Surfing Waves

We all like surfing, but what exactly makes it so special we endure the hardship?

Waikikikichan wrote this:

The true essence of surfing is TRIM, moving along the waves face no faster or slower than what it is. You can break trim, to slow down, speed up, turn, but always come back to trim. In trim, you really don't do much effort.

That made me think about it, because this definition of TRIM doesn't resonate for me: Maybe it is a personal thing, everybody gets something different out of surfing a wave?

For me, and this is not easy to put into words (especially in a foreign language), it has to do with the intensity of the moment. I can have a 1 hour session with only 1 (short) wave and still go home stoked. As long that 1 moment does it for me. Hey, maybe it can be trim.

It doesn't need to be a long ride with a lot of critical maneuvers, although that would probably work too As long the event gets ingrained in my brain so it stays with me for the rest of the day(s). Thus creating a big smile on my face..

Often I have a very visual memory where I can still clearly see the shape/size/colour of the wall I saw in front of me, sometimes it's more the feeling of powers working on my body when doing a turn or the feeling of speed. Sometimes it's the feeling of surprise when I do some maneuver for the first time and it works, the specific feeling it creates. When the vivid memory/feeling leaves my system it's time to get a new fix.

The only downside is, it seems to require a more dynamic moment every time. You need a slightly stronger impulse to get the same stoke, it makes you search for bigger or more steep waves.. But the good thing is that my current level still leaves a lot of room for that

To me it's all about a dance with the waves. The wave does what it does and you do what you do and when you manage to stay in unison it's a dance. So sometimes it's a fast dance and sometimes it's a powerful dance and sometimes it's a slow dance gentle and stylish dance and sometimes you just don't have the rhythm.

For me it's the oneness with nature aspect. It's you and your board. Even if you're with friends, there is a quiet solitude that exists whether you are riding or just sitting and waiting for the next good set.

Honestly never considered it.....not really sure if I have an answer....I agree that the actual activity is along the lines of OMS and WKK as far as learning to understand the wave and going with it's power lines rather than trying to force your will on it........personally? It's a hobby, a release, an escape, an enjoyable way to pass the time, has a mild gearhead aspect that I enjoy (have always liked playing around with the associated equipment in most sports i've participated in)......it is something I like to do, can look forward to, is for me, when I am doing it I am alone with myself which for me is vital to my mental health and well being, it's fun, gets me outside, pumps the heart which I'd have to do some other kind of way if I wasn't doing this, it's how I spend my afternoons, some mornings and days off. The lifestyle is everywhere here, so it makes sense.....noodle man surfs, guys at the cocktail party I went to on Sunday spent more than an hour with me going over recent surf related tidbits, tide reports, whispered spot discoveries, outer reef boat schedules and dock locations, talking about how our kids are coming along, the boards the kids are on......

I can't distill the essence, but it is more than a sum of the parts.

Tudeo wrote:That made me think about it, because this definition of TRIM doesn't resonate for me: Maybe it is a personal thing, everybody gets something different out of surfing a wave?

My quote was in to response of tic-tacking / pumping on gutless waves on a too small board. But to make things clearer, I was not saying:
"What is "surfing' to you ?"
"What constitutes a good/bad day of surfing ?"
"What size/type/construction is considered a real board ?"

What I was saying is when you strip it done to it's barest form, Surfing is TRIMMING along the waves face, no faster no slower than what the wave is at that moment, without much if any effort from the rider. The moment when you and the wave are like one.

To help many people relate, here are some examples:
1) What is the essence of Painting ? Brush to paper. It's not asking what is art. What is a good painting ? I still don't understand why 3 strokes of paint equals $50,000.
2) What is the essence of Cycling ? Making the wheels (or wheel) go round under human power. There's different types of cycling MTB, on-road, BMX ( dirt, street, freestyle ), touring, fixie, track. But they all have the basic essence at it's core.
3) What is the essence of music ? Sound waves in a certain pattern. Rock, Jazz, Country, Rap......... Disco. What is pleasing to the ear depends on the person, but it's still just sound waves.
4) What is taking a bath/shower ? Water Soap and Body. My wife still says rinsing off at the beach shower after surf doesn't constitute me not taking a bath at night, since I didn't use Soap.

I get what most are saying. I can catch one wave and be stoked. Surfers here in Japan drive 4-5 hours, sit in ankle high waves, catch 1/2 a wave and go home happy. Some people only get happy if it's double overhead. Some enjoy jumping on to their board standing on the sand in waist high water. I get that, but that's not what I'm talking about.

Look at the Purest form of Surfing. There's no board at all.

I hope that all can one day experience that joy of TRIM.

what is the true essence of you?




Surfing is a different thing for everyone.

pmcaero wrote:what is the true essence of you?

I'm a surfer off course

Fun, if it wasn't fun I wouldn't come back to the water every time
The funnest sessions for me is when it's big and clean, you rushing down the line while the wave is exploding behind you, to me I like it when waves are more rollercoasters than something to dance with
but also laid back sessions when it's 3ft small and you go and pop out the longboard and just cruise and are completely relaxed especially with friends and family

I think Waikikichan was just saying that trimming is the basic maneuver of surfing. Whatever else you do it all comes back to trimming. You do an aerial land it and then you are trimming. Waikikichan reminds me of my karate instructor. Sensei took me aside after a my first tournament and said "Karate is one punch. As a beginner you learn one punch and when you become good at karate winning a fight is all about one punch." I think he was complimenting me on not throwing any punches other than ones that counted.

Funny you mention Karate OMS, it reminds me of my, long gone, boxing days. When training on the heavy bag or sparring there could be a moment that neared perfection, the feeling how a punch landed or an action of slipping and countering. Also in the middle of the hectics of a fight, I could observe that moment clearly and it got ingrained in my brain, just like 'the moment in surfing' to stay with me and give me satisfaction for a long time, just like being stoked from surfing.

Oneness or being one with the wave was mentioned in this thread before, I think that's the crux. In daily life everybody walks around half asleep and people forget about that, but in special conditions when our senses spike we can get a glimpse of it.

So maybe that's the answer to the question, surfing is one of the ways to bring us to the true essence of who we are..

I also get great satisfaction from remembering a wave or waves that I rode. Depending on how great the feeling was riding it the satisfaction my go on for a long time. Oneness with the wave like a well executed dance. I can also remember punching that one guy in the karate tournament once after he did a series of ineffective punches and kicks. I hit him square in the middle of his hockey mask and made sure I brought my arm back quickly so it was a snapping punch but I put maximum force into it. I remember Sensei giving a little uncontrolled laugh immediately after the punch. I also remember Sensei teaching me to be humble after that.

2ndLight wrote:For me it's the oneness with nature aspect. It's you and your board. Even if you're with friends, there is a quiet solitude that exists whether you are riding or just sitting and waiting for the next good set.

Well said. More than the great work outs, new skills or long rides, THIS is what keeps me coming back!