A surfing mom is a happy mom...

Paula the Surf Mom has been in touch about a great idea from Byron Bay, Australia. Check out www.surfingmums.com for a site dedicated to helping mums who surf get some water time. The problem for a surfing mum is an acute one. If, like Paula, you've been surfing since the age of three, the arrival of newborn bundles of joy will mean that the act of riding a wave can rapidly become a dim and distant memory. However, two surfer-mums and devotees of Byron Bay's exquisite surf - Vanessa Thompson and Julia Carle - decided to help each out by setting up a partnership whereby one mum would watch their two young children while the other would slot in a 30-minute surf. They'd take turns doing this and soon the idea snowballed, so that now there is a network of surfing mums in Byron Bay who even have monthly meetings as well as enabling group members to go for a surf. Paula hopes the idea will catch on not just around her home breaks of the Outer Banks in North Carolina, but globally. As she says: "Surfing has always kept me in great physical shape... the mental aspects of surfing have helped me keep sane... surfing has built my self-confidence and spiritual connectedness... I really feel like something is missing in my life when I don't surf."  Aside from being reminded of Fiona Capp's battle to write, be a mother and surf (as in her excellent That Oceanic Feeling), there is just one thing to say. You know Paula is right - so roll on the UK and Irish surf mums.

Photo (c) www.surfingmums.com. See also Paula's blog - the link is Queen of the Surf Pirates on this page.

Comments

[Paula the Surf Mom]

Yes Alex I am quite enthused about the prospects of starting a Surfing Mums chapter here in the Outer Banks, and I truly feel that Surf Mum in the UK and Ireland could certainly benefit from establishing local chapters of their own at their home breaks and I look forward to see notices about new monthly meeting in Cornwall and Scotland and Ireland as well as the Outer Banks on the Surf Mums site soon.

I received an E Mail just a little while ago from Vanessa and here is in part what she has to say… "I'm so thrilled! You are the first group to form outside of Byron Bay, and I never even thought of waves where you are!! (Does this sound familiar? I think I said something like that about surfing in the UK) Thanks so much for spreading the word of surfing mums. It would be great if a chapter started in England or Ireland as well…"

As you can see this organization not only helps beach bound surf moms get back into the water, but educates Surf Moms about surfing in other parts of the world; it could be a great medium for cultural exchanges as well.

Thank you so much for mentioning this organization Alex and I hope soon to see Surf Moms from your part of the world joining in soon.
Paula