Contact – Buoy Reports – St Augustine Surf Reports – Surf – Skate – Soul Surfer – Calendar
Contact – Buoy Reports – St Augustine Surf Reports – Surf – Skate – Soul Surfer – Calendar
Whenever someone mentions the term “Soul Surfer” to me, I can’t help but recall sitting in a rundown movie theatre with my two best surf buds watching the 1991 release of “Point Break.” A movie with a character, that I still use as the standard for the “true” Soul Surfer. And which character would that be, you may ask? For me, the answer is obvious. Back then it was Bodhi, hands down. Bodhi and his crew would do anything to pursue his passion for the sport. But as an adult the answer seems much more complicated. Recently, I asked Pro Surfer CJ Hobgood what he thought on the subject. CJ’s response was simple, a true Soul Surfer was in it for “all the right reasons.” But what are those reasons? The motivations seemed so obvious in that movie, yet they elude me now. The “reasons” are like holding water in my hands, only to watch it slip away and disappear.
On my quest to better understand, I asked two St Augustine local legends what their thoughts on the subject were. A Soul Surfer is “someone who loves to be out there no matter the conditions,” said Reid Largin. While Franko O’Rourke believes “a Soul Surfer is one who surfs for love of the sport. They live to surf and appreciate each moment they are in the ocean.” While both descriptions are clear cornerstones of the very framework of what most of us believe the Soul Surfer to be, it still falls short of the iconic character popular culture has created.
I hate to say this aloud, much less in writing, but I find it hard to believe the true Soul Surfer exists. Now, before you get mad at me, consider this. Two characterizations of the Soul Surfer exist. The first dates to the 1960s and defines Soul Surfing in its purest form. The interpretation highlights the search for and pursuit of the sport’s spiritual values, virtues, and the very essence of the ocean’s pulse. While the second definition is a bit more ambiguous. It is the definition that we each define for ourselves. Much like CJ, Reid, and Franko did. Their definitions are all valid, as is yours. When it comes to defining yourself in the ocean, your limits are your own. We each must reach into the dark water and pull from it what we see in ourselves. It’s no secret that riding waves is physical and can be spiritual… If you let it. Recently I caught up with Pro Surfer Nora Liotta, and she told me that, “Riding a wave is not about conquering the ocean, but about letting it carry you to where you belong.” Nora’s words rang especially true here. Don’t paddle out to define yourself, let the ocean define you. Thus, helping you on your journey to become a better version of you. A true Soul Surfer