Surfing Waves

I have this strange tendency of being unable to recall specific details of or be able to visualise individual waves, even if I’ve JUST ridden one. I remember the feeling of riding it and vague characteristics of the wave but nothing more. It happens especially when the waves are big. It’s like I zone in so completely that no actual memories are formed. Its mostly just strange but also a little upsetting as I’d like to recall those moments - what the wave looked like, what I did etc..

I’m curious if anyone else experiences this??

I think what you remember about the surf varies from person to person. I find it very interesting. Apparently for lots of people after a surf they can barely recall anything specific from the session. Only generalities are remembered like the waves were good or there was a strong current or it rained. Gerry Lopez who was an incredible surfer known for his ability to surf Pipeline has mentioned that he can't recall good waves so well but he recalls the bad ones. I find that really interesting. Maybe it's because he has had so many good waves they all blend together? I don't know but I can recall a couple of bad waves and lots of good waves that I can remember the way the wave looked and the feelings I had even after decades have passed. When I surf now I can recall most of the waves I caught for a little while after I surf and some waves for a long time if they were particularly notable.

Same here, I can't recall the waves. It all just blends in together as I'm so focused on catching the next one, being in the right spot. I think this is why people achieve zen when they surf.

I remember the best rides where I struggled to get in, felt the power of bottom turns and made sections into reformed waves. That $#!t never gets old! I can't seem to forget my worst fails either... like pearling on 3 footers, catching rails, or lapses in etiquette when I knew better. Not on point but I also recall my close encounters with wildlife. I wish a GoPro had captured the curious sea lion pup or the pelican flyover.

An example of what I remember is doing a huge foam climb on a wave with an 8 to 10 foot face. I had done a couple top and bottom turns and just continued to do another one in the foam of a 10 yard wide section that broke in front of me and just kept going making it past the section in that single turn. It was a lot of foam and didn’t really think I would make it but it seemed easy peasy and didn’t slow me down at all. This was a few years ago but I recall it felt just like doing a turn elsewhere and I was so happy to get to ride the last 30 yards or so of the wave

I think that is a right of passage. You have attained another level in surfing. Where you're not thinking about the mechanics of breathing, but just simple breathe. ( when was the last time you "thought" about HOW you breathe ? )

Beginners ask other surfers or are proud to say "how many waves they caught in their last session" or "what their biggest wave was". But notice, the experienced surfers really don't talk about that at all.

Same here. I only remember fragments of vision or feeling.

Like Waikiki said, it’s a progression. There was a time when I could only see 3ft past the nose of the board. Everything else was a blur. First one on a new wave can be similar. It’s all new and coed as a rush. Ride that same wave 100 times and the nuances start to appear and the experience on the wave slows down since you are more aware of what will come at you next.

One of the great ego challenges that come up for you in your surfing evolution is when you are videoed on what you believe is a great wave and you ripped! Then you see the video, the truth is revealed! Anyone of us that featured in a video were often shocked at how ordinary we were!
Our perception of the wave is so different from the camera‘s!

It would be such a great help in learning to have every wave you surf videoed

oldmansurfer wrote:It would be such a great help in learning to have every wave you surf videoed

Oh Hell NO !!

LOL well I guess if you could figure out what needs to improve it might help. One thing is certain and that is that you don't need video to tell you when you're having fun.

I'm just worried it'll end up on America's Funniest Home Videos or on Kook Slams. When I post videos of myself, it's only the best rides. All the rest qet hurriedly deleted.

I think Kelly Slater started doing this and many other pro surfers have someone videoing them on every wave so I figured it would help but thinking about it now someone needs to analyze every wave to see what can be done better. Also for lower level surfers it's probably not needed like in my case. I know what I need to do no videos needed however I imagine it might help for me to see what the wave is doing when I am preoccupied with things like doing a maneuver. Or more specifically when I do maneuvers to get down the line could I have done something more powerful which takes speed off and if I took speed off could I have maybe gotten tubed? But still not sure if that would help me right now but once I get to the next level maybe.

I think video would definitely help to improve. I recently caught a wave that I fell, I was riding it then it became too steep. I don't know what I did wrong as I thought I was in the correct spot. It was dangerous because I fell forward and the board nearly hit me. I wonder if I should've done a bottom turn or maybe move towards the nose of the board.

oldmansurfer wrote: I figured it would help but thinking about it now someone needs to analyze every wave to see what can be done better. Also for lower level surfers it's probably not needed .....

In all truth, having someone video every wave will be a great help. If you don't know what wrong, you can't attempt to remedy it. Just like when no one tells the cook that the food served was bad. You may be right in that it's not that important for the low level surfer just learning the basics or the veteran who can determine what's going on their own. BUT for the Beginner-Intermediate, where EVERYTHING matters, it will be a great learning tool.