Ranting's of a mad man: Men at work

Just days after posting about all my surf issues, I found myself back at the scene of trouble, on a surf trip up the West Coast. A good friend of mine has decided to champion some mission work in Australia. A better send off for a passionate surfer than three days of surfing with six of his mates, I would not know.

We chose the weekend based on a break in our diaries. It just happened to coincide with a big swell and all of the right weather factors to make one of the premier left breaks in the country come alive. Sometimes you get lucky!

So this scaredy pants and a regular surf posse arrived in Elands Bay early in the morning to find big waves and only three other surfers in the water. Having borrowed a new state of the art wetsuit, I hoped my luck would continue to hold, and my body would adjust to the cold water without its usual protests.

Paddling like mad to stay in the zone, as a river of water streamed down the point, I was warm, frisky, and alive. The waves were big and inconsistent. My surfing was just as bad as it had been over the last couple of months, but the rest of the posse surfed like men possessed. Hours later, exhausted and smiling, we lunched and swapped stories of ridiculous rides.

And so it went, incredible waves, more than a thousand photographs of our every move, and laughs shared, session after session. My surfing improved in leaps and bounds with the good humoured attention of my friends, quality time in the water, and a wetsuit that worked. The best waves of my life, no question about it!

Sunday afternoon saw us depart with limp noodles for arms and enough shared memories to last lifetimes!

Sure the surf had made the trip but it was epic for another reason, men on an adventure. As men, we rarely go in search of the unknown, pushing our bodies past their limits, and discovering a place inside ourselves where we rise to the challenge. For me this trip included the most incredible rides, a continuous battle with my lack of ability, and the worst wave beatings I have ever received. It was exciting, scary, challenging, and far more fun than shopping in the mall. More importantly, we did it together, rejuvenated friendships, and bonded on a level far deeper than our Facebook updates.

I am amazed at how this sport I so nearly abandoned has provided such an amazing boost to my life. I cannot wait to take my boys on a similar adventure!