Times of the Islands Summer 2017

stand on the board—‘I didn’t think I could do that!’ And
then surfing is never going to be the same.” It’s all about
the next wave you are going to catch.
Surfers apparently benefit from yet another phenomena—this
one from the proximity to crashing waves that
break molecules and liberate “negative ions.” The negative
ions are made up of microns of sodium and chloride
(salt) along with magnesium. After inhalation, these negative
ions attach to the tissue inside the body and improve
oxygenation that in turn enhances mood, concentration,
blood flow and quality of sleep. Some researchers now
believe that it’s these negative ions that actually keep the
“Surf Stoke” going after the adrenaline rush has worn off.
If surfers aren’t surfing, they are thinking about surfing.
The health benefits of surfing extend to exposure
to the sun, which helps to create large quantities of vitamin
D and has been shown to regulate blood pressure
and ward off diabetes. According to Dr. Sam Slattery,
founder/CEO of the Grace Bay Medical Clinic, “We need
2,000–4,000 units of vitamin D every day, most of which
can best be absorbed through bare shoulders. Here in the
TCI tropical beach environment, we can easily get plenty
of vitamin D if we spend a half hour in the sun with no
sunblocks.”
Dark side
We’ve already seen how since ancient times right up to
today, surfers will stop whatever “productive” activities
they are engaged in to ride waves. While this compulsion
can lead a few hard-core surfers to seek to replicate the
same highs through destructive drug use, it is the exception,
as it is with other high intensity sports. The natural
dopamine release from catching a wave provides so many
benefits to overall mental and physical health.
Far more disturbing, in my opinion, is the sense of
territoriality by many surfers worldwide who jealously
protect their surf “turf” from outsiders. This so-called
A few local youngsters are getting into surfing.
“localism” can manifest itself in various forms of intimidation
and threats to, in some cases, violence. It got so
bad in Luanda Bay (near the upscale town of Palos Verdes
south of Los Angeles) that the sheriff planned a sting
operation with undercover surfer cops to arrest the surfer
gang members who had threatened and assaulted “outsider”
surfers who dared to catch “their” waves.
The irony is not lost—how happy, dopamine/endorphin/adrenaline
pumped-up surfers became bullies to
keep waves all to themselves. Is it possible that some
surfers deny wave access to others to maximize their
surf rides and the high derived from that? Or is it, as
Tetsuhiko Endo, surf editor for the on-line surf and mountaineering
journal The Inertia, put it, “[T]his culture of
fun has spawned an underclass of miscreants trapped in
a terminal adolescence—individuals with such a deluded
grasp on reality that they have fashioned themselves the
guardians and secret police of a tidal Neverland.” As surfers
proud of our sport, we cannot ignore this unfortunate
reality. Luckily, TCI surfers have seen little of this.
Surfing for therapy
While the cool factor is forever locked into surfing’s
DNA, the prospect is emerging that the very addictive
but positive effects of surfing—dopamine, endorphins,
adrenaline—can be applied to treat a variety of conditions
and illnesses. Wallace in Blue Mind points out how
some surfers like Van Curaza, founder of Operation
Surf in Santa Cruz, California, are introducing surfing to
so-called “at-risk” youth, people with terminal illnesses
and physical limitations, and veterans suffering from Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The results are impressive,
as the new surfers get noticeably calmer, quieter
and happier.
Equally compelling is the emerging evidence that
suggests watersports such as swimming and surfing can
have a transformative effect on autistic children. Don
Ryan, a surfer in Deerfield Beach, Florida, started in 2007
“Surfers for Autism”, to bring together surfers and volunteers
to work with autistic kids and their families. The
kids typically exhibit classic autism traits like inability to
focus, limited communication and social skills, anxiety
around others, and extreme sensitivity to light, sound,
and repetitive movement. At first they approach the
water with apprehension. But once put on a surfboard
(or paddleboard) and allowed to ride a small wave to
shore, something amazing happens. They grin widely and
start to relate to people around them to the point where,
according to volunteer Dave Rossman, “You can’t tell a
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