…I haven’t surfed at Cabedelo (Figueira de Foz) in a while. My lack of inertia since the winter months has been tough to shake and so has the additional layer of insulation I’ve been cultivating. The waves there are a bit punchier than most around the Peniche area so you need to be pretty fit to make the most of the better days. I timed the paddle out beautifully, the rip whisking me out back in a few moments. A short paddle across the bay led me straight into a perfect left. It was surf-video perfect, a clean long range swell groomed by the light offshore wind lifting up over the banks at just over head high. I was in just the right spot and the wave lifted the back of the board and threw me down the face into a deep bottom turn. After making some good speed mid face I raked out one more bottom turn and then lifted up and over the closing lip. It was the first ‘real’ wave of the year for me. It left me grinning and shaking as I paddled back out to sea…
What followed was a series of humbling events that involved an unexpected, much bigger set. Some underwater time. Lots of flailing and floundering. Some more underwater time. A bit more flailing and finally some nice relaxing ‘down time’ on the beach with just me, my thoughts and my crushed and fragile ego for company.
After a while I stood up (manfully) strode back into the sea (again in a manly way) and then repeated the last paragraph (not quite so manly at this point).
At which point I decided to focus carefully on the first paragraph and strode casually to the car – grinning once again. I then ate a large chocolate cake and drove home. Perfect.
I surfed today. For about 8 seconds. Which sometimes is just enough…
The snail (incidentally) has absolutely nothing to do with anything but could be misconstrued as representing the above post. In a loose metaphorical way.
4 Comments
Obviously the snail represents my progress as a surfer … xx
Actually that’s me. You are the twig… x
ahh well just to out do you I have five years of cultivated insulation (+ the extra stone gained from kicking the weed) similar lack of inertia and took a good spanking at Supertubos, amazingly my head is still attached to my body! I’m now in recovery and enjoying the equally dangerous pastime of house painting…..
I expect I’m due to let Supertubos remind me how much of a man I really am at some point soon. Or I could just watch from the beach from a deckchair with a large fruity cocktail and an ice cream…
Don’t tell anyone but it was only a 5ft set that gave me a good spanking, thankfully the surf schools were in front of the café or the walk of shame back to the car would probably stay with me for the rest of my life…. I’m liking the deckchair and fruity cocktail idea sure beats that surfing mullarkey!!
Don’t worry your secret’s safe with me. This blog is only read by very discreet individuals. Oh and my father…
I got in today at Pedrogoa on the rocky right point. 3-4ft and offshore and had a great chat with 4 Viera locals in too. First surf in nearly 8 weeks. Tired arms but happy and the dip in the river on the way home was very refreshing too.
Not surfed at Pedrogão before – just had a quick ‘google’. Good to hear that you got wet…