Surf Attempts: Buying a board, Narrabeen, and Maroubra Beach

Carla, Maria, Me, and Ainsley

I bought a surf board about three weeks after we arrived in Australia. The next day it started raining and didn't stop for two and half weeks. On top of that, I had an annoying cold, the tail end of which kept sticking around like an unwelcome guest. This all has hampered my goal of learning to surf during my stay here.

I'm quite determined. As soon as we got settled, I started asking around about good places to get a board. Adrian, one of the other exchange students, told me about a little surf shop in Bronte called Point Break Wetsuits and Surfboards. After shopping around a bit, I ended up buying a giant yellow foam board from a very loquacious bloke named Woody. He speaks under his breath a bit, and I sometimes had a bit of trouble understanding his accent, but he has stories to spare. In the two times I met him I heard all about his days as a professional surfer, his volunteer work in South America, his work with gang rehabilitation in Los Angeles, and the amazing mural the gang members painted for him in his onetime home in Santa Barbara. I have to say, if you've got the time, the man seems to have had a very interesting life and he set me up quite well with everything I needed at a fair price. I excitedly lugged my giant new behemoth of a board home – o.k., at 7'5” it really isn't giant for a surfboard at all, it just seems that way when you're hauling it around on the bus. There it sat for weeks.

I didn't get a chance to get in the water until last weekend. Thais, the petite Brazilian that coordinates the exchange program at AGSM, organized a beach day in Narrabeen, one of the beaches north of Sydney. Luckily, it was a gorgeous day. Finally! As part of the trip, she arranged for an optional surf lesson -- I figured I could definitely use a refresher course. We all met up at Powerlinez Surf Shop and a fabulous surfer chick named Elle lead us out to the beach and walked us through the basics. Afterward, she and her her two assistants tried to launch us into the waves. They weren't great for learning, but by then end I managed to get up for about five seconds at a time, once or twice.

Among the other people taking lessons are two of my new friends, Carla and Maria. I'm hoping one of them will take to it so that I'll have surf buddy. Actually, Maria's husband Peter is hoping the same, and he forgoes surfing himself to watch their ridiculously adorable three-year old twins while she takes the lesson.

After surfing, the troops move to another beach for a BBQ. By this point I'm starving! The men go to work at the grill, and the girls sit and chat. Two of the guys, Stefan and his friend Laurence, brought kangaroo to BBQ. I have been really curious about kangaroo meat, so they let me try a bit. It's definitely gamey and bit chewy, but it's actually pretty tasty.

OMG! They're crazy cute!

Most of the group decided to head back to Sydney after lunch, but a small group of us staid back to enjoy the rest of the gorgeous day. Stefan and Laurence head back to the water to give surfing another go, and by the end of the day they're doing awesome. I'm kind of jealous, but it's windy and I had just dried off, so I hung out with G and the rest of the group on the beach.

At the end of the day, Laurence drives the remaining crew back to the city in his amazing camper van.

I'm thinking of getting one of these vans for myself!

Later that week, I met up with Peter and Maria at Maroubra Beach for another beach day. We didn't really check on the tides before going, and this time when I try to paddle out I kind of resemble a buoy – I paddle and paddle, but pretty much just stay in one place. Meanwhile, Peter, who only took up surfing when he arrived here a couple months ago, is nearing professional status. That might be a slight exaggeration, but he's getting really good and I'm jealous. It may have to do with the fact that he's been going out nearly everyday. Ah, well. After a long while of attempting to paddle and going nowhere, Maria and I took a break and chatted while picnicking on the beach. I might not have had much luck surfing, but it was a gorgeous day!

So now I feel I've got momentum. I got out there, now I just need to practice more. I wrestled a promise out from G that he'll take a break from an incredibly busy week to come out with me to the beach. (See Dad, I'm at least trying to not go practice by myself.) YAY!

Then it started raining again! Foiled again! But, I'll have my way yet . . . Like I said, I'm determined.

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