Ways to know you are a real surfer

There seems to be some confusion so I thought I would point out some sure fire ways to tell

Putting your board on top of the car, not strapping it down and driving away.
A classic.
You can't say you are a real surfer until this happens
and it happens to everyone
eventually.
Nothing quite beats the sight of your precious shred stick majestically twirling in the wind
that is until in does that first bump on the pavement,
possibly followed by several trucks
That the sight is watched in reverse via your rear view mirror some how intensifies the experience.
I’m not sure this is really what Jimi Hendrix meant but could be.  You never know with Jimi

Getting a new surf craft and having conditions turn to trash for the foreseeable future
I am experiencing a bit of this now as a matter of fact
But the joy that goes with the new craft, the colors, the smells, the hard earned cash disappearing from your wallet...
Photo kiped from Intruder in the Surf  (who just got another new board so I feel no remorse what-so-ever)
You drive that puppy home taking more care than you did with your first born.
The board gets some place of honor where you gaze at its graceful curves for hours awaiting tide and swell to come together in a appropriate first offering / go out.
But then the ocean shuts down completely and the wind turns onshore for weeks
Your first ride consists of standing on your board as it sits on top of your bed while your brother jumps up and down on the bed trying to knock you off.
PS the surf doesn’t come up again until the board slips off the bed and sustains a huge ding which you don’t even bother to patch before the first go out.

Last way to tell if you are a real surfer, possibly advanced
Driving along the coast highway one fine summer day (with boards securely attached) you pull up to the stop light and after bringing your vehicle to a full and complete stop, you turn to gaze lovingly out to see a decent set rolling in.  As you watch, the signal changes, now at this point there are two possible out comes.  If you are just a surfer (or surfers really because your car can be filled with your friends doing the same thing) then some trucker with an air horn will gently bring you back to reality by giving said horn a little beep (said beep will probably make your ears bleed, but hey you are blocking traffic).  Now I said there are two possible outcomes and I know that's true because I have experienced them both. If you are in the presence of GREATNESS, that is a true surfing master, (I once has the pleasure of driving down PCH with Don Rendondo although I heard JJ Moon can pull this off as well) a localized veil comes over the area, and EVERYONE turns to watch the set. Only after the end of the set does everyone snap out of it, just as the light changes and you go on your way. No honking, no bleeding, so cool.

So there you have it, if any of you have any "ways to know..." leave 'em in the comments section.

Have a nice weekend!

Comments

Andrea said…
another way to know you are a true surer--scheduling your day around the tides....
Andrea said…
opps I mean surfer... haa I have surfing on the brain right now so I can't even think straight! another sign.. haaa
Your Surf Blog Sucks

Kooky Kooky Kooky
pranaglider said…
YSBS- so stoked to be your first! Today's piece was written to be sort of tongue in cheek. Try reading it again with that in mind. Of course, you have a perfect right to your opinion! An if that is it, that's cool too
Surfsister said…
No remorse? LOL! And yes, blame me for messing up the conditions.
pranaglider said…
SurfSister - You know I'm just jealous of your quiver! I think we may just be in between seasons. It has to happen or we would never get to summer
Bagjuan said…
holding court at the corner table,in Swamis cafe for several hours after a surf stoked morning. And no one even trys to get you to leave....
wavechild said…
Withdrawal symptoms when you can't get in the water for a while
Jamie said…
had a mat and udt's fly off the top of the car, never to be seen again. how does that rate?

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