Glorious sunny days. Fun sized swells gently kissed by the lightest of offshore breezes. The smell of coconut scented sunblock, surf wax and salty air. Healthy living. Exercise. Bronzed, sculpted skin. Naturally sun bleached hair. Barrels. Carves. Airs. Shredding some sick waves brah. The list of obvious reasons to love surfing are, well, too obvious to list here.
However, surfing also has a few less noticeable things to love about the sport. Things just bubbling under the surface to entice one into its all encompassing ocean embrace. Consider stuff like:
Number 1. Seawater has antiseptic properties.
Paper cuts. The hazards of working in an office. Perhaps less common in our ever more digital environment, but general cuts, scrapes, scabs and minor wounds are bound to plague most of us just by living our daily lives. Nearly amputated your own finger from dicing onions? Just paddle out into the waves and hey presto, watch that little slice heal twice as fast after surfing.
While we would recommend going to an emergency doctor for a gunshot wound, car accident or if you have a knife sticking out your neck, it honestly seems like the sea just about instantly cleans and clears minor wounds. Surfing heals, what’s not to love about that?!
Conversely, slicing and dicing yourself while in the sea is a different matter altogether. One minor scrape during the rock walk, from some errant barnacles or razor-like reef? Within days, the affected body part will resemble the unholy alien grossness of John Carpenter’s 1980’s sci fi horror classic The Thing.
Number 2: You’re safer in the water than on land.
Even in Australia, where shark attacks seem to be an almost daily occurrence. Every attack is a tragedy, for sure. But in a country whose surfers number in the literal millions… This puts shark attacks into perspective. You’re more likely to be killed being part of a minority group down under. Soon those Ozzies will realise surfing is still relatively safe.
As for here in Mzansi? Minibus taxis, wildfires on one side of the country, floods on the other side, crime, corruption, kidnapping, xenophobia, no electricity, no water, expired 2 minute noodles, bad cricket teams, potholes, hadedahs, extremely spicy bunny chow – South African surfers are definitely far safer surfing than on land. Even if the water is murky, thick with floating whale carcasses and smells like rancid biltong, you’re still relatively safe surfing compared to what could transpire once you’re back on terra firma.
Number 3: You’re part of a global community.
Sorta like a cult, without the weirdly kak clothes, communal compounds in the middle of nowhere without modern amenities and the pressure to drink poisoned Kool-Aid. And also without the pressure to withdraw from family and friends. And withdraw bank accounts to fund said cults. Actually, come to think about it – surfing is EXACTLY like a cult. Withdraw from family and friends. Withdraw money to fund said cult. Weirdly kak clothes and camping in the middle of nowhere. But that doesn’t detract from you still being part of a global community.
Number 4: You spend your disposable income on things that make sense and bring you joy.
Rather than meaningless possessions. Hollow, ostentatious status symbols that at best will make you the object of envy, never respect. At worst, you’ll look desperate to impress others. But surfing? Instead of chasing material status to impress people you wouldn’t cross the street to pee on if they were on fire, you chase waves. Tubes. Uncrowded surf.
Indeed, instead of buying stupidly expensive cars (which a typical taxi could slam into on any given day), you buy stupidly expensive surfboards. And surf trips.
Number 5: You have the privilege of truly disconnecting.
And being part of experiences that are completely wonderful. Pods of dolphins, witnessing the moods of the oceans, beautiful sunrises, sunsets. Beautiful skies in general really. All without a smartphone to capture it all and display shamelessly on social media. Very few sports, certainly at amateur participation level, ensure you are encouraged, even forced – to disconnect from the world like surfing. Not to mention all of modern life’s other annoyances. Overbearing bosses, school and work woes, taking out the rubbish and putting petrol in the car. Surfing demands one to be present. Unless your smartwatch rings in the water, with a mate demanding to know what the surf conditions are like.
