I sometimes find myself overthinking the decision of where to surf, check the usual indicators in the lead up to a window of opportunity - swell size, swell direction, peak period of the swell, wind direction and speed, tide range, moon phase, consider the time of year for various breaks, try and remember where the sand was and what the waves were like at this time last year....bugger me, it just messes with my head with the endless options and wondering if I made the wrong call or not when I get to where I choose.

And then I remember when I started surfing and just the pure stoke and not really caring for the forecast at all, like not even looking at all - literally drive to the beach with my board on the roof tied down with 2 x broken leggies, chuck the board under the arm and get down to the beach and judge it from there ha ha. I learnt to surf in Winter (was a big Winter too) after getting a fun board from a girlfriend for my birthday, it was tough going but I got it done and was hooked from that point on..

With my time at a premium to surf I am now moving somewhere back to where I started but in a different set of circumstances - pick a time that works with the young family (and work) skim over the indicators and make a call and accept what ever it may be will be what it is and don't worry if you made the wrong call - take it as it is and just enjoy getting out there.

The other part that I used to do is going out on my own, I mostly learnt on my own never had mates bail on me, convince me to go for a coffee or whinge about it and kill my stoke, I was going no matter what. Getting back to that way is harder due to the safety side of it but I must admit the 'soul' surf's can be the most pleasurable and I forgot that.

Have been enjoying sessions in a different way lately and getting back to realising that sometimes conditions are not what they seem until you are out there and not to get worried if you made the wrong call on the location.

Ignorance can be bliss.