Swell Bent

by Scott


It's a bit of an understatement to say that I've been hell bent on surfing the last couple years. After breathing, surfing has been second on my priority list. Eating? I can do that when I take a break. Sleeping? I can do that when it's dark.

Any time we get near the coast, I start doing research on surf spots and checking the swell forecast. Then, just in case the forecast is wrong, I have to go to the beach to check it out myself. Heather hasn't quite shared my enthusiasm.

This wasn't "the spot"

After a few good days in Australia, I decided we were ready for shortboards. We switched from a 7'10" and 7'6" to a 6'6" and 6'5". Both of us struggled, partly due to lack of skill, but also because we didn't stumble upon the right place at the right time.

Our nomadic lifestyle is actually not conducive to surfing. It takes the right size swell, from the right direction, at the right beach, with the right wind...and we need to be there when it happens. A better approach would be to stay at a spot known for good conditions, but patience is not one of our virtues.

In New Zealand, we have even shorter boards that we can store in the shower--a 6'4" for me and a 5'6" for Heather. Despite the small boards and our lack of skill, we finally got lucky and stumbled upon several days of good surf at a remote spot. I'm not even going to disclose the location for fear of spoiling it. It was so good that we don't even have pictures.

On the last day, conditions were perfect--head high waves, no wind, and no people. Just me, Heather, and a friendly local named Dennis. I was the first one to paddle out. I caught the first wave and rode it 100m all the way to the beach. It was the best wave of my life. The second wave was bigger and better. It was the new best wave of my life. This trend continued all day, as I watched from the back side as Heather caught the best wave of her life. She still doesn't quite share my enthusiasm, but she's getting there.

Link to February Pictures