Learning to Wave Walk

Posted on Thu Mar 5th, 2020 @ 4:44am by Commander Ennis Cullen & Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen

Mission: Mission 57: The Northern Lights
Location: Various Locations - USS Tranquility
Timeline: 1900Hrs - January 25th, 2391

Warrant Officer Rachael Yamaguchi was most decidedly out of uniform as she one a dark green one piece singlet that she had selected for herself, she was here because she had asked Ennis to teach her and Saki how to surf.

Rachael regarded Ennis. "So... How does this work exactly?" she inquired as Saki came to a stop next to her mother, wearing nearly identical attire except her suit was black, she had a black surfboard with a batman symbol on it. "Best I could find was some dude called Batman." Saki explained.

Rachael's surfboard was of spiderman so she wasn't going to complain. "Its a good design. Come up with that yourself?"

"Sarah helped me."

"Ahh." Rachael regarded the ten year old as she approached. "Sarah.. you ready?" she inquired of her adopted daughter.

Sarah joined the group carrying a pink Hello Kitty board. Her suit was also pink. A one-piece wetsuit. "Yeah... I've done this loads of times, though Dad only lets me surf up to medium waves."

Rachael nodded. "I asked him to keep the waves small... I feel so ignorant of the art of wave walking." she explained with a smile.

"It's not hard... but Dad says only experienced people should go after the big waves," Sarah said. "The small waves, you can't do tricks on. They are mostly for gliding on. Good waves to learn to balance on."

Both Saki and Rachael listened in silence before both turned their attention out to sea. "Those waves don't look too bad.." Saki admitted.

"There are a lot of hazards you often don't see while surfing Saki.. like shoals and riptides and the like." Rachael explained.

Sarah nodded in full agreement. "First lesson is to spot the waves you want to ride. Take your board out and jump on top it. Then ride the wave into the beach."

Rachael nodded as she picked up her board before she walked into the surf, followed by Saki. The two began swimming on their boards out into the sea until they got to be about three hundred yards out, Saki spotted a wave as she hopped up onto her board as Rachael was content to wait a little longer.

Saki seemed a little unsteady before the wave hit, which flung the small child off of her board and under the water.

Rachael paused as she picked up the next wave that came in, she too underestimated the waves power as moments later she too came off of her board.

She found herself under the water as she thought. 'How does Ennis enjoy this?' before the wave washed her up on the shoreline moments later, with Saki sitting up and shaking her head.

"You need to make sure the crown of the wave is right in front of you, before you stand up on the board, lassies," Ennis shouted from the beach with a humored grin.

Saki was lying on her back while Rachael was lying on her front. "How does.... anyone ... enjoy this...whatever... this is.." Saki gasped as she spat out a mouthful of salt water.

Rachael gently slapped the sand with her hand once or twice. "I'm alive... I think.." she coughed as she spat out some seawater. "What is your definition of small waves?" as Saki sat up before she went to help her mother who staggered to her feet. "Okay... Let me try this again.." and with that Saki turned and rushed into the surf again.

Rachael retrieved her board before she too went into the surf for the second time. "Crown of the wave..." Rachael said aloud as she paddled while lying on her board. "Where is that on a wave anyway?"

"Top of the wave, Dear." Ennis continued to smile.

Rachael paused. "Right." she sighed. "Saki.. the top of the wave."

Saki turned her head, she caught 'top of the wave' and her name but that was about it as she spotted the wave she wanted so in she went and while she rode the wave to shore, she was clearly no pro where as Rachael ended up getting washed ashore. She coughed once. "Okay... clearly I suck at this...." she let out a sigh. "Its not fun when you go for a swim each time..."

Saki sighed before she hauled her mother to her feet. "Don't you have martial arts training. Mom?"

"I do." Rachael responded. "You want to be taught?"

"I do."

"Very well... Then I will teach you. As my mother taught me.. I will teach you." Rachael explained. "First however. you must learn discipline.."

"It takes practice to learn," Ennis spoke as he joined and laid his board out on the sand. Then he stood sideways on the board, close to the tail. "Better to learn the ideal stances first. But balancing is something even pros struggle with."

Rachael watched Ennis as he demonstrated the act of balance on a surfboard, she took a moment to adjust her suit while she watched him work. "Okay... so ... THAT is how its done?"

"Put a little more pressure on your back foot, but yes." Ennis smiled with approval to the girls.

Rachael spread her leg stance ever so slightly but she put more weight on her right leg. "Like so?" she inquired.

"Yes. And if you've ever skateboarded, you lean ever so slowly left and right to turn," Ennis explained. "You fin is like a rudder, only it can't turn. Leaning in the two directions, controls the fin."

Rachael paused. "I've never skateboarded anywhere." she admitted while Saki simply shook her head. "Skateboarding.. Whats that?"

Rachael was the one who explained. "Its surfing except on land, with wheels on your board." she regarded Saki. "There is also rollerblading."

"I should try those sometime." Saki responded.

"I'll show you how." Rachael responded with a smile.