stand-up surfing and being the glide

I have been stand-up surfing
(that sounds so stupid but I can't think of another way to describe it)
for decades

I did stop for five years when my kids were born
it didn't seem right to go to the beach
and leave my wife changing diapers

Misc shot of the rafters (Is that a raccoon?)

After that I rode,
tri-fins
long boards
Bonzers
a host of mid rangers
the odd hull
and a school of fish
until the stars aligned
and I lucked into the mats
(again)

Photo by Mom

Since that time I have been sort of singular about riding mats

I have ridden boards on occasion but they seem so distant compared with the intimacy of mat riding

With the mats, not only are you inches from the wave face, but you aren't in the mode of “what can I make of this wave”, its more “the wave is taking me along for a ride, I wonder where we are going...”

Too much fun for words, wheeeee is as close as I can get.

But I noticed something the other day.

I had lost my mat,

(it happens)

but I was in a great place to pick up the next wave and body surf in to where my mat was floating inside

So I'm riding along thinking hey I'm body surfing pretty good

No, not like someone watching and saying, “Hey look at that guy! He's surfing pretty good!”

Just going along having a really good time

Which is more than enough for me

I am totally enamored with a minimalist approach.

It seems the years I have spent on the mat has given me some skills that directly transfer to the other finned facets of the surfing experience.

By "finned" I mean swim fins.

I think I am going to devote more time to the finned water sports,

So mats, hand planes, Paipos, body boards, serving trays and just plain ole vanilla, ultra groovy

body surfing.

There is something about the glide,

not being on top of the water feeling it thru a couple of inches of

poly foam and glass

but in the water,

every inch of my body

contributing in some way to

being the glide.

the first and last photographs by Jason Hall at Daily Bread