Thinking about the success that some useless innovations receive can trigger a minor existential crisis. Selfie sticks, <10 min delivery apps, plastic-wrapped fruits & veg, (Instagram 🤔), smart fridges… waves pools. Set aside the environmental folly involved and their wonky business plans, they’re not that fun. Sure, you get to experience what surfing is like, but do you really go surfing?
How a wave pool session goes by: There’s a current so you can paddle out gently, then you line up facing a wall at the end of a pool. When it’s your turn, you go to the take-off spot (yes, there’s a mark) ant the next wave is yours. It is longer than the average wave at your usual surf spot, and it’s always the same. That means you can get comfortable and try some fancy tricks without the fear. It also means you know exactly what to expect, which just makes the whole wave-riding thing a lot less exciting.
If anything, we should be thankful for waves pools. They’re the living proof that surfing is more than standing up on a board and following water energy towards shallow waters. When you want to get to the bottom of something, understanding what it is not can help puzzle things up. Here are 3 things about surfing that I discovered we love by giving wave pools a go - 3 things a pool will never provide.
Surf checks
Potentially one of the most underrated moments in a surf session : the one where you first lay your eyes on the line-up and see what you get for the day… The build up to this moment is so tense, and then there’s so many things to analyse before you actually get in the water: wind, tide, crowd, period, swell size, this peak vs that peak… It’s like unwrapping a gift and reading its rulebook for 10min before playing. If you wanna feel like 7 years old you again, stop surfing for a month or two and walk up the dune at la torchère on the next 5-star day. I’d be curious to hear how pumped up you get!
Wind, tide, crowd, period, swell size, this peak vs that peak… It’s like unwrapping a gift.
Can you imagine Torren’s dopamine levels as he watched this little cutie peel right in front of him? I’m 1000% sure that this sort of emotion is part of what you look for when you go for a surf.
A good duck dive
This one is less obvious but hear me out!
We’ve all had one of these on a more-challenging and less-chill day, where you’re just late to get over an incoming set and it’s bound to explode right in front of you… Different emotions rush in : half of you regrets sitting in so far in, the other half pissed the wetsuit already. Experience taught you to get paddling hard and deep and that’s just what you’re doing by now. Tic toc, tic toc… you’re in for a good squeeze but you go for the duck dive anyway. Your heart misses a beat as the wave thunders above / behind you and slaps the tip of your leg. Then you feel the water dragging you back and you hold on to your board for dear life, but suddenly…. you’re though.
It’s the surfing equivalent of a try-saving tackle in rugby.
You somehow made it safe and sound under this wave, did anyone film this by any chance? This feels as good as scoring a good wave, it’s the surfing equivalent of a goal-saving tackle in football. There are moments in surfing where water makes you feel small and vulnerable - humbling moments. Forget about that if you sign up for a wave pool sesh.
Lucky charm waves
Well, you don’t even get these in every session, but they’re probably the essence of why you keep going surfing. They’re the waves that come specifically for you, silently slithering their way to you and your board. The “too good to be true” ones. The moment you see one, an unbearable waiting game suddenly starts. You want to paddle a meter outwards or another sideways… but you wouldn’t even be in a better position. You feel awkwardly undeserving, but this wave is sliding towards you… Hopefully you manage to snap out of this little romance you made up, and get paddling to rip that little gift from the ocean.
I think of these as a reward for all the times I go surfing in crappy 40cm waves… there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Also, before you come to a conclusion about my weird Aquaphilia, please read Greglong’s dirty narrative about the “karmic attraction” perfect waves evoke for him… Now you know these lucky charms are real.
Song of the week
To all my DJ-readers, bring this little baby up the right way and you’ll get your crowd to do whatever you want. Wonder what Coletrickle would think of it.
IG of the week
No brainer : congrats to our favourite Brazilian out there… 💚💛 Also, we have loved Mattdunbar’s photos for a while now… defo worthy of your follow !