Portugal – reflexions on the joy and the affliction of surfing

I have never been to Portugal before so it was about time to close that gap …

After the weather being so dreadful back in Germany it felt like a preview of summer. Even the air smelt like it. The friendly people (though more in a more contained way), living of wine and seafood for 10 days, sun, sand and waves … what more could I ask for 

But the main reason of course was to apply myself to my new (and hopefully backfriendly) addiction: surfing. Yeah, well, I know it’s kind of late to start something totally new and I will probably never reach the point of looking like one of those images we all think of when thinking of surfing – you know, the ones with the tubes . But I did my best – and started small like everybody else: with surfing the surf. Pretty much the first thing I learnt before everything else was to respect the power currents and 3 m high waves can have. I have never been afraid of water (except of the sharks swimming in it) up to the point to underestimate it. But being tumbled around by the surf and a current so strong that it was impossible to stand in water not even coming up to my knees! taught me a healthy respect. I never really understood (or liked for that matter) the distinction made by thinkers like Kant between the beautiful and the sublime because I never fully appreciated the scaring aspect of the latter (Kants example were the stars and a raging storm). But these experiences truly taught me to see it from a new point of view!

So back to surfing: As always with learning new stuff I was torn between wild happiness and total frustration – It seems to be by far the hardest sport to learn. But – when you least expect success – there it is.

Have you ever thought about why surfing is such a fascinating sport? Ok, beside the facts of the really cool and all to often extremly handsome dudes, the sun, the beach, that I can spend time in my favourite enviroment – water – and that it is definitely „in“ right now. But Kitesurfing is that even more so (since it is faster) – it also looks easier to learn. So here is my theory: I think there is no sport in which the human being actually challenges the wild elements as directly as in surfuing. Except a more or less small board there is nothing between you and the forces of nature. No sail, no boat, no more technical equipment. It’s just all about what one can or can’t do. And then there is the fascination of the elements itself: water and waves. Of course in climbing or trekking there is nothing between you and nature either – but there you can always go back- or at least try. But I think the power struggle between nature and men is nowhere else felt as much as in surfing. There is no chance that you can actually conquer the waves. But by understanding them and certain technices you can still be able to master such a powerful force – I guess that’s what makes one feeling so incredibly alive