Surf Camp

I woke early, before sunrise, in Escondido, as my friend Ed dropped me off at the San Diego Surf Academy, conveniently located on a bluff some 50 feet above the Carlsbad State Beach. I had arrived at the week long camp a day early so that I could join some guys on a 24 hour surf trip in Puerto Nuevo, Baja. The surf in Baja was expected to be bigger, and the weather sunnier, so when Pat, the guy who runs the surf school, proposed I join them, I couldn't resist. 8 of us loaded into a van for the 2 hour drive south, 6 instructors, 1 experienced surfer from the UK, and me, the lone novice. I was looking forward to the next 24 hours, the incredible instructor/student ratio, and the chance to say I got my first wave in Baja.
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The drive down to Baja was the perfect intro to the surf culture, and the perfect intro to what I hope is a leisurely few months (which is why I wanted to start it off surfing). The group was an equal mix of guys in mid twenties, thirties, and early forties, and we really had 3 topics of conversation. Waves, Drinking, and Women. I guess you could substitute the word football for waves, and be with a group of guys anywhere. Watching the waves as we drove along the coast, the guys were saying it would be nice to surf here and there, and I knew these were the same kind of adrenaline junkies I became at times with regards to skiing. Always looking for the next fix. The anticipation of driving up to the mountain, scoping steep chutes and powdered glades on the way, isn't much different at all. This was just a group of guys devoted to the pursuit of happiness. There certainly wasn't any talk of politics or current events, philosphy or sports for that matter, which isn't to say that talking about waves is at all superficial.
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For starters, Surfers, like Skiers, are naturally inclined to know alot about meteorology (which is the study of weather, not meteors). Weather patterns often determine the best surf spots on any given day. Most of the surfers in Cali would prefer to surf when it is overcast, usually early in the morning, or when it is sunny and there is breeze blowing offshore. When the sun burns off the daily morning clouds, the onshore winds usually pick up and forces the waves to break all at once, instead of curling slowly along the trough of the wave (which is more ideal). Surfers watch weather more than skiers, because while skiers are really only looking for when the weather hits, the ocean really gets moving a few days BEFORE the weather hits, or when the weather hits somewhere else.
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Another thing I noticed about alot of the surfers on the ride down and the others I met is that they are all very spiritual. Spending alot of time in the ocean has created an immense respect for nature, great humility from always being in the presence of something larger than themselves, and the faith that comes from knowing there are some things out there that one surfer cannot control, whether it be wildlife, a strong wave pounding them into a shallow and sharp coral reef, or strong rip currents. The constant awareness of these things is enlightening, and creates a really peaceful attitude.
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I was lucky to experience a rip current with an instructor on my 3rd day as we swam out into one for practice. Waves were rolling in every 4 or 5 seconds as we swam out, ducking under a wave, coming up, only to have to duck right back under another wave. The trick to this is to relax and breathe normally, and this lesson was lost on me quickly. Even with wetsuits, repeatedly ducking my head under 60 degree water gave me quite a chill and made it hard to relax. I tried to move closer to shore where I could stand, but I was moving against the rip current, which made me expend even more energy. I started taking really big breaths right before I ducked under the wave, and as I popped up for air and ducked each successive wave, I was taking in less air. When that combined with the cold and the water pressure in the ears, I was disoriented just standing up to my waist. I was able to struggle in slowly, but watched another guy swallow so much water that he never became comfortable going out above his chest.
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This experience really shook and humbled me. I thought that because I'm a strong lake swimmer, I could navigate the ocean. Also, I've done so much damn yoga with breath and relaxation work, that I really thought I should be above this. It took one instructor pounding into my head for the rest of the day "relax, breathe normally" before it sank in the next day. There is enough air in our lungs to last for a good 30 seconds when we are breathing normally. The next few days, I learned that even when a huge wave was pounding me into the sand, it made more sense to not expend the energy fighting it. I just relaxed and let the wave have its way with me, I can't really beat the ocean. One of the instructors has a tattoo on his arm that reads "In God's Hands". Down there beneath the waves, you really are.
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I was really happy with my first day of surfing. I was able to stand on my second attempt and then ride a wave into shore on my 4th or 5th. It could be attributed to some natural talent, more credit to 4 instructors (incl. a guy Chris Olivas who was 3rd in the world at one point), but perhaps more to the cold water and the fear of falling in and getting my head wet. I just wasn't up for that. The presence of some females on shore also helped. While I was immediately trying to turn the board when I stood, Pat yelled "Boz, we're not turning yet, try to go straight first." I was still trying to turn for the first few attempts until Pat told me to "aim towards those cute girls on the shore." That worked like a charm. It's great when an instructor can figure out what motivates you...
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Over the course of the week, I became really comfortable riding the face of a wave and just having a great time reading the waves. Our camp overlooked the waves, so when we were eating or just hanging out, we had a great view of the waves and other surfers. I also am really attracted to the pureness of surfing. It's you, a board, and a wave. No rules, no competition. It's all about how good it makes you feel and how much fun you have. Also, while pride leads me to thinking that telemark skiers are the most hardcore kickass people out there, I have alot of respect for surfers. If you want to ride bigger waves, that usually means that you have to paddle through bigger waves to get to the break point. If you don't get by just one wave, it could drag you back to shore and then you're starting all over again. Surfing is a bit like golf in that the experience you're taking in and the ability to observe are elements that are just as crucial to excelling at the sport as it to actually ride the wave or hit the ball. 2 hours on the water, or 4 hours on the course may only result in 4 minutes of total time that you are engaged in the actual "Action". yet reading the waves, the currents, and the wind correctly during the rest of the 2 hours are crucial to making the most out of that 4 minutes.
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I would really recommend this camp to anyone interested in learning to surf for the first time, though if you're averse to the cold water, going in the summer would be a better idea.