Just because the waves are small doesn't mean they're easier to catch; at least, not for me. The waves were small on Thursday and Friday, but they were also unpredictable and closed out quickly. Thursday evening was fun, and rather exciting. Brian suggested that we paddle to the east side of the jetty to see if waves were any better. While sitting on the board waiting for the waves, I notice some of the fish swimming around (the water was a little clearer than usual because of a front). Of course, it wasn't long before I noticed a rather large fish, which I'm quite certain was a shark. I didn't panic. I knew that the water was a little too rough for me to lift my feet or I would have definitely fallen into the water, so I just sat still. While sharks have good eyesight (they can see in color), because of the placement of the eyes an object has to be directly in front of them. I believe if I turn the nose of the board toward them, they won't see me at all. I also know better than to wear bright toenail polish or rings on my toes. Definitely a "no-no" since the sun reflecting off the the polish or other shiny objects causes the shark to notice a person. That night, I had neither the polish or the ring, so I just turned the nose and watched him swim away. (I've heard that on Sunday -- although this is dated for Saturday I'm only just now finishing my write-up Tuesday, 8/31 -- a shark was caught at the end of the 43rd Street Pier.)
Friday (8/28) waves weren't much better; however, I was glad there was something to play around in. I hit the beach and fount myself eventually moving to the 39th Street Pier because of crowds that got much bigger as the afternoon progressed. But, even at 39th, I dealt with several younger, better and more aggressive surfers. I still had fun. I'm still not sure how to describe what it feels like to catch a wave and ride it in. It's euphoric in a way I could never have imagined. It's like a small miracle. I especially love the way it feels when I first catch a wave and the board seems to be floating on air.
By Sunday, the waves were small, but better formed. It was incredible. I made it to the beach by 7 a.m. and surfed with Brian for the first hour-and-a-half. As the morning progressed, the waves got a little bigger. I caught waves until close to noon, with just a few breaks. I took photos of a surfer named Sven who was taking an advanced lesson. I still need work on catching the action at just the right moment, but I did manage to improve my photography just a bit. With the bicycle ride on Saturday, all in all it was a fantastic weekend, and one that I look forward to repeating.
Socrates once said that "Happiness is unrepentant pleasure." If that is true, then I can honestly say that I experience happiness quite often!
