The Perfect Wave

I stood on the shores of the beach as the taste of salt and ozone caught in my throat and almost chocked me. I could feel my eyes flood with happy tears. From where I stood the curl of the waves was almost perfect. A blue-green wall capped with white foam and glistening like it was coated with diamond dust broke to the left. I watched it and in my imagination I rode the wave to shore.

Inspired, I grabbed my board leaning on my thigh and hip, and broke into a jog. Above me the usually blazing sun was now only as mild as an egg yolk surrounded by several light blue hues. Beneath me the sand oozed between my toes. As my feet touched the cool water a zap of energy raced up my spine resulting in a spasm of shivers. Floating my board in front of me by the tail, I pushed on and was soon waist high in the breakers.

Rolling onto my board I paddled for all I was worth straight towards the sets. Feeling the salt spray on my face was enough to relax anyone, but adding the ducking under the oncoming waves put me into a state of tranquillity as I came back up shaking the water droplets from my hair. I kept paddling, searching for the perfect wave, until finally, out in the horizon I saw it just beginning to form.

It loomed up, closer and yet closer. Turning my board around so it was facing back to shore, I glanced over my shoulder and realized the wave was now upon me. Time to start paddling. I felt the surge of undeniable power beneath my body and ever so gently my board picked up, carrying me with it.

I sprung to my feet and surfed the wave perfectly, carving the edge, swinging back down the side and turning to repeat myself. It was like I was flying, I never got sick of this feeling, the feeling of complete ecstasy. Then the wave broke, I was thrown off and in this watery world I couldn’t tell which way was up and which was down. Releasing a bubble of air from my cold lips, I watched as the bubble slowly made its way over my nose and forehead before beginning on its way up out of the water. Following it, I somersaulted and after a few powerful kicks surfaced, gasping for breath.

Exhilarated, I rolled back on my board, straddling it. I watched the waves and felt the slight rock of them beneath me. I gazed out towards the horizon, now the sky was turning purple. I had just surfed the perfect wave, the wave every surfer longed for. Sighing I turned and paddled towards the shore, thoughts of perfect waves on my mind.