Recently, I've sparked renewed interest in learning to surf (maybe this time I'll stick it out?), and I've also started learning how to kite surf, which is my partner, Jake's passion. Now, I'm not sure if you've ever kite surfed before, but one of the key steps when you're learning is body dragging through the water, which essentially is like jigging for bait, but your body is the jig and you're praying to god almighty that nothing big enough to swallow you wants to play the part of bait (there are videos of me doing this on Instagram if you want the visual and have never been fishing before). Now, as you can imagine, this is not an ideal thing to be doing in a bikini, as the water often catches on your swimmers and pulls as your body lifts out of the water, resulting in a little bit more flesh baring than is desirable. Surfing is also not something I particularly enjoy doing in a bikini, because it tends to result in both sunburn and board rash - ouch!
So when these new interests surfaced, or resurfaced, I decided to invest in some new, more appropriate swimmers. I wanted something full piece with sleeves to protect my arms from the sun (they get quite enough), that was feminine, still sexy and sustainable. Cue a long internet search over a period of about a week, and an instagram poll to help me choose between two different suits, and I finally settled on the Soulti Surf La Mar Onezie. I loved that Soulti is a local to me small business run by a woman who surfs, because I knew the swimmers would be appropriate for my climate and the activities I wanted to do in them. They're 75% recycled nylon, made from nylon spun from discarded fishing nets fabric offcuts. I love our ocean so much, and so it's incredibly important to me that my actions in it and outside of it contribute to it's health, which is why I have decided to only buy sustainable clothing this year. I also love that even though I'm far more covered than I typically am at the beach, especially once a kite surfing harness covers my lower back, I still feel super sexy in them.
Yesterday the wind was blowing hard and Jake was keen to get out in it for a kite surf. I originally intended on having a session too, but when we got to the beach it was actually too windy to be safe for a beginner on the size of kite that I had with me, so I ended up just taking photos and videos of Jake instead. We drove onto the beach at Evans Head and went down to Salty Lake, which is a tidal tea tree lake that joins up with the ocean on the high tide. Jake loves flat water kiting and was up for the challenge of the narrow lake, and the wind was perfect to try it. We went between the lake and the ocean to swim in the morning, and then when the afternoon wind picked up, Jake hit the lake on his kite. Lou had a ball chasing him through the shallows, and I had fun watching, playing with my camera and swimming and playing with Lou in the lake and the surf. Considering that we were on the beach all day, I'm so glad I had the foresight to put my new swimmers on, or I'm sure I'd be in a world of pain, burnt to a crisp right now. The long sleeves also provided a buffer from the wind while I sat on the shore and Jake kite surfed. My only regret about the day is that we left the beach for lunch. I wish we had packed a picnic to enjoy in the shade by the lake. I can already guess that we will be spending a lot more time down there before the end of summer though, so there is always next time for that!
Why is it that I'm always getting brilliant, candid shots of Jake and he never gets any of me? I'm starting a pact with him - I'll only sit in the wind to take kitesurfing pictures for hours on end if he takes cute candid shots of me when we are hanging around and out and about.
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