The Pleasure Point Tales

When the last stars are still bright in the sky and the moon hangs above the horizon, pilgrims pull out of their driveways and turn towards Mecca. Then, after the faithful few have performed their rituals, the unrelenting pounding energy is joined by the sound of voices. This devout group meets every morning in the spirit of play. The rapture these surfers experience in moments of pure play is comparable only to that of a religious experience. While this experience and its significance are necessarily unique for every individual, a community is formed from their common passion for the sport.

Unfortunately, as a college student I am unable to make my pilgrimage with these men every morning; however, I am lucky to be able to join this community on the occasional morning when the stress of tests and papers becomes too much and I feel the need to be realigned. When I am able to squeeze into my cold wetsuit, put on my left bootie and then my right, and race the others paddling out to the lineup, I am filled with hope and excitement. This overwhelming optimism stems not only from my anticipation of the waves to come, if they even do come that morning, but also from the hope that seeing this community brings me.

While it is the surf that brings all these men together, the community that is formed adds to the experience in such a way that the physical act of surfing almost becomes subordinate to the interactions of the community. This collective of men, who come from different professions and periods of their lives, is bound together by a passion. There are lawyers, cooks, realtors, computer programmers, professors, husbands, fathers, and bachelors –- and then there is myself, the disillusioned college student who is unsure of what he is doing with his life. Although we are all vastly different and often fiercely compete for a limited number of waves, between sets we share stories, ambitions, jokes and laughs. Every morning this modern day version of The Canterbury Tales creates a narrative in which a select few epic rides are remembered. Still, a majority of what is taken from the session are the lessons and moments that each of the surfers share.

The reason that this community brings me so much hope is that I know that anywhere my life takes me I will be able to drive down to the beach and find a group of people who set their alarms for well before the time the coffee turns on. While my religious trek may not be to the same right point break it is now, I know that the powerful meaning surfing provides for each surfer will unite my peers and me as a Shepard unites stray sheep and a flock. This is the beauty of surfing and the manifestation of the powerful community-forming ability of play.