wave and came off second best.....

So thats my little story why, at age 55 I wear a helmut..call me kooky if you wish,,,but i would not be without it now and that includes 1 foot surf.....Its a fantastic accessory....and I actually love it now....

Rossa

55, TBH mate i dont blame you, I was taking a steep peaky 2-3ft wave in Hong kong around 3 months ago, I didnt paddle hard enough, I went straight over the lip and into a shallow sand bank head first. I was very lucky to not break my neck.

Respect and hat off to you sir.

55funsurf wrote:So thats my little story why, at age 55 I wear a helmut..call me kooky if you wish,,,but i would not be without it now and that includes 1 foot surf.....Its a fantastic accessory....and I actually love it now....

Rossa

Ok kooky if you wish ......but I would rather call you 55fs? Hey whatever it takes to make you happy. Interesting reasoning. I have been such a daredevil it's amazing I made it to 60 OMG

Do you find the helmet fills with water or is otherwise annoying? I am increasingly tempted to get one, although I still wonder why someone hasnt made a much lighter weight helmet that wont protect you from head into rock but will give you some protection from board into head (perhaps not nose first but just a flying board)

I, personally, thank you for wearing a helmet, gives my buds something to talk about while in the lineup

The Jaffa wore a Gath helmet for a while, I'm on my third one I believe saved my noggin ( probably my life) at big wave spot.
A drop in lost control of his board as he nose dived the board speared right into the water then catapulted into the side of my helmet, splitting the helmet for a full six inches.
The blow was almost but not quite stunning as the helmet took most of the force!
I hate to think what the impact would have done to a naked skull.

As to feel they become part of the furniture quickly, except if you get one with a visor , the vision to the side is a little warped and on cold surfs the visor fogs up.

I currently do not wear one, I have a range of sun hats and caps with sort of legionnaire's flaps on the neck.
But I'm old and entitled to be daffy

dtc wrote:Do you find the helmet fills with water or is otherwise annoying? I am increasingly tempted to get one, although I still wonder why someone hasnt made a much lighter weight helmet that wont protect you from head into rock but will give you some protection from board into head (perhaps not nose first but just a flying board)

No it just feels really comforatble....just to add it keeps UV off the head as well....added bonus....

IB_Surfer wrote:I, personally, thank you for wearing a helmet, gives my buds something to talk about while in the lineup

Cool and I can dig that.. so no sweat..

but dont forget I am not suggesting you guys wear one...I am just explaing why I do...