I am not a surf instructor, and I never wanted to be. Yet, I have casually taught fewer than a handful of people to surf in over 35 years of surfing. Last Saturday, I taught three in a row and confirmed an old adage (related to surfboards).
In over three decades, I have kept my love of surfing to myself.
I have never forced, imposed, or gotten my friends and family excited to join me and try to get up on a surfboard. If they don't show interest, it's OK.
Besides, they know who to call when the subject is surfing... and London.
Therefore, because I have never been pushy with others about my hobbies (the same applies to indoor climbing), my contribution to spreading the stoke or increasing the crowd factor is not particularly relevant.
Not guilty, I guess.
Congrats, you're a surfer
However, life has crazy days reserved for us.
Suddenly, what was supposed to be my father's 80th birthday party quickly transformed into a "massive" surfing baptism for three girls of different ages.
We were just checking the surf after eating the anniversary cake. Our goal was never to paddle on a full belly - just feel the sea breeze and the vibes.
But, hey, some things happen for a reason, and the quick beach check quickly escalated into a "let-us-all-go-surfing" session.
Suddenly, I had an eight- and a ten-year-old begging to try surfing for the first time. One of them was my niece.
I have to admit I wanted them to succeed so badly, I took a long, wide, and thick surfboard out to the water.
The two children were really skinny and light, and I thought I could have more chances of becoming their surf hero if I could get them up and riding on their first whitewater waves.
And I wasn't wrong. So, I put all the money into the largest board - in length and volume - I could take.
The old lesson that says, "the bigger the board, the easier it is to stand up and ride," is still valid.
And then, with youngsters, everything gets easier and easier.
The "boat" that I took worked wonders. They needed just a couple of waves to adjust to the initial bumpiness of the rumbling whitewash.
After that introduction, stoke and addiction took over.
The girls were so over the moon and full of joy that they wanted the board just for them. They wanted all the waves that existed.
They just couldn't stop catching waves - nonstop, back and forth. And their smiles told me everything I needed to fill up my soul.
Children, especially pre-teenagers, have an overwhelming stock of energy that seems to recharge itself via enthusiasm.
At some point, I was exhausted. I was sending them into the waves constantly, and they were showing no signs of fatigue.
The rides went for 50 yards or more. On and on.
A 46-year-old standing up at the second ride
But it wasn't over.
I had one more challenge I wanted to tick from my list of surfing accomplishments: an adult mother in her mid-40s who had never lain on a surfboard.
Could I make her experience the ultimate thrill of the water world?
"Come here," I told her. "Seriously, try it."
And so I pushed her on three waves. In one of them, she stood up and glided for a few seconds.
"Congratulations, sir!" I told my inflated ego. "You've made it!"
The Triple Crown of Surfing Baptisms had been concluded, and the trick was just an old recipe.
If you're a first-timer or a beginner surfer, get a really big board to get things started. It's really worth it.
You'll skip consecutive frustrations and ride attempts, unnecessary wipeouts, and the belief that surfing is hard.
It isn't. It's easy and should be a joyful experience from the get-go.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
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