Reflection on Surfing by Calvin Griffith

I started surfing last year in the fall, so I've been doing it for about a year. I still consider myself to be a beginner, but I am completely and utterly hooked. Once you catch that first wave, the sensation is addicting. You are literally walking on water. The whole surfing culture is a unique one. It revolves around relaxation and having a good time. Surfing is supposed to be a way of getting in tune with nature, with the ocean. The goal is not to harness the wave, but simply to flow with it. As you ride a wave, you become part of it, although hopefully not completely or you get sucked under and smashed on the bottom. Despite the serenity of surfing, there is always an aspect of reverence or respect for the wave, which manifests itself often in fear. Waves can get pretty big, and if you don't know what you're doing, they can mess you up a lot. The fear of such wipe outs maintains respect for the ocean as part of nature and thus, as completely out of man's control. However, even a respectful fear has to be cast aside in order to push the limits of surfing, something I am not very good at doing. A perfect example of this is a surfer named Laird Hamilton, probably the best big wave surfer alive. This guy surfs waves up to 60 or 70 ft tall, which is literally a death defying feat. Even Laird says he experiences fear, he'd be a fool not to. But he is able to overcome that fear and exprience something few people in history have ever felt: the thrill of soaring down a wall of water at an amazing speed, knowing that if you fall, it's going to be a long time until you breath air again. However, for those of us that are not Laird Hamilton, surfing is still a thrill. Boards ranging from 5" to 10 and even 15" are commonly used to ride waves, longer boards providing a slower, more relaxed ride and shorter boards allowing for more tricks to be done. The truth is, it doesn't matter what size board you ride or what size wave either, surfing is a blast and it is well worth a try.