After that lesson with my daughter, I began surfing on my own a few days a week, until I noticed another mom I knew in the water. Then another. Slowly, a group of us surf-loving moms banded together and for about a year, we surfed our brains out, taking lessons, trying different boards, and wiping out over and over again. It was revolutionary for us, but it followed in a long tradition of women banding together in the water.
“There’s this expression which I sort of semi-adopted, that says, ‘Don’t lose your wild,’ says Elizabeth Madin, a marine ecologist on Oahu, and fellow surfing mom. “It’s so easy to lose the wild parts of us. To have things in your life that are challenging and adventurous is really important for parents, especially mothers.”
Surfing, as a sport, as a hobby, as a culture, has long been dominated by men and subsequently, women have organized** **their own support groups and surf retreats to feel comfortable in the water, and out. Most of these groups are loosely formed, yet a few have taken the shape of proper membership clubs, like the All Girls Surfriders Club which was started in Lennox Head, Australia over 30 years ago.
For a long time though, none have answered the question: What about moms?
That’s where Madin comes in. She founded Surfing Moms in 2018, as a non-profit organization dedicated to helping moms keep up their surf game, while taking turns watching each others’ kids on the beach.
“It’s unique because it gives you that support network that you probably really need,” Madin says. “It also gives you your identity back, or maybe a new identity for people who are just learning how to surf.”
This idea of surfing as self-care for moms also has a multiplier effect on the families, Madin says, comparing it to the airplane oxygen mask analogy where you need to put on your mask before assisting others. “Life can get very monotonous as a parent—it’s lovely but very taxing,” Madin explains. “This puts a spark back in the life of a lot of women that I’ve seen.”
Beyond the mental benefits of Surfing Moms, Madin said the group also helps members become better surfers. The meetups mean moms are in the water on a regular, frequent basis regardless of the size of waves or weather. “You go out in all conditions, because that’s the window you got,” Madin says.
