I finally did it.
If you’re like me and grew up on Lilo & Stitch, Surf’s Up and Zoe 101, you’ve definitely daydreamed about riding the waves on a hot summer day.
For 25 years I plotted specifically on surfing first in California, then Hawaii, and finally the coast of Australia (sharks present)! Well, one random afternoon last month I was sitting at a desk, bored with all the time in the world and an extra hundred dollars. So I decided to go for it.
I love when I remember that I have free will!
I booked with a well reviewed surfing school down in Venice Beach and Ubered out there the following morning.
I didn’t know what to expect for the first time. I’d went paddle boarding in San Diego back in 2018 at La Jolla, where it just so happened that this massive Dole ship was making its way to the ocean.
The waves it left in its wake were huge and scary, but I stood and never fell in! So I took comfort in having a little experience with rocky water. But what I envisioned in my head – paddling out under clear skies, sea spray and fellow surfers abounding, maybe not going through the tube but at least riding one wave without falling – all of that looked nothing like the calm Spring Break day I’d had years ago.
It was a bit gloomy when my Uber arrived. Not raining just yet, but you could tell some would definitely come. I was delighted – what could be cooler than surfing in the rain?
We headed down the highway, me bouncing in the back seat while watching the sky uncertainly. When I was just 15 minutes away, the instructor called to reschedule. I learned that the true surfers go to the beach early and stay out there all day, and this group had determined the waves were too big for beginner lessons.
Though disappointed, I recognized a chance to put my spirituality into practice, so when I realized I had the whole day open I figured I would spend it watching the professionals. I could pick up on their energy, meditate with the sound of the ocean in the background, and prepare my spirit for my lessons.
I’m so glad went.
As a spectator, nothing is better than that moment when the surfer rides down from the crest.
I got there just in time to watch them paddle out. It was amazing in person – I could feel the force of the waves from the sand. Rainy days are for pros indeed. The ocean was alive, almost angry, like the sky’s mere suggestion of rain had ruined her day. When they crashed to the shore the spray carried all the way up the sand, and I was happy to be sitting with the families.
The next morning the skies were beautiful and clear with a gentle breeze. I met the instructors in the parking lot and boy, were they authentic.
Their set up was a giant van, exactly like you see in the movies. The outside was painted with their logo, but when they opened the door all the eye could see was wetsuits and surfboards. I put on my suit in the parking lot and watched the group session go first – then it was my turn.
My instructor Alex was an old surfer. His skin was leather brown and his hair was bleached from a lifetime in the sun. He was nervous. I guess I was tiny to him – he asked if I was around 5’2 when getting my wetsuit. Mind you I’m 5’5 and a half, and he said he was only 5’11! He needed to know my surfing experience and my swimming strength, and as we talked, he kept glancing at the ocean and telling me the waves were strange that day.
It turned out okay though. I told him about my paddle boarding experience and that I was a really good swimmer, to which he smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.
As for me? I might as well have been on crack. I’d never felt more physical excitement in my life.
Finally, the time came. We marched to the sand, laid my board down and started my lesson!
In case you’re here for mental preparation, don’t worry! It’s just like on TV. You lay down flat with arms and legs on either side, paddle to your desired spot which, at Venice Beach, is maybe 100 meters from shore, turn towards the sand when you feel a good wave coming, and let nature do the rest!
Since it was my first time I didn’t do the paddling – instead Alex pulled me and the board and determined which waves were best. All I had to do was slide on and position myself when he said.
The first wave rolled in, and it was go time. “Get ready, prone position, feet together, go!” It picked me up, splashing over my shoulders and hurtling me towards the sand.
Then a moment came – a… shift in the Force – a moment where the wave was steady, reliable, like lying on a dining room table. I went to burpee my way to my feet, but my body was frozen. So I stayed flat, rode out the wave, and tumbled off at the sand.
It was like I’d just met God.
Suddenly I understood how giant heavy boats floated, how the water became such a trusted friend of ours. All I wanted to do was feel that feeling again.
We tried over and over, taking breaks on the sand when my arms felt like jelly.
I felt it once more, getting better at listening to the comfort in my body more than trying to remember the sequence.
I got good at popping onto my feet. The second and third wave had me frozen too, but by the fourth I made up my mind that I was going to stand on that freaking board. And I did!
Once I mastered the pop up I moved into staying attached to the board. You know how riding a bucking horse looks super easy from the seats? Same.
After the wave lifts you up, she starts to shift and collapse, and that’s when you get into the actual surfing. Riding down and staying on the inside required a different sort of balance. One of the girls from the group was experienced – she came over the top and sled down like it was a snowy hillside. I can’t describe the grace with which she did it. Alex said it takes practice to build that skill.
By wave… 15? I was starting to get frustrated. Thank God for my instructor who might have been one with the beach because the moment I was about to lose it, he called it for the day.
We rested, I swam around a bit, and ended the day with wings, pizza, and a giant margarita.
All in all, I had a very successful first surfing lesson, and on post-storm waves, Alex kept emphasizing! I had stood up and rode them 5 times, and my prone-to-standing form was awesome. He told me that on better waves, he thought I could become a very talented surfer. 🏄🏾♀️
So here’s to my fulfillment of a deeply yearned for childhood dream, and my commitment to a brand new hobby! In the years to come I will conquer the waves of Oahu, Escondido, and finally Bryon Bay. Then I’ll surf wherever I want, trusting the ocean and her eternal energy.
Watch the story below from my Pacific Adventures!
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