Soul Search

It was about 8:00 am and I finally made my way to signing on my computer glass of OJ in hand. It has become a ritual I suppose in this day of technology that every morning I follow the same path. Get up, get my juice, log on, and pray for waves as I check the daily report from my favorite site. I am very lucky for one thing; a local surf shop runs a fantastic report with a forecast updated usually 3 times a day including photos and input. On this day, unfortunately, the forecast was flat. Oh well, another positive to the sight is the letters section so I click the link to see what the latest word is. Like to read the letters from time to time, always entertaining to hear what others are thinking or to see what local events are happening. The page comes up and I find a large portion of the new letters posted are all in response to a letter a few days earlier regarding surfers and fishing. I scroll down and find the next batch from earlier in the week are all in response to another letter on young kids celebrating too much when they have a good ride. Reading the responses back and forth for and against got me thinking it seems that if there is one-thing surfers love doing in the water and out it is voicing their opinion and challenging each other's opinions. While I feel this is good if done in the right way this becomes bothersome to me when ones claim to "soul" is laid down as the foundation to their beliefs. It is used as a slap in the face to those who do not share our opinion, when in fact it should be something innate within us requiring no thought. It should represent through our actions, style, and how we interact with one another.

Over the past several years I have seen in countless articles, letters, videos, etc. surfers debating over what the soul of surfing is. Many people these days lay claim "soul is dead" while others feel it is stronger than ever. Some claim of course that there was more soul in the early days than there is at present, and while I do agree that Phil Edwards exemplified tremendous soul, I also greatly respect the soul surfing of Gerry Lopez and Sunny Garcia. Longboard riders will tell you that they love it since it is closer to the soul of the sport, meanwhile shortboarders revel in their dediation to pushing the limits of the sport to new levels. Debates range from tow-in versus paddle in and thruster versus single fin all the way down to which local spot hosts the worthiest crew. And while no one would argue that Joel Tudor and Robert "Wingnut" Weaver show great style and soul in their performances on their choice of equipment, no one will stand and deny the loyalty and soul of names such as Curren, Slater, and Occy on theirs.

With all the controversy and choices one thing seems to hold true, surfing is more full of options today than ever before. And due to these choices I cant help but sit back and feel a bit of confusion when I see comments and comparisons made to discredit the soul or claim to soul of one surfer by another. I admit it is difficult to keep from criticizing at times that we do not believe ourselves, but seems to me we are all suffering from our own little "all or nothing" attitudes. Everything is divided between short and long, tri and single, east and west, and so on. We are all so comfortable in our own niche in the surfing world that we stay locked in a fight stance ready to pounce at the first threat to our way. Wouldn't it be nice if we all could open up and experience the full range at our fingertips? Yeah right like that will happen.

I know some guys; sure you do too, who would never consider taking a standard shortboard out on a solid day. Likewise there are those who refuse to try a longboard on those small glassy days. Everyone seems to curse the funshape riders as being weekend warriors and contributing to the over crowding of breaks around the world. So what's the answer? Not sure there is one. I don't necessarily think there is anything wrong with being proud of the type of surfing you do. My only point in this was to make the statement that whatever you do, if you truly enjoy it and appreciate each others love for it then that is the most soul of all. Sure it would be great if we all rode a quiver of all kinds of boards and had a magazine focussing on the whole of surfing and not individual parts, but the chances is slim. Better hope for what we can good waves, good friends to share them with and a little more soul for us all.