Sarah Nicholson: Surfer, Scientist

Sarah Nicholson is a surfer with an abundance of natural style, which is a rare commodity these days, as surfing moves towards the pursuit of bigger punts and faster spins. Style is intimately related to how a surfer perceives surfing, and as we stand on the beach and watch our fellow wave-riders, the way they surf tells us a lot about them. Watching Sarah surf, you’ll see a relaxed and fluid approach to surfing that speaks of somebody with an innate love for the sea, but who also seems to know that, compared to the larger perspective, all us surfers are just a tiny drop in the ocean.

Name : Sarah Nicholson

Hometown: Kommetjie

Years surfing: 9-10 years

1. Do you remember the moment you started/wanted to start surfing?I remember being 14 years old and being seriously into bodyboarding and ogling over bodyboarder boys. If it wasn’t for my friend Leanne who insisted that bodyboarding was not that cool and surfing was where it was at, I’m not sure I would have ever started...My first surf was at Krans (first bad choice) on a beat up, sun kissed, chequered; yin-yan tagged, retroshortboard (second bad choice). I bought it from the local second-hand surf store. So my first surf didn’t go as well as I had hoped! But luckily it didn’t dishearten me too much! After that it was hours atthe M’berg!

2. What would you do instead of surfing if you had Thalassophobia (fear of the ocean)?I have recently started rock climbing and bouldering which is actually pretty funny because I am slightly Acrophobic (fear of heights). But I think if I had put as much time into it as I have for surfing I would be pretty skilful by now! Either that or I think I would have been a killer foosball player!

3. Tell us your most amazing/fantastic surfing storyIn June/July 2006 I was on holiday in Thailand, Phuket. I was surprised to find a fun beach break there! I didn’t even realise that Thailand got swell. I rented a board and paddled out to find an intimidating and very tattooed group of locals in the line up. I took off on a wave and surfed it into the shorebreak and made my way back to the backline. To my amusement the guys all had eyes like saucers and they were much friendlier! I guess they don’t see too many girl surfers in those parts. For the rest of the surf I was part of the local clique. A year later I had the opportunity to go back. I rented a board and paddled out. To my astonishment they all remembered my name after that one surf! When I got out of the water one of the guys came up to me with a Thai magazine, he opened it to the centre, holding out a double-page spread of a girl doing a turn...it was me from my surf last year! It was so bizarre!

4. What is the most impressive fact you know?If you take a drop of water and spread the molecules of that drop evenly throughout the world’s oceans then it just so happens (proportionally) that there will be one molecule per every litre of sea water in the ocean.

5. If you were a character in a book, give the description of yourself in less than 100 words. Although Sarah often struggles to make decisions in her life, small or big, when she eventually sets her mind to something she will accomplish it no matter how lofty a goal it may be. The decisions she has made so far have taken her far and wide and at the age of 23 she is already on the road to a life full of unique experiences. This is largely to do with her outlook: if a great opportunity arises she likes to think of at least one good reason to take it instead of ten reasons why she shouldn’t.

6. When you grow up, what do you want to be? A researcher in physical oceanography; I plan to complete my PhD after I’m done with Masters. I was recently in Antarctica which has inspired me to focus on Southern Ocean research in future.