Water, wind, and sky have delivered another epic Summer. Reports of epic Summer surf worldwide have graced the forums and SUP message boards. I don’t think I’m alone when I say this has been the best stand up paddle summer yet! Remember to make time to reflect.
Arriving at the beach at 5:00 to greet the ocean and waves as they are revealed by the sun’s first light. Then, paddling out in the still of the morning over a sheet of glass. Epic. The silence is broken only by the gentle lapping of droplets rolling off the paddle return to the ocean from whence they came.
Grey skies give way to fiery reds and oranges streaking the horizon as the sun rises behind the clouds while the mosaic of deep greens and cool yellows on the hills breath life into the air. A family of manta rays and a school of ‘ininui’ play in the crystal clear waters of the morning.
The first wave of the morning gently breaks in perfect form, unridden, but now ready to play. Perched on the swells, refining technique, and taking them all the way in…over and over again. Others arrive in silence awestruck by the beauty of the morning.
As the tide changes and the surf rises, it’s good times all morning, one wave after another. The warm colors of the sunrise melt away into blue skies and white clouds.
Smiles and good times permeate the air until it’s time to go home. You don’t leave because you have to, because you don’t. And, you don’t leave because the waves have gone or the because crowd has gone sour, because it hasn’t. You leave because the ocean has whispered to you, “It’s time. Come back tomorrow and we’ll still be here.”
As you paddle back to the shore in reverence, the next shift is pulling up and paddling out. The smile on your face tells the story of the sunrise, and a humble ‘good morning’ wishes them good times on another epic summer day.

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