Sit back and enjoy the ride!

Let me let you in to a secret. I am a terrible surfer. I mean, for the amount of time I have actually spent in the water, I am absolutely shocking. Trust me. My abilities have absolutely no bearing on the brave souls that have endeavoured to teach me over the years. I am currently chocking up nearly 9 years of having someone shouting across the waves “Hayley! Hayley! LOOK UP!” Stop looking at your board!”

Of all the pursuits I have tried over the years; snowboarding, kayaking, paddle boarding, climbing, the frickin flying trapeze for god’s sake, I have at least achieved an acceptable level of participation. But surfing, nah uh. 

You think I would be annoyed by this. But no. It does not matter. Not one jot. Not anymore. For me, the whole experience is far richer than a single moment of success.

Most of my time spent in the water has been in the company of women and I think this has made all the difference. The support, the camaraderie, the sisterhood (the clue is in the name people!) form a part of that experience. It’s bigger than just hoofing your gear to the beach and paddling out.

There is drive if you want it, don’t get me wrong. The environment that women seem to create amongst themselves, with each other, engenders a total feeling of support. It’s something older than we, it’s in our genes. Something that the dudes, despite their best intents, don’t really get, but every gal with her hair plastered to her face, scrubbed clean of make up is always rooting for you to stand, to catch, to paddle, whether you get there or not. Because she is you.

Stepping in to the water for me is the most amazing leveller. Everyone out there on their board, whether they be supermarket check out girl, Momma, teacher, doctor. You are one, and all in it together, especially as the next set rises up to meet you. And some will go, some will catch, some emerge triumphant, others (namely me) tumbling to the beach, sand in unspeakable places, but all with a smile on their faces.

Hayley (Surf Sistas Yogi)
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Kinda liking the idea of hair plastered to your face and sand everywhere you don't want it!?  Come and learn to surf with us this summer on one of our beginner weekends in  Cornwall or Wales  

A New Addiction

A new addiction was born at Surf Sistas HQ last week when Demi Taylor at Westering offered to lend us a couple of handplanes to play with on our White to Green Course in Cornwall!  Demi lovingly hand crafts each hand plane from reclaimed FSC certified redwood, oils them with 3 coats of linseed and then air dries them in the rafters of her cornish cottage ..  she scoops up the colourful offcuts from our friends at Neon Wetsuits to make adjustable straps that will work for your tanned and naked summer hand and also its frosty and gloved winter sista.

Now I have never been one for reading an instruction manual so its no surprise that I found myself out in the sea loving my pink fins and my cute hand plane but having absolutely no idea what I was supposed to be doing .. How hard can it be?   mmm kinda hard it turns out..

I think I probably got 2 waves that felt like I was actually doing the right thing ..  if you knew how long it took me to even stand up on a surfboard you will understand why I am pretty chuffed with that .. my hand planing career is already on a speedier trajectory than my surfing one!

I had some questions as I experimented in the ocean; when do you stop kicking, what do you do with the arm and hand not attached to the hand plane, why is that guy on the short board dropping in on my every wave,  why didn't I even watch a youtube video before I got in, and why didn't I pay more attention when I watched Come Hell or High Water?

Back on dry land I have been doing some online research to find out more about the art of hand-planing and try and see what I was doing right or wrong ..   I found this useful explanation from Slyde Handboards, worth a look just for the demo photo on the skateboard with a human wave..  and it answered my arm question, seems like you can let it freestyle aerodynamically behind you or plonk it on top of your leading hand,  I tried the latter with good effect so maybe thats my style!

More on this new journey is surely to come but in the meantime to spread the stoke here's a little wave backlit with gold & hand planed by Cyrus Sutton:


Cyrus filming for "Stoked and Broke" from www.KORDUROY.tv on Vimeo.