Like it or not, the grim reality of surfing is this: the waves will not always be good. “Good,” of course, is a relative term. Perhaps you enjoy small waves. Maybe you’re an aerial surfer and like a stiff onshore wind. The key to enjoying yourself is to find what works for you in varying conditions. Then “good” becomes a whole lot more than just 6-8 feet and offshore.
“If you don’t learn to take advantage of the wind,” said Dave Kalama in Step Into Liquid, “you’re going to be a real sourpuss of a surfer.” Sure, he was talking about foiling Jaws when it’s huge, but the sentiment applies. Figure out how to take advantage of conditions that aren’t classically good and a whole world opens up. Which is how the video above works into your day.
Kevin Schulz is a mini-wave wizard. A regular wave wizard, too, but if he shows up at the beach and the waves are knee-high, he’s not leaving with his chin on his chest and his shoulders slumped. He’s grabbing a surfboard, paddling out, and making it look like it’s head-high. He’s the guy who paddles out into an empty lineup and makes everyone else on the beach realize that they too should be out there. And on the Firewire Mashup, Dan Mann’s collaborative surfboard made with Rob Machado, Schulz is blowing the doors off a tiny day.
