That Set Wave Feeling...

Even as I sit here drinking my morning coffee, I can conjure up the exact feeling— perhaps more clearly than any other feeling of the entire surf experience.  It's the feeling when a set wave breaks the horizon, and you realize that you are in pole position. 

The crowd has zigged, and the waves zagged, and you find yourself in the perfect spot as this set wave approaches.  Whatever happens next is up to you, and your ability to properly read the situation.

I've heard from nearly everyone who has spent much time in a wave pool that the anxiety of knowing the next wave is coming to you is a very real part of the experience.  The randomness of the crowd and the lineup jockeying is removed, it's just you and the wave.  Surfer versus Nature.  Or in the case of the wave pool—surfer versus carefully and painstakingly recreated Nature.

In that moment, you want to be thinking "LET'S DO THIS!"

You absolutely must push any doubts or second thoughts from your mind.  It's better to be too confident than a little hesitant when the set wave is coming to you. 

Don't even wait for the set to come to you, go meet it.  Imagine if you could take off from anywhere on that wave, and get to that spot.  

As surfers, we wait a long time for moments like this.  We navigate crowds and onshore winds, flat spells and busy schedules. 

When that set wave breaks the horizon and that wave is coming just to you, there's no hesitation at all, you know exactly what to do.