Surf Boot Camp

Yesterday was the second day of our so-called "surf camp," and for the most part, it was good fun for students and teachers alike. After our lecture on weather, and how you should never, I repeat, never, enter the water when you hear the sound of thunder, what did we hear? Thunder. Karen and I looked at each other, smiled sheepishly, and did what any rookie surf instructors would do. We passed the buck to the moms. We let them decide when it was okay to let their kids go out into the water. So, we all sat on the beach awhile, the kids digging in the sand, until one mom said, "I think it's okay, I mean, the storm seems like it's moving away." So, Julia was a hoot, just like yesterday, screaming THAT WAS AWESOME, no matter how well she did or how hard she face-planted. Nicholas was catching wave after wave and learning to turn, and McKenzie was getting the hang of it, her timing steadily improving with every wave. Isabel was still pretending she wasn't afraid, and finally stood up when prompted by the guilt she would feel if she didn't get at least one shot for her mom who has done and sacrificed so very much for her. Keenan provided the comic relief with his detailed and lengthy explanations of any topic that came up. Today was a break from that class, so Junior Devil and I went to Vilano for a refresher course. I took the bodyboard, since the reports were saying it was flat to half a foot. Well, again, surprises often come when you least expect them. I ended up catching some fun ones on the bodyboard, even managing some 360's, after I gave Junior some more pointers. There were some pretty decent little peelers out there. Right away I wished I had my surfboard. But, I was here to help Junior, and that I did. She did better than she ever has, thanks in part to my lecture on fear. I could see it as I rode a wave beside her. Her face was a mask of... unjoy. I was laughing, and she was looking so ...serious. It's all about having FUN, I said. She had every possible scenario in her head about what could go wrong. What if I fall off, hit my head and am paralyzed? Sorry, but that is not happening, I said. You fall shallow, you've been falling for over a year now, and you are not paralyzed! What if .... Noooooo! Nothing is going to happen. And, to prove it to her, I pushed her into the biggest close-out and watched her slide off and her board fly into the air, and she came up ... laughing.. SEE? I said, you are not paralyzed. Then she said, well, I'm okay, and that was the biggest wipeout of the day, and I'm ... okay. So, she charged back out there and started getting up again so much that I was hooting my head off. Oh, these Pisces and their irrational fears that make life so much more ... fun.