Saturday, February 12, 2005

Session 5030: Learning Curve Getting Steeper!

I did a true 6:45 DP this morning at The Hook. Like the last time, I was there early enough and the sets were not that big that I could enjoy surfing the Hook. This is usually a good treat for me because, obviously, I don't get to ride that wave very often. This new arrangement of going to SC on Friday night, crash at the den and get up early when the sky is barely light is working out very well.

As I left the apartment, I was walking down on the 41 st Ave, and it was basically still very dark that I was thankful for these city street lights. Otherwise, I'd need one of those flashlights! I'd carefully go down the stairs, then splash in. When I made to the line up, I have started to recognize some "familiar" faces, so I now know who are really hard core!

Technical Progress Report

I have been in a dire need to work on take-off technique. I am presently convinced that if I successfully take off on basically any surfable wave, I can ride it and be able to do start practicing more moves. What I am trying to allude to is that taking off correctly and more consistently right now is really the number one impeding factor in moving up to the next part of my surfing skills. Other building blocks were basically built up now. I now know what it means to bottom turn and top turn. The reason that I can say this is that on occasions when I do everything right, then there are some great rides that I can remember, but the problem is that I cannot duplicate them consistently, and of course, that's what happens with these types of skills. Personally, I'd rate myself right now at about the top 20% or 25% of a weekend line up in terms of surfing skills. If I can achieve the top 10% then I think that I'd be in a very sweet spot as a recreational surfer. This means that I'd be one of the people in a 10 to 15-surfer line up that would catch and execute long beautiful rides for the wave that I go for. No wipe outs if I commit. Having been a not very athletic person leading up to now, it will take a while, but I can at least visualize what is needed to be done, so if I keep at it twice as hard, and catch up with all the gaps other surfers had to go through, I think I'd be able to do it.

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