Living through a global pandemic has made traveling, among other pleasures, a sweet and distant memory. Lockdowns and quarantine requirements also mean leaving home's a bit more challenging; not to mention, risky. And as social media feeds get flooded with the latest COVID news, they're also decorated with throwbacks to pre-pandemic adventures–like surfing parts of the world now off-limits to outsiders or watching Raglan do its thing from inside the warmth of a comfy camper van.
Who knows how long it'll be before we can relive these moments. For now, they're something to savor and look forward to whenever this pandemic is over. The journey, instead, is in the ways we keep ourselves busy in passing the gift of time.
Explore waves at home. The froth is what fuels surfaris of every flavor, across oceans and in the most obscure nooks of the world. But what about rediscovering waves closer to home? If surfing's allowed where you're from, like it is in Hawaii, then why not?
Because we're usually traveling over the summer, we often miss some epic swells back home. This summer of stay-at-home orders gave us a chance to enjoy our home break in all of its glory, while even trying out a few new spots. The line-ups have been pretty packed since the pandemic happened. But it encouraged us to look to the inside breaks we'd otherwise would have overlooked. They were not only uncrowded but also socially distant from the pack of people sitting farther out.
If the waves back home just aren't happening, or you come from a place where waves are non-existent, then explore the trails or cities instead (safely, of course). Staying home provides opportunities to re-discover and appreciate what's been right in front of you all along.
Treat yo'self. Pandemic purchases are a real thing when you're bored at home. One web search can quickly spiral into a web of its own, from looking at swell forecasts to perusing latest surf fashion trends. Admittedly, we splurged on a few new surfboards, wetsuits and swimsuits. But each purchase supported local businesses and shapers; plus, we'd saved up a lot of money not traveling this summer. Your pandemic purchases don't need to be as pricey, though. Go treat yourself to a solo swim at your favorite beach, followed by a cold treat from your favorite mom-and-pop. Do something to make your soul happy, too.
Mind surf. Mind surfing during a pandemic can mean different things. It might mean you're salivating over empty line-ups at home because surfing's banned by local authorities. Maybe you're mind surfing the raw footage of Indo surf breaks going off during lockdown; so close, yet so far. The country closed its borders to tourists, so it's been a locals-only scene for months now.
Mind surfing could also mean you're taking a day off of surfing to surf the couch instead. We've been obsessed with needESSENTIALS surf flicks this quarantine. The innovative surf goods company usually features Noah's favorite twin-fin surfer Torren Martyn. The Aussie actually just released an hour-long film called "Lost Track New Zealand," following him and a buddy through the country by motor bike. This is, by far, the best surf film we've watched in a while. It's a good blend of scenic and surfing shots, as well as an interesting storyline showing their journey. They trek thousands of miles and score waves all to themselves; not to mention, the picturesque backdrop of rolling green hills or towering cliffside facades. It made us miss New Zealand so much but was a nice way to revisit the country, virtually.
Read about surf. Book, books, books! When Hawaii went into its first COVID-19 lockdown, arts, crafts, pillow forts and snacks helped pass the time indoors. But there's only so many cookies you can bake and arts you can craft before delirium starts to set in. Trips to the beach and playground were out of the question, so we took to books to teleport us to new and exciting places instead.
READ MORE: Social distance beach cruising //Social distance surfing // Empty Waikiki Beach
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