Surfing and the Mentor!

I am in a bit of a fog...(So I am not sure what to title this post).. please excuse me if my post is all over the place. I usually do not like to write unless my head is clear. BUT I feel I need to write to help clear my head. HA!..TOO much going on in my life ugggg! But I want to and have to post about my Saturday Session.

I surfed last Saturday with my friend and surf teacher..my Surf Mentor if you will... Natalie. We had not surfed together since I first started this addiction of surfing. She wanted to see how far I have come. A few reasons we do not surf together. 1) she is far more advance than I. 2) she is a shortboarder and we surf different breaks and different times. 3)Our schedules are not in Sync. But we were hanging out one day and she wanted to see how far I have come in my 2 and ironically exactly to date 1/2 years of surfing. (I didn't realize that Sat. was the 17th. WOW!)

So we set a date in advance to surf and just hoped the conditions were doable. Yes they were. Perfect surf day for me 1-3' and then we got some light off shores.



Natalie picked the cliffs to surf. A little bit of something for everyone. There are short boarders and long boarders and lots of dogs. LOL.. I never surfed here, but have heard different things from different people. When I mentioned I was gonna surf the cliffs to a fellow surfer. She said "oh boy...time for the big girl board shorts"..That made me a little nervous. So did surfing a new spot I have never been. I was not sure what type of break or how the vibe is or what to expect. I heard that the cliffs,(when I first started surfing) was not a place for beginners. I still feel very much like a kook. But Natalie said it is still good for beginners, but maybe not people who are learning. Leave that to Blackies. ;-) So this is a step up in some ways.. But then again it always depends on the surf conditions. This spot is between HB and Bolsa. Technically still HB..so the wave is like that."But I feel it is better than Bolsa, does not do that drop thing as much"..
I was really wanting to impress Natalie. I wanted to make her proud. She introduced me to something I love so much. The only gift I could give her, was not screw up. Made me nervous. I know I shouldn't be. But sometimes I surf like I have never been on a surfboard before. Sometimes I surf like I totally have been for years. I just wanted to show her I can catch a wave and stay on the board.HAHAHA. I know I still have a lot to learn.

So we get there. But as we were driving I am getting that fluttery feeling in my stomach. I start to get anxious as we get closer. I am excited and just want to get in the water. I always feel like a kid getting ready to go to the candy store and when we are there I cant wait to get in.
We run into my friend Jen and her Husband Alan. I thought Natalie may know them. But she didn't, so I introduced them and told Jen, Natalie was the first one to take me surfing and has not been out with me since. Jen told her I have come a long way and is proud of me. That made my heart fill with pride also. THANKS JEN!



So we get out and Natalie is describing the break and what to expect. We paddle out. The paddle out was easy. There was a bit more people than I thought. But it was ok. I felt safe with Natalie there. I get my first wave a left and take it all the way to shore. Natalie watched and when I hopped off she was clapping. I think she wanted to cry. I get back to her and she said.. "Michelle that was awesome" you did so good. Yep she was proud. =D
I go after a few more. I get some and some I don't. I wipe out a few times. I rode a total of about 5 waves I say. Some Natalie was coaching me on. I could always use a few pointers. I also am learning when to paddle for a wave, how to read them. I paddle after everything. haha. Sometimes I paddle and there is nothing, the water plays tricks with my eyes and I think it is a swell. I start paddling and Natalie calls me and says come here. I do and she said what are you paddling for? There was nothing there. LOL.. She was teaching me about shoulders. Lefts and rights. I am getting lefts and rights and I have been calling them out when I see them before they break when I go after them. But sometimes I think a left is a right and vice a versa. Or I stand up on my board and realize what it is at that time. I have to say more than not I get it right. I also paddled for a wave that is gonna break left but It swells up way far from me..and it would never be my wave. It is too far away. Sometimes I paddle to early, sometimes too late.. Or I paddle at the peak..and I learned.... That is why I pearl sometimes. I am still learning to judge waves. I still am not sure about positioning as well. It is all a learning process.
I had never been out on a day where the offshores blew. It was not bad. but you could feel it. Natalie was pointing out the spray that comes off a wave when it is off shore. I thought it was beautiful.. and sometimes you see rainbows in that spray like it was being projected on movie screen. For me that was a magical moment. I just sat outside for a while watching it. I love finding beauty in things I never knew I would.
Well a few of her friends were out there. Her Boyfriend Donald came out too. The over all vibe was great. When Natalie gave me pointers a few people confirmed what she was saying or cheered me on or told me to paddle harder and told me I got things. It was a great experience. Definetly a great surf day.

We saw Jen again walking in. I Was out there for 2 hours Natalie, almost 3.. Natalie was telling her about my waves. She said I ride them all the way to shore. I tire myself out padding back to the line up. I look exhausted and panting paddling back out. I do. Funny because, Jen was also telling me that not too long ago, and said to not take them all the way in. Especially on days where it is hard to get outside. It helps save energy. I told both of them, Yeah I know. BUT When I get up. I want the ride to last as long as it can..hahahaha. I just get so excited riding my board.

We went back to Natalies pad and she made us grilled cheese, and we had wine and cheese and crackers and homemade sugar cookies. Had great conversation and bonding time.

The view from Natalies living room.. NICE!

I am so glad Natalie has came into my life for more reasons than one. Thank you Natalie for everything.