The Burgoynes: The girls are surfing!

The Menehune contest is this coming weekend. This is the surf contest for the kids, and the kick-off to the surfing contest season. Both Kezia and Ivy want to enter, despite their experience on the water. But their determination is still there, especially after learning that all contestants receive a t-shirt and a goodie bag. I was really impressed when I asked Kezia what we should do if her heat was on Sunday. She quickly said, "We'll just cancel the contest, then."

So we decided we'd better start practicing.

I was absolutely blown away the first day we went out. The waves were pretty sizeable, and even though we were only on the inside waves, they still had quite a bite! But Kezia wasn't even faded, and she called out, "Let's go! Let's go!"

Nate paddled out with her and pushed her a few times. Then they went out together and Kezia tried surfing side by side with Daddy.

Then to our surprise, she said, "I don't want you to come with. I want to go out all by myself." Wow. Was this the girl who just a year ago was terrified of the shore break?!?

So off she went, and like a giddy mom watching her child ride a bike alone for the first time, I watched her paddle out into the surf and try to catch waves. She fell off her board and her board flipped over, but like a pro she flipped it right back over, got back on, and tried to catch more waves. I was glowing this whole week -- in fact, I'm still glowing!

Ivy was no less a champ. She is in the kokua division, meaning she can have help in the water. Nate pushed her, and one time she fell off. It was pretty scary for her, but she got right back on the wave and rode one to shore. When she got to shore, she said, "That was scary, but it was so fun!"

Even Elysse played the "No Fear" card by playing in the rough shore break.

And can you believe I didn't have my camera to capture the moments?!?!

With it being Fall Break this week, we've been going out to the beach to practice as much as possible, but ironically, although the waves continue to get smaller and smaller, the girls' fears have become bigger and bigger. Both of them have caught more waves, and Elysse even caught one, but we'll see if their nerves allow them to compete this Saturday.

Here are some pics of them surfing and our time on the beach during the week:

Look how far they went out -- they're the 2 specks on the inside of the lineup (lineup: where the surfers gather to catch the waves). (Ivy and Elysse are playing in the foreground)

Once Elysse went out with Daddy to catch some inside waves. It was the wrong time to go out, since a set just came through, and she got pounded in the face three waves in a row. Thinking she'd come in shaking and fearful, I was surprised when she said, "That was fun. I liked that!"