Hi all! another hook around..

[312T4]

Hi guys,
I like this forum and I've been reading you for some months now. I thought I better join the conversation and have my say (if any!).

About me: I'm 36 yo, not fit, not sporty, 173cm and 63kg. I'm a small man!

Surfing was not part of my life until recently.
It all started 2 years ago when I met a painter who was going to paint some surfboards and I was asked to film the little event. The painter was/is obviously also a surfer himself, and I got the chance to learn some basic notions about this sport/activity.
Then 6 months later I got a second hand car with an old crap surfboard (7ft) left in the back.
That was winter.. I thought: well.. I may give it a try later on..

And I did it. I went to the beach with a friend and he told me how to paddle and little things like that.
At the beginning I just kept trying to show to myself that I could stand up on the goddam thing. Then when I got to that point, I started riding the white water, and it was fun. A lot of fun. And I wanted more.
After 2 months and thousands of questions, I went to a local shop and got myself a 9''2 cheap, easy surfboard. (the 7ft was sinking)

Now, I know what you think: LOCAL SHAPER!! IDIOT!
But the point is: what if I give up like with my push bike? Or the PSP? Or my swimming pool subscription? I couldn't afford that kind of surfboard for something that I never considered as part of my life.
(I'll buy it, later, I know)

Truth is: that cheap thing helped me a lot. I started catching green waves and I now think, I hope I'll never stop surfing. It's just too good.

I'm surfing in easy friendly spots in Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, Australia. I surf on weekends and sometimes on week days. If I'm lucky.
For me 4ft is a big wave!
I thought I may go for a shorter board, but the more time I spend on the easy, lovely, long waves of Noosa or Byron Bay, the more I watch other guys in the water or on youtube, the more I fell in love with the longboard style.

I can catch green waves and have reasonable rides. With a bit of steering up and down the face. I still need the right conditions though. It takes nothing to put me down.
As the waves get steeper I still have the nose dive problem. Plus other thing..
I'm reading and watching as much as I can.

Trouble is: in the last few months there are no decent waves here. I can't try new things and I'm getting crazy, and the crowd in the water is getting bigger and bigger.. people need waves!

One last thing: I started with the gym because I have no strength in my shoulders. Can you believe it? Who cares about the gym?! But I need it, I soo need it!

You guys, you surfers since 2yo, you riders of every sort of waves, you don't know how difficult is and painful is to paddle here and there for 2 hours when you spent most of your life in front of a pc.
Will I ever get there?

Thanks guys.
Nice to be here.

[billie_morini]

312T4,
thanks for sharing a good surf story. Where in the world do you surf?

I'm similar; exercise is only done to make surfing possible and to walk my dog.
billie

[312T4]

hi Billie!
I'm in Australia. As I said, I surf the sunshine coast and the gold coast. Depends on conditions.
Are you around here?
Cheers

[mauilachance]

great story!