An ode to Surfing

Rarely have I fallen in love with a passion as quickly as I did with surfing. It’s been barely two years since the first time I picked up a big, heavy foamboard. Looking back at some pixelated and shaky videos my family took of me that first time in the choppy waters of Sagres, Portugal, I’m glad I didn't understand quite how far I had to go. Simultaneously, I’m glad my self-awareness at least made me realise I desperately needed a coach.

Spring, Portugal, 2024. Leaving the cold and rough Swedish April weather with a group of 13 acquaintances, most of whom I then barely knew, little did I know a new passion would be born. The cozy surf camp in Baleal, Portugal, was everything I could have asked for. A week of sunshine, soon-to-be friends, and a zen-like calm. It is this ability to elevate your existence as a whole that I truly appreciate about surfing. There truly are no bad days when surfing. Before the surf, there is only anticipation; during the surf, there is only the waves and the ocean; after the surf, there is only a tranquil feeling of tiredness solely achievable with the magical mixture of exercise and the ocean. The week moved slowly, but suddenly it was over. It was like a pleasant dream, the flow of the present slows down time, until you wake up one day when you find yourself worrying about the future or past. I was still a mediocre surfer at best, but I already knew that surfing was going to be a part of my future.

During the next one-and-a-half years, I spent over five weeks surfing, exploring waves in California, Lombok, and Bali. Feeling the progress of improving has been amazing, and while I am still far from a great surfer, when I compare those first videos to those of today, I can’t help but feel a bit proud. There are many skills and hobbies in this world to improve at though, so sometimes I ask myself: “Why surfing?” Again, I think it comes down to everything surrounding actually catching the waves. Even on the days when the ocean decides to become as flat as the Great Plains of Kansas the moment you paddle out, or puts you in washing-machine cycles so rough they could wash away the red wine spot on your white dress shirt, even then, you are still sitting on the ocean, in the sun, with no cellphone notifications to disturb you. Surfing forces you to be in the moment in a way few other activities can. This potential for achieving the state of flow is why I believe so many people leave their lives to become “surf bums.” As a side note, I think any hobby that people make their entire lives about with no monetary reward is worth trying (climbing, skiing, mountaineering).

I feel deeply grateful for what surfing has done for my life. It’s given me a hobby that allows me to escape everything and be fully absorbed into the now for as long as I want to. This is my ode to surfing, and I hope you will try it and find your flow too!