THE wahine

got some interesting news yesterday, the day I bought my surf board was a total comedy of events and unbeknown to me, the story has become quite the local legend - huh, go figure...so, apparently the owner of the shop thought it was so great that he would like me to be in their upcoming advertisements - I find this funny for two reasons 1) I am probably the least skilled local female surfer 2) no matter how I try to avoid the ad business, it always finds me and sucks me back in!

So the board buying story goes something like this...

I started boogie/body boarding early this year with a good friend. We went several times and were really enjoying it. It made me really want to surf. Then one day, her husband joined us, and we were having this great day until he and I got sucked into a nasty rip tide. I was totally trapped, no matter what I did, I would get pulled back - although the boogie board was keeping me afloat, it wasn't really helping me get anywhere and made it difficult to swim. I started to get really tired, was definitely getting scared and started to take in water gasping for air, I honestly don't know how I finally got out of it, but was shaken up when I reached shore and not sure I ever wanted to go back in.

Meanwhile over a few months before this, I saw this beautiful board in the window of one of the local surf shops, it had metallic green rails and belly and the deck had the most beautiful Hawaiian floral pattern, it was a 9ft long board, and I fell deeply in love. I would have bought it but the price was over 700 and I just couldn't justify it, so instead I would walk by it as often as possible, practically licking the window.

About the time of the rip tide incident, I started my new job which was a bump in pay and realized that I would probably never get back into the water unless I had really good incentive and a water craft that helped me, as opposed to worked against me. So while some friends and I were enjoying adult beverages at the bar down the street and we started talking about all of this, I jumped up and said "if the shop is open, im buying it tonight!"

The shop was open and here the 3 of us come blazing in the store a little buzzed, so excited they were open, very happy and ready to purchase! So I tell the guy to pull it out of the window, I kiss the damn thing and I am so excited that I can hardly even think! Everyone in the store seems pretty impressed that I have decided to take up the sport, since I am both female and no longer a teenager. So my friend (a much more experienced board buyer than myself) jumps in and begins haggling for the price and accessories. I walked out with everything I needed for just the original price of the board. We installed my fins and leash right on the spot and loaded it into the car, then invited the salesman to come celebrate with us, telling him the story of how long I wanted the board, my weekly window shopping ritual and why I wanted it now.

It worked, I spent so much on the board, and so many people were excited for me and offered to take me out and give me lessons, I knew it would override my fears, and it did. I surfed all summer and although I haven't gotten very good yet, I really enjoy it. If I can find a warm enough wetsuit I may even surf all year round!

One of these days I will get around to taking a picture of the deck and posting it - it may even bei n the ad and I can just scan it, but in the meantime you can see the belly of the beauty below in the "pictures" post.