My love of the ocean has been with me since the days when my father carried me into the Atlantic and dove through waves with me in his arms. I had no doubt that my father was a fish (I didn’t know about mermen back then), and so it followed that I must be part mermaid.
The trouble is that while my father was a natural swimmer without lessons, my natural abilities were no match for his. I could tread water and swim well enough to save myself in a minor water emergency, but I certainly was not a strong enough swimmer to even consider giving surfing a try.
Every time I see people surfing I imagine it to be both exhilarating and terrifying. The rush of gliding along the surface of a wave must be amazing! But the risks of wiping out, shark attack, or even being hit in the head with a surfboard all terrified me—just not enough to stop thinking about it. I had to address my fears and finally get on a board.
Having spent too much time imagining I knew I had to make it happen. Step 1: swimming lessons this past fall in preparation for Step 2: the trip to Nicaragua scheduled for February—two weeks on the Pacific coast of the country at some of the best surf spots in the area.
Preparations: Check. Results to come!
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