Can't surf no more?

Replace SoCal with Jersey and this, exactly. Mountain biking too. Love those sports, but not the way I love surfing. Would much rather quit mountain biking and skiing/snowboarding completely and just surf than the converse. Really, really tried to make the mountains do it for me the same way the ocean does, because Colorado had so many positives, but just couldn't do it forever.

 

Really interesting to hear this perspective, as this was the first place my mind went. I agree though. While I do love snowboarding, I have never gotten the "nirvana" feeling that surfing good waves gives me.

 

Yeah i don't think anything could replace surfing. I think most of us, but not all, feel that way. Not to be all cliche and lame, but surfing is so much more than just s hobby or sport. It's a lifestyle, to put it simply. I hate putting it that way because it does sound cliche. But it's true.

With that being said I'd probably be doing judo. I used to compete regularly and train multiple times a week. I did really enjoy it but surfing was just more important to me. As i got older and had more responsibilities equaling less time, surfing got the nod. But that's the only thing i feel i could immerse myself in like i do surfing.

I love making music and playing bass. But again, it doesn't come close to surfing. Music is just a hobby. As is fishing. Both things i enjoy, but wouldn't be able to fill the void of surfing was gone.

 

Hand boarding

 

If this doesn’t qualify, open water swimming.

 

My problem has always been having too many hobbies and not enough time. I'd probably just spend more time fishing.

 

Good single track mountain biking could put me in the zone just as good as surfing. I pretty much "gave up" surfing when I lived inland for 4 years. The only problem was not being able to mtn bike for almost 6 months out of the year due to snow cover.

 

That's something I have always wanted to try. I loved riding trails and hitting dirt jumps on my Haro when I was a kid.

 

If I couldn’t surf anymore I would take up taste testing shotguns.

 

Ditto on both accounts. I'd just end up fishing more. Flood tide is good for fishing bad for sarfin. When it switches, go swap the rod for a board! Perfect system

I'd also end up playing more hoops/hockey/baseball, although most of those are nighttime anyways and don't cut into h2o time. Except night fishing.

 

I had a link but lost it on the last computer, but it was about sea air proven by science to be good for health, mentally and physically. That's why most of you don't want to lose touch with the ocean. Me, too.
What goes thru my thoughts a lot lately about not surfing anymore is the darn crowd factor. Last week at Tres there was about 40 guys out, (women, too) and it was not that good. Peaky, shifting. That is the one thing that will make me cut way back on surfing. I'll never quit.
The stoke is still there but insane crowds take the fun out of it.
Now, having a few acres of tropical ground makes it interesting. Seeing what will grow and what won't. Projects that require working with both hands and brain. Maybe a fish pond someday...we can spend several days at a time at home and not miss anything.
But wife and and I are beach people and always will be.

 

Before my surfing life started I was big into skiing. Constantly planning the next trip out west, checking out new equipment, snow reports, youtube videos on technique, etc. Now, I almost don't care if I ever go again. Just came back from a few days in Utah with my family and I'm upset with myself that I'm not jonesing for it like I used to. Technically speaking, I can't figure out a way to like skiing the same way I like surfing.

I've decided to learn snowboarding next time. Don't know if it'll be the same but certainly worth a try. I'm just old enough that when I was young snowboarding was not yet. I'll be learning as middle ager.

Otherwise, lots of tennis, golf, and fishing would help, I do like a good tennis back and forth.

 

gardening, distilling, hunting, fishing, I guess snowboarding or skating but I crossed the bridge from those things to surfing because none of it compares. I've made all my moves since I left the nest to be close to the ocean. I'm salty by nature. made at the beach, born at the beach, raised to love the beach, and then had it all ripped away from me for years. except for the 3/4 days a year I would go with my family. not again. I do love river fishing and kayaking etc...

 

That has been my mantra since 1968, right after asshole americans held a World Surfing contest at Rincon. Up until then, I used to surf there with my brother and perhaps 2 friends, at Marias, not one other person, with a great swell, for 7 days.....I was 17 in 1968.
It has been going downhill ever since. It is no better than a slum/ghetto in Chicago now, as far as I am concerned.
Marketing sucks.

 

Hahahaha. I didn't get this for a second. Took a second read to register. And now i agree

 

Just being honest lol

 

I just taught a long-time skier/surfer friend how to snowboard this season. I was amazed when he picked it right up, honestly blown away. By the second day he was keeping up really nicely.

I can get a really good stoke from riding a snowboard in decent conditions. It's like surfing in a lot of ways. I hope you go for it!

 

Sounds promising, and I'm glad to hear this because I'm still bummed about the skiing. I was in the Cascades a couple of years ago the day after a storm had dumped five feet (no kidding, couldn't find my car at first) and guys were tearing it up on those snowboards designed for deep powder. Looked like a blast.