The beach, Wednesday morning

[betterthanaplan]

Duke definitely hadn't just picked Wednesday for his first surfing of the year just to make sure he avoided the park on a Wednesday, but it was definitely a factor.

Mostly, though, he was just excited to get out into the water. Even if the waves were kind of tiny. Just meant that Octavia wouldn't have too much of a challenge on her first time out.

"Ready to give surfing a try?"

[for the snogon, but can be open to others too!]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave the question a soft little snort. "I mean, I guess, since that's what we're here for."

She was even wearing her usual choice of swimsuit for a public setting - one that covered up the biggest and most gruesome of her scars.

[betterthanaplan]

It was practically a rash guard! Very appropriate surfwear.

"That's the spirit," he said, giving her a grin. "Okay, so traditionally, you start by getting used to the feel of the board on the sand before you hit the water."

[okteiviakom]

"And that's supposed to help?" Octavia asked, looking from the shore to the water. "I don't think sand's anything like water."

[betterthanaplan]

"It is not," Duke said. "But if you can't transition from lying on the board to standing on it on the sand without falling over, you're definitely not going to be able to do it on the water."

[okteiviakom]

"You don't want me to even try?"

She was pretty obviously joking.

"Who knows, I could be a natural."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke snorted. "I think we'll start the traditional way."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shrugged, like 'oh well'.

"Okay, then show me."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded, waving her over to a couple surf boards already laid out on the sand. "Okay. So there's two basic components to surfing. Swimming out to where the waves are breaking, and riding a wave back in. When you swim out, you're going to lie full length on your board like this."

He lay face down on one of the boards, head towards the slightly more tapered end curling up off the sand. "You paddle with your arms like this, and otherwise just let your body relax. The board does all the floating for you."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia followed his lead with the other board, laying down on it.

"Well, that part doesn't seem that bad."

[betterthanaplan]

"Nah, this is the easy part," Duke said. "So you paddle out past the breakers, and then turn yourself around so you're facing the beach. And when you see a wave you want to ride, you jump up, like this."

He went from prone to standing in one smooth movement, right foot forward towards the top of the board, his weight on his left foot, his knees bent.

"And then you ride the wave back into the shore."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia raised her eyebrows a little at how smoothly he got up. And then frowned.

And then attempted it.

It did not go smoothly.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke watched. “Now you see why we practice on land first.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia snorted.

She went to lay down again.

[betterthanaplan]

"Alright," Duke said. "Jump up when I say 'go'. Try to find your balance and place your feet as quick and precisely as you can."

[okteiviakom]

"Uh huh," Octavia said as she settled down. That serious edge was creeping into her expression again.

As it so often did when she was learning something.

"I'm ready."

[betterthanaplan]

"Okay," Duke said, and waited just a moment before saying "Go!"

[okteiviakom]

This attempt was a little better. But, had Octavia actually been on the water, she definitely would have ended up in it.

She made a muted 'ugh' sound, then dropped back down onto the board.

"Again."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke waited a little longer again, stretching out the moment almost to the point where she might start wondering if he'd do anything. Then said "Go!"

[okteiviakom]

Better, but still wobbly.

Octavia gave a little hiss.

[betterthanaplan]

“You’ve doing good,” Duke said. “No one gets this on the first try. Try slowing it down a little a couple times, let your body get used to the movement, then pick up speed.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia breathed a little huff. And then just put her focus back into it. Right, it was just like any other kind of drill.

She took heed of his advice, and got to repeating the movement slowly, at first.

Took a while for her to get a hang of it.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke offered a few more little tips, then applauded when she got it. “Nice! Want to try on the water?”

[okteiviakom]

"Not particularly," Octavia rasped, eyeing the board under her feet. "But I'm going to."

She could tell when she was unlikely to make much more progress trying something one way,

[betterthanaplan]

Duke chuckled. "Yep, that's my gona." He picked up his surf board and used it to gesture for her to follow him into the water. He jogged through the shallows, plowed the front end through the first wave to hit, then pulled himself aboard to start paddling out.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia watched him for a moment, just to get a feel on how to get into the water with the board. Then she followed.

This part, at least, she was unlikely to fuck up.