learn to skimboard

This is a really cool sport that allows you to enjoy the beach during the summer while doing something active. In Vancouver where I live there is not a lot of waves, so skimboarding became a popular sport because it is similar to skateboarding on water rather than surfing. However, it does not hurt as much skateboarding because you fall into the water/sand and not the asphalt. 5 years ago

I don’t know whether I can classify my experience as ‘learn to skimboard’ or ‘learn how not to skimboard,’ for I certainly fleshed out the latter in great depth. On Saturday my brother and I went on an excursion to Bribie Island with one of our co-workers and his girlfriend. The skimboard had been a topic of conversation for several months and he was keen to introduce us to the sport.

After heeding warning from Tom’s girlfriend that the sport was not quite as easy as it looked and then watching my brother come limping up the beach with a toe injury from where the board sliced into his foot, the challenge did not seem so enticing. Nevertheless, I’m never one to back down from a challenge so I took the board down to the waters edge, waited until a thin sheet of water glazed over the sandy beach, propelled the skimboard forward and jumped on with both feet.

Flailing forward is really the only appropriate word to describe my balancing attempts on the thin board as it skimmed across the water. I was upright for only a few seconds until I lost my balance and was propelled towards the breaking waves. This process continued over and over again with me improving my balancing times marginally but with no real progress. After numerous attempts of trying to sail across the sands effortlessly, my workmate decided to lend a helping hand and convinced me that my progress would be aided significantly if he skimmed the board and I jumped on. Despite the warning of caution in my conscience, I agreed to the proposal and within moments was soaring towards the crashing waves with reckless abandon and landing with such force that I was convinced I had broken every bone in my backside.

As the others looked on in shock and I reeled in agony in the shallow water, I had two options. 1. To decide that skim boarding did not lend itself to my range of skills and I should give up while I’m ahead. 2. That this was simply a small obstacle to overcome before my big breakthrough. I chose the latter option and within moments was again skimming the board across the shallows and trying to jump on (though perhaps with not so much ease as I had before). I had several more attempts with a little more progress until I was in too much agony to continue and resigned myself to the fact that it would have to wait until another day when I was less bruised and battered from the injuries sustained from the sport.

Two days later I am still in agony, sporting the largest and deepest of black bruises I have ever seen yet I’d have to say it was still worth it. It was a lot of fun and I’d definitely be willing to give it another go when I recover! 5 years ago