A Lesson In Patience

Headed down to Godrevy on a clear Sunday morning for another chance to try and turn myself into a surfer.

Currently I can’t call what I do surfing but rather falling, rolling and generally getting thrown about on the Cornish coast. Hopefully it doesn’t look that bad from the shore, but I have a suspicion that it does.

Yesterday I was at Watergate Bay where I blamed the rolling and punishing Whitewater for my lack of ability. Not even being able to catch even one of the smallest waves, however on reflection it was a lesson in patience. The amount of times I paddled out and then rushed to get my board in position to be disappointed made up the most part of my session.

Godrevy today was a different experience altogether. It was first light, and on checking out the waves they seemed to be too small, too infrequent, but seeing one lonely surfer trying his luck beckoned me in.

The first wave I tried, I caught, not surfed, but body boarded down raising my confidence massively. I could only have dreamed of doing, even that at Watergate yesterday.

Paddling out I remembered the panicked rush I had of trying to catch a wave yesterday and never achieving it. No problem with that at Godrevy though. The waves were small (perfect for me) and generously spaced out. There was plenty of time to paddle out, see my wave get in position and catch the wave. Time and time again I caught a wave and the feeling of the speed riding the crest of the wave reminded me of why I made the 6-hour drive from London whenever I got the chance.

Looking back at the shore with the blood red sun tipping over the dunes it was a picture perfect scene and not for the first time I berated myself for not fitting the go pro to the front of my board to capture it as it was the crowning moment of the session along with the two seals that popped up to say hello.

Back at the car park more people where starting to arrive, as I sat down with a hot cup of coffee, I thought about the difference in the two days.

The first... infuriating and coming away with a feeling of ‘what’s the point’.

The second... a feeling of achievement, bliss and planning on when I can come back for more.

Oh yes and I did stand up on the board… quite a few times, if only for a second, but I now know that that is only part of it.

I’ll get there. There’s no rush, I just need some patience.