love of local in Utah
I DID IT! I SURFED!
I was so scared last night. I had convinced myself that I would in fact die while surfing, that it would be my final act in my short life. I gave the girls lots of kisses, told them I loved them and gave some words of wisdom to my oldest daughter: “BE PATIENT WITH YOUR SISTER.” I went to bed with the nervous feeling in my stomach… like the night before you are induced to have a baby, start a new job, or appear on the news.
But this was something I promised myself I would do before I turned 30, and my husband was reassuring me that I was just a crazy lady.
I was nervous to go out in those big waves, maybe be eaten by a shark or stung by a ray, or drown or or or…I had thought of lots of scenarios.
Surfer Carlos Munoz (#10 in the world and #4 in Central America) agreed to teach this white-pudgy-freckle faced-splotchy red from the sun-old mom to surf. This is a little video of his surfing…
…and of course he got me right to that level by the end of our lesson.
HA. No.
First, we practiced on the sand. I learned how to jump up on the board and how to position/slide/land my feet the right way.
And then, as I faced the ocean to go through the break…
A HUGE MANNA RAY…
(the kind of manna ray that was the subject of a pamphlet on HOW TO DEAL WITH PAINFUL STINGS back at the house for emergencies)
WAS HEADED RIGHT FOR MY FACE…
MY FACE
IN THE OCEAN
It slid under the board and I, in fact, did not die.
But then after that, I noticed they were all around me! Some of them so large and bending their bodies that they looked like sharks.
You are one brave, determined MOM!!!
You are AWESOME! If I saw even one manta ray I would’ve been outta there. I managed to get up maybe 3 times…and that was that. I think I’ll stick to watching the surfers instead. From the safety of the beach.
so proud of you. what an amazing experience, and showing those little girls you can do anything you put your mind to.
Wait! Are you for reals? They were all around you? I would have turned right back around. And I’m not just saying that to make you feel good about yourself (you should, by the way). I would have swam/run/paddled my way out of that ocean faster than you can say, “Call 911! Or the equivalent of 911 in Costa Rica!” I’m muy impressed with you!
Ry loved seeing Abby and Pokey in those pictures. He thinks the pool would be awesome! Have fun!
Impressive Vanessa! Go h-a-w-t momma!!
You have survived my greatest nightmare. Maybe I will try before I am 40…
[...] with since we started moving around when I was 12 years old, so for 16 years now. And along with surfing something I have really wanted by the time I turned 30 was [...]