We’ve just lost two members of the tribe here in Oregon, both in their late 50’s, both of heart attacks and then drowning while in the surf, on the same beach in the same lineup just weeks apart.
If destined to go at that time, can’t imagine a finer way to out, wetsuit boots on, saltwater dripping down over the grin still in place from that last wave.
Life is short - feel the Aloha and enjoy every single day you are gifted to receive!!
Hi Icc,
Well said. Sorry about your loss. I try to remind myself to look at everything around me like a tourist might look at it. Wow, look at that! Isn’t that beautiful? etc. Mike
Icc Sorry about the lose. Do you have the names? I grew up surfing in Oregon, Seaside ect. That water is cold,cold, Your nuts would crall up inside your bod and not be seen for days at a time!!! Winter of 1968 almost did me in, got hypo and could hardly crall over the rocks to get to my car. My core temp was down for 4 days. When you wipe out in that water the cold shock could stop the heart of a young man !! Ahui hou- Wood_Ogre
didn’t know their names…just a couple of older bro’s who showed up occasionally on weekends to get a few and enjoy a day at the beach…
The new wetsuits make all the difference these days, really no reason to be cold like back in the day when the suits basically sucked…
Unfortunately, however, wetsuits don’t offset a lack of conditioning or cardiovascular health…guys get into their 50’s, carrying 25# plus over their optimum weight, in both cases developed a cardio problem they were unaware of, they get caught inside and they max out their heart rate while fighting to punch thru the shorebreak, and the switch gets thrown…off.
Still beats going in a car wreck…
Been there, done that. I was only 39 when I had a heart attack while surfing. That was little over 10 years ago.
We don’t realize how quickly we can become out of shape. Waves we used to call 4 to 6 feet can have faces that are 12 to 15 feet. I think it’s a combination of the mental and physical stress of getting caught inside and paddling through the sets that pushes you over the edge. Probably be best to just turn around and let the waves push you in, but our egos don’t let us do that.
We all have to know our bodies limits and learn how to manage things in stressful situations. I think that a heart attack could be avoided if there were only a physical or emotional stress to deal with. Being able to relax your mind to get through a physically demanding situation helps a lot.
Another killer is anger, that will get your heart into trouble too.
apologies for a brief step-up to the pious pulpit, feel compelled to call out a truth.
To surf, to really surf for the long haul, takes a to the bone commitment that goes well beyond the rest of the normal multi-tasking commitments(s) that define our lives.
It means living your life so you always keep your weight as close as you possibly can to when you were 25 years old, providing you were a fit 25. Which means at least five days of cardio a week, be it surfing, swimming laps, spinning, running or whatever.
It means eating right, avoiding the crap, the sugars and the fats, learning to just ignore them and eat the real foods which will keep your tank filled with premium.
It means dedicating yourself to water time, to nourishing the joy it will always brings you, and then no matter how heavy the moment you suddenly find yourself in, you can handle it because you’re been there before just the other day. It’s spill-over application to life is just a bonus.
Eating right, exercising right,surfing a lot more rather then a lot less as we age, those are the weapons against the stressors and heart attacks that take us out early - hypertention, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stress arrythmia, and all the other symptoms of an under exercised, over fed and over stressed life.
Just surf, find every possible reason to surf every possible day that you can…as surfers, its what we’re destined to do.
Ok, off the pulpit, going to go change fins on one of my boards. It’s been pumping for a week, and supposed to pick up some more tommorrow…After surfing 7 out of the past 9 days, with another week of swells and offshores in the forecast, this 58 year old is stoked!!!
Bummer…but not a bad way to go though…Re: fitness…most folks in their 50s are lucky to get 5 days of cardio…after all…that would get in the way of surfing (which usually aint cardio when you’re on a longboard at a point break around here). Good goal, but if the desk is showing round the middle, then those precious hours in the water can’t be sacrificed for time spinning, etc.
To the random guy who wished me a good night as I got out of the water (and almost slipped off the cliff when climbing out of the water) at Pleasure Point tonight well after dark…thanks for spreading some aloha. Should be more, but I’ll take/give what I can. Peace…
I agree with most of whats been said. I am 53 yrs old and only started surfing 4 years ago. Sure cardio is important but also is flexibility. I can highly recommend the DVD “Yoga for surfers”…it covers flexibility and breath control. Yes it really is true to be thankful everyday we surf !