If You Don’t Go, You Don’t Know

One of those mottos that actually works for everything in life as far as you ask me. Whether you are headed to a job every day that you don’t like and flirt with the idea of quitting, whether there is a six ft. wave approaching and you’re overwhelmed by it’s magnitude, or whether there is that someone you like but are in doubt whether it is mutual. If you don’t go you really don’t know.

It is all about taking a risk once in a while. Asking that question: “Will I regret it later on?” Most of the time you will (or at least I do) and in the end what is the worst that can happen: you have to find a new job, get washed and get smashed by a couple of big sets on your head or be rejected by someone. We mainly make the safe decision out of fear, self-doubt and/or insecurity but do you really want these emotions to decide for you where you are headed to in life. Nope, right…?!?

I reckon there are way worse things that can happen than finding a new job, getting smashed or being rejected. Bigger failures were survived and as mentioned quite some times before, you get back up, you will really get back up. The fall will only make you stronger and grow. So I decide to just go, because you never know what can happen: A life on an island, the biggest wave of my life or closer to the person that you really like.

The Pitfall of Surfing Reef

Surfing on reef is just the best. In contrast to beach breaks, reef breaks are just more consistent. The wind and swell decides the smoothness of the wave but surfing a reef break where you get to know exactly how and where it breaks just makes it better. And this definite pro of surfing reef outstands the con, being that reef just hurts quite a bit more than sand. There are definitely some gnarly beach breaks out there but the fact that you are surfing  a wave with solid (living) reef below the surface, makes your adrenaline level rise as one mistake can cut or scratch your skin open and leave some nasty wounds.  We had some close encounters with the reef in Bali and Rote and they definitely did not make our feet (and ass) look any better. But we keep going back to surf those perfect waves that peel over the reef and just accept the pitfall.