As we near the end of this craptacular year, we can all at least look forward to Christmas. (Also the fact Trident won’t be writing any bollocks for a coupla weeks of holiday). With respect to all beliefs, remember Christmas time as kids, eh? Even as adults, it’s difficult not to be at least vaguely excited by the thought of the kak socks and discount beach towels your kids and/or significant other wrapped inexpertly and left for you at the base of the Christmas tree. Fun times. Now, as surfers – we have this privilege every time we start seeing some purple blobs on the swell charts.
Sometimes the anticipation of a thing is better than the thing itself. This can certainly apply to gifts, but also to movies, meals – pretty much anything we would consider fun. Also, get your mind out the gutter. But yes, that too.
One might consider this a form of addiction, much like booze, drugs, food, porn, social media, pop music, celebrity obsession, sadomasochism, sci-fi/fantasy fandom, Tibetan folk music, cats, discount toothpaste, Tim Tams, braai’s, the smell of other people’s braai’s, the smell of other people, other people, other people’s stuff (Ed’s note: that’s called theft folks), the new car smell, the new shoe smell, the old shoe smell, cars, shoes, smells, Pomeranians, etc. You get the general idea. Addiction is all-consuming, and surfing is no exception to this.
However, surfers tend to be simple in their needs and desires. Good waves, and decent equipment to ride them with. In a nutshell, that’s all we really want to keep us smilin’. A variety of good waves would be awesome too; lest we take the same damn right hand point break we surf every day for granted. And therein lies a large part of surfing’s appeal. We constantly anticipate the next run of swell, the next good set in a session, the next barrel on a wave. According to science, an inconsistent, surprising and unexpected reward is far more desirable to our primitive brains than the same exact result over and over.
Well – duh. That’s why they call it a reward. We can’t very well call a salary a reward now, can you? You get paid for doing a job. Assuming you do it well (Or at least, to the barest minimum of standards), you get some money. But hopefully you know when that money is coming in. However, if money suddenly falls from the sky, or is given to you by a grateful would-be mugging victim for tripping up said mugger – that’s an unanticipated reward.
Surf anticipation works the same way. We anticipate a reward, and begin frothing over the thought of potentially classic waves on the way. Whether we actually get the potential we wish for is a whole other story. Therefore, Trident will undoubtedly follow this article up with a sequel: Getting skunked: trauma advice for surf disappointment.
A certain big surf brand has resurrected its iconic catchphrase: The Search. Searching for the next wave fix. Which is what we’re all doing, in anticipation of the next saltwater hit; whether it’s a new swell, a new wave, a new way to surf a wave you already know, etc etc etc. So get out there team. Seek and ye shall find. Anticipate and ye shall be rewarded. Eventually.
