What Six Years of Solo Surf Taught One Man
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Kepa Acero’s opening statement in Etxera Bueltatzen is: “Surfing has given me the opportunity to get to know a lot of places in the world.”
I can’t wait for that day. For now, the sport’s just giving me the opportunity to get to know rashes pretty darn intimately.
Acero has spent the past six years with just his bags and boards, having been injected with the travel bug after reading stories by Jack London, John Muir, and Thoreau. He set off to recover his spirit of adventure, and now he just can’t stop.
Not to sound like he’s humble bragging, but Acero says 2015 was “yet another unforgettable year.” He rode endless waves in Peru, took on Brazil’s rivers, and finished up with travels around China, Indonesia, and what he calls his “beloved Africa.”
In a tech company I used to work for, one engineer said, “I don’t get traveling; I’d rather see pictures of places than go there.” I literally scratched my head for a good hour after hearing this. Acero and I would beg to differ.
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According to Acero, traveling changes him for the better, and he feels the effects especially back at home. He says, “Once home, [having travelled] helps us appreciate our culture, language, people, landscapes, and all the little things from a whole new perspective.”
To each his own, but if I could sit Acero and my old techie pal down for a coffee together, I 100% would.
Acero says the mere action of riding a wave is a way to enjoy what life has to offer. In other words, it’s okay to be simple, it’s okay to wander, and it’s okay to just be you and your bags.
Sometimes you just have to shut up, suit up, and surf.
