Surfing is My Religion

When I was about 8 years old I used to kick the ball against the side of our house for hours on end.  I just used to watch the ball come back, and I'd kick it back again for hours on end.  It was wasted time; if I'd spent the time trying to be more progressive and tried to keep the ball in the air then I'd have maybe been able to do a hundred odd kick ups by the time I was eleven.  I now know this as I help my nephew achieve that goal.

When it comes to surfing I'm similar to that 8 year old that I was.  I have a handful of moves that I feel comfortable with; snaps, cutbacks, floater, rio etc but I like to keep it all quite safe.  Mainly because the last thing I want to do is fall off and waste a wave !  This months Wavelength Surf Mag is about Progressive Surfing and pushing yourself further.  

My homework for this month is to make some steps to bridge that gap from Intermediate surfer to Expert surfer.  I think most  long term intermediates like myself will agree though that every now and then you have a session where you feel that you can finally include yourself in the advanced group, but you know that more than likely the next session will make you feel firmly wedge in the intermediate group once again. 

However when searching to see if there any 'Expert' surf schools in Fuerteventura next month, the description of 'Expert' seems to be if your comfortable catching 'green' waves !! Surely not.  As a surfer the more you surf and know about surfing then the more 'average' you feel you are, even if your surfing is improving heaps.

Over the last few weeks the surf has been a bit so-so.  Cold onshore winds have been the norm.   It's wasn't even October and the signs of head freezing is already here.  So I've been trying to do a bit of extra training.  A run here and there, and some swimming in the pool; tied in with taking the kids there. 
And I have to say the 'I hate swimming in indoor pools'.  The thought of all those toddlers and babies peeing in there.  The sight of those people who clearly don't spend much time looking after themselves ( and never shower before getting in the pool ) getting in the pool.  I mean you wouldn't share a bath with them would you - I feel like I wallowing around in the community germ sharing pool, that has been doused with so much chlorine that it can kill ever living germ on your outer body. 

That's why I've decided that its better to invest in a better wetsuit and more surfing equipment :) ; so that I can get in the sea more often. Maybe get into Kite Surfing and a SUP.  
Check out the Winter Wetsuit Guide 2012 and Escape Surfboards Newsletter for some purchasing inspiration .  All I need to do now is figure out how I going to save the money.  Well saving £10 a week on the fee to get into the swimming pool is a start!

Luckily there looks like theres plenty of surf over the next few weeks, so I won't have to put myself through this experience for a little while. :)  Here's a pic of Polzeath a couple of days ago.

As a surfing dad; Surfing plays second fiddle to family life and making sure I'm earning a living to provide for them.  That's not to say I don't want to improve my surfing though.  What making marginal changes means to me is to try and take any opportunity with spare moments that may improve my surfing.  Spending my spare cash on Surf Equipment rather that non important items.  Reading Surf Mags , watching Surf Vids and surf comps rather that other things on TV.   Fitness; when there's no surf then grab every opportunity to a bit of running, go for a swim , or do some yoga stretches.

While the Olympics where on there where some empty beaches and waves to be had.  Here's a shot taken on a beach near Newquay at midday at the height of summer; there's even a rideable wave here.

This months Wavelength Surf Mag is the Surf Travel issue.  If you're  into surfing then your passion for searching for new spots is probably  pretty high too. How many of though have had our wings clipped since  the credit crunch and the continued recession.

10 years ago there was an easy way to save for the surf trip or my case  then snowboarding trips ' give up smoking ' - a saving of £700 a year.  After that I sold off a load of stuff I didn't need (mostly on the up  and coming ebay! ) to start a tour on the Gold Coast of Australia.   Next came the easy credit and Western Australia, New Zealand, Bali,  Lanzerote, Tenerife and Fueteventura all got added to the list as the  temptation of faraway waves couldn't be missed. Does this story sound  familiar to anyone else. Anyway after a dance of the credit card  eventually the banks pulled the plug and what has followed is the  barren years.

I'm ready once again to pack the a choice  custom surfboards and find some new waves ( with family in tow this  time though ) So here's a list of money saving ideas I've come up with  to raise the fund.  Remember though I'm already a stranger at my local  pub and no longer smoke.

> claim your PPI - If the above credit card story sounds familiar to you then take a look at your old credit card bills. Where you paying insurance, if so where you missed sold it.  Chances are you may of been.  However if your claiming don't use one of these companies that do it for you but charge 50%.  Complain yourself and follow it up with Ombudsman to get 100% of the money.

> Send a funny video to 'You Been Framed' . Especially if you've got kids or animals - film them for long enough and you'll be sure to get something cute on camera. It's worth a cool £250

> Let a company use your roof for Solar Panels and possible save 1/3rd of your electrical bill. For me this could be a saving of £240 a year.

> Collect airmiles / nectar points etc. Even if you change you banking to Lloyds, buy all your petrol from Shell, do or shopping at Tesco and swap old mobile phones for points the chances are you won't have enough points for a free holiday ever year.  However you can swap your points for car hire as well as other things, which could well come in handy on your surf trip.

> sell unwanted stuff ( I hate FeeBay nowadays, good old car boots and the classifieds are now my preffered channel for selling stuff )

Remember though if your'e travelling budget get yourself the best surfboard boardbag that you can afford. Those c**** have no respect for your precious surfing equipment.