Surfing Waves

I am reading this book by Shaun Tomson called Surfers Code and he goes over 12 different concepts that he thinks are important for surfing and life. While most of them are important lessons some are not so important and this one in particular seems totally senseless. He says "I will always ride a wave in and not paddle in." Obviously for him this seems to be an important concept. He has an idea that you aren't doing it right if you don't ride a wave in regardless of how long it takes you. He doesn't care if you have important obligations or even if it's night already and you still haven't caught that wave in yet. That seems so silly out of all this other good advice. I would say this "There are other things in life more important than surfing and definitely more important than following some silly self imposed restriction to surfing." Now I admit that long ago when I had more time I would spend 30 minutes or an hour trying to catch a good wave in at the end of a session. I had the silly idea that to be a good surfer you had to ride a good wave into the beach. Really it was about pride and trying to look good to others. These days I don't care much if others think I am a good surfer, it's what I think that is more important. What I think is that I enjoy surfing and enjoy the challenge of learning to surf. These concepts are more important than wasting time to conform to concepts that are self created. But I still wonder how long do you wait to catch a wave in? I have paddled back in from Horner's and Black Rock which are both several hundred yard long paddles. I wanted to catch a wave because it would have been quicker if there was a wave to catch but sometimes I am just in the wrong place at the wrong time and I end up paddling back in. Oh well it is still good exercise. So what about you?

I don't even ride waves in all the time at Linda Mar, where there is really no excuse. Except ineptitude, but I have no pride. Someone's got to be out there making merely average surfers look amazing to their girlfriends.

I try to always catch a wave in but as I usually go out by myself I tell my partner or dad what time I expect to be off the water and i will let them k ow when I will be off just in case something happens (probably being over cautious but I don't want to be out at sea for 30 odd hours like that person a few weeks back)

So I may attempt a couple but the I usually have to come in anyway.

I always try to ride a wave in, but it's not a rule or anything. I'll give it a few mins, but if I'm pressed for time or sick of waiting, I'll paddle in. Usually the set I was waiting for pops up just as I'm stepping on the beach. Funny how that happens, right when you say "one and done," it curses the lineup with a 10 min lull

Sometimes I have somewhere to be....if it goes flat or the lineup is thick and I can't get a wave and it is time to go I will paddle in....I do catch reforms on the way in and belly ride so does that count?

I'm guilty of this but seldom succeed. After my usual 3 hour session, I'm too tired, too cold and too sore to pull it off. When the gods favor me with a decent final wave, I often miss it, pearl or stumble to my feet.

If I lived closer to the ocean, I'd get out while still feeling strong like OMS.

oldgrom22 wrote:Usually the set I was waiting for pops up just as I'm stepping on the beach. Funny how that happens, right when you say "one and done," it curses the lineup with a 10 min lull

Hah....this kind of luck comes from the same wave genie that sends the cleanup set on your first paddle out.....

When I'm not pressed for time....that "one and done" wave can extend for an hour or more and several rides.....just one more and I'm out! Yeah right.

There's an old saying that you never say "I'm going Fishing" since the fish will hear you and swim away. Best to tell the wife, "I'm going out". When ever you say "I'll catch just one more" or "next waves my last one", that when you jinx yourself and it doesn't come. I say "I'll catch a few and go in" , but maybe it's the next one that I go in on. Aloha wave, means it's your last wave.

I always want to end my sesh on a high note... like that one time when I rode the wave all the way in and then broke the nose of my board by standing on it in ankle high water
Don't worry, nose was already broken once before