Progression or Regression?

Progressing, for exactly the same reasons stated in the first paragraph of DPSUP's initial post. While it's been almost 20 years since I first started surfing (which was during high school, pretty late to discover this world considering the house I grew up in is 1.9 miles from the beach), 2016 is the first year I was consistently dedicated and motivated throughout the entire year and missed only a small handful of swells, all of which were when I was out of town. Granted, with the summer we had this year, I might as well have moved to Nebraska for a couple months, but it is what it is.... cynical jokes aside, I rarely went much over a week without paddling out and riding something, small though it may have been.

Much of my lack of consistency over the past 20 years was location-driven, but there were also plenty of stretches where I was living in NJ a couple miles from the beach and still just got out of the groove, took a couple weeks off and all of a sudden it had been months since I'd paddled out, etc... I was thinking about this reading trevolution's tread about missing good surf last week, that is the biggest driver of the sickening feeling of missing waves for me: the fear that if I miss one or two swells, even for perfectly legitimate reasons (only rideable window is during work hours in the middle of one of those major projects that could make or break my career for example), all of a sudden I will wake up one day and realize I haven't surfed in years. Because it's happened to me before, more than once, and it usually took moving away from the coast to a situation where I absolutely couldn't surf at all, period, for months on end to really get the fever back. And I've seen it really happen to an even larger degree to almost all of the close friends who I started surfing with.

But enough dwelling on the times I wasn't surfing. I am absolutely progressing right now because I've never been this committed and stoked, while having such access to waves. Even in high school, while I had fewer commitments, I also had fewer financial resources, and less schedule flexibility (albeit a lot less sh!t that I had to flexibly schedule too). Anyway, I'm surfing better than I ever have, which is completely relative and I am still a total kook, as one would expect given my lack of any extended stretches of commitment previously in my life. I'm a good swimmer and between that and lots of lifeguard experience I'm fairly good at reading the ocean and fairly comfortable in moderately bigger surf (by NJ standards, all relative, and up to a point... which is somewhere around or a little under DOH at the moment I'd guess), and I know enough not to drop in on people (unintentionally, i.e. other than my friends), but I am still pretty remedial at the actual act of.

I am also on a shorter board than I've ever ridden, except in my case I exclusively rode longboards for my entire life so the "shorter" board at the moment is a 7'6" funboard that I borrowed/stole/technically now own half of I guess from my wife who got it as a kid but then never really used it (I know, I know, already said I was a kook!). Started regularly riding that a couple months ago with the intention of using it as a transitional step to a propere shortbort (this is also gonna be relative as I'm 6'3" and 230ish, doubt I'll ever be on a 5'10" potato chip). It's funny cause to me the 7'6" feels like a skateboard and is so light and fast and so much less stressful than a longbort in bigger hollower waves. Even since I got back here last year I've been waiting for the day that I roll up and don't have the balls to paddle out, last winter never really got big but I know it's coming... hopefully my surfing keeps progressing and the threshold of what I'm comfortable in keeps growing though.

 

Yes, coming off a decade and a half of full on frothing for every ripple to totally jaded takes a toll. I'm gonna work my way back to prime surfing shape over the next 6 months and should be surfing at top form for me going into next fall. Even with the decline I'm still surfing better than I was 20 years ago. It's not the surfing that goes, it's the stamina that fades and with that the drive to get out there.

 

its funny i feel the same way...

In the past few months i've paddled out quite a few times in relatively decent waves and about 20 minutes into the sesh just had this gnawing feeling that i should be focusing my energy on something else.

The next phase of is 20 minutes BEFORE paddling out being like am i really going to fool with this? Its cold out and the waves are waist high. I usually paddle out anyway and half the time end up glad i did.

The big thing i've noticed this winter more than usual is my boards all seem wrong for 45 degree water/full suite:

Longboard will work fine, but i rode the longboard a few too many times this winter in good waves and just hated how limiting it feels. The last time i rode it i just got out and took pictures the board felt so wrong for the nice a-frames and were rolling in.

The under-6-ft (mini sim/fish) boards i ride all spring summer and fall when its less than chest high seem undersized and a true hassle to get in early and get pumping down the line for a turn. I hate sluggish late take-offs, and have visited the sand bar a few times lately on waves that looked pretty damn easy takeoffs.

I've got 6'4" and 6'6" eggs but unless its got size, mid lengths/eggs seem limiting like a longboard, just not quite so much so.

 

I think you'll be OK with it... I know a couple of older dudes in LBNY that surf real well, but don't get out anymore on the big days (or the freezing cold ones either).But they hang on the boardwalk and BS with everyone like they normally do. It helps that their kids (and grand kids) are in the water.
I think when you get to that point it seems like work and the desire to go out and get pounded fades. It would be way more difficult if you suddenly couldn't do it anymore due to injury rather then slowly fading over time.

 

lol idk neither,i just ride waves.if its small ya cruise,if its barreling u pull in.im not out there trying airs and shyt like that lol.its not a competition.ur surfing is limited on the eastcoast,we don't have 600 yard lefts where u can pop off 5 turns on a single wave.would be nice but that's what vacation is for,to actually ride some good waves

 

In the long term I'm progressing but short term I'm in a regressive mode. Some days I go out and kill it (or at least it seems to me) and other days I can just flat out suck. At my age, 56, and limited time persuing this activity that's just the way it is. While I do surf fairly often, my location doesn't get great surf and that probably hinders my improvement a lot. I'll never be much more than a mediocre surfer but I'll continue to strive to improve as much as I can. In the meantime I'm certainly enjoying the ride even on the schitty days.

 

a schitty day in the waves is better than a day not in the waves so u win regardless lol

 

Exactly

 

I actually look up to you and am always impressed when your on it and I can't get myself going. For me it's the physical decline that compounds on itself making each session passed one more brick in the wall of decline.

 

I would say definitely progressing and not only by the fact that I can actually do some things but i seem to be the happiest guy in the water with the exception of those random a$$ kids wading in the shore pound screaming for no reason with there fat a$$ parents eating a bucket o chicken and smoking a cig.

 

Regression right now, I think. Don't know what it is, maybe a combination of things (family, work, house and car repair needs), but I've had a hard time motivating myself to paddle out. Been out only twice, no more than 3 times this month - even with a nice & warm new wetsuit. Lost my mojo at 61? Been working out and running, but maybe I need some Geritol.

 

Yes, losing the mojo has happened to me as well; I am 65. But don't worry, just keep doing the exercises you describe and choose the better days to go out. You are in your 60s and still surfing. The man above floating in the clouds with long flowing robes and a long beard, has been kind to us. Keep on surfing, man!! And if you are able, take a surfing trip to warm turquoise waters.........it does help.

 

^^^ Thanks BC.
Couldn't sleep earlier. Going back to the rack and log a few more Zs. Gotta keep the mojo batteries charged!

 

Good topic!

I would say I'm regressing, definitely regressing. It's not that I got worse at surfing or my skills are eroding or anything like that, even though I'll be 46 in March. I'm regressing because I just haven't been able to surf much between mid September to mid April for the last 5 years, due to work. I work 80-90 hours a week and do a lot of traveling for work. But I do get a solid 4-5 months off, so it's not like I work many more hours per year than the average 40 hour a week person. But when I'm off, it's the crappiest time of the year for surfing. I get time off around the holidays and a week off in January or February, and I was able to get in 3 solid days of surf last week on Christmas Eve/Christmas/Boxing Day.

I've been thinking a lot lately. With barely having to work in the late Spring and Summer, I can literally live where I want for those months. I don't have enough money to buy a place unless I sell my house in Jersey. This was supposed to be a place for me and my wife, and at least child. But she never became my wife and we split 3 years ago and at this point, I'm too old to want a family of my own. So I've been thinking about a condo on Oahu. My best friend who also works with me, has been considering getting a place there. I'm waiting to see if he bites first. He has cash for a considerable down payment on one. We've been discussing this since December of 2013 when my then fiancé left me. My house will be paid off in 2025. I could get quite a bit of cash for it now.

Regardless, I BADLY need a trip somewhere. Haven't been to Oahu in 3 years this February. It doesn't have to be there, I could take a trip to Costa or somewhere. I always get excited when someone here posts about going on trips somewhere haha.

 

^^^we are in same boat. I will be heading to Hawaii and Costa. ****ing lifesavers!

 

Tough question. Past few years id say progressing. Refined my equipment and skill definitely went up. I'm doing things and riding boards that i never thought o would. Was surfing allot. But then i kinda got into a rut. I only wanted to ride the SB because i was so happy with the progression. I wanted to keep it coming. That lead to a few ehhh sessions. Then in the last year i started a me job, began my career. Not surfing as much, but still surfing when i can. I almost feel like that decrease in water time helped. I go out and my skill hasn't dropped off, and it surprises me. Makes me feel good. And now I'll ride anything instead of forcing myself to ride the SB for the sake of furthering the progression.

Getting that mini also has refueled the stoke. I actually am looking forward to soft medium sized days over big barreling days. Which might be strange but I'm ok with that.

To try and sum it up, i had progressed allot, then that progression slowed over the past year but hasn't regressed. Mentally however i definitely feel i have progressed. I'm not stuck in a one board mentality (which is somthing i never used to be. Always riding diffrent stuff). And as far as my life goes outside of surfing, iv progressed tremendously. Though i get less water time it was worth it. It feels good to have all the hard work pay off and have somthing to show for it. Surfing is still a priority, but i was getting a bit jaded. And I'm too young for that. So the less water time may actually be a good thing

 

^^^ I think very similarly. Too often I want to keep riding the SB even when conditions call for otherwise. Have blown quite a few sessions when I should have/could have been having fun on something else. I'm gonna start riding my log more this year and start walking the nose, refining the cross step, etc. First barrel that I made it out of was on a log, this year - was super stoked. I am starting to embrace the "bring the right board" or a multitude of boards mentality. If you're not having fun you're doing it wrong. I will no longer do it wrong.

 

Yeah man. That was the weird thing for me though. I had that mentality. I'd love riding the LB. In fact i belive the LB is what helped progress my SB game. Then i just over did the SB thing. I knew i was too. But did it anyway.

That's one of the reasons I'm stoked on the mini sim. Not a LB replacement. Nothing can replace a LB but an LB. But it allows me to surf with a more SB style without blowing a sesh with the wrong board.

 

You got a trip already planned for the winter? NICE!!!!

I get my fix these days from looking at pictures in the photos section on here and various other websites. It's how I get off (no perversion intended LOL) haha.

I'm still fine with surfing in colder conditions, but I'm getting to that age right now where I can't take the cold water or cold air the way I used to. If I did live up in New England or god forbid up in New Hampshire or Maine, I probably couldn't even bring myself to get out there from December-March even if I wanted to.

I have an older friend of the family that I know. He's like late 60's, I think he's turning 70 this year or next. He was a pretty gung ho surfer for years and he still does it today. He was able to retire in his early 50's and could have lived anywhere, yet he chose Bradenton Beach in Florida, on the Gulf Coast of all places! He was living down in Ventnor in Jersey before that, right next to Atlantic City and working in AC before he retired. He got to surf more on Absecon Island before retirement than he does now in retirement. He says he chose Bradenton because he enjoys golf and boating and riding his bike (Harley) just as much and if he had surf every day, he'd be tempted to do nothing but surf and never have time to ride on his boat and take it out into the gulf or go golfing.

Oahu sounds great but for now, it's a dream I only discuss with a couple friends, on this board and only go there in my sleep LOL.