Modern surfing…what does that mean? The first traces of surfing were discovered in Polynesian cave paintings originating back to the 12th century. Over the course of many wayfinding expeditions, surfing was brought to Hawai’i where the sport went viral. Duke Kahanamoku is credited as the father of modern surfing for his role in popularizing the sport in the 20th century. He surfed on the waves at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Oahu, and we got to surf those same shores like so many others that followed in his footsteps.
On our last night in Hawai’i, Ethan and I felt like something was missing. Our time on Oahu wasn’t what we were hoping it would be, but we wanted to end our trip with a splash — literally. Ethan had been talking about surfing all week and we had been tossing around the idea of taking a surfing lesson, but never fully committing. As our final opportunity presented itself, we decided to go for it, and that’s what lead to us learning to surf at the home of modern surfing: Waikiki Beach.
That next morning, we woke up with the sun and drove to the beach. When we arrived at Waikiki, Paulo — our instructor — was waiting for us. He showed us how to lay on the board, paddle and position our feet as we move into the standing position. He had us do a couple practice runs on dry land, and by a couple I literally mean two. His confidence in getting us out in the water right away concerned me, but we began to paddle out.
He lead us to a spot just off Waikiki Bay known as Threes. Apparently this name was given because it’s the third most recognizable surf break in Waikiki. Although it’s still rather close to shore, paddling out to the break was consistently the most difficult part. What’s funny is that it never even crossed my mind when mentally preparing for the day. I was so concerned about being able to stand up on the board that I didn’t think about the physical fatigue of paddling back out after each wave whether you got up or not.
After we finally made it out to the break (with a little help from Paulo pushing my board along), we turned around and began paddling with the wave. I could feel my board catch in the wave and began the movement Paulo taught us on shore. Slowly, I made it to my feet and found myself riding my first wave.
Ethan didn’t get lucky on his first, but he was able to get up on his second wave! I was surprised by how easy it was to stand up on the board, granted, we were using large beginner boards. Either way, I was pleased with the quick success, and it encouraged me to keep going. The harder part was learning how to tell which waves to catch.
If I were to attempt surfing as an actual hobby or past-time, I’d need to significantly increase my arm strength as well because I really struggled to match the speed of the wave as I paddled to catch it. Most of the time, I relied on Paulo giving me a little push. Either way, surfing felt much more attainable after a few waves and I wanted to try even more.
At one point, Ethan and I were able to catch a tandem wave! We rode it for a while until I noticed he fell into the water. I continued to ride the wave until it died, then made the long paddle back to him. However, I instantly regretted not abandoning the wave with him when he told me his story.
As we surfed tandem, he noticed a sea turtle swim under his board. If you’ve read my previously blog, Snorkeling with Manta Rays, you’d know how terrified Ethan is of open water and marine life. Seeing the turtle swim beneath him caught him off guard and he lost his balance. As he toppled over into the water, he nearly landed on top of the turtle! As he caught hold of his board again, the turtle popped his head up as though to say, “What was that for?” He tried to call me over, but by the time my tired arms got me there, the turtle was long gone.
After catching a few more good waves, we said goodbye to Paulo and had our first real beach day, if only for 45 minutes. The bright soft sand on Waikiki Beach was perfect for a relaxing nap after a strenuous morning workout. We watched the other surfers and admired our board rashes and bruises, wearing them proudly.
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