Fast forward many years and many beautiful oceans later I decide that, "yea, let's learn to surf at Rockaway Beach, Queens" - perfect; cold murky waters, suspicious floating... things, and that lovely, occasional, ever-refreshing dead-muscles scent in the air. To be fair it's not that bad, and not as bad as the Hudson River which is exactly as bad as you think it is, (see future post about Stand Up Paddleboarding).
Prior to getting stoked, (I'm not even going to pretend like I sound cool saying ANY of the lingo and I don't even ask about the "shaka", because I just had to google it, just now: "surfing hand gestures").
I took a week and watched every YouTube video on surfing available to me, slowwly working up to the inevitable... "worst surfing wipeouts" - which, let me tell you, was awful. I think its actually pretty amazing, the force and power of those waves. I understand the poetry behind it, between man and wave. It feels alive, it is alive, this massive ocean body and yet it feels so personal. I was there last weekend for this first time sans-lesson, just me in the masses of other surfers and it's almost cultish. We all face the same direction in a scattered little wall, just waiting for offerings. It's quiet and peaceful and kinda magical. Not to mention it's cold, it's October but it's cool 'cause we have wetsuits - what about November? No issue, thicker wetsuit + booties. December? There're hoods for that - god forbid one gets surfer's ear. Don't know what surfer's ear is - look it up, go edumacate yourself. Actually, I don't even know if anyone will paddle in December, I probably would just to say I did. Yet tomorrow I will awake at the crack of dawn and shuttle myself over the A line, the free shuttle, and the A again, and do it all over. When people say "I've caught the surfing bug" - it's so true. I am such a super novice it's not even funny. There's an aggressive competitiveness inside me that doesn't understand why I'm not pro yet but I'm trying to enjoy the process and be patient and look at it as a lifetime investment.
Pics and Deets!
Ok, so I took weekend group lessons with Skudin Surf, (http://skudinsurf.com/), five in total. This is not the only surf school at 67th Rockaway but I really enjoyed it. They are pretty organized and the instructors are great. They provide boards and rash guards, very easy. Just note that they teach you the basics. After a few lessons I asked more questions about how to spot a wave and catch it - think that sounds stupid and obvious, you do it - I also did my own research on YouTube, because YouTube has the answers to everything. I wish they had at least touched base on surfing etiquette. OH! to the experienced surfers, I feel no sympathy for your frustration over lost waves - you've surfed this beach before, you know there are surf schools, you know what the surf students look like. AND to the swimmers that ONE day - I can't believe you people had the nerve to look incredulously bewildered at US - literally swimming amongst 10 students - this is not a swimmers beach, clearly, as you are the only ones swimming. It was dangerous for all, is what I'm trying to say, safety first. I digress...
Oh by the by, it is nothing like snowboarding, so, just, no. Go get 'em!
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