Why it's still fun to surf when it's flat

Yesterday was officially flat. The waves at Millers were barely reaching shin high. It was 5pm. I'd made the mistake of taking John's word that sunset was after 5.30pm and you could surf til 5.45pm. I was desperate. Long day stuck behind the computer without so much as moving a muscle.

Days like those you need salt water through your gills to start your brain firing again. Shake out the numb arms from 10 straight hours of mouse moving. Nothing like consistent computer work to give you all sorts of exciting repetitive strain type neural afflictions. Kiff when your fingers have gone numb....not.

No amount of staring out the window seemed to be miraculously lifting the swell into something ridable. so much for that. Nonetheless, brain oozing out of ears needed some form of repair, and salt water it was.

By the time I ran onto the sand at Millers the sun was already just about to drop behind the horizon, so much for John's 5.30 sunset, more like 5.10! But the shadows it cast on the sand as I ran up the point were pretty cool. I got out to the backline with about 4 minutes to spare, and saw a really cool sunset. Always better when viewed from the water. 

Nother cool thing happens when you out there after sunset, you're suddenly part of the evening food chain. All of a sudden little fish are popping up all around you, and somethimes not so little one's. Gets the heart racing nicely when something largish surfaces a coupla feet away. Even better when you see something significantly more than large, and possibly with teeth, leap out the water at Chomp Rock. Quick calculation takes place to see how long you reckon it'd take to get to where you're at and if you should paddle in. Hmm, probably a half a minute max. Not worth scurrying in. If it wants to nibble on you it will. Rule no1 tends to be what you see doesn't bite you, generally...

I managed to stand on exactly 2 "waves", one a shin high racer that I managed to pump along for about 30m, another about knee high that I could squeeze out a top turn and closeout maneuverer on. So there, if you stand it counts as a surf. I stood therefore I surfed.

Got out after only being in for 15 minutes cos it was getting too dark and I was a bit spooked by the large toothy looking fish that's leaped out at Chomp Rock. But damn, did I feel a million times better. That's why we surf, it makes us feel good.

So it doesn't matter if it looks flat, chances are you'll at least be able to stand up on something if you sit out there long enough. Just lower your standards! Plus water through your gills is a guaranteed happy pill, waves or no waves.

Remember, all it takes is a wave a day to keep ya happy....