African Soul Surfer

Ever since I was a small child, bodysurfing has been one of the greatest passions in my life. I grew up by the beach in Los Angeles and lived for a while in Africa. In both environments I always sought out nice sandy beaches with good waves. I really enjoy going out and getting some good rides and then relaxing on the beach. It’s sometimes very tough for me to just park myself on the sand and just lay out and not be able to go in the water and surf. Bodysurfing represents almost a spiritual experience with nature. You are in the ocean without a board or any other device, almost totally immersed in the ocean, forced to reckon with nature and the powerful crashing waves, having to use your physical and mental abilities to harness the power of nature to create an experience that results many times in a euphoric high (especially after a great ride). Just you and nature — nothing else.

Bodysurfing is a real challenge. Sometimes I feel that, overall, it is more difficult than board surfing. With a board, you have many more chances to pick up good waves to ride because the variation in the height of each wave in a set is not that critical. A small wave can give you a ride just as good as a larger wave. However, catching a good wave (and I mean a good wave) while bodysurfing can take a while. You need to catch a wave just large enough that will have the power to propel your body forward and which will have enough form to allow you to cut down the face just enough to keep the ride going. In bodysurfing, it can be very difficult to time a big wave — you’ve got to get into the wave at just the right moment or it’s gone. In board surfing, the board surface is larger than your body and the board is on top of the water where it can be “caught” by the forming wave. When you bodysurf, your body is mostly below the surface and you must move quickly, simulating a surfboard in a way, to get into the curl of the wave.

I may not be the most expert bodysurfer in the world, but, regardless, I feel that I am very good at the sport. Despite my enthusiasm, I try to take precautions so as to minimize danger and injuries. One thing that I try to avoid is a rocky bottom. There’s nothing like getting into a wave that was just a bit too much of a shore breaker and then getting shoved down face-first into some rock. It’s not only bad for the face, but also a quick way to die. Nowadays, when I’m not flyfishing the rivers of Montana, I spend time bodysurfing the beaches in San Diego County, mostly around the cities of Carlsbad and Oceanside. In recent years, the sand at the beaches has begun to erode away, and the County has to bring in more sand almost every Spring. Consequently, I have to check around to make sure that the beach I want to surf at doesn’t have any exposed rock where I’ll be swimming and standing. I also take precautions by asking the lifeguard about any rip currents and whether there’s been any recent incidents of stingray accidents in the immediate area. The boy scout motto “Be prepared” is a good thing to keep in mind when going into the ocean. I also assess the size and power of the waves. Unless you are more experienced and feel like taking a chance (maybe a bit suicidal, too!), bodysurfing at beaches such as Sandy Beach in Hawaii can be very risky. Several deaths in the past 10 years at Sandy Beach resulted from inexperienced swimmers taking on some of the most dangerous waves you could imagine.

Why hasn’t bodysurfing received the recognition it deserves? Because there is really not much to sell to the people who bodysurf !! Basically, it costs nothing to enjoy the sport. There is no board, no tether, no wax — not much that companies could sell to the bodysurfer. You can use fins, but all you really need is a bathing suit. So many more people can participate in bodysurfing than in boardsurfing that it’s a shame there’s not more sponsorship and promotion of the sport

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