DATE 5 POINT BREAK; SURFING WITH BOHDI

Where to start… where to start…. I am woozy. I don’t know if it’s from the day of sea air, the lack of food or the major crush I have on my date! I must also say that I am sore and slightly bruised in unexpected places…

7 HOURS EARLIER…

I met Bohdi at the beach. He told me to look for the rainbow umbrella and his big red board. He then added that the rainbow umbrella is not his but he’s near it. However, the minute I spotted the umbrella, I also spotted my friend who had introduced us. She had a whole circle of people set up in chairs with coolers and fancy contraptions that clamp your towel to your chair. These were seasoned beach goers. I was informed that Bohdi was on his way over to meet us.

I saw that big red board getting close and then the big dimples… love the dimples! Bohdi and I set up our chairs on the outskirts of the group. He began by educating me on the basics of surfing (this was my first time, by the way). We did a few “on-sand” exercises so I could learn where I naturally find my balance (left foot forward), where I needed to be on the board when lying on it (closer to the front because I’m short), and how to get up from being on your stomach (that proved that this was going to take a few more lessons, today I would not be standing). I was starting to get the feeling that those years of “bus surfing” (balancing in the isle on the speeding junior high school bus) were going to be of no help to me now.

It was time to go down to the water. I put my leash on (it’s a Velcro ankle strap with a long tube that attaches to the board so when you get separated you’re still attached) and stepped into the water.  Then I squealed… yup like a girl! The water was cold! Bohdi told me I had to just dive in and I’d be fine. But no.. I hopped and squealed all the way in until I was hit by a wave and totally wet.

I was getting slammed by waves (they were only 1-2 feet, but to my that was huge). AND… I made the stupid mistake of wearing mascara. What was I thinking? I’m on a surfing date with a hot guy and he’s on a date with a girl who now looks like Alice Cooper! I’m still trying to jump the waves to get to the sand bar, he swears is out there, I’ve got salt water in my eyes, up my nose, in my mouth… I could not drown yet, it was too soon to be embarrassed! Speaking of near miss embarrassment,  his sister-in-law, who was part of the seasoned beach goer group, gave me a surf shirt to wear because apparently my bikini top would not have survived the ride.  Though if I had to choose between the embarrassment of a near drowning and flashing a boob, I’d go with the boob. I’ve seen people being resuscitated after swallowing tons of water and it’s not pretty.. my boobs.. are pretty.

But I digress.. because nothing embarrassing happened and now you’re probably thinking about boobs. Did I mention he has the cutest dimples and a great smile, and a sexy thin goatee? Are we back on track? Good.. I’ll continue.

I made it to the sand bar and he taught me how to paddle and it’s MUCH harder than you’d think, because you have to balance your whole body while the board is being swayed by the waves and direction matters, and luckily he was walking next to me the whole time until I heard from a far, “You’re going to paddle to the Bahamas!” WHAAAAAAT??? Where was he? How the heck did I get so far out so fast? “Remember what he told you, Jess, there have been no shark attacks in these waters in the 30 years he’s been here.”

I turned myself around to point back toward the beach to see his head far in the distance. Good lord! How do I get back??? I could hear him yelling to paddle back and to turn and see where the waves were. Those waves are good, just as quickly as I paddled out, they took me back. On my first run, I managed to make it all the way in on my board without falling off.

Obviously, NOW I think this is easy, so obviously NOW, on my second run, I catch a much bigger wave and next thing I know I’m under water looking up at the board above me remembering Bohdi’s brother’s words, “If you go under just stand up.” So, I did, and realized I was in two feet of water. HooAHHH! That was my biggest fear of surfing, I survived it so now I was ready to go! Only, I was already exhausted.. how was that possible? But I didn’t tell Bohdi, who was already pulling me out again… my personal guide.. I was digging this, I could’ve taken a nap on the board while he did all the work! When we were back to the sand bar, I was lying on the board and he kissed me…. and yes, somehow I still managed to maintain my balance (wooziness kickin’ in and all). Apparently, he’d been surfing since he was 9, all over the world, but had never kissed a girl on a surfboard. Either the best line of all time, or he’ll now have to remember me for the rest of his life.

I continued to take his direction as he taught me to find the front curl of the wave and when to pull up on the board, and did this a few more times until I was spent.  I laid on the sand like I was about to make a snow angel sans snow! At this point, we had drifted so far from all the people on the beach, that he pulled the board up on the sand and he sat on it pulling me in close. He was nice and warm and gave me a few kisses on the neck and… whoa! Hold up, this is not that kind of blog! So we talked for a while and then decided to rejoin our friends.

The afternoon was very relaxed. One of the guys had a radio playing classic rock. Bohdi brought us fruit and we ate pineapple, watermelon, and strawberries.. yummmm! We had some more snuggle time on the giant beach blankets he put out. He’s very affectionate and likes to give me back rubs which even in my foulest of moods I could never refuse. So being in a great mood, I was in heaven. Every animal trainer I’ve met has told me that each wild beast has a spot that when touched properly will tame it and in some cases hypnotize it. Tickling my back is definitely my beast taming method.. there I go tangentalizing again (that’s a made up word I use when I go off on weird tangents).

Ahhh yes, surfing was good, and other than the big red bruises on my boney hips, I’d say I had thoroughly enjoyed it.  And just when I thought I couldn’t be any happier.. just when I thought I couldn’t get any giddier, he offered to drive me to my car, and there it was… now for some women, it’s a Ferrari, for some it’s a Bentley, for some they’d be happy with a BMW or convertible Lexus, but there, parked before me was the 2013 Motor Trend Truck of the Year.. The Dodge Ram! It was BIG, it was deep cherry red… and I could her Sam Elliott’s Voice Over in my head saying, “Jess, you have found yourself a Man’s Man.. A Ram Man.” Sam’s got the coolest voice and Bohdi’s got the coolest truck, and I had the biggest smile on my face of the day!

He drove me back to my car, and kissed me goodbye.. he’s a good kisser, and I know he was being a gentleman and not going full out!

I have a major crush on this one, and yes there will be a date number 2, though I don’t think seeing him tomorrow at the sports bar for football will count as number 2, but at least I get to see him again in less than 24 hours… 🙂