And so it came to pass that when I checked the only break round here that might be working just now, it was very small and held up severely by a howling offshore. It didn't seem worth it to me, and so I'm left with a total of 162 surfs for the year. If only it had been 163.
Next year should see a higher tally - if I can stay free of football-related injuries. Or Sam Smart inflicted injuries. And chest infections. And hangovers.
Which brings me to New Year's Resolutions. I made quite a few on 1 January 2008, and sadly, not too many of them were met. One was to finish a novel, but there's still a way to go with it, so I'm making that resolution all over again. Another was to see QPR regularly again, but living all the way down near Land's End put paid to that (games attended in 2008: three). I'm not sure I'll make this resolution again, because when it comes to resolutions, one needs to be realistic. Achievable goals are what we need, so this time, I'm simply going to resolve to:
1. Surf over 200 times in 2009.
2. Go to Costa Rica on a surf trip.
3. Surf Thurso East.
4. Go to Morocco on a surf trip.
5. Ride my old 6"6' again.
6. Lose the requisite few pounds to make riding the 6"6' a possibility.
7. Surf more on my new shortboard than on my longboard, because otherwise, riding the 6"6' will never happen.
8. Brainwash my younger son, Elliot, so successfully that he takes to surfing in the same way that his brother Harry has.
9. Make Harry get a summer job, hopefully with Dave Muir & Co.
10. Accept that if you're going to surf 200, or 162, times a year, not every surf will be a good one. Understand that when one has a bad surf, it's just one of those things and not a reason to sell all one's boards, buy a cardigan and roam the house wearing a pair of slippers and a rueful, and yet dangerous, smile.
11. Play regular 11-a-side football again (Isn't this a strange resolution given its potentially negative impact on everything else you're resolving to do? Ed).
12. Finish my novel.
13. Avoid excess (number of times this resolution has been made: 3,769).
14. See 13, above.
15. Achieve the impossible: balance the commitment to regular surfing, with all the time this entails, with meaningful creative endeavour. If anyone has any tips, for example, on how to work, pay the bills, be a decent Dad and a reasonable (on a good day) husband, get loads of surfing done and write that damn novel, please let me know.
All the best for 2009 - the year in which Kelly Slater will win his 10th world title, Laird Hamilton will annouce that he is swapping big wave surfing for table tennis and David Beckham will ride the Severn Bore. You heard it here first. Aloha.
New Year's Eve image courtesy of Konaboy.
HNY Alex - BB.
Posted by: Beach Bum | December 31, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Alex,
I'm looking forward to seeing you fulfill your resolution to go to Costa Rica on a surf trip. Let me know when you've set the dates. The surf's been fun, but a bit crowded from all the holiday travelers. It looks like those crowds will be thinning out after today.
cheers,
Posted by: Costa Rica Surf Camp | January 02, 2009 at 01:06 PM