Can There be a Cooler Sport than Surfing?
There is no doubt that the coolest sport on earth, is surfing. It is a passion, a way of life and state of mind. It is for those who want to live a natural uninhibited life that revolves around the sun, sand, sea, surf and your surfboard.
The very first time you ride a wave; you will know why surfing is here to stay and why it is the fastest growing sport worldwide. Taking your longboard or short board out on the ocean provides you with an opportunity to challenge the elements and nature itself, although you know in reality that it can only really be conquered for a moment. This is what keeps you coming back for more. Surfing is cool, exciting, challenging and fun.
Walls of Green and Blue
Tumbling down moving walls of green and blue water and being able to manoeuvre your board left or right and up or down is a sensation similar to skiing or flying. Surfing differs in that you are not the only thing moving because the force (the swell) is also moving. That is until you are dumped in the surf (a wipe-out), which is the moment a particular ride on the waves comes to an end.
Surfing gives you the freedom to track and ride the perfect wave, to have surfing lessons and develop your skills to their peak. Independence to take risks, fail and rise again. The life of a surfer has a significant rhythm and beat to it, which comes from the rhythm of the surf and of the wild, motivating music he listens to.
Hang Five Hot-Dogger
Surfers have their own cool language with words such as, hang five (putting five toes over the nose of your surfboard), curl (the break of a wave), pearls, wipe-out and hot-dogger (red hot surfer), which may all seem like double Dutch to the non surfer. However for the surfer, it’s his talk, he understands it and lives it.
The dream of surfing inspires lifestyles, journeys and freedom, but you need more than the right surfing gear in order to exercise this freedom wisely, especially if you are a novice and planning a surfing holiday. The surfer needs to have plenty of training from a surf-pro or good surfing school and needs to be fit. Unless you are fit, you will be unable to meet the challenges or earn the right to this freedom.
Challenge Your Ego
The cool image of surfing is heavily promoted, but it takes more than buying the best equipment, surf gear and surf clothing before you can call yourself a surfer. Waves can be chaotic and currents and wind direction can change without warning. Knowing how a wave will break needs experience and you will find it easier if you keep fit, take proper surfing lessons and have a surf buddy.
Surfing will challenge your ego and character and you are unlikely to have a beach to call your own so that you can surf solo. Consequently you will find that you have to follow surf etiquette when you share the ocean and this takes a degree of will power. However, as you ride the perfect wave under a clear blue sky, you will know why the coolest sport on earth is surfing!