Pandora's Box

Surfing was soooooooo much fun. I am definitely going to do that again. Knowing how to skateboard obviously helped, as well as my history of waterskiing throughout my childhood. But I think riding Muni has helped most of all! The train is often so crowded that I don't get a seat. Years of maintaining my balance while riding the train definitely worked the right muscles.

I do need to work on building up some strength is my triceps, however. They were protesting towards the end of our day. I guess it was the paddling and the carrying the surfboard back out into the water after riding a wave onto shore.

I was so tickled to have caught multiple waves - even riding them all the way to the shore while standing on the board on my second wave out. There are many things about surfing that are so apppealing to me...

First of all, you get to wear this totally hot cat suit of sorts. Putting it on, I got images of Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz coming up out of the water and undressing as they walked away from the camera in Charlie's Angels. C looked totally hot laying on her stomach on that board swimming to catch the next wave.

And these ever-elusive waves. Some of them looked good, but would be a disappointment. Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes. And then... let down. The wave never crested or it didn't have enough momentum.

But the waves that moved with power and speed... Paddling harder and harder and harder to build up my momentum and then like magic - I feel the wave almost lift me up and carry me away.

But I couldn't get lost in the thrill of speed as I then had to lift my breasts up off the board, bring my feet under me, and like a choreographed dance, bring one leg forward and use the other foot to twist my body at an angle and stand.

We went to Bolinas beach to learn, so the waves were small. By the time I got to my feet, I could ride for only a few seconds before reaching the shoreline.

And I was right about getting my nasal passages washed out. And my attitude as well. What a great birthday this has been already!

Oh, I guess I should explain the title of this post. So we were surfing right outside of a lagoon, where a group of about 30 seals were bathing on a... what do you call those areas where the sand reaches the surface of the water? Anyway, one of the seals must have gotten curious about the surfing, as he/she came to within about twenty feet of MC, where she was floating in water waiting to catch a wave. She was so tickled.

Thank you to Coco and Reba for making this a birthday I will always remember!