Lessons in Syntropy from surfing

When you go on a surfing holiday, the weather is either your friend or foe. You learn to manage expectations and adjust quickly to conditions. 

It is a beautiful classroom in patience, humility and the recognition of the level of control we have.

It is one of the many reasons I love surfing. You must learn to dance with change. You are humbled by the weather, the conditions and the power of the ocean,

As a lifelong athlete, from ultra-distance running, triathlon, swimming, and now surfing, I have long known that my chosen sports are a crucible for my development. I need movement, outdoors, at the behest of nature. It is my meditation, my practice and my place of reflection. I see myself in all my shades. From confident to terrified. From frustrated to peaceful. From novice to skilled.

After several days of wild weather and a big swell, we woke this morning to calm winds and a smaller swell. Surfing was a go. It caught us by surprise.

It was my first time at this particular break. There was the rocky beach to get through first, and then the particular wave to get to know.

No two waves are the same, no two breaks are the same, no two days are the same. To surf is to adapt quickly to all conditions. This wave looks nice and friendly, but she carries a punch, the power of the swell from all the way across the Pacific significant. 

Yet once on the wave, there is something beautiful about the speed and power. It is the tension of courage and commitment with joy and exhilaration.

It will take a few surfs to get to know her better. For me to relax into the wave, for us to merge. 

Never the thought to dominate, always to partner. When the surfer and the wave flow and work together, it is beautiful to watch.

Photo Taken October 26th 2025, Article published October 26th, 2025