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Ten Reasons Surfer's Love Winter
One of the all time greatest surfing
movies is Bruce Browns original classic, The Endless
Summer. It is an epic adventure of two young surfers,
Robert August and Mike Hynsen traveling to exotic locations
around the world in search of perfect waves. Summertime
surfing is immortalized in movies, songs, paintings
and pictures. Think summer, think surfing, think again.
Old time surfers like Ken Bradshaw know wintertime is
where it's at. From the United States to Europe, South
America to Asia, wintertime storms produce far more
waves than summertime. As Bradshaw has aptly stated,
for surfers the endless winter makes much more sense.
Surfing in the wintertime used to be only for the most
hearty and intrepid individuals. Nowadays, with advancements
in wetsuit technology, surfers are insulated quite well
from the cold. As wetsuit pioneer and innovator Jack
O'Neil says, "It's always summer on the inside."
Here are 10 popular reasons surfers love wintertime.
Number 10. Year round. After experiencing
the joys of surfing in the summer the thrills and spills
keep on coming. From the crisp offshore breezes in the
mornings until the vibrant sunsets in the evening surfers
are surfing.
Number 9. A Balanced Mind. Many people
in the wintertime don't get enough sunlight (full spectrum
lighting). Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of
winter depression that affects an estimated half million
people every winter. While all the causes are still
partly a mystery, it is known that one of the causes
is a biochemical imbalance in the hypothalamus due to
a shortening of daylight hours and lack of sunlight
in the winter. The nerve centers in our brain that control
our daily rhythms and moods are stimulated by the amount
of light entering the eyes. Thus, the lower amount of
light, the more chemical imbalance to the brain. Whoa
dude. Recently, more good evidence has been found to
also link sun exposure with the increased production
of a substance called Serotonin (a neurotransmitter).
Lack of serotonin is known to be a cause of depression.
For those who participate in surfing during winter months
their biochemical levels are balanced and their exposure
to sun is a positive.
Number 8. Parking. It is much easier
in the winter to find a parking space in close proximity
to the beach. In summer, it's not uncommon to look for
hours for parking and sometimes end up several blocks,
if not miles, away from the beach of your choice. In
the future look for beach trolleys's and surf shuttles.
Number 7. Save money. Ski equipment,
lift tickets, and lodging can cost a bundle. When surfing
in the winter, grab your surfboard and wetsuit and the
good times are free all day. You don't have to put another
dollar in the machine, the waves keep on coming.
Number 6. Valuable Tips. The level of
surfing performance is higher in the winter. By watching
and being around better and more experienced surfers,
it is easier to learn and improve. Pick up valuable
tips from those more skilled. In addition, surfing with
seasoned surfers is generally safer because they know
what they are doing.
Number 5. The Challenge. Winter conditions
are more challenging. Try waking up on a cold morning
and putting on an even colder damp wetsuit. Get past
that and the rest is easy. Think about it. Why would
anyone go through this? Rewards awaiting in the wings
of winter are substantial.
Number 4. Health. Surfing in the winter
helps give you the edge in health and fitness. It also
keeps you in shape for catching waves in summer, as
well as, looking good for summer's bathing suit season.
Number 3. The Plunge. Many people enjoy
taking the penguin or polar bear plunge. Hundreds of
people, young and old, enjoy a brisk dip or swim during
the cold of the winter, without wetsuits. All this to
promote pep, vigor, and vitality, along with getting
that refreshing, tingly feeling . Those who surf throughout
the winter experience the benefits of the plunge regularly.
Number 2. More waves. Waves really are
more consistent and more defined in winter. Without
a doubt the largest waves occur during this season.
Many popular surfing spots have waves only during winter
months.
Number
1 Because you can! Given a choice of alternatives what's
more fun than simply sliding along on a wave? Year round,
winter, spring, summer or fall surfing is cool and everyone
knows winter waves are the coolest. Pun intended. Sea
you in the surf. Surfing experts the Willis Bros. are
recognized for surfing the worlds largest waves and
teaching thousands to surf. They can be reached at www.wbsurfing.com.
Thank you to the reader last week for pointing out our
error. The reference credit for Be Here Now should have
gone to Richard Alpert. Thank you readers for paying
attention and keeping us on task.
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