Fish out of water

The ocean is  a wonderful source of new and interesting

experiences and opportunities.  Just ask any surfer.

They'll tell you about something they've recently

experienced that was "a first" for them, that was novel

and new no matter how long they've been surfing.  That's

one of the great joys of surfing there is always something

new to learn, something novel to experience, some new 

challenge.

This past Tuesday my friend Pete and I went for a early

morning paddle on our SUP's.  The ocean was pretty glassy.

Every now and than there was a hint of an offshore light wind.

We paddled for a few hours and upon our return to where we'd

entered the water realized that there were long, tiny,  perfect waves 

breaking over the sandbar. Ankle to knee high peelers 

can be real fun on an SUP. The only other person in the

water was one of the 40 something surf girls loving the chance

to practice, loving being in the ocean

.

We each must have caught a hundred waves.  As the tide dropped

the inside got pretty shallow.  Finishing off a wave without

getting your fin stuck in the hard sand was becoming a

real challenge.  That's when it happened...my new experience.

I'm sure there is a formula or equation in physics that could

explain exactly how it happened... something to do with velocity,

force, weight, distance or such.  I tried to step off my gliding board

knowing that the water was barely 10 inches deep.  Guess I landed

wrong, immediately I felt my right ankle jam on the hard bottom.

Ouch!  Nothing so bad that it ended the session, but despite the cool

56 degree water I realized something was not right.

I'd broken my ankle!

I'm in a cast and out of the water for about 6 weeks.  That's 

never happened to me!  What does a surfer do for 6 weeks

with no hope of surfing? How will I walk the dog on the beach?

I feel like a fish out of water.  Guess I'll figure it out.  Another

new experience, another opportunity to learn something just

not in the water this time.