So many times since starting Yonder I have come across someone that I want to share with others. Someone that I think will be an inspiration to others, someone that inspires me. I met Victoria a year ago when she joined our Tynemouth camp. I hadn’t known at the time but Victoria was close to ending her surfing journey. Life, babies, not living by the sea and wondering if perhaps she was now too old had taken its toll, surfing was no longer something she felt she could do, frustrated and feeling totally stuck, the camp was a last attempt to decide what to do.

So many mums, dads and adults in general feel like this and I totally get it. A lot of the time surfing was something they did in their younger years, something that they could commit more time to and something that they did together with their partners. As life gets in the way and children enter the scene our priorities can shift but for some of us, those that surfing meant a lot to it’s important that we make time for the things we love or used to love doing. As we read increasingly about the health benefits of simply being in the sea it becomes even more important not to lose a sense of who we are and want to be. Surfing with others, being inspired by others surfing and feeling like you too could be a part of something helps break down the barriers that stop us from trying.

Here is Victoria’s own surf story:

I’ve always loved the water and grew up swimming in the North Sea. I began surfing about ten years ago with my ex on holiday. My love of surfing outlived the relationship! When I found myself single and landlocked, I decided I was going to have to make an effort to carry on my love of surfing. I went on a women’s surf holiday in Morocco and shared a room with a girl called Emma. We talked non-stop (or at least I did) and hit it off. After a week, she went from being a stranger to one of my best friends and life long surf buddy. When we got back, we planned a trip to Cornwall and met up in Bamburgh and then surfed in Scotland.

Checking the conditions at the Scarborough Improver Camp.

Over the next couple of years, we met partners and each had two kids. Last year we went on a surfing holiday with out two families in the canaries. It was a big moment- we’d been surfing buddies before we met our partners and we once again found ourselves hatching plans to nip off for surfs! I love the fact that we can both run away from our responsibilities for a bit and head off on surf adventures together.

This year we went away for my 40th to Devon. In the run up to my 40th I started losing my love of surfing and wondering if I should give it up. I had a baby and a pre schooler. I felt unfit, old and disheartened- feeling like I was never going to get any better and wasn’t fit enough to get out of the white water. I felt a bit landlocked and that I wasn’t able to spend enough time in the water. I wondered whether I should just throw the towel.

Over the past year, a couple of things have totally changed my perspective on surfing and I now love it and feel more committed than ever. I booked some lessons with Sally and started feeling more confident again about my ability. I looked at photos taken by her husband Tom and started to see what I needed to do to improve and progress. The biggest game changer was a conversation I had with Sally about being upset I didn’t live by the coast. She started telling me about how great the coastline is near where I live and how I should get out and explore it. After a challenging day with the kids one day I packed up the car and as soon as my husband came back from work, I took off. Within just over an hour I was surfing amazing waves. I haven’t looked back. I head off on an evening or morning on my own- whenever I can find time to escape and there are waves.

The last day of camp, everything coming together.

Total ripper and inspiration to all the girls.

Sally has given time the confidence to be an independent surfer. I’ve stopped making excuses about the coast being too far, not having time and having to look after the kids. I’ve made time for me in the sea and it’s the best thing I could have done. I feel calmer and more connected with myself and my environment.

I’ve just come back from a surf camp with Sally and feel even more hooked. Surfing with other women, I pushed myself to fully commit to getting ‘out the back’ and trying to catch bigger waves and had the best time ever. I’ve come away constantly checking the surf reports- I can’t wait to go back again. Surfing brings me pure joy- I’ll never be too old or busy not to prioritise that again.

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Rekindling a surf love affair and becoming a Sister of the North Sea.