For most lifelong surfers, their first true love is the ocean. Like any relationship, it has its ups and downs. For the endless amount of joy she provides, she can also dish out plenty of frustration. You’ll never quite figure her out, no matter how much attention you pay or the lengths you go through to spend time with her.
The passing of The Weather Channel-dubbed “Winter Storm Pax” was no exception.
Depending on where you call home, the storm either delivered periods of epic conditions or a prolonged waiting game of watching current conditions and checking forecast updates for things to come together. Unfortunately for my stretch of coast — Virginia Beach, Sandbridge and the Outer Banks — the dark hours of Thursday night and Friday morning hosted the culmination of this swell. For those who kept an eye on it and waited until the latter stages of Thursday afternoon to strike, Pax delivered some of the largest, most powerful and hollow surf we’ve seen in some time.
With the swell overwhelming Sandbridge’s extremely shallow sandbars — and dicey sideshore winds — our crew opted for handplanes over surfboards and swam out for a body surf in the rugged and raw conditions. Solid 6- to 8-foot sets, rectangular slab barrels, violent rip currents and full-submersion in 38 degree water had us all in agreement: this was one of the burliest sessions of our lives.
However, Valentine’s Day broke crisp, clear and considerably smaller than anticipated.
Immediately we knew we’d have to go the extra mile to feel the love on this day. Her clues pointed to a fun-filled date at a certain Hatteras sandbar where we shared some great times together in the past. Sure enough, her calling proved worth the extra effort. While not in all-time fashion; fun, hollow peaks greeted us when arrived.
And so we danced through the morning — a much different tango than anticipated, but a beautiful one nonetheless.
As far as real relationships go, there is a valuable lesson to be learned from our romance with the sea. Always remember that while each day will present a unique challenge and the sailing may not always be smooth; feeling the embrace of your true love is a driving force of the human spirit — something that’s always worth fighting for.
Let go of unrealistic expectations and the myth of there being a final destination: Love is about being present in and enjoying every moment of your journey together.
Want to see more from John Streit and Shaun Devine? Check out Surfandadventure.com, thejettylife.com and thewetboys.com
