Surfing Camp Day 2 – May 23, 2023

• Baleal Surfing Camp: Day 2
• Weather: 72 degrees, blue skies with clouds

Morning Lesson: After practicing pop-ups on our boards, albeit boards resting on the sand, we took to the water.

The three instructors are amazing. Each instructor has his style of communicating. No sooner do you return from one ride then they position you for the next wave. Head teacher Dorion speaks with facial and hand expression as only the French can do. He requests, “Would you please hop on.” French civility. His coaching style reminds me of an MBA coach on the sideline. He is openly thrilled with our successes and openly crushed with our failures. He reminds us we must ride waves over and over to create muscle memory. Failures lead to success. New Zealander Jimmy always says, “Get on the board.” In his casual and relaxed attitude, his positive coaching tips are appreciated. Brazilian Junior has the shortest one-liner, “Let’s go” and we pop-up on the board. All agree Junior is the most enthusiastic of our successes. He whistles and shouts like a cowboy at a championship rodeo at our successes.

Yesterday’s failures have been mended by today’s successes. My right leg no longer seems paralyzed. I can lift the right leg forward. I got up and rode the waves a few times…albeit for a few seconds. I mostly tumbles off the board. It’s amazing how much fun failures can be.

Afternoon Lesson: More pop-ups. Eyes forward and not on feet.

With better surfing conditions on the other side of the small peninsula, we made the 15-minutes walk to a new beach. Surf boards can be unwieldy and heavy to carry. An ocean breezes can catch the nose of the board causing it to turn and twist. Jimmy and Junior often carried my board. Students quickly learned two people in tandem can more easily carry two surf boards, one carrying the nose and the other the tail. For me, I could help carry one board in tandem.

My initial thoughts of buying a surf board are absolutely ludicrous.