In the living room of my house my surfboards and couch are on opposites walls facing each other. As I sat on the couch with a friend we started talking about surfing.

“So you hang out on the nose when you surf?”

No, not really hang out, I replied.

“You surf North Shore when it’s got size?”

No, I replied again feeling very defeated by my apparent lack of skill and progression in the sport.

“I’m not that into surfing anymore,” he says.

“I only like to go when it’s overhead and only go out where people are scarce, the paddle is long or requires a boat to get to,” he continued.

Seeing as I had “given” him a few of my old boards in the past, I asked what he did with his collection of surfboards (See article on How Many Surfboards is Enough on surfers and boards!).

“Nothing. They hang out at my house like yours.”

Except I use mine…. apparently not well, but they make go in the  saltwater.

As I thought about what he said, I wondered what it is about surfing that makes it stick. Not ready to sell his boards or return some to me, he will keep them until his life changes and he begins surfing regularly again. Until that time, I will work to get better so during out next conversation I can answer the questions differently.

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