Perhaps I Need My Head Seeing To

Because I went surfing in Far Rockaway this morning. These are the kind of idiotic decisions you risk making when coming off the high of a great surf lesson like the one I took in Santa Monica on Monday with GoSurfLa. Megan is out in California this week for Thanksgiving with her family and had contacted Pete Pirus, the instructor I thought was so great, so hopefully she'll have as good a time as I had.

Today's lesson was also great, albeit in very different conditions to the lesson I had on Monday. It was such a lovely day in New York today - although I still feel totally hardcore for going surfing in NY in late November ha ha, I'm so bad-ass. Not!! - and, while it was a bit windy by the beach, I was very toasty out there in all the kit I had on. Only two of us showed up to the lesson, but I had a great time surfing with fellow novice Sharon under the careful guidance of our very nice - and very easy on the eyes - instructor, Joel, who really helped me out a lot today when I was struggling to paddle against a current that kept sending us back towards a rocky jetty. Joel made it look easy, but the current was strong enough that you really had to paddle just to stay in place and despite all the weight training I do my shoulders were feeling the burn, however every once in a while Joel - realizing I was tiring - would help me out by giving my board a push.

I look like the creature from the deep in my 4/3 full suit. Wet suit thickness is measured in millimeters, the first number represents the thickness in the torso, and the second is the thickness in the extremities which are always slightly thinner because of the need for mobility. We also had hoods, plus thick gloves and booties on - size 5 booties for my own reference - but the extra kit wasn't the hindrance to surfing that I thought they would be.


Admittedly the photo could be of anyone, so you'll have to take my word for it, but it's definitely me.

My stance is so weird in this photo, I never knew that I held my arms that way when I surfed and I'm leaning further forward than I should, I am so not making surfing look cool and good God woman, BEND YOUR KNEES!!!! Although I'm thinking that the photo may have been taken on one occasion where I had a great ride in, but initially struggled to stay balanced on the surf board as I look like I'm further back that I need to be, so I think I may have been adjusting my position when the photo was taken. Fortunately I held on and surfed all the way into the beach. Yay!!