Waiting for Franklin
"It is possible that longing for something is better than actually having it. I've heard it said that satisfaction is the death of desire."
What’s your pre-surf ritual or routine? I know I’m not the only one. I’m sitting here, typing this, on the eve of our first hurricane swell of the season, having just completed mine. Waiting for Franklin.
I wish I was in my early twenties again, cool and nonchalant. Before my routine took over like an unfashionable habit. Taking good surf, any surf for granted. Before webcams, no checking forecasts or tides or swell direction. Just get up and go. Not long ago I would wake up hungover on a buddy’s couch with my leather jacket draped over me. Or better yet in the bed of a girl who’s name I didn’t bother to remember. Get down to the beach whenever, usually in the same clothes I went out in the night before. One board for all conditions. Beg, borrow or steal some sandy wax if necessary. A time before the reality of adult responsibilities.
Things are different now. I’m cautiously pessimistic. I've been hurt before. I’m sure the swell is being overhyped. Guaranteed the tide will be too high at first light for the hour and a half I have to be out there before work. The swell will have dissipated or the wind will be wrong for the couple hours I have after work at dusk. It’s going to be so crowded despite all the self righteous social media arbiters warning the general public to ‘know before you go’, ‘realize your limits’, ‘blah blah blah’. Who the fuck put you in charge?
Even Surfline keeps changing their story, seemingly more and more conservative every time I log in (which is multiple times a day, much to my own self loathing).
Still, in spite of all of this, I resort to my dumb, decidedly uncool routine. I thumb through my quiver and consciously pick out just the right board for the occasion. Wax and comb it meticulously like a buddhist monk raking a zen garden. Surf dharma. Even grab a backup board, just in case.
Hmmm, will I be fine in boardies and my 1mil top or do I need the full 3/2? Better bring them both, it’s good to have options. I hate surfing with a watch and having a time limit on sessions, it’s the antithesis of the surf experience I’m looking for. It’s my time to live in the moment or whatever. But I’m a mature adult now, an upstanding member of society, gainfully employed and don’t want to be late to shake my tin cup. Throw the watch on the passenger seat of the truck. Towel, check. Work clothes to go straight to the office, check. Lunch packed, check. Don’t forget to pre-set the coffee for 10 minutes before my alarm goes off, make it extra strong. Place banana next to coffee maker. Factor in extra time for the coffee to kick in and achieve full bowel evacuation in the morning. Nothing worse than prairie dogging whilst duck diving ‘fair to good’ over- head sets. We can’t have that.
Get the pre- surf playlist lined up for the roll down to the beach in the dark. Might I suggest something from Inherent Bummer’s Spotify tasting menu? Alarm set.
It’s Disco Night at The Fastnet. Last Summer I would’ve been tearing up that boogie wonderland until 1am, to hell with tomorrow. Now I’m 5 months off the sauce. Just a 5mg gummy to put me to sleep. California sober.
Early to bed. Kiss my pregnant wife goodnight. Maybe browse Youtube for any sick new clips I’ve missed, no that’ll keep me up. Rather peruse The Surfer’s Journal or the half read novel next to my bed instead to wind down and hope my eyes get heavy as I drift into a good six hours slumber.
It’s a masturbatory ritual but it’s my masturbatory ritual. Unfortunately, much like auto eroticism, I have the overwhelming feeling that I’m setting myself up for disappointment. But for now there’s hope. And hope is the thing to hold on to. —Joel van Wyk
