Family Vacay - August 7, 2010

Today we arrived at what will be our home for the next seven days:  St. George Island. 

Ted's family spent a week here a few years ago and they have wanted to come back ever since.  So this morning, his youngest daughter came over from Pensacola; his mom, sister, brother‑in‑law, and their girls drove over from Jacksonville; and his brother-in-law’s sister flew up from Miami.  It’s a house full of people completely stoked about the week ahead. 

We brought plenty of beach toys and it was actually a little Clark Griswold when my boyfriend and his daughter arrived at my house to pick me up this morning.  My paddle board was on the roof of his SUV and our two surfboards were sticking out of the rear window.  A kayak was strapped to the top of her car and her board was poking out the back.  All we were missing was a fully utilized bike rack coming out of the trailer hitch and a Coleman stove visible through the side windows.

Everyone met up at the Blue Parrot for a round of conch fritters and some “cold drinks” (an expression borrowed from my father), after which we headed to the beach house.  Then after we unpacked, it was time to haul all the boards down to the beach.  The paddle board was just that, a haul, as its 48 pounds are cumbersome, but it was worth it because the paddle was a perfect way to kick off the week. 

The Yolo Yak paddle board

A few rain clouds had moved in and I paddled through the lightest of summer showers.  It reminded me of the summers of my youth, playing out in the rain with my older brothers and not caring that we were getting soaked.  There’s just something about paddle boarding that makes you feel like a kid.  I don’t know what it is, but it’s like when you’d still be racing around on your bike after the street lights had come on, and any minute you knew you were going to hear your dad’s whistle telling you it’s well past time to be inside.

I can’t believe we get to spend a week doing stuff like this.  It’s going to be a wonderful vacation.

Don't Break Your Board - July 31, 2010

Okay, so ever since I got my new board, I’ve had this weird fear of breaking it.  I believe it began after I excitedly told my ex-surfer coworker that I was the proud owner of my very own board and his response was, “Good for you; don’t break it.”

It’s just, the board is really nice, and it was a gift.  How horrible would that be to break most definitely the coolest gift I’ve ever gotten?!

Now, as it's been explained to me in an attempt to calm this completely irrational fear, my board is made of epoxy, which is significantly stronger than the traditional foam boards with fiberglass coating.  When you hear of a surfer breaking their board, there are several factors in play that are simply not present in my surfing.

a)      They were surfing traditional foam boards that are, as I mentioned above, far less rigid than epoxy boards.

b)      They were surfing in waves that had considerably more power than the typical waves found in the Gulf of Mexico.

c)       They were pushing their boards to limits beyond my imagination by doing maneuvers I’ll only ever see in Surfer magazine.

So I guess I can relax then.  Except that, as I began feeling better about the whole situation, my fear‑inducing coworker sent me this photo:

Yep, that’s my face photoshopped onto a surfer’s body…on the upside, look how tan my legs are!

A Quiet Morning on the Water - July 24, 2010

If all I wanted to do was go surfing before, it’s really all I want to do now that I have my own board.  The first weekend after getting Greenie was packed with things I had to do but where there’s a will, there’s a way.

We scurried down to the beach around 6:30 on Saturday morning so I could make it to the baby shower I was co-hosting for my best friend at 9:00.  It was a pretty small day, so we walked up the beach about 10 minutes to a spot where the waves were breaking slightly larger than elsewhere. 

As we walked along, the sand squeaked beneath our feet and Ted attempted to educate me on beach breaks versus point breaks.  I was trying to take it in, really I was, but I was just so darn excited to be carrying my new board…my own board. 

There she is - "Baby Blue"

So yeah, not having to worry about that was a relief, and it was nice to be able to easily walk along the water’s edge and just enjoy the morning.  Because the waves were so small, they merely lapped onto the shore, which made for an unusually quiet beach. 

One of the best things about Greenie is that it’s not only lighter than Ted’s board, it’s narrower too so I can more easily tuck it under my arm.  When I carried his board, I could just baaarrely get my fingertips around it.  So each time I walked with his board down the road to the beach access, I was afraid I was going to drop it on the asphalt.  The thought of that killed me, especially since he commissioned a shaper in San Diego to make the dang thing.  I know—that board cost him more than half of what I paid for my first car.  Granted, that “older Volvo” was older than me, but still!

Once in the water, he took some pictures of me paddling out.  The gulf was especially clear that morning; sometimes I wonder how the Caribbean could be any prettier than these aqua waters.  As we waited for a large enough wave for him to push me on, I lay on the board and honestly, I just enjoyed floating there.  I know it sounds like the most passive “surf” experience ever, but it was just so nice.  I took in the beautiful surroundings, I appreciated the quiet beach, and I admired my new board as I traced the letters, N-S-P, on the logo stamped at the top of the board. 

Mix that with some nice little rides, and you have yourself a pretty decent way to wake up.