By Rick Warr

I started my surfing life near Cronulla Point. After progressing from a surfing plane to Coolite to surf board, I had become an OK surfer.

At age 14, I was obsessed with surfing. I knew the surf was huge that Wednesday when I told my mother I was just going for another surf, with no mention of the conditions.

The huge 25-foot swells that were running into the point and smashing against it, were challenging surfers to take it on. Not all were up to it.

I took my precious surfboard down to the rocks and carefully managed my way out to the break. The mountains of water that were tripping up on the reef were exploding with a fury that threatened life, limb and surfboard. I can candidly tell you I was very scared.

I watched others negotiate the challenge till I was compelled to get involved. Surfers have an adage that goes, “Take off or f*** off”. I felt the imperative of the philosophy so I stroked toward the rocks to catch the next big wave. I felt the wave lift me high into the air and the speed of my board race. I stood as the board fell from underneath me as it skittered down the wave’s face. I angled away from the impact zone and managed to escape without being caught that time.

Other times I got caught and learnt the importance of not panicking. To rag-doll your body and allow the turbulence of the wave to spend itself before spending any energy swimming to the surface with lungs bursting for fresh air.

Now my local is Sandon Point. The surf is up again with monstrous swells exploding on the reef. I now watch avidly, as a surfing elder who no longer has the youth or the fitness to take the risk.

However, I watch and vicariously feel the thrill that young surfers feel as they take it on. I notice them negotiate their way out through danger zones of furious wave energy. I watch them get dragged back against the wash of the waves as they tenaciously paddle themselves out into take-off positions. I know how much energy that takes.

I watch them learn how confidence has its rewards when riding these waves. I watch them as they tame awesome swells with fearless aspiration. I watch as they drive themselves up a cresting monster to quickly snap a full-tilt slash-back at the threatening lip, and tap the fall energy to make their escape, a la John John Florence.

I watch them deal with the setbacks. I watch them get right back up again and sometimes get that one-in-10 wave that runs fast and makeable from outside all the way through a thrilling race-course, all the way into the beach, knowing their thighs are burning with the exertion.

The Point and big surf is a proving ground. It is when I became a man. It is great to see and understand how this is happening for young surfers today. I know that once you have confronted your fears this way, you are better equipped to meet life’s challenges. It is a combination of humility and confidence. You learn respect for the power of nature while learning how to work with it, for the thrill of your life.