Paddle, paddle, paddle

Today was hyped as a good wave day, but it fell far short. About a foot or two. But it looked good out. I got up early in anticipation and was in the water before ten---back home in a minute to get a wetsuit because the water was surprisingly freezing!

I was thinking I'd do well, but I spent the first hour not doing anything. The technique I learned from my latest surf lessons, waiting much longer than I usually do to start paddling--and then waiting two more seconds---just wasn't working.

All that was happening was that I was freezing to death.

G. was near me in the water and watching me. Bless him, he hasn't caught the weirdness virus that has infected nearly everyone here. You say hello, he says hello back and doesn't grimace and look away as if he's smelled sewage! He even says hello himself first sometimes! He might even add another sentence! I'm telling you, in this neighborhood that qualifies him, in my book at least, as a hero!

Anyway, he told me what I already knew, that I was hesitating too much instead of committing to and going for the wave. Stop hesitating, go for it and paddle hard, he said.

So that was the kick in the pants (or wetsuit) I needed. But even so, there was one more thing I needed to do, and that was forget what had been working for me for a while---the waiting to paddle until well after my instincts told me to. With these waves---and I have no idea what was different about them---that just wasn't working. So I tried what I used to do: paddle much earlier. I had nothing to lose, I wasn't getting anything. The paddling energized me and had the welcome effect of warming me up a little. I did catch waves this way. I was so surprised to catch them, it took me a while to try to stand up. I did eventually get up on three or four waves. I think I used my knee. It definitely wasn't that popup feeling. I tried to balance but didn't get riding for very long. Still, I was glad to have gotten anything after that first hour or so. But by the time I figured out how to deal with these waves, I was a Popsicle.