December was a crazy month! Between work, holiday commitments and life, getting to do anything fun is very difficult. When I had the time to surf in December, I would check the wave cam and find it flat. I made it to G-town one Sunday early in the month. I didn't have very much time to surf, but I still needed to get wet. Waves weren't the best, but there were some out there. I had already decided that I was wearing my 3-2 wetsuit instead of the 5-4 simply because I am sick of wearing the really thick one. It limits my movement. The air temp wasn't too terribly cold…in the high 60s and low 70s. I was certain I could get away with the thinner suit.
One other person was out. I paddled out in the rip current to the end of the jetty and got pulled west. I paddled for a few waves, but couldn't catch them because they were too week. But, by the fourth wave, it had just enough punch to get me a little ride. The other person who was out was a shortboarder and he was staying real close to the jetty and a little on the inside. He spoke to me as I sat waiting for a waves. He mentioned that we must be really desperate. I responded by saying that we must be the only ones who had full-time jobs because we had to surf on the weekend whether there were waves or not. He agreed. He caught a few, and I caught a few. I had fun. I wished the waves had been a little better, but beggars can't be choosers.
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Ugh! I will be wearing a wetsuit in Galveston
until March or April. |
Since that time, waves have been hit or miss, as has the weather. When the waves have appeared, I've either been busy at work or it has been too cold to even think about getting in the water. I saw a picture the other day on the Internet of a man who had been surfing either in Alaska, Canada or somewhere in northern Europe. He wore a full wetsuit that included a hood, gloves and booties. He had icicles hanging from his mask, and all I could think is how miserable that would be. I'm sure he caught waves, but I don't know if that would be something I could do. I'm pretty strong, and although I could make up my mind to surf no matter what, even I would have a difficult time being in water and possibly having icicles dangling from my stocking cap and or gloves. I have a hard time even thinking about those few seconds between pulling off the wetsuit and putting on the dry clothes. The time period is short, but it feels like a lifetime as I'm shivering and pulling clothes from my bag. A 3-2 wetsuit, and possibly a 5-4 wetsuit -- yes; but a stocking cap gloves and booties with that 5-4 -- probably not.
Happy New Year! 2015 is upon me and I always reflect on what I've done in the past, and what I want for the future. I saw a post on another social medium that suggested people come up with three words to describe the hopes and dreams of the upcoming year. I took some time thinking about those three words and came up with Change, Adventure and Passion. I think I start most years hoping for these three things, or, at least, Adventure and Passion. However, I believe I sink back into the safe and standard way of living life. And, although, I'm often opposed to Change, I finally realized that I can't live a year of Adventure and Passion unless I learn to accept Change more readily. I'm excited about my own personal discovery, and I'm committing to accepting what might lay ahead for me. And, as usual, I'll still be looking for waves.
