[SeaCliff]

Just got back from a short trip to a warm spot and grom and I got to surf what is reported to be Kelly's favorite spot - the Soup Bowl in Barbados.


Neither of the two days we surfed there were pumping...but even on these modest days, it's an impressive wave - sucks up and stands up and you have to be on your game in reading, positioning and reacting. And while all that was interesting, what really stood out to me were a couple of locals and a couple of visitors that were just handling it with such ease...almost nonchalantly.


I watched and learned and studied as much as I could - but it really got me thinking about how much I still have to learn, and how much extraordinary talent there is out there. Seems every time I get to travel, there's standout talent around....which I guess leads to the point of the post - while I'm striving and may not ever get to any level that even remotely resembles them, many of them are looking at and aspiring to a whole 'nother level! Crazy when you think about it. But just watching these talented surfers up close has this way of opening my eyes to the possibilities and makes me push and dream about what I may or may not be ever capable of...which, for me, is what it's all about - because you can't ever accomplish what you first haven't at least imagined.


Yeah...the surf world, our world, is full of talent...and it's inspiring.


 

[Fat Occy]

I surfed around a bunch of B-list wqs pros at big blacks last year. Watching them was amazing...they were taking off on every set wave super late, literally in the lip, making these impossible drops and then getting insane barrels. The rest of us mortals were taking off fairly deep...but nothing compared to these guys. It made me think that if these guys were that good, the CT guys must be unbelievable. The local pros in the california beach town I grew up in were doing pretty good in the psaa and some asp stuff (this was 15 years ago or more) and were fundamentally surfing the same, big off the lips, airs etc...its just that now its happening in parts of the wave that were previously unreachable. Inspiring stuff.

[The Lone Surfer]

did someone say sam hammer?

Clips! Sam Hammer

[Northstreet]

I was thinking the exact same thing after I got back from PR last week....It's so nice to see some great talent on a great wave....

[SeaCliff]

I was thinking the exact same thing after I got back from PR last week....It's so nice to see some great talent on a great wave....

Yeah..it really is. And along with the awe inspiring lessons, it realllllly makes me want to push even harder to find out whatever my personal limit is, which is great.

[ChopChaser]

My neighbor Hector Santa Maria stokes me out every time we surf together, kid is always inventing new stuff. His section starts at 8 minutes into this video http://www.hulu.com/watch/19464/new-pollution-hector-santa-maria-hans-and-nils-mindnich-riley-hawk#s-p4-so-i0

[rockyveiga]

My neighbor Hector Santa Maria stokes me out every time we surf together, kid is always inventing new stuff. His section starts at 8 minutes into this video [url=http://www.hulu.com/watch/19464/new-pollution-hector-santa-maria-hans-and-nils-mindnich-riley-hawk#s-p4-so-i0]http://www.hulu.com/watch/19464/new-pollution-hector-santa-maria-hans-and-nils-mindnich-riley-hawk#s-p4-so-i0[/][/url]

this kid is awesome! i was at jobos last april and he had just won the local contest. he's a HUGE inspiration. friendly too.


that secret spot looks awesome

[Yuppers913]

I just got back from my first "surf trip" outside the states.  We went to costa rica, and I completely know what you're saying.  Just watching guys on an average day at a nothing beach break was inspiring.  There were local kids ripping off these huge airs on every single wave they took, it was just awesome.
 
I was just trying to watch and learn some basics, things like doing better bottom turns, barrel riding, and backside top turns.  I've got some things to work on for sure.  It was great.

[the Kook]

My neighbor Hector Santa Maria stokes me out every time we surf together, kid is always inventing new stuff. His section starts at 8 minutes into this video [url=http://www.hulu.com/watch/19464/new-pollution-hector-santa-maria-hans-and-nils-mindnich-riley-hawk#s-p4-so-i0]http://www.hulu.com/watch/19464/new-pollution-hector-santa-maria-hans-and-nils-mindnich-riley-hawk#s-p4-so-i0[/][/url]

this kid is awesome! i was at jobos last april and he had just won the local contest. he's a HUGE inspiration. friendly too.


that secret spot looks awesome

I just saw Hector this past weekend at the Hurley Surfing America Prime event at Sebastian Inlet.  I love watching Hector surf and at the end of one of his waves, he busted an air that if he had surfed away from, would have probably been the high wave of the contest.  Well Hector was put out in the quarters of the contest. Talk about a lot of talent out there.......    This weekend re-affirmed it for me.