Black’s, a very well-known southern California surf spot, firing. Photo: Myles McGuinness
Recently a very well-known southern California surf spot received an unaccustomed visit from four or five surfers that absolutely ripped every section of every wave they surfed. For me, this visit was equal parts awe-inspiring and territorially threatening. Being a regular at this hot spot, I’ve always felt a sense of pride in my abilities to hold my own at my home wave. For an unfamiliar crew of guys to come and absolutely blow my mind on a playing surface that I am so utterly familiar with was humbling to the point of absurdity.
Since these guys were nevs (never seen them before, normally a negative term) my first thought was that they were outsiders from another region of the golden state. Hoping that this was only a visit and not a first strike on my much-loved break, I suddenly found myself in a state of surfing paranoia. After witnessing several minutes of this inundation of perspective-changing surfing, I found a little scrap of a wave coming my way. As the wave came closer it shifted a little, and I quickly realized that one of the heavies was in position for the wave. Without even a second thought, the bearded face smiled and said, “Go ahead bro!” Shocked at this generosity from someone who was clearly an elite surfer, I swung and did my best to comparatively stumble through my dance on a wave.
As the session continued, I found myself surfing at a slightly higher level than usual and almost enjoying being a relative kook among greatness. I began to realize that this is what is truly meant by having someone or, in this case, a few someones, push you to be your best. Interestingly, in this case, the visiting talent was not even pushing. It was almost as though they were truly on a different plane of existence than the rest of the line up; in the same place and moment, but then again not. The surrealism of the session stung throughout the day as I shamefacedly shared the experience with my wife and close surfing buddies.
It was not until a few sessions and a full week later that I was informed that the bearded visiting surfer was pro surfer Torrey Meister and company. Needless to say, I was relieved that the amazing display of surfing was merely that of visiting pros and not some completely unreachable level of surfing that I was going to forever and futilely try to achieve.
