Surf's Up

I couldn't possibly leave Australia without surfing... so I booked some surf lessons yesterday. It started off at 9am, driving an hour south to Boat Harbor. The instructor that picked me up was the epitome of surfer... blue eyes, shaggy blonde hair, no shoes, and a well-earned tan. He said he teaches surfing for about 9 months out of the year in Sydney, then goes off to Indonesia and surfs there for the other 3 months. Not a bad life...

I can't say I'm a pro... but I did technically stand on the board for about 20 seconds, so I'm pretty proud. Surfing is a lot harder than it looks. The worst part is getting past the waves with this massive board, and balancing on it long enough to catch the wave in. I didn't quite master an exit technique either, so I just biffed it and landed on my face most of the time. This picture pretty much explains it... but at least I got the instructor clapping for me.

I have a few bruises and my muscles are sore today, but I had the best time. If only they could come up with a more flattering design for a wetsuit...