Wave Catchers

FOUR MIDLIFE SURFERS SHARE THEIR LOVE FOR THE SPORT

- KERI KELLY

I stood at the ocean water’s edge with a brand-new surfboard tucked underneath my arm as I watched waves crash and retreat on the tan sand. I had just turned 40 and was about to do something I’d failed to do 23 years prior.

Back then, posters of surfing legends Kelly Slater and Lisa Andersen had adorned my teenage bedroom. Every Saturday, I’d drive an hour-and-a-half to the beach, and after the locals and the lifeguards had cleared out, I’d give surfing a shot on my boyfriend’s board, but I could never stand up, let alone surf. Soon after, my dream of surfing ended like other childhood fantasies, and I moved on to build a career and family.

Now at midlife, I stood on the same beach where I now lived full-time, understanding that this was my last shot. But what was I thinking? I had a career, two kids and a mortgage. I was older, slower and weaker. 

What if I got hurt? What if I drowned? What if I got attacked by a shark?

My life changed that day as I lay prone on the board, paddled through the water and my fears, and silenced the voices in my head. With the help of some new friends, Vinnie, Ralph and Amy, I’d learned how to surf and live better, braver and stronger.