Sometimes what you're most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free. - Robert Tew
My heart was beating fast that day in May.
After having witnessed the best surfers in the world impressing their audience during the Corona Bali Protected at the famous Keramas Break, I had the smart idea to go out catching some waves at the very same spot.
Obviously I was the only newbie in the water then. Indo waves are fast, big and merciless. If you haven't much experience surfing them, you can have a quite hard time out there.
However, I wanted this so badly.
There must be some youthful foolishness still remaining in my senior heart.
Tough conditions
It was supposed to be a regular Thursday, but it's gonna be one of the most intense memories of my life.
On the internet I had found a freelance surf instructor who picked me up at 8am.
When I got into his van I had a quick look at the surfboards that were stored in the back. The attempt to find one that corresponded with the measures I had communicated when booking the session were in vain.
Oh you wanted a fun board then? - he asked, when I mentioned that I was a bit confused regarding the material he brought with him.
A fun board? I had never heard that term before, and the board he handed on to me was extremely slim.
My mood changed from 'screw it let's do this' to 'what the hell am I doing here'.
Yeah well, that escaleted quickly - haha! My face tells the whole story...
Lots of interrogation marks on
Only for the brave
Holding a board under my arm that was much smaller than myself didn't really help to calm me down.
The following comment from my instructor neither:
You gonna need some balls out there.
When he started to pray before entering the water, I felt my body go into the lockdown mode. I know he didn't pray for my survival but somehow it felt like that.
I'm not religious, but suddenly felt the need to send a short message into the sky, too.
But enough talking! Body language is the clearest way to communicate human beings have, and mine tells the whole story.
Enjoy 2:30 minutes of Indo surfing vibes!
We were supposed to surf two hours but I got out of the water after only one.
The level was too high, the waves extremely fast.
Yet, I paddled into a couple of them. While my head screamed 'Don't do this', my heart kept pushing me forward.
I managed to get on my feet twice which was two times more than I had expected :-)
Surfing is extreme sports, and fear is part of the game.
Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death. - Omar N. Bradley
Scared half ? Haha...
Gracias vida - I'm thankful for the experience!
Much love
Marly -
PS: How do you like my new signature?
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