Surfing....

On a whim, i decided i might as well try surfing before we leave hawaii. i made an appt for a lesson this morning, and my sister decided to tag along, which i am glad she did, so that we could laugh with each other as we wiped out. we lucked out and it was just nicole and i with our one instructor, russell, so we had a lot of one on one time, and had many opportunities to catch some gnarly waves (or watch them as we passed by).

surfing was fun, but exhausting. i knew it was going to be work, but i was quite suprised. maybe it had to do with the fact that by the end of the 2 hour lesson i had more than my fair share of saltwater, as well as some nice rashes and scraps from the reef and my surfboard. i did fairly okay in the beginning. i think i was able to get the whole go and then pop up on the board. as time went on and as i got tired i seemed to wipe out more because i wasn't focusing on keeping a wide stance and balancing, instead i was freaking out about the huge wave that my instructor had sent me on. oh well. there was one time when russell was telling me to get up and go for this huge wave, but i wussed out, and watched it past. i'm sorry, but i would like to make it back to the mainland alive and with no broken bones.

despite that it was fun to at least learn the mechanics of surfing. if we had started this earlier in the week, i probably would have done more, but unfortunately we are leaving tomorrow, and there is no way i am going to surf in the freezing cold water of the oregon coast. i guess that means i just need to come back to hawaii or somewhere else that is tropical and sunny. anyone up for it, let me know cause i am game. my sister did fairly well. she got the hang off trying to stand up better than i did. i don't think she was as scared as i was.


at least i can mark this off on my life list of things to do.



so i have included some pictures from surfing that the one of the guys at the rental shop was taking. they have that weird label on top of the pictures so that i can't go and make mass copies of them without paying a pretty penny. however, i don't care about posting them on my blog with those lables, so i'm gonna do it. they are some decent action shots.
my sister and i before we entered the ocean
i can't believe i actually stood up. that is probably why i have such a face of disbelief.
probably one of the many countless times after i wiped out. even though the ocean took me out, it was still a lot of fun, saltwater and all.
cute sister photograph, i'll protect you from the big bad waves nicole.
i forgot to stand up on this wave, so instead i just rode it laying on the board. it was fun.

my sister getting the hang of surfinga good action shot of her falling off, that happened many times for uscute picture nicolehang loose, we actually survived.

Thus concludes my surfing adventure! Hang loose, and aloha from maui.