Even if you travel closer, like my recent trip to Nicaragua, being able to handle and load your gear on a variety of vehicles – be it planes, cars, boats and motor scooters is a must. If you crave distance, as I do, trips usually entail multiple legs to navigate. Handling one’s own gear is the first practical obstacle. I do admit that when traveling solo it can be awkward. Otherwise, maybe if they do fly solo, they are choosing more easily accessible breaks, whichare perceived to be safer. Girls tend to be more social creatures that might prefer to do their surf travels with company. I know they are out there, but this makes me wonder if there are so few surf girls traveling alone that we never run into each other? Talking to friends on the subject, two plausible options have come up to explain this. I have met guys from many nationalities on their own solo adventures, but I have yet to meet a fellow girl solo traveler. I often see other solo travelers, and to date, all have been guys. One has to be okay with solitude on multiple levels to be okay with the far-fetched solo surf adventure. Also, since I am not gregarious by nature, I enjoy meeting foreigners and locals, but I equally enjoy the chance to have solo sessions in amazing new locations. A lot of times this means some tricky logistical maneuvers, and in this busy world, I recognize that some would rather just fly and have their wave immediately at the ready. I like to go to places as under the radar as possible, whether near or far. People are busy and with different priorities. I know there are other girls who also feel this way, but why do I never see them? This is to say that having someone by my side is not a requirement before I decide to go on a trip.
This is not to say that I haven’t enjoyed surf trips with a friend or a significant other. I do know that my need to surf other destinations outweighs the need to have someone by my side to do it. I’m not sure if I agree with his label for me. After talking with a South African surfer there, he pronounced me a soul surfer. I just returned from another amazing solo surf trip.