October 11: SUP Surfing — Riding the Typhoon Waves —

A big typhoon had passed, and another one was approaching.
I was a little worried, thinking, "Will I be able to go out to sea today?", but the forecast showed rain, yet the wind was only 4-5 m/s.
With a glimmer of hope that I might be able to go, I headed towards Enoshima.

However, when I arrived at the beach, the wind was weak again, only about 2m/s.
Wing was taking a break again today.
Only a windsurfing school was out on the beach, and no one was setting up a wing.
Enoshima really doesn't get windy often (sigh).

Left with no choice, I decided to practice SUP surfing as suggested by my instructor.
The ultimate goal of wingfoiling is to "ride the waves."
So today's practice, though seemingly a detour, is fundamentally a step forward.
Still, I really wanted to do Wing.

When I went out to sea, perhaps due to the remnants of the typhoon, the waves were much bigger than usual.
Well-formed swells were returning to the shore.
Some were nearly 3 meters.
Though a bit overwhelmed by the power of nature, deep down, I was thrilled.

Today's theme was "surfer stance."
In other words, it's the posture of riding a wave with the left foot forward and feet spread front and back.
Until now, I had only stood upright with my feet together, but
learning the front-back stance connects to carving,
and ultimately brings me closer to the Wingfoil ride I aim for.

I recall my instructor's teachings.
① Identify good waves.
② Turn quickly to match the wave.
③ Once you catch the wave, step back to accelerate, and further lower your hips.
④ Above all, be mindful of a low center of gravity.

With those four points etched in my mind, I began to surf.

Today, mysteriously, I was in good form.
I quickly caught the waves and could ride them for a long time.
Perhaps because the waves were big, my speed increased and my field of vision expanded.
For the first time, I truly felt like I was "riding."
The joy of staying on a wave for a long time — it's so much fun that words can't describe it.

I tried spreading my feet front and back.
This was surprisingly stable.
When I lowered my hips and center of gravity, I rode the waves so firmly that
I no longer felt like I would fall.
I was able to glide all the way to the shoreline,
and as I repeatedly succeeded, my confidence grew.

Watching my instructor, he was truly a pro.
He was riding amidst big waves, effortlessly performing tricks.
His posture was so natural that
it seemed as if he had become one with the waves.

The first half was going great, but in the second half, things started to change.
I was getting overtaken by waves or getting caught by the next one.
My instructor said, "The tide has come in, and the waves have changed."
When I thought about it myself,
the key to riding well is "the timing just before the wave breaks,"
but I realized that position subtly changes with the tide.
My instructor rode every wave with perfect timing.
How does he know with such precision?
Indeed, the difference in experience and intuition is significant.

Even after the lesson, my excitement didn't cool down,
so I continued with self-practice.
The waves were high, and the feeling of riding them was so enjoyable,
I realized I had been on the sea for two hours.
Now, I can ride waves with a considerable success rate.
I hardly ever fall anymore.

I can still only go straight,
but now that I've become stable, I want to try going "sideways" next.
However, there might be limitations with my current stable board.

Nevertheless, today's ocean was the best.
Enveloped by big waves,
it was a day where I clearly felt my own progress.

――Next week, this time, it'll definitely be Wing.

After surfing today, I had a mushroom burger from BEARFOOT Burger. It was delicious!! Amazing, isn't it? This visual. This isn't an advertisement; I took this photo before I ate it.