The Boogie Report

We just joined a group called Surfriders; in fact we were there for the first meeting of the South Texas Chapter. The name obviously infers that surfers would be the main emphasis, although we had people more known for beach walking, sand castles, swimming, kayaking, kite boarding, and boogie boarding there. Surfers tend to be an aristocratic lot, where everyone else is considered a “sponger.” Well, I am sure Surfriders will accommodate us spongers, since we have the same preservation goals and don’t mind a get-together party every now and then.



Myself, I like body surfing and boogie boarding because big waves are relatively rare down here on South Padre Island, and if they are big, they’re too choppy and dangerous. Plus, the place where we usually go swimming is called Bougainvillea Circle, or more simply “Boogie Circle.” Thus the Boogie Report.

The surf predictions were 1-2 feet today, which I can see if you’re a snobby surfer. But lo, when we got out to the second sandbar we had some 4-6 foot waves. It was incredible, with at least some 40-foot rides, one maybe 60. One wave was so powerful I lost my jams (my bathing suit), which fortunately had not floated off to the nearby ladies. I didn’t bring along my boogie board, more technically known as a body board because of its design and 45-inch length (and not to mention expense), although I wish I had.

All in all, it was a perfect boogying session … until the kids all showed up wanting to do the same thing. I don’t know what it is; my wife tends to attract all kinds of stray cats, dogs, kids, and even bugs. Not a good idea to spear some kids coming off a 5-foot wave going 20 MPH. About 45 minutes was enough work-out, anyway. In all fairness to the surfer reports, you really can’t tell the entire day’s surf at eight o’clock in the morning, with all the shifts of wind and current. But it rocked today!