Dear diary, Japan part 1

When strolling along a beach (maybe on a tiny island called Niijima off the coast of Tokyo) most people gaze towards the ocean, watching the waves, and maybe even those on them. Not me. I'm focused on my long term study of the under apruciated ( by our reckoning anyway) moll culture, of which I am a proud member.

Focus your eyes on the shoreline and you will see us there, waiting, watching, and wondering just how long our surfer is going to take today. In Australia we are generally a female dominated group, and from my initial impression I assumed things were the same in Japan. As I strolled along I spied what at first glance appeared to be a traditional moll, with long platted hair and a simple dress, camera in hand & staring vigilantly out to sea.

I smiled at her with love in my heart (which then, I assume, traveled to her through my eyes) for our moll sisterhood. The next day I was filled with surprise as she showed her true colours, coming out of the water wet suited and board in hand! I had been fooled! The previous day she had been watching the ocean for her own benefit, not someone elses.

On closer inspection I have discovered that women in Japan are more inclined to be 'out the back' (that's surfer language for 'in the deep water') & a part of the action. If they are not inclined, you can find them at the bar with their friends, or (in the case of this island) at the local onsen. These women may appear cute and friendly, but a moll can see that as they giggle they are really saying to each other 'If Bazza ever tried to make me watch him surf I'd make origami from his privates' (rough translation of course).

So this situation begs the question, who is left to moll?

It seems Japanese surfers have enlisted the help of male-moll-friends, or fellow surfers. Many of the cars lined up overlooking the beach have man-molls in the front seat, either camera in hand or steadfastly staring at their surfer. As said surfer returns male-moll-friends slap them appreciatively on the back and pass them a towel, full of praise & interested comments that put my surly greeting and pointed glances at my watch to shame.

If a man friend can't be russeled up surfers can still paddle out with confidence, as other surfers spend a minimum of ten minutes pre and post surf vigilantly staring out, making sure no-one goes unwatched and no 'awesome wave riding trick' ( my words not theirs) is missed.

thinking back to Australia I realized that this support network exists there too (it may even be a world wide epidemic) I'd just been too distracted by my own kind to notice before. In every surfer there lies a 10 minute moll, maybe even more, ready to lend their eyes to those in need. Does this make full-time molls an endangered species? Will surfers of the world one day find us obsolete? Is this what we want?

As Mr Bodyboard runs up to me to beg me to film him for ten minutes or 'at least take some photos' I realize that if we are going, it's not going to be soon.