SURF

Ok, this is one that I feel that I have only half accomplished, but heres the story.

I was vacationing of the coast of Venezuela, on the Margarita Islands. I had been wanting to learn to surf, and we were at the beach body surfing. It was less than ideal water. There was an undertow so powerful, that we were having a hard time walking in knee deep water. The current was going sideways (parallel to shore) and I had just had a wave knock off my brand new $100.00 goggles off. So looking around I found a small shack, and talked one of my friends to split a surf lesson with me.

The instructor only spoke spanish, so I would have to translate. I agreed to a half hour lesson, and an hour with the boards. The first thing that we had to do was to get past the breakers. I thought easy enough, although my friend did'nt quite make it. "so much for having to translate" The instructor showed me how to sit, and wait on the board, (like they do on all the surf movies) then said "when the perfect wave comes just go paddle to the lip, and lean forward" he also said "it is verry dangerous right now." Then after answering a few of my questions, he said "times up" and swam back in. I found it extremely odd that he did'nt surf back in. He swam inbetween waves back in.

Determined that I was going to surf today, I waited for that perfect wave, did exactly like he said, and got right to the crest, looked down, and noticed that there was only 8 inches of water at the bottom of this 8 foot wave (face) and proceeded to backpaddle.

So no, I did not surf that day. But yes, I will live to surf another.