The magic of mid-winter surfing: editorial feature for Surfgirl

Editorial feature for the world’s top women’s surf magazine, Surfgirl

I’m SO chuffed to have this creative writing feature published in Surfgirl (even with my moon face and red nose taking up a full page - HA!). It’s a short story about a solo surf mission at dawn in the midst of winter…an experience that’s invigorating, super fun and tough at the same time.

I love that Surfgirl shares perspectives from average surfers like me, too. Not just the pros and bikini models!

Here’s an extract:

My first glimpse of solid rolling lines, a light spray from the biting offshore wind in their wake…and I know the forecast was right. I watch for a few minutes and see a few surfers score. The thundering crash of the waves echoes up the face of the cliff and a mix of nervous anticipation and giddy excitement churns my stomach. 

I feel myself start to resist. Part of me wants to get back in the car and stay on the comfort of dry land. “I’m a summer person”, I tell myself. But memories of glittering turquoise waves and warm golden sunrises seem distant now. Instead, the cold, heavy water below beckons me, challenging me to overcome fears deeply imprinted on my mind from a scary wipeout and broken ribs in a previous January. “Just go home. It’s probably too big for you. It’s going to be freezing”, the voice in my head continues. 

But I’m determined. There’s a little fire in me that brings just enough warmth to spur me on and pull on my icy-damp wetsuit, boots, gloves and hood.

I can do this. Let’s go.

I gallop down the sand dunes to try and bring some feeling back into my already frozen feet, clutching my nine foot board at my hip. 

The waves look a little bigger from here on the shoreline and my heart thuds, amplified by my ear plugs. 

I submerge and my whole self gasps with shock as the first wave washes over me but within moments, my stress, my worries, my niggling anxieties… I can feel those washing away too. There’s no room for that here. Now it’s just me, my board and the ocean. And I paddle hard against the surging white water, carefully timing my journey out back between the sets. 

The first waves don’t work out. I’m too far out, my position’s wrong, I mess up the pop up and tumble under powerful water, my leash yanking my leg towards the surface. 

It’s still for a little while and I take some long, deep breaths as I sit and wait. Gulls glide overhead on a backdrop of thick grey sky and rain stipples the surface of the water. I notice how breathtakingly beautiful it is. The movement gently rocks me on my board and, at least for now, I don’t feel cold. Only grateful, invigorated and ready.

A set approaches. My heart hammers in my ears now. I’m going for it. I turn and paddle, committing to the building wall of water. A powerful lift, another paddle, a fast drop…and it’s mine. I’m flying down the face of the wave and time slows down. Am I gliding for 5 seconds, 15 seconds, more? I don’t know, but I am having the time of my life! I try to relax into the shape of the wave, letting it guide me and my longboard on its course as the white water chases and rumbles behind me until it eventually crashes and brings the wave to an end. I’m elated, spluttering with happiness as I come back to the surface. Did anyone see that?? I look around at my fellow surfers for some recognition but everyone’s busy in their own water worlds, so I keep the moment for myself. 

You can read more in Issue 79 of Surfgirl, available here.