Session 4043: Day 12 of 31 Consecutive Days of Surfing + Transformation to a Sea Animal

Well, I think I am now on a mission to surf 31 consecutive days. Today is
the Day 12. See if I can make it!

Starting this past weekend there is some change in my attitude with the
ocean. I am feeling much more at ease with it than ever. One thing that I
noticed more clearly is that the rhythm of movement is so much different in
the water compared to being on the land. On the land, I can move my arms
freely and fast through the air, but in the water, I have to tune my
movement to the liquid medium. For example when paddling out. It was a
mistake to think that I move the arms just as fast as I would do on land to
go faster. The viscosity of the water, the dimension of the board and my own
weight requires a total tuning of the movement.

The wave also moves in kind of a speed that is not like something that
people experience on land. Even though we talk about waves big and fast, we
are only talking about 5-15 MPH movement that builds up. For example, the
timing of duck diving. It is a 5-6 second motion... more like a Tai Chi
movement than a Karate movement.

Once I became aware of it, I am founding a much more confidence and comfort
in the water. I am sure this is the start of the awareness, but I know
something has changed. It might sound obvious to you. It was to me on paper,
but now my body is feeling it, that's why I say I am transforming to a sea
animal.

Surfing this morning also was really really enjoyable. Though the tide was
too low and the waves were closing out a lot of times, there was a ride that
just made me so happy. I did a deliberate very late start into a bigger
closing out set, and the board has caught the wave, but I was surrounded by
lots of white water. But the base started to reform back up and I gained
some speed, that gave me a chance to emerge from the soup, and execute a
sharp right bottom turn and was back up in the wave. That started to close
to left, and so I actually was able to cut back, pushed the knee out that
that gave me some speed. As I did it another bump popped up in front, but I
had enough speed to climb that one up, and then back in the down slope
again.

It was so much work that after the ride was over, I laughed so hard, then I
had to catch some breath before paddling back out.

I want do that again soon!