A lesson in humility & knowing ones limits wash learnt by yours truly two months ago. Went to catch some waves with Moz on his side of the bay at Pt Leo. We decided to go to 2nd Reef where Moz & his mate Barry like to surf. Being winter, it's cold of course, but I as cold before we even got in the water. I bought a 3/2 glue sealed suit with bat wing & a thermal 1mm vest. Didn't make a lick of difference! Have since ditched the vest in favour of a long sleeve rashy. What a difference! Much warmer & helps fill me out a little as the cold water always seems to find the gaps in my suit. But I digress...
After an hour or so in the freezing cold water, we found ourselves surrounded by 30-40 other surfers all in a line up only 50 meters wide going for the same waves! It was getting agro & way too crowded...madness. We moved down the coast a bit to Steps, looked harmless enough, in fact it looked bloody awesome for a beginner like me, but I was cold to my core when I got out of the water & onto the beach at 2nd Reef. I couldn't feel my hands, at all, I had no motor skills to speak of, fine or gross & the walk back up to the cars made me feel ill. I could sense something wasn't quite right & should have called it quits then & there. Not wanting to miss out on the fun & bail early, not to mention the drive to get from Geelong to Mornington for a surf also, I got in again. Idiot!
I struggled to paddle out the back to even attempt catching a wave & the waves were only 2ft!!! After another 30 mins or more, I was spent! My arms were a figment of my imagination, truly useless! String beans thrashing at the surface. As Bez said to me recently of his arms when failing, "They are but the mere work of an artist TC...painted on!" Moz & Barry headed in after one good wave. I wanted one good wave too so thought I'd give it one last hurrah. I noticed I was drifting out away from the point a little. Then I noticed I was a long way off the point...hmmmm interesting I mused. I was caught in a little rip, nothing serious, but with no arms to paddle, the cold shutting down my whole system now & discouragement setting in I was in a spot of bother you might say. Moz could see from the beach I was struggling & began to wade in without his board. I was going to wave him away to say I was fine. I mean, really, how embarrassing! But when I saw him swimming towards me I was a little relieved I must admit. He took my board to paddle in for me while I swam in with the resource of my legs which were still fine. I know the ocean & am a good swimmer but I was well beyond my limits. I only just made it back to the shore after some serious effort born out of pure ego. I would have drifted out to New Zealand if Moz hadn't come in to help. And to think, I considered trying to handle it myself! What an idiot!!! I was humbled, belittled & crest fallen at my poor surf fitness & the predicament I'd got myself into. If I'd been alone on a quiet beach somewhere with no other surfers around, I'd be in more than a spot of bother.
The lesson? Know your limits & don't be afraid to reassess them from time to time, as things change. We feel tired, we feel cold, we get older (who me? I hear you say) or we're just not being honest with ourselves. Whether socially, intellectually, physically or emotionally, we all have peaks & troughs in our assumed abilities. We should never be to proud to admit needing help. We should never be too proud to ask a question. The only stupid thing about questions is the one not asked. We're all beginners at some stage, or we might have overestimated our perceived talents & attributes. Stay honest & in the moment, you could miss out on something. In my case it was my own personal safety that was at stake, no small thing. Thanks for saving my arse Moz, I owe you one brother!
PS. To add insult to injury, I didn't manage to catch a single wave, but the whole experience was worth it.
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