Surfing has been around since the ancient gods began longboarding on the waves of Polynesia, and saw a rock and roll resurgence on the beaches of L.A. in the ‘60s. But now, surfing is more radical than ever—especially in the Philippines where hundreds of young wave-riders are being enlightened by the lifestyle. Mark Dimalanta unlocks the mystery and mystique behind the Big Kahuna of watersports.

What is it that drives a surfer to charge down the face of a 20-foot beast that’s more than willing to bite down with razor-sharp coral teeth, and risk their body being battered and “rag dolled” with a force of what feels like a million pounds of pressure, all detonating over a mere few feet of water? When probed with this question, famous Banzai Pipeline pioneer Gerry Lopez described the rush of big wave charging like this, “ Riding waves [is] so scary that you die just a little each time”—but, in that moment, you experience the most lucid form of living.

Surfing, the ancient sport of Polynesian kings, entails more than what it simply appears to. It is a lifestyle that embodies a harmony between Mother Nature and the surfer himself. Hollywood seldom ever gets it right. Surfing is not Keanu Reeves in Point Break or Sean Penn in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Perhaps the closest Hollywood depiction was the story of three lifelong friends in Big Wednesday. The premise of this classic showcased three young men who grew up with the common bond of surfing and faced life’s challenges in different ways.

“Stripped down, without all the hype and competitions, surfing will always take care of itself because of the love the people have for the ocean.”

One of the greatest things about surfing is that it is nearly impossible to capture in words, which is why so many of us continue to guard our sport and lifestyle and never even attempt to openly address what we all realize it to be . . . a tangible efficiency of beauty and perfection. I have said time and time again that surfing can only be qualitatively judged by those who participate in it. Many may admire it from a distance, but nothing much in this life comes close to the elation one derives from gliding across water. Well, I can think of one thing, but even that can become transient and will cost you a dinner and fine wine. Surfing, on the other hand, is as free as the open ocean. All it takes is your will to try. Like the cliché goes, “only a surfer knows the feeling.”

The world of surfing has been made more visible to the masses with the World Championship Tour (WCT) wherein the best surfers in the world, like Kelly Slater (eight-time ASP World Champion), Andy Irons (three-time ASP World Champion), or CJ Hobgood (2001 ASP Champion and reigning U.S. Open of Surfing champ) travel the world to exotic places to showcase their talent. Kelly was the first “million dollar man,” scoring the first ever multi million-dollar contract for Quiksilver Clothing. Besides being the most gifted surfer to ever grace this earth, he has also been on People’s Sexiest Man Alive list several times over, being lucky enough to garner this unique accolade. After a shooting of the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, a poll was taken by all the hottest supermodels (with the likes of Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima) where they were asked to name a man they would all love to be with—the unanimous vote was for Mr. Eight-Times ASP himself, Kelly Slater. I wouldn’t mind a statement like that on my epitaph.

Perhaps that’s the hook—surfing is never static or boring, each wave is unique with a different outcome. It’s the honeymoon that never ends. ‘Til death do us part.

No longer are surfers portrayed as the bum on the beach with no direction. Slater was one of the first surfers to legitimize six or seven figure salaries and was the face of Channel Islands Surfboards and Quiksilver. He is a musician, humanitarian, and a strong advocate for a “Green Lifestyle” and preserving his “office”—which happens to be beach. In Slater’s words, “Surfing, for me, has always been a way to find things out about myself. It gives me really good feedback about my life 
. . . it shows me where I’m doing well and where I can improve.”
According to Evan Slater, the editor-in-chief of Surfing Magazine, “Surfing isn’t necessarily going mainstream. It’s the mainstream that’s going surfing . . . ” Some celebrities who share a passion for surfing include international stars like Elle Macpherson, Gisele Bundchen, Paul Walker, Alessandra Ambrosio, Jack Johnson, and the late Heath Ledger. Local stars include Jericho Rosales, Heart Evangelista, Iya Villania, Maike Evers, and Christina Bartges.

Despite the threat of over-commercialization, surfing will always remain, at its essence, Pure. After winning the 2007 U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California, CJ Hobgood put it like this, “Stripped down, without all the hype and competitions, surfing will always take care of itself because of the love the people have for the ocean.” A dedicated family man with reputedly stern values—it’s awe inspiring to watch Hobgood “take the drop” (to take off on a breaking wave and ride down the surface of the wave to the bottom) and get “shacked” (getting barreled riding inside the hollow of a wave) into some of the scariest waves at the Banzai Pipeline and Theaupoo.

Whether on a simple wooden plank or the new space age carbon-epoxy-thingamajig, at its purest, it’s about the surfer, his board, the wave, and how they interact.

“Surfing isn’t necessarily going mainstream.  It’s the mainstream that’s going surfing . . . ”

Of the many faces of surfing, the most inspirational are the free-surfers who surf for their own enjoyment and the surfers who have overcome obstacles because of their will to surf. I met a doctor who was at a point in his life where he felt he had actualized all of his ambitions. He was on the cusp of a rewarding medical career, but his hopes were cut short due to a debilitating disease that robbed him of his mobility. He felt all was lost, lived his life without passion, and could only dream of the things which gave him happiness. This doctor had surfed his whole life, waking each morning with life and fire, excited to surf with his mates and share the gifts of the ocean. When he fell ill, it was the drive to surf once more that fueled his recovery. With modern medical technology, diligent physical therapy, the restorative powers of water, and the spiritual healing that comes from the sport, he was able to eventually make his way back to a lifestyle of surfing, never taking for granted what he had almost lost.

And then there’s Bethany Hamilton—the promising young female surfer who, at the age of 13, almost lost her life when she was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark. The attack left her with a severely wounded left arm that had to be amputated, but—because of her faith, support from family, and her love of surfing—Bethany survived the corrective surgeries (despite sustaining 60% blood loss) and recovered with an unbelievably positive attitude. Although uncertain of its implications on her future in the sport, she made the decision to give one-armed surfing a shot. Amazingly, she returned to the water within only a month’s time of her attack, and is now back to competitive surfing, using her ordeal as an inspiration to help others overcome their adversities. In her words, “People I don’t even know come up to me. I guess they see me as a symbol of courage and inspiration. One thing hasn’t changed, and that’s how I feel when I’m riding a wave. It’s like, here I am. I’m still here. It’s still me and my board in God’s ocean!”

So, why do we surf? Health and fitness? Spiritual cleansing? Maybe the bottom line is that it’s just downright cool—the music, the life . . . it’s living a dream. Maybe its because it’s organic and always evolving, with even the most seasoned veteran learning something on each wave and exploring any length to experience it. Perhaps that’s the hook—surfing is never static or boring, each wave is unique with a different outcome. It’s the honeymoon that never ends. ‘Til death do us part. . . .

So I offer you one challenge amidst your bustling life in Manila, Los Angeles, or maybe N.Y.C., don’t just surf the Internet . . . surf waves. We should only be so lucky. Our beautiful country—our Philippines—is blessed with well over 7,000 islands, packed with waves and endless coastline. Some of the best surfers in the world are Filipino: Dustin Cuizon, Tamayo Perry, Mikala Jones, Freddy Pattachia, just to name a few. Truly something to enjoy and be very proud of—and, if you let it, surfing will definitely change your life.

Oh, and remember that doctor I was telling you about? I knew him pretty well because that doctor was me. Since my recovery, I have put down the stethoscope and picked up my surfboard and camera. It has been a new mission for me. A life rewritten to spread the Gospel of Surf and share the images that go with it. The will to surf again preserved my life. Who knows . . . it just may have the same therapeutic benefits for you.

Happy surfing.