The Sandy Surfer

Chapter 7: Learning to Surf

With Tayla over his shoulder, they Will ran to the pool, hearing Taylor laughing with each step playfully smashing her fist on his back yelling to put her down. A big splash sprayed the backyard as they both plunged into the pool and began splashing water at each-other. When the play fight subsided Taylor began talking.

"Ok well that was fun I must admit. Don't you want to learn how to surf though?" 

"Yeah i'm keen, but isn't it dark soon?"

"Not for a while yet, the wind has just dropped. It's perfect conditions"

"Well what are we doing here still? Race you to the water?"

Without saying a work Taylor made her way to the edge of the pool and stripped off her school clothes to reveal her bikini underneath from the surf that morning. Will was fast on her tail getting ahead after taking off his shirt and picking up his new gift running out the backyard gate enroute to the ocean. Will had never noticed it before but the sand was different to California. It was more fine and golden and seemed to make a squeaky sound with every step. Will's mind snapped back into action running full pelt towards the water. As he approached he looked over his shoulder to see Taylor gaining on him fast, her golden hair flailing in the wind. 

Will was now knee deep in water, confident he would win however Taylor came flying in next to him as he jumped onto his board to begin the paddle out to the back break, a scene he had been familiar with from surf movies. To his demise, Will flew straight off the front of the board, warm salty water splashing in his face.Taylor rushed past and went straight into a paddling motion, laughing as she did. Will hoped on his board and paddled out a few metres to where Taylor was, sitting on her board just before the whitewash waves.

"I guess you won. I hope you didn't see what happened to me" Will said, brushing his hair away

"Oh I did. Yep saw it all. Was a classic. I kinda feel bad though" she said

"Yeah? Why tho?"

"Um it wasn't intentional, but it was kind of my fault" she said

"Explain!"

"Well... I didn't think we would use the board right away so I didn't wax it for you"

"I guess I win because someone sabotaged me" Will said as he dipped his hand in the water, pushing towards Taylor, causing a big spray of water to cover Taylor in the face.

"Call it a tie if we share my board?"

"Mmmm I guess. But I have to get the first wave too"

"Fine. Deal" Taylor said

They both swapped boards. Will now sitting on a nice 6'9 longboard that was white with the rails painted lemon yellow. It definitely had more volume than his board but was much more difficult to manoeuvre compared to his new board. Out the back a big wave crashed, white water heading straight towards them. Will prepared himself, spinning the board towards the beach and started paddling, checking over his shoulder as he did so. After a few moments the wave was almost upon them, Will's arms now starting to burn up.  He couldn't tell if it was the afternoon sun beaming down on or just the intense workout of paddling that he had never felt before. It was almost as though his arms were on fire. Suddenly he felt the motion underneath him, the wave pushing him forwards. 

Immediately he copied what he had seen the other surfers do so many times on those surf movies, he popped to his feet, legs bent slightly. He was in awe of the feeling. It was so unique and different. He had skated before back in Cali but this was something completely different and gave a whole new feeling of enjoyment. The wave started off washy and ended up crowning into a new formed wave right as the shore approached. Wow what a ride he thought to himself. If only he had been into surfing sooner. Filled with stoke and adrenaline, Will turned the board around just before the next wave lapped at his knees and made his way back to the break where Taylor was waiting.

"Not bad for a first timer" he said, winking at Taylor

"I've seen better" she snapped back with a grin on her face

"Pshhh ok. Show c'mon then. Show me what you got"

They swapped boards and as if it came naturally to her, Taylor picked out a wave coming towards them and paddled effortlessly as the wave approached, popping up and sticking her tongue out as she passed Will. 

"Show offffff!" he yelled as she rode the wave towards the beach, angling to the left as she did, being sure to ride the wave out for maximum ride length. Before long she had paddled  over to Will. 

They swapped back boards again, Will determined to show her he can shred too. He had only just learnt how to surf but he was determined to keep up, or at least look like he was. Another wave came for him, scooping him up and he was on the wave again. Attempting to copy Tayla's technique, he leaned on the edge of the board and felt it slowly turning to the side as the board picked up speed.

"Look Tayla I'm doing it! I'm surfing" he shouted back to Tayla

"Will watch out!" she heard her shout back frantically, her voice filled with urgency.

As he swung his head around from Tayla back to look where he was going Will saw why she was so scared. The board was heading straight towards an outcrop of rocks. His mind started racing trying to work out what to do. He leaned to the other-side of the board desperately trying to get the board to turn the other way but the longboard had other plans with the turning being slow. As Will leaned the other way he lost his balance, the board shooting one way and him the other. Thankfully the board avoided the rocks however Will wasn't so fortunate, going headfirst into the water his shoulder smashing against the rock. Quickly he tried to regain his senses, gathering his feet and standing up. He stumbled towards the shore holding his shoulder. Quickly he turned around to see Tayla a few metres away running towards him, her face in shock covered in clear concern and worry. Suddenly he felt weak in the knees, not because of Tayla though. It was his shoulder, it had now bleed and was now causing Will to feel faint. He heard Taylor in the distance now a mere metre away as his vision dissolved to a black space. 

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Stay safe and remember to always look out for your friends. :)

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