Sophie Collongette stands on the hot sands of South Beach, Miami, with her beloved surfboard ‘Gummie’.
July 26th, 2023 | Essay by Sophie Collongette
I gaze into the misty air, patiently waiting with “Gummie,” my 9-foot-4-inch bubblegum-colored surfboard. As I see the wave rolling in, I swoosh Gummie around and start paddling forcefully; I prepare for my performance, peering back at the glassy wall that’s approaching. The wave’s strength pushes us in unison, and a fluttering rush fills my belly, just like it always does. Feeling the ocean’s magnetic energy, I place my hands firmly on the board and pop up to my feet with excitement for what’s to unfold.
As the frame peels to the right, Gummie, the wave and I become one. We are synchronous as we communicate back and forth, telling a powerful story between humans and nature.
I step lightly up and down the board, speeding up, slowing down, turning, all the while distributing my weight, doing my best to understand the wave’s language.
The three of us are dancing, and I never want it to end.
The surf community calls this never-ending desire “the bug.” And once you get it, there’s no going back.
It happened naturally for me. A month into the pandemic lockdown, my boyfriend at the time caught the “bug” long before I even knew what it was or that it was contagious.
I accompanied him to various South Florida beaches while he chased waves, watching him surf as I read or did yoga on the warm sand. While tanning to look like a bronzed, glazed donut, I realized the more I observed him surfing, the more I wanted to try it myself. I then attempted surfing several times, but the struggle between paddling, balancing and reading the waves overtook my motivation to improve.
Then March 2021 came and marked my turning point. I traveled to Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii, for a solo spring break trip — a dream of mine since I was 5. I returned with a severe case of the surf bug. The surf community, lifestyle and mindset — I was all in.
I used to associate surfing with my ex-boyfriend. It was our favorite pastime during our last year together. Sharing waves and indulging in surf culture strengthened our relationship. It was our love language, but I knew that surfing itself would be my forever love.
‘Gummie’ faces the idyllic waves of Miami Beach, one of many South Florida beaches that Sophie visits since being introduced to the sport of surfing during the pandemic lockdown
And it still is. After our breakup, surfing kept me sane. It made me feel whole, despite the empty void I felt inside. Moving to north central Florida, I had an entire new array of beaches to uncover. Waves untouched by Gummie and me broke gracefully with power — a Miami longboarder’s paradise.
Similarly to Disalvo, surfing is a spiritual experience for me. I bond with nature and analyze the aspects of myself that get overshadowed by the stimulation and chaos of the modern world. Tapping into this spiritual essence creates a soulful energy between the ocean and me — one I have never experienced anywhere else.
And I was not alone in this discovery. According to an article by The Inertia, a surfing publication, surfboard sales increased by 113% during the pandemic. The flood of newbies in the water showed that surfing became a more popular mental health outlet during a period of darkness and uncertainty.
Although surfing is a high-intensity physical sport, it’s good for the mind as well. A Swansea University neuroscience study reported that surfing is a successful form of therapy for patients with brain injuries. The study reported that patients’ quality of life and overall mental and physical well-being improved significantly after surfing two hour sessions for five weeks.
Peter Harter, the owner of FreeRide Surf and Skate Shop in Gainesville, said that surfing is not only about exercise for him. More importantly, it’s a mental break.
“Surfing is something that will always be my pure love,” he said.
A surfer since 16, Harter said the mental benefits of surfing are indescribable.
He mentioned that it’s different from any other water sport or physical activity because surfing is his “me” time. His mind and soul are free; he is a kid again — effortless, carefree, present.
That matches my own experience. Surfing is just you, your board and the ocean. But the love for surfing creates intimate bonds with other people — strangers who become friends and extended family.
Sophie rides along the South Florida waves, an exhilarating experience she describes as a form of “dancing” between humans and nature.
Whether it be Miami, north Florida, Mexico or Hawaii, surfing has introduced me to a new world where I belong.
The ocean is my home, and surfing is my peace. And I never want to let go of that. I caught the bug. It’s who I am.
