I was 9 or 10 years old.
I was given a surfboard.
But this wasn’t any normal surfboard. It was a kneeboard.
It was just like a normal surfboard, made of the same fibreglass and stuff. Except this board was shorter, it was wider and it had the middle area scooped out. And you knelt on it when riding a wave.
They called it a spoon.
I’ve never looked back.
I have been kneeboarding ever since.
Kneeboarding is a unique way of riding a wave. It’s what I do. And I love it.
Boards have evolved since those days. They nowadays look very similar to stand-up surboards. Maybe just a bit wider. And we ride the wave the same as a stand-up, except on our knees.
But why kneeboard and not standup? If I had a dollar for each time I was asked that… 🙂
I grew up surfing, and still do surf, a very fast break and in surfer terms “hollow”.
Kneeboarding is the perfect way to ride the tube. Getting barrelled is the epitome of surfing.
It’s where time stands still.
Stoked is the word. What a privilege.
Did I mention the barrel? 🙂
Kneeboarding is not a huge sport with countless followers. What it is though is a band of brothers and sistas. 🙂
The comradery between kneelos is something else. A group of us went on a “gathering” up the coast some time back. We enjoyed great waves, we shared stories around the fire. We enjoyed some beers. We took lots of photos.
After seeing the coverage from the weekend, a standup friend asked me, “How do you okes do it? That looked like such a good weekend. You’d never find stand-ups doing that”.
The feeling of connection within kneelo surfers is next level.
Surfing must be the only sport where riders do not want to share with other riders. Selfish what? It’s weird that – the fewer the crowds the better for me... is the warped reality.
Kneelos are different though. We will often message each other to join in the good waves. Just this morning I enjoyed a walk down my local beach at 6 a.m. with a fellow kneelo. It’s good to share the stoke.
But hang on. This is a photography newsletter. What the heck has kneeboarding got to do with photography?
It’s about passion. I’m passionate about riding a wave. I’m passionate about photography.
And you know, whenever I am engaged in either one, that is what I’m focussed on. Nothing more, nothing less. I’m in that moment. Living in the now.
All other worldly problems are way outside of my realm.
Passions are good to have. They enrich us, they grow us, they give us community and give us meaning and purpose.
So what are your passions?
Best
Stephen
