Why Science is Backing Your Next Surf Trip

A crimson sun is setting over a canopy of coconut palms. In its wake the final flickers of daylight remain. Shards of gold reflect on sheet glass water and dance in the spray of reeling waves. The last handful of surfers struggle to stay in the line-up. Arms dead with exhaustion, they fight on.

One more stroke, one more turn.  One more ride, one more tube of a lifetime.  When the waves are this good, it’s impossible to leave.  But it’s hard to know where to look. At the oncoming set, or the fish swimming between your feet. At the mesmerising sky or your mate soon to drop into a six foot tunnel of glassy perfection. On the boat, the beers are waiting. The catch of the day sizzles on the deck. This is paradise, you can see the words etched in their eyes, and an experience they’ll never forget.

These are the unforgettable moments surf travel are made of. And one of the reasons why science suggests booking a surf trip, instead of buying a new car, will be better for your long-term happiness.

It may be a comfort for the many who scourge their bank accounts to feed their travel bug, that a  recent study by the Cornell University in New York has shown one-off-experiences, like travel, will keep you happier for far longer than a material purchase.

That’s not saying there’s no credit to the satisfaction you can get from buying a nice new toy. But according to psychology professor Thomas Gilovich, it’s short lived.

We buy new things to keep us happy, and once we get used to having our smartphone in our hands, or that Jeep sitting in the driveway, the love affair dwindles.

On the other hand, spending our money on something experience-based is like investing in our long term happiness.

Why?

Well, Gilovich says it’s simple: “our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods” and “we are the sum total of our experiences”.

As time passes the memories our experiences become even more ingrained in who we are. But the joy of the material quickly passes as we get used to what we have.

Fifty years down the track it’s rare that you’ll be telling your grandkids about the time you bought the latest flat screen TV.

The stories that stick are the ones that mattered.  The moments that took your breath away. The monkeys clambering through your balcony window in the heart of the Costa-Rican jungle. Surfing with Manta-Rays over a Maldivian reef. Drinking Kava with the local boys in Fiji. Getting tubed in front of your fiance as she sips a cocktail on the beach.

Want to create more memories?

We’re here to help you make it happen.