I recently reached out to some of my favorite bodysurfers on this blue planet—Jeff Johnson, Mike Stewart, Belinda Baggs, and Chris Kalima—and asked them to answer two simple questions about bodysurfing.
Not only are these individuals great waterpeople, but they also strike me as great humans, and I was pleasantly surprised to receive answers (however brief) from each of them.
Have you ever had a major insight/epiphany while bodysurfing?
Jeff Johnson – Yes.
Mike Stewart – A deep connection and very peaceful calm with the ocean, nature, and life.
Belinda Baggs – Feeling small and vulnerable. Also learning the flow of the water and varying currents on the floor is often different to the current on the surface. Lots more to learn once you dive off the board and head underwater!
Chris Kalima – Years ago I was out at Pipe with a bunch of friends and it just turned on. It was perfect for bodysurfing and everyone was having a blast, getting tons of waves with a mellow crowd. We looked around at each other and couldn’t believe how good we had it, everyone was stoked.
This _never_happens, especially at Pipe. Mostly you’re picking up scraps or getting dropped in on. It was this perfect combination of timing, experience, and luck. I realized a few things that day.
First, it’s always better to score with your friends. Second, you never know how things will turn out, so give it a go. And third, it’s a privilege to be out there. We had the time, health, and fitness to put ourselves in that moment. If you can pay nature’s cover charge, she just might reward you!
How has bodysurfing shaped your relationship with the natural world?
Jeff Johnson – It is the basic fundamental of everything I do in the ocean.
Mike Stewart – It has unified everything.
Belinda Baggs – We, as humans, are a tiny part of the ecosystem. We must once again learn to live within the confines of nature.
Chris Kalima – I recently moved to the mountains and don’t get in the ocean as often as I used to, but I’ve been getting into alpine sports the last few years. Bodysurfing is about flow, immersing yourself in the ocean’s energy. It’s individual, it’s dynamic, there’s communion with nature that I really enjoy.
Backcountry skiing is quite similar. Tuning into weather forecasts (precipitation vs. swells), understanding conditions (winds, snow conditions, aspects vs. winds, tides, swell direction), the approach (swim vs. skin), the ride (both are sliding on water!), and finally the exit (swim or ride vs. skin or ride).
I love bodysurfing and the ocean, but really at the root of it, it’s being out in the natural world and tapping into her energy. It’s an important part of my life and who I am.