What's Really Going On?

Something's happening in the wave riding world. Modern day surfing has surfers that are pushing 80. And for the first time in history, bodyboarding has a baby boomer type of community that are pushing their 40's. Mike Stewart is a great example of a bodyboarder that is over the hill (age, definitely not his skills) and still rides his three foot something piece of foam. But those bodyboarders that looked up to the likes of bodyboarding pioneers Mike Stewart, Keith Sasaki, Ben Severson and many others are still riding their bodyboards and have not opted to go the route of stand up surfing. The simple answer of 'it's more fun' is reason enough for them, and me, to stick to riding a bodyboard.

It didn't hit me until the other day when I went out to this one surf spot where I was the only bodyboarder out in the line up. My friend and I were joking about the surfers that may talk smack on me cuz I'm on a 'sponge'. But then we realized that I'm a grown man. I'll be forty in December. So who in their right mind, would talk smack to a grown man just because of his/her wave riding vehicle? If I haven't dropped in on you or gotten in our way, then the board that I'm riding shouldn't matter. Simple math, right?

This past weekend, an underground 'contest' went down at Salt Creek up in the OC and there were just as many men as groms out riding bodyboards. Side note: That's the most bodyboarders I've seen in California in one spot in a long time. It was actually kinda cool to witness.

So what's really going on is this... grown men who know how to ride waves properly, respect where it's due and love to ride waves as much as his/her fellow ocean lover can very well be a bodyboarder.

Holy shit... I'm going to be 40 in December!

Thanks to Don Nguyen for the photos.

Over 30 and still boogie-ing.

Stan Moniz, Hawaiian ripper, was owning the event this weekend. And yes, he's pushing 40 as well.