* Didn't take many images. I always forget.
Who'd thought I would learn a lot without standing up. I'm not about being a pro surfer, just about being confident in the water. But I need to learn some things. Things that if I were younger, living near the beach and surfing I would have learned through everyday experiences. One in particular is reading the swells.
Recall this whole idea of surfing came because I was afraid of everything at one point in my life. Fear of the open water being the biggest source of anxiety, surfing was supposed to help quell that. I figured if I could read the ocean I wouldn’t be afraid. So every time I get a new instructor, I ask them how they know. Some just know, some are too young to communicate how they know, and some don’t have a clue at all. In Newquay, Reubin knew. He knew everything.
Ok, pull back. After Ericeria for my birthday, I went to Jersey and had a great time, then I was looking for more adventure in England as I settled into London life. I found Escape Surf School, but then I ended up going somewhere else. Luckily Simone called me one day and her voice was all I needed to book a train over there.
NB: Newquay is the Stag and Hen party capital of the UK. I will leave that up to your imagination.
Anyway back to the trip, again leaving late on a Friday and getting into a hostel-but-club. This was my first time staying in a hostel, ever. 31. I don't think I will do that again. I met some 24-year-olds who made me wonder how I was when I was that age. I mean I was even more spastic than now. lol. Anyway, two days of surfing with Escape surf school was pretty good. But something was really off on this trip. My mind was all over the place and it was evident when I was in the water. Also, I couldn't sleep very well (club downstairs). I think that was the first time I realised that surfing won't tame my busy mind, it only lets me realise that my mind is off. I mean little Ze was right, "Abeni you surf well when you stop giving a f*&^%!". This trip, I gave a lot of F....s. Too many really. My research was one, living in London was two, being poor was three, missing my father was four, wondering about my family in general five/six, then are there sharks here? seven.
Reubin was super patient though. I was with a girl who was moons above me. She's been surfing for 4 years and was on a shortboard on green waves, dropping in. She was amazing to watch. However, Reubin stayed with me and told me about the sea and showed me that my mind was off. My body wanted to do something different from my mind. One would say it was one of the worse, not even getting up on one wave. But for me, it was the moment I realised my mind was going in too many directions. I needed to stop and be here!
My body was here, my mind wasn't and for that, the sea rewarded me with no rides.
But my instructor instead made me feel more comfortable in the sea. He told me about the buoys. When they dip, a swell is coming in. How to look at the sandbanks during low tide. This will help me understand how the waves will form later. How to sit back and turn around on the board. We wondered about the insurance prices for the house sitting on the top of the sharp cliffs. A lot.
I realised my mind was going in too many directions. I needed to stop and be here! My body was here, my mind wasn't and for that, the sea rewarded me with no rides.
Funny party story: I lost my voice at the silent disco. I met this guy who was a top surfer in the day (photos of him all over the place), and he sees me during the day then at night totally gets the liquid courage to say, "Have you been to Ghana? No? Let me take you to Ghana” I’m not saying I don’t want to go to Ghana. It’s on the top of my new surf trips list. But yeah, not that night.
Gosh! I’m writing this a year after it’s happened (didn’t think of making this blog at that moment) and because I was sooooo into Instagram most of the images are there. And guess what?! I deleted that soul sucker last November! You’ll just have to believe I was smiling.
I told Reubin I would come back, in September that year. But of course, I never did. And I regret it immensely. Maybe, Maybe I will go back... actually... I just had a crazy idea to go back this May. I probably will. Just to say, "I got my sync back". The moment it took to type that full stop, I emailed Escape surf school and booked buses to see Reubin in May. When I say I will be back, I will. Just don't trust me on the dates, as I am a severe time optimist.