Improving your Surf-Esteem

Jeff    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Surf, Surfing

“That’s what it’s all about.”

A surfer couldn’t be more cliché, especially when he’s a pro talking about surfing perfect, head-high waves in Fiji with one other buddy and no one else out but a photographer. And a gaggle of girls waiting on the boat. Sweet, dude. Of course that’s what it’s all about.

How can laymen like you and I possibly feel good about surfing our crappy, crowded, local breaks when we’re continuously inundated with footage of guys scoring tropical perfection every time we go online? How can we stay stoked when we know the only things going to pick up on the waste-high slop down at the beach is the wind and the crowd? Why even surf at all?

Now, I know enough surfers to know that we’re not the type of people to feel sorry for ourselves because of conditions that are well out of our control. But I also know enough of us to constantly hear the symptoms of low surf-esteem. The disorder is characterised by incessant bitching about what could be better with the local waves: more swell, better angle, warmer water, less people, less wind, less kelp; the list of gripes goes on. And it all just seems like a catalog of what the pros get at some exotic location that we don’t at our home break. Well, I’m sick of the comparisons! I think the best medicine for low surf-esteem is a little perspective.

Surfing has never been about the pros. The guys in magazines and movies getting paid to travel and score with free equipment and tickets don’t embody the sport. They simply represent the ideal: the best athletes on the best waves. They’re like pro athletes of any sport. But their existence and visibility doesn’t stop us from playing sports altogether, does it? We should surf with the same attitude in mind, taking care to not concentrate on what could be better.

Instead, surfing has to be about something intrinsic in the act itself. Why else would we do it? Getting better is common motivation. And it’s easy to try new things in forgettable waves; you won’t regret going down. Others appreciate the serenity the sport provides. It’s being surrounded by water; riding a swell that’s travelled thousands of miles to arrive; living at the mercy of the elements; with no cell phone or computer to claim our attention. And still others are into the ritual: rising early, packing the car, scoping the spots, waxing the board and paddling out. It’s natural therapy. Waves don’t need to be epic to appreciate any of these concepts.

Neglecting your surf-esteem can lead to stokeless sessions and unbecoming negativity. The thing to keep in mind when conditions aren’t optimal at home and Kelly Slater and friends are in Tahiti is that we don’t surf for the cover shots or the glory of a tour win. We surf for ourselves. Because there is something about it we love. So next time you’re complaining about the weather, the swell, or the crowd, just remember there’s a reason you’re suiting up in the first place. And that’s what it’s all about.

About the author

Jeff Rhodes wrote 23 articles on this blog.

Jeff was born and raised just east of New York City on Long Island. He moved to Santa Barbara, California for college and studied psychology and philosophy. At school he discovered a love for surfing, reading, and writing. Jeff has explored both coasts of the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Indonesia, and Australia in search of waves and authentic experience.

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