Coast To Coast I Chapter 1 I Above The Waves
I grew up by the beach. So, the sea is something that is very connected to us. When i saw surfing for the first time, i was very confused about what it is. We didn't know what that sport was called.
When we started to surf, slowly, things started to change. When we started, we were just having fun in the water. But we saw something in this.
We just kept going, we didn't give up. Then we found a job in the same place where we were surfing. We were working part-time in a cafe so that we could surfboard.
Because at that time, there weren't many surfboards here. So we'd come and help at the cafe in exchange for a free board. Me, Sujith, and Jithu used to share; we only had one surfboard. We go in, catch five waves, come back and then the next person goes.
One day, we realized that we could become coaches. We saw a future in this. And we kept going, we didn't stop.
When I tried surfing for the first time, it was quite hard. This sport requires a lot of balance. I wasn't very good at balancing in the beginning. It was a struggle. But then I kept on surfing and tried harder. I did not give up. One day, I reached a point where I got frustrated and wanted to quit. I had a surf teacher at that time, a foreigner named Helena.
She saw me, and asked what happened. I said, "I can't." She said, "That's okay, try again." I said, "Okay, last try."
So I went, she gave me an initial push I stood up and surfed that wave. That wave changed my life. After that wave, I haven't stopped. Since then, it's almost been eight years now and I'm still surfing! Sujith is my cousin. We grew up together. At the age of 14, on my way to school, I saw a group of foreigners teaching some girls to surf at the beach For me, it was something new. to see a lot of kids surfing in Indian attire.
Wearing skirts, blouses and surfing on the board As i saw it on the way to school, I changed direction and went to the beach I just stood there and kept looking at them. Maybe because I waited there for a long time, They thought they'd teach me for half an hour since I just stood there in the sun and kept looking. They are the ones who taught me that what they were doing was called surfing. They said they would give me a theory class first. I didn't know what theory was.
They just took me to the beach and kept on talking. They showed me the board and taught me about its different parts. But I was not understanding anything; they were speaking in English. I kept nodding my head as though I understood everything.
They took me to the water and kept pushing me into it. I kept trying to get up with every slip, but I kept falling off the board. Maybe because I didn't understand what they taught, i kept falling.
They pushed me into the water and said, 'Pop up! We were to stand upright when they said 'pop up'. But I just looked back at him and kept going forward. I was so confused. He asked me to watch the technique of the girls going next. That's the thing with surfing; we can also learn by watching. So, I observed them surfing.
Within the last 5 minutes, I could stand upright during the wave. It was a small wave, and I stood for only a few seconds. That was my best wave. It's still in my mind. That was my best wave. Jithu is one of the best surfers here. I've never seen anyone take barrels quite like he does.
I'm not kidding. I have never seen anyone take such long barrels He is simply effortless with his barrels. A Barrel is when you go inside a wave with your board; The wave covers you, you will not see the person There will be a small gap, through which you could see their face He would go deep inside the waves with his board. Under the current. Whatever we teach, and whatever we do Is out of our passion for it. It is not for money or to run a business We have to show our life to others, those outside this.
When we started, there was no one here. A lot of people blamed us when the three of us started this. People demotivated us by saying, 'You're spoiling your life running behind this’ Even our friends. Our friends, neighbors, and everyone said, "Don't pursue this." "It won't work out." But now,those that advised against it are running the surfing schools.
Sujith, and Praveen and I, supported the schools that got made here, and outside. We helped them start it, taught in the schools as well. Rakhul bro is a bridge in our lives, 'Cheruthoni Paalam', we call it. He hails from Idukki. He is supportive of everything we do. He is an Energy.
When I first left Idukki, I never thought I should be a surfer. It was a big surprise for me. Because to hail from the hills and become a surfer, is- It's hard to make it happen. We saw people that surfed big waves in the telivision.
I never thought i'd become that surfer, but My biggest desire was to swim or to dive in the sea. To look at marine life, like, Fishes, Mollusks Lobsters, Mussels, and others- This was my happiness. One day, when i'd come to Kovalam beach, I saw some people surfing.
I thought, "If I learn it, I could always in the sea." "It's gonna be sick.", that is what i thought. Anyway, that is when I decided to taking surfing lessons.
So that is how I started to take surf lessons. Then, I came to Varkala, to Soul & Surf- I came to see a friend of mine, Krishna. He said, "You should keep surfing." That's how it began from Idukki. Even now, when I meet people, "Where are you from bro?" I'd say I'm from Idukki. And they'd go, "What? A surfer from the hills?"
That is still the attitude. Anyway, some of my friends had come, First, one of them came, then others followed. When they came here I was surfing, I walked into the shore from the sea And they asked me, "Is that you?" And they took my photos, videos and shared it in their groups. That's how my mother saw this, A neighbor showed it to her saying, "Chechi, look at your son!" My mom couldn't believe it. And next day upon returning to my room from surfing I check the phone and see 16 missed calls from home! Mom was panicking. She asked me to return as soon as possible.
She asked me, "What are you doing there?" And I said, "Mother, I'm doing something different" "You should be proud of me, you know" When I was 17-18 years old, I started traveling alone. I would earn some savings by working somewhere and I'd travel. And with that, I first went on a trip to Indonesia. I spent 10 days there. There, I surfed all the big waves I could.
It was all new, the beach, the waves, the culture- Its a different culture in different places, different belief systems, It was very interesting to see all that. One of the best surfs I've ever had in my life, That was in Sri Lanka. A lot of surfers from this generation are there. They love Indians so much.
That was my experience. I've been to Sri Lanka, 8-9 times now. Feels like it's a second home for me. When I went to Chennai, I was so surprised. There were so many surfers, So many girls surfing. I didn't know surfing was that big Because I had only surfed here.
It's a huge community over there. I have some friends there as well. Ajai, then Saro, few other people and Aji, People who work in surf turfs. And Vasant is one of my friends.
So I met Vasant two years back. He was a kid. He was like, about 16 years old or something When I see him, I see myself. He was looking after his family, and he is also a great surfer. I grew up in Chennai, and i love it here.
I've been in Kovalam since childhood. Every morning I'd get up and go straight to the beach. I look at how the waves are, and get in the water. I started surfing in 2006.
Now it's off-season If it's the season, then I go surf. If it's over, I check where it's in season, and go surf there. Once you get into the water, you would not feel anything afterwards. There's a surf break called Edava.
It's one of the best waves in India. I'll say it with pride anywhere, It has India's best waves. It's our home ground. All of us learned from there.
I've surfed in various places in India. East Coast, Karnataka, and many others. But, I've never seen waves like those anywhere. I've met the World's best surfers in Edava. And they've said a lot about it.
There's a beach in Australia called Snapper Rocks. It's a surf break. Edava is its exact opposite. Snapper rocks have small waves as well, and fast breaks. Edava is the same, its on the left, and fast breaks. You can go inside the waves and come out slowly.
And ride for 100-200 meters. Now we're worried because we heard there's a harbor coming in Varkala. The waves in Kovalam got destroyed, they waves don't break anymore- The first surf culture originated from there, The surfers started from there. But, after a time the waves disappeared from there. There are no waves anymore. The waves hit the shore because of Vizhinjam harbor.
Varkala lies is in the middle of Kollam and Trivandrum. It's a small town. If a harbor comes, the waves in Varkala would also disappear. On Sundays, we conduct surf clubs for children for free. For the kids from the localities around here. Anyone can join, But only on Sundays.
We started like that as well, and we've taken it with us since. So anyone can join our community. We're happy to have them here. When I first went to the sea,- I used to dream about the waves, seriously! Whenever I went back to my room, it felt special.
What do I call it, I was mind surfing. I'm always thinking about the sea. I was so excited for the next day, because I wanted be on the beach so badly. That was my thought process, To spend more time at the beach. Then I also told myself, If there is a heaven for me,- -there's definitely a beach attached to it.
This is all my life is going forward. Because, I don't think I really want to do anything else. I was born for this, that's how i feel. I'm born to surf. So I'll keep doing that.
It will always make me happy, it's my happy place. My life will always be - Above the wave.
2024-04-13 20:39
