Today I made a rather large investment in a new mini malibu surfboard! I biked all around Burleigh Heads (the town I live in) searching for the Rip Curl surf shop. Finally, after getting horribly lost, there it was... on the road I had been biking on the whole time... I'm not really sure how I manage to go about getting lost in the simplest of simple situations, but nevertheless, it occurs quite frequently.Moving on. Rip Curl. I get inside and there are so many nice and beautiful looking boards and clothing and surfwear etc. I go upstairs and they had copious minimals (which are really hard to find second hand here because of they're popularity). I checked them out (I was in search for 7'0" to 7'6") and found a couple that looked good. There was one used one in mint condition for $400 and 2 others for 450 that were new. There was only one problem... they were all pink.
Now I KNOW the look of the board IS NOT the most important feature, but pink?! Anyone who knows me knows that this created a monstrosity of a problem in my mind. Sean, a british boy I've been hanging out with alot, has been going with me to look for boards, but I went alone for the first time today. I figured I've been looking for boards for the past 2 weeks and now that I've found one I should just buy it and be glad I have it. Y'know?
Nope... couldn't do it. I'm so stubborn. I said thank you to the guy and hopped on my bike to head back to the Swell (my apartment). Check it out if you'd like (it really is this nice) http://www.swellresort.com.au/
On my way home I passed by a surfshop I had stopped by one of the first days I was in Burleigh. I remembered the older man who worked there, and owned the place, was really personable and helpful. I was inquiring about where the best place to get surf lessons was and he gave me some names of places then his card and said, "Tell them Richard Harvey sent you." At the time, I was like, "Ok, sounds good" Thanked him and headed on my way.
I decided to stop on by to see if he might have had any boards in (although the place is really small with not much selection). I walked in and he was in the back room painting this beautiful landscape on canvas. There were about 10 or 15 other paintings leaned up against the wall in the room and all of them were sharp and flawless.
I told him I had met him before and was on the hunt for a minimal and he said he had "just the board." 7'4" blue minimal with a really freakin' cool design on the back of swirls that were orange and yellow, red and black. The brand name was Harvey (one I had never heard of)... But I recognized the signature on all the paintings said harvey and were written in the same way as on the surfboard. Put the two together? Yes... I realized that he was the shaper of this very board I was about to purchase! We got chatting about a bunch of stuff, he's been surfing for years and has actually discovered some of the best surfing spots in the WORLD! He's also won some major competitions and has been shaping for over 30 years.
I realized how cool it was that I purchased my board from the man who made it... it gives it personality and the personality evolved into its name... Moshi. Moshi means "to smoke" in Swahili. Now I read this word in a book I just read called, "Three cups of Tea." (Great book... amazing story)... After I read this word, I thought that I would name my next bicycle after it. It sounds so daring and edgy. But after finally hopping on my pricey piece of board and trying it out, I knew that Moshi was the most fitting name for my new mate. The way it slices through the sea with the spray from the ocean misting up behind it. Well I need not say more :) Now about this name... Don't get me wrong, I name my things, but I don't refer to these things in which I name by the name I give them... I don't name them with the intention to give an inanimate object personality (ie. personification) because I feel that gets a wee bit freaky referring to a bicycle or surfboard as such, "Come on Moshi, let's go out for a surf!" No nonoooo... Moshi is referred to as "my board" but when I tell someone of how I got it, or why I love it, or while I'm telling some humorous story of how I nearly die and smash my board every time I go out... then I might add in, "this Moshi came right on down and smashed me in the head... nearly knocked me out!" (and he did)...
He also nose-dived the medial part of my calf muscle so forcefully last week that it caused it to seize up and charlie-horse (really sharp painful cramp where your muscle pretty much telescopes on itself). I couldn't even move, despite the continual smashing/breaking of waves right where I was positioned in the ocean... AND despite my pain, all my friend could do was look back at me and laugh... no mercy man. However... I would rather learn the hard way so that I can get better at this amazing feeling (not a sport. not a task. a feeling) of surfing... Sean has had to come back in from way out to actually pull me out over where the waves are breaking (they're so strong and I'm so tiny comparatively) But now I won't stand for it. I'd rather get smashed and learn :) Although it's good to have a keen mind close by, for emergency purposes ONLY!
More stories to come, I promise...
PS! notice the harvey logo is the same whether it's right side up or upside down! Purdy sweet eh?
