Pelicans

Pelicans are definitely one of my favorite birds. Ever since I was a kid, long before I surfed or foiled, I’ve always loved watching them fly along the waves. They use a phenomenon called the “ground effect” which helps them fly further without flapping their wings. When they glide super close to the water, the air between their wings and the surface gets funneled and compressed, which increases lift and reduces drag. It’s incredible to watch them drop in on a wave, harnessing this ground effect. Then right before the wave closes out, they use that speed to turn straight up into the air, and glide down to connect the next section of waves. The similarities between pelicans and foil surfers are uncanny, as we are basically trying to do the exact same thing! Hopefully with at least one ounce of their smoothness and grace 🤪 And while we humans are doing this for fun, as a sport… and pelicans are likely just using millennia of instinctual behavior, I like to believe that somehow, in some small part of their body or brain, they too - recognize the awesomeness in shredding waves 🤙 Over and over and over again!