You know when you've been doing the same thing with the same equipment for years and you don't know any different? I had an absolute epiphany this week out surfing, sending me off to buy a brand new SUP paddle - something I said I'd never do.
You see, I'm never that keen on buying things for the sake of it. It's easy to spend a lot of money on new kit when new product lines come out and you see others with new equipment, but I thought that my paddle, a fixed carbon fibre homemade job, was always going to do the job. Ten years ago, there wasn't any choice for paddles really - the sport hadn't progressed to where it is now, and most paddles were much of a muchness. I was lucky to have the one I had, bought for a song from a friend who made them, considering these days carbon fibre paddles cost a bomb.
Anyway, over the last week I've quite fancied a new paddle. The plugs at the end of the top handle of the paddle have come out, and the sharp tubing is downight dangerous - last week I totally scarred myself in big surf, cutting my finger open when my hand slammed between the board and the paddle with the force of a big wave I was caught under. The edges are quite frayed on one side from hitting the side of my board when I was learning or the days where I'm a bit clumsier in the surf. I thus started to research and realised there is a whole world of paddles out there, and in the last ten years, people have done a lot of research to perfect them.
Basically, you need a smaller blade, not a bigger one, for ease of paddling. I always thought it was less surface area, less water displaced - but the thing is, that's just going to really hurt your shoulder as it's more of an effort to push it through the water. Is this why my shoulders were hurting a lot after a surf? Hell, I just thought it was because I was old. Then you have to choose if you want it fixed or adjustable, carbon fibre or fibreglass. I knew I wanted carbon fibre, because it's lighter and lasts longer. But it's a lot of money to just buy a paddle off the internet and have it being the wrong one. Aaagh.
Yesterday I was out surfing Point Addis - beautiful 3 foot waves and super glassy - and a woman I know paddled out with a SMIK board and paddle. SMIK are the only boards I've looked at and though - okay, yeah, I could buy one of those! As surfers often do, we chatted and compared notes, and she gave me her paddle to use for half an hour whilst she used mine.
Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt.
Transformative!
Revelatory!
This paddle sliced through the water with finesse and ease, making my paddle seem like it was from a Viking long ship.
Swapping back, I realised that part of the reason my hips often hurt after surfing was a direct result of the paddle I'm using.
By the next day, I'd called the SMIK representative close to me and arranged to pick it up. It was expensive - $380 bucks - but it was going to be worth it to save my shoulders, back and hips. Would you believe it though, when I got there, his wife was super apologetic and said that her husband had rung her to say the only paddle that was left in stock was already cut to size, and had a few scratches on it, but if I didn't mind and it was the right size, I could have it for $180 bucks! What the! I love a bargain and who cares about a scratch? Plus, IT WAS THE RIGHT SIZE. Happy days!
New paddle on left, old paddle on right - see the difference?
Now all I have to do is wait for surf, and time to go. As oft is the way, a week of onshore winds and a small swell is in order - typical!
So, I decided to arrange the van instead. I decided to make sure that the longboard is strapped in carefully on the right, and the paddle board up the middle, giving me more room to change. We're heading into winter, so there's no need to set up the bed (no camping - besides, we're more likely to take the Landrover) and this gives me a bit of room to change inside if it's that freezing! I don't use the 9'1 longboard that often but sometimes I fancy it. I just get more waves on my 8'3 SUP, so I tend to take that out more.
I also bought a 1.5 litre insulated bottle from Kmart for $15. Fill this baby half full of hot kettle water and half cold tap water in the morning and it stays that temperature for around six hours. The delights of warm water on frozen feet and hands after a winter surf is incredible.
Next, a new 4x3 wetsuit. I'm really unhappy with my NEED wetsuit. Great ethical company and good priced wetsuits, but the rubber is quite thick and it's hard to put on. Talking to some girls out in the water, they were swearing by ONeil wetsuits - much more expensive, but now that the price of HIVE has gone up and I've profitted a little from Bitcoin, I should treat myself.
A girl's gotta be warm and comfortable in the ocean, after all.
Now I'd busy checking the tides and wind and hoping for a dawn surf before work.
With Love,
https://gateway.ipfs.io/ipfs/QmcGSZxvsXD8YbSCNAo6KWc4a9RjXyRCjWupZdPXJapkXk
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Happy days indeed! Don't feel old about upgrading your paddle @riverflows. The last time I was on the surf was...gulp...high school. I grew up on the coast and did every form of water anything. Now....I would probably not know what surf looked like unless it paddled me over the head! After finally getting back into running - thanks to @plantstoplanks, I have to admit I'm glad our teeny dam of water doesn't qualify as surfing. I don't think my body could handle all the new shape of exercise I would suddenly inflict on it after only chasing goats and children for the last few years
Ha that's it, your body moves to the shape it's used to. Do you miss the sea?
And have you taken over this account now? Still can't find your keys? That's really gutting!!!!
You know that saying "deep calls to deep"? That's me. And the sea. I love it. I forget how much I miss it until I'm back.
Yip. This is my new account. Problem with my keys is that my entire laptop crashed so wherever it was backed up......we've scanned the hard drive. But nothing
Oh no I don't know it, but it makes sense.
I always think of John Muir - the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that cannot be denied.
Have you seen My Octopus Teacher on Netflix?
shame about the account. Email yourself the keys and encrypt them!!!!!!
You love surfing so, it's so worth it to have the equipment you need to protect yourself. Glad you splurged on you!
Thanks sooo much, that's what my hubs said bless him.....
Here is me on a small day on Monday...
Yay! Very cool photo!
Hi! Sorry I missed this. I'm rotten aren't I? It looks so nice there. I had no idea about paddles but now I know more. Thank you. Forgive me.
Sorry, I was having a grumpy moment. Probalby one two many wines.
In Vino veritas? Hee hee. Give it to me in the rudest outback Aussie slang ; )